Languages & Cultures of East Asia
Trad 101, Sections
18-19-20-21 Fall 2000
Lecture Outline, 10/11/00 - Cross-cultural Communication (2)
Cross-cultural (mis)communication
Review American vs. Japanese
complimenting
complaining
negotiating
Trouble spots
Language
Conversational style:
direct/indirect
beginning/end
Unspoken assumptions:
How invitations are done
Stereotyping:
Asians are quiet
Judging differences:
from own perspective
Chinese vs. American
1. Language
parking permit
2. Language and unspoken assumptions
milk vs. beer
3. Culture differences
Let’s go see the princess
Korean vs. American
Tutoring session
Tutor Non-native speaker
Student Native speaker
Data
35 minutes
8 minutes of transcripts
playback session
Bowling
Game = 10 frames
Frame
strike: 10 points + points from 2 rolls
spare: 10 points + points from 1 roll
open
Perfect game: 10 frames + 2 balls
300 points
Things to consider:
1. What roles do the two people have?
2. Assumptions? Interpretations?
3. Assumptions reflected in conversation?
Dialogue
Initial clash
Line 3
Student: asks a direct question
Tutor: "Yeah, approximately"
To S: Tutor is not fully knowledgeable
To T: Rude to state one is an expert
Tutor’s perspective
Yes, I know a little >> Yes, I know a lot
formulaic hedge
polite modesty
Different interpretations
T: thinks he has asserted his knowledge >> his status
S: thinks tutor has only claimed partial knowledge
Unspoken assumptions
No access to the other’s knowledge
But assume they share
More mismatches
Line 4-6
S: reveals no full knowledge
T: surprise followed by silence
Silence
To S: Silence means no experience in bowling
To T: 1) Avoid embarrassment
2)
Already asserted expertise
3)
Another attempt to be polite
Where they stand
Both interpret the other as denying knowledge
Both believe he/she has asserted claim to higher status
Student behavior
Line 7 "That has to do with the bowling game"
Repeatedly challenges T’s interpretation of procedure
Line 21, 27-30,32-33
Interruptions
Line 52-58
Final outburst
Line 60-61
Tutor behavior
Repeatedly rejects S’s version
Line 24-27, 30-31, 34-36, 43-46
Cultural background-Korea
Teacher-student relationship
respected
governed by ‘jen’--benevolence
no negotiation over status
T avoids making S look foolish
expects S to listen, not to challenge
Cultural background-US
If tutor doesn’t fully know, then status is open for
negotiation
Organization styles
T: uses inductive method
starts with shared knowledge,
builds step-by-step
applies it 7 times
To S: a waste of time
"the guy was playing with my
head"
Rejects 7 times
Summary
What has happened?
What caused the miscommunication?
Why do they have different assumptions?
A case of conflict in the perception and negotiation of status |