Annual Review of Applied Linguistics (2002) Diana Boxter

What does “cross-cultural” mean? Interaction between individuals form different cultures (countries, regions or groups)! “ “... for cross-cultural communication to be open and effective, interlocutors must be aware of their boundaries, both personal and cultural, so that they might know the limits on and possibilities for understanding one another in the exchange. That is, in understanding another person and culture you must simultaneously understand yourself. The process is ongoing, an endeavour aimed not at a final transparent understanding of the Other or of the self, but at continued communication, at an ever- widening understanding of both. (Sarris, 1993, p. 6) “

Cross-cultural differences Watch:

Why is it important? In a world that is getting smaller when people from different societies and cultures interact with greater and greater frequency, a “harmonious” cross-cultural interaction is essential.

Cross-Cultural Pragmatics x Interlanguage Pragmatics They are both part of Applied Linguistics The distinction between them, involves differences in perspective (how they view cross-cultural communication) INTERLANGUAGE PRAGMATICS CROSS – CULTURAL PRAGMATICS focuses on second language is applied sociolinguistics: a two-way acquisition: a one-way perspective perspective

One-way perspective “It is up to the language learner to acquire the norms of the host community” Together with phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics of the L2, students should acquire the target society’s rules and norms of interaction. Only in the past two decades that any effort at all has been made to teach the pragmatic level in formal classroom L2 instruction.

Two-way perspective “ CCP takes the point of view that individuals from different societies or communities interact according to their own pragmatic norms, often resulting in a conflict of expectations and, ultimately, misunderstandings between the groups.” Because cross-cultural interaction has the potential to bring up stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination against entire groups of people, research in CCP is made necessary to reduce these consequences.

Methodological Issues  IP RESEARCH (Interlanguage Pragmatics) (Interlanguage Pragmatics)  CCP RESEARCH (Cross-Cultural Pragmatics) (Cross-Cultural Pragmatics)

IP Research Methods / Data collection Need to analyze authentic interaction in order to fully understand miscommunication from a two-way perspective. Need to analyze authentic interaction in order to fully understand miscommunication from a two-way perspective. Difficulty in collecting data on speech act realizations. Difficulty in collecting data on speech act realizations. Studies: data elicited through taped interactions - role-plays or (DCT) Discourse Completion Tasks, although not ideal. Studies: data elicited through taped interactions - role-plays or (DCT) Discourse Completion Tasks, although not ideal. Importance of these studies for providing information on how certain groups of native speakers realize speech acts (rich for research on pragmatics) Importance of these studies for providing information on how certain groups of native speakers realize speech acts (rich for research on pragmatics) Ethnographic-type interviews for data triangulation Ethnographic-type interviews for data triangulation

CCP Research Methods / Data analysis Ethnographic or interactional sociolinguistic analysis Ethnographic or interactional sociolinguistic analysis Micoranalytic analyses of subtleties of taped miscues Micoranalytic analyses of subtleties of taped miscues Contrastive pragmatics Contrastive pragmatics Comparison of triangulated data Comparison of triangulated data

Recent Research in CCP Importance of three domains to the study of cross-cultural pragmatics: Social interaction Social interaction sets stage for perception of speaking norms of different societies Educational encounters Educational encounters important for examining discourse issues Work life domain Work life domain the most important domain of all (includes service, institutional and business encounters as well as pluralistic workplace communication)

Social interaction In some cultures, complimenting someone is expected. In others, it might sound harassing. Being objective is a common habit amongst Orientals, while Brazilians might judge that person impolite. Not only culturally, but socially, background knowledge is necessary in order to avoid misinterpretation in everyday life situations.

Educational Encounters

Work life domain - I

Work life domain - II

Cross-Cultural Pragmatics in Social Life Its importance stems from the danger of misperceptions of entire group of people due to differences in world view. Its importance stems from the danger of misperceptions of entire group of people due to differences in world view. The consequences of world view differences can be serious for minority groups whose world views are devaluated, resulting in their own loss of self-steem and group steem. The consequences of world view differences can be serious for minority groups whose world views are devaluated, resulting in their own loss of self-steem and group steem. CPP are apt to interfere with the senses of solidarity and harmony between interlocutors from societies with different norms of speech behaviour. CPP are apt to interfere with the senses of solidarity and harmony between interlocutors from societies with different norms of speech behaviour.

Cross-Cultural Pragmatics in Education Attention to: 1. Mismatch of interactional norms between home and school in order to empower children to succeed. 2. Possibility of language to have sexual connotation in different cultures. 3. Differences in terms of group power This interaction may sound totally inappropriate to some cultures, while it can be quite acceptable in Brazil. Guys, how ‘bout going out for a beer after the class?

Cross-Cultural Pragmatics in Workplace Workplace interactions have the potential to provide or deny access to important goods and services. Workplace interactions have the potential to provide or deny access to important goods and services. Ethnographers play in CCP a descriptive analysis in order to stimulate a two-way understanding and adjust the power differential so that it is not only the powerless who must acquire the norms of the powerful. Ethnographers play in CCP a descriptive analysis in order to stimulate a two-way understanding and adjust the power differential so that it is not only the powerless who must acquire the norms of the powerful. The equalization in this domain (workplace) has serious repercussions for access to means of livelihood. The equalization in this domain (workplace) has serious repercussions for access to means of livelihood. E.g.: it aids different groups to understand how differential use of speech behaviour creates certain impressions that may have been unwarranted and that have the potential of stereotyping.

Cross-Cultural competence is what leads to optimal interaction between individuals form different cultures. Developing cultural competence results in an ability to understand, communicate with, and effectively interact with people across cultures. It ought to be a two way phenomenon, otherwise the burden will fall only on one side, leading to prejudice, stereotyping and alienation. For effective cross-cultural interaction, only individuals with this competence can successfully understand and respect one’s culture and values. The comprehension of differences in communicative conventions, world views, norms of speech behaviour and interpretations, together with one’s background, establishes social, educational and workplace networks, supporting successful communication. This understanding ought to start in our surroundings, among families, friends and neighbours.

Some more on cross-cultural communication There are a few very interesting videos you might want to watch on cross-cultural issues, as well as some links about the topic that are worth reading: =artBody;col1 =artBody;col1 =artBody;col1 =artBody;col understanding.html understanding.html understanding.html understanding.html