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Why Study Intercultural

Communication?
Political, economic alliances

Emphases on cultural uniqueness

Globalization

International imperative

Domestic imperative
What is Culture?
According to E. B. Tylor,

a complex of social traditions

fundamental ideas, practices and experiences of


a group of people
Using Tylors definition, what
groups belong here?
Race

Religion

Nationality

Ideology
Characteristics of Culture
(Starosta and Chen)
Holistic

Learned

Dynamic

Pervasive
The Complexities of
Communication
Intrapersonal Communication

Interpersonal Communication

Small Group Communication

Public Communication

Mass Communication
The Complexities of Culture
Example 1 Thomas is from Nigeria and Diego is
from Argentina. Both men complete secondary
education in their own countries and go to the US to
study agriculture. They attend the same university,
live in the same dormitory and become roommates.
Both of them enroll in the same graduate program.
After some 7-8 years in the US, they return to their
home countries and work with the Agricultural
Ministry of their country. In letters to each other, both
comment on the difficulty they are experiencing in
working with farmers from their own country.
Questions When they first begin their
studies in the US, is the communication
between Thomas and Diego ICC?

When they complete their studies in the US,


is the communication ICC?

After they return to their home countries, is


the communication between them and the
farmers ICC?
The Complexities of Culture
Example 2 Andy Wongs parents immigrated to the
UK from Hong Kong before Andy was born. Andys
parents insist that their children (Andy and siblings)
speak Chinese at home and behave like proper
Chinese children. Andy is the eldest child and
parents have additional expectations for him. Andy
loves his parents very much but finds their
expectations very difficult to fulfill. The family
reaches a crisis when Andy announces that he wants
to enroll in art school rather than pursue medicine or
law.
Questions Is Andys communication
with his parents ICC?

Is communication between parents and


children ICC?
The Complexities of Culture
Example 3 Jenny lives in Singapore and recently had
cable TV installed in her home. She loves watching soap
operas. She faithfully reads 8 Days for summaries of soap
opera episodes, makes sure she tapes and watches every
episode. One day, while channel surfing with her remote
control, she stumbles upon a soap opera from a cable
channel, but in another language that she does not
understand. Fascinated, Jenny watched the entire
programme and believed that, despite no knowledge of the
language of the soap opera that she accidentally tuned to,
she had followed the plot line accurately.
Questions Do you accept Jennys assessment
that she understood the foreign soap opera
because soap opera plots are all similar?

Can ICC take place even if those


communicating do not share a common
language?

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