1. International Communication
Pop Quiz
International Communication

2. Quiz In the US, the Amish speak a dialect of
Aramaic
Dutch
German
2. True or False: In Japan, most men and women speak different forms of Japanese.

3. Quiz
3. Several dialects are recognized as distinct languages in Spain. Match the language with the appropriate data:
A. Basque 1. Spoken in Galicia
B. Castilian 2. Not related to Spanish
C. Galician 3. Spain’s official dialect
4. Muslims believe that God spoke Arabic, the official language of many countries, including Oman and Morocco. True or false: Spoken Arabic has no regional dialects.

4. Quiz
5. Which of the following is not one of Belgium’s three official languages?
A. Flemish
B. French
C. German
D. Luxembourgish
6. True or false: In 1966, the French government established a commission to combat Franglais, a mixture of French and English.

5. Quiz
7. True or false: It is a social gaffe to arrive on time for a dinner party in either Mexico City or anywhere in India.
8. You are holding a meeting in Wisconsin for Chinese executives. Which is NOT a blunder?
Holding the meeting in room 444
Passing out green caps
Staying out late entertaining your guests
Serving Wisconsin cheese at every meal

6. Quiz
9. True or False: Translation blunders often occur even among English speakers. The 1993 Warner Brothers’ film Free Willy left many Brits helpless with laughter.
Spitting is actually against the law in which country?
True or false: Never keep your left hand in your pocket while shaking hands with your right in Germany.
You are the sole passenger on a bus in Bahrain. A man enters and chooses the seat next to you. True or false: He intends to start a conversation with you.

7. 13. Japan is a high context culture where small gestures convey great meaning. Which is an appropriate behavior in Japan?
A. Covering your mouth when you laugh
B. Winking to convey agreement
C. Speaking in a loud, forceful voice.

8. Answers 1. In the US, the Amish speak a dialect of
C. Pennsylvania Dutch = Deutsch
True or False: In Japan, most men and women speak different forms of Japanese.
True. Traditional Japanese women speak a very deferential form of the language.
3. Several dialects are recognized as distinct languages in Spain. Match the language with the appropriate data:
A. Basque = 2. Not related to Spanish
B. Castilian = 3. Spain’s official dialect
C. Galician = 1. Spoken in Galicia

9. Answers
4. Muslims believe that God spoke Arabic, the official language of many countries, including Oman and Morocco. True or false: Spoken Arabic has no regional dialects.
False
5. Which of the following is not one of Belgium’s three official languages?
A. Flemish
B. French
C. German
D. Luxembourgish
6. True or false: In 1966, the French government established a commission to combat Franglais, a mixture of French and English. True. Le Haut-Comité pour la défence et l’expansion de la language Française

10. Answers
7. True or false: It is a social gaffe to arrive on time for a dinner party in either Mexico City or anywhere in India.
True. In India, guests arrive minutes late; in Mexico, guests arrive an hour late.
8. You are holding a meeting in Wisconsin for Chinese executives. Which is NOT a blunder?
Holding the meeting in room 444
Passing out green caps
Staying out late entertaining your guests
Serving Wisconsin cheese at every meal
C. Four sounds like “end” in Chinese; a green hat = cuckold; many Chinese are lactose-intolerant

11. Answers
9. True or False: Translation blunders often occur even among English speakers. The 1993 Warner Brothers’ film Free Willy left many Brits helpless with laughter.
True. Willy is a slang term for penis.
10. Spitting is actually against the law in which country?
Singapore also prohibits chewing gum, jay-walking, and smoking in public places.
11. True or false: Never keep your left hand in your pocket while shaking hands with your right in Germany.
True. Don’t even talk to someone with your hands in your pockets in Germany.
12. You are the sole passenger on a bus in Bahrain. A man enters and chooses the seat next to you. True or false: He intends to start a conversation with you.
False. Complete strangers often sit close to each other in many parts of the Middle East.

12. Answers
13. Japan is a high context culture where small gestures convey great meaning. Which is an appropriate behavior in Japan?
A. Covering your mouth when you laugh
B. Winking to convey agreement
C. Speaking in a loud, forceful voice.
A. Displaying the inside of your mouth in Japan is considered rude.

13. High Context High Context cultures (Latin America, Middle East, Japan)
Infer most information from context
Convey little information explicitly
Prefer indirectness, politeness, ambiguity
Consider oral agreements more binding than written ones
Rely heavily on nonverbal signs

14. Low Context Low Context Cultures (UK, US, Northern Europe)
Rely little on context cultures
Spell out most information
Value directness: may see indirectness as dishonest or manipulative
Value written word more than oral statements

15. Personal Space
Personal space - distance one likes between self and others
Lots: North Americans - North Europeans -
Asians
Little: Arabs - Latin Americans –
French - Italians
Some people more comfortable
with touch than others

16. Business Time
North Americans measure it in 5’ blocks; some others in 15’ or 30’ blocks
Lead times vary: 2 weeks in some cultures; 3 or 4 days for others

17. Time and Culture Monochronic culture People focus on clock
Plan their time; avoid wasting it
Polychronic culture
People focus on relationships
Disregard clocks and planners