Stumbling-Blocks-in-Intercultural-Communication.doc

Summary of Stumbling Blocks in Intercultural Communication
To many people’s surprise, intercultural contact is frustrating and filled with misunderstanding even with good intentions, friendly approach and mutual benefits. Sometimes, different group leads to rejection. With major changes taking place, we should look for the reason of what is the stumbling blocks in intercultural communication.
What comes first is the assumption of similarities. There are so many similarities, such as reproducing, making up families, developing a language and adapting to environment, that we simply believe interaction is easy. Disappointedly, through Darwin’s theory, it is found that culture difference determines the emotion expressing. We should treat each encounter individually and search for common points to proceed. Lacking of alert to difference and new rules in other city causes outcomers’ trouble frequently even when playing simple roles. Although the assumption of differences is hard to accept, only in this way can we adjust reactions and interpretations to fit current occasion. The assumption of similarity cases trouble for both foreigners and hosts which can be proved through the misunderstanding of foreigners’ polite reaction without knowing the meaning.
The second stumbling block is language difference. Translation using vocabulary, syntax, idioms, slang, dialects and so on is the first kind of trouble. What comes more seriously is clinging to just one meaning of a new word or phrase without considering connotation or context. There are examples that Khrushchev’s said “We’ll bury you” and the response of Japanese to the offer of refreshment led to host’s misunderstanding.
Nonverbal misinterpretations is the third stumbling block. Outcomers sense and abstract things which is meaningful and important or suitable for themselves and interpret it in their own culture. For example, smoothing back hair means liking a girl for a Saudi Arab and a common nervous gesture for an American. Understanding nonverbal signs and symbols is difficult for communication, but unspoken codes of the other culture is even more hard.
The fourth stumbling block is the presence of preconceptions and stereotypes. For example,
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This passage mainly introduced six stumbling blocks on the way to successful intercultural communication.
Assumption of similarities is the first obstacle, people who naively assume there are sufficient similarities among peoples are likely to misread signs and judge the scene ethnocentrically.
Language difference and nonverbal misinterpretations are other two obvious barrier, People who use a new language tend to cling to just one meaning of a word regardless of connotation or context and it is more difficult for them to note correctly the unspoken codes of the other culture.
The forth stumbling block is the presence of preconception and stereotypes because they interfere with objective viewing.
Immediate evaluation is the fifth reason. We assume our own culture and way of life always seems right and judge others according to our practice and ignore that we need to comprehend completely the thoughts and feelings expressed from the world view of the other.
Lastly, the high anxiety between both parties will make the host feel uncomfortable and the foreigners feel strange because both of them are threatened by the other’s unknown knowledge, experience and evaluation.
In the end, not only do we need to understand the differences between different cultures and intimately contact with these aliens values, attitudes and feelings but also keep our own values.
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It is often disappointed and filled with misunderstanding to contact with persons from other cultures. To many people’s surprise, good intentions and the possibility of mutual benefits don’t guarantee success of intercultural communication. As a matter of fact, there are many stumbling blocks in intercultural communication: (1)Assumption of similarities is a stumbling block to successful intercultural communication. Most of us tend to assume that there are adequate similarities to exchange information each other. But even Darwin’s theory – facial expressions are universal, is useful or not depending on a person’s cultural upbringing. Without being aware of possible differences between diverse culture, people will be easily deceived and apt to get into trouble. (2)Language difference is the second stumbling block. A word or phrase may have variable meanings, especially when people add inflection and tonal qualities. (3)Nonverbal misinterpretations is the third stumbling block. People from different cultures and different sensory use their own personal world of recognition to comprehend the things that they meet. Being short of comprehension of gestures, postures and other body movements is a huge communication obstacle and easily results in misunderstandings. (4)The fourth stumbling block is the presence of preconceptions and stereotypes. Stereotypes have the advantage of reducing the threat of the unknown by making the world predictable. But stereotypes also block intercultural communication because of their interference with objective viewing of stimuli. People can hardly overcome stereotypes by themselves. (5)The practice of immediate evaluation is the fifth stumbling block. Immediate evaluation means that someone always consider himself as right, proper and natural without completely comprehension. When feelings and emotions involved, communication will be cutoff dramatically by immediate evaluation. In this occasion, listening with understanding is urgently needed. (6)The sixth stumbling block is high anxiety. Moderate anxiety is good for people who stay in foreign country, while high anxiety will result in many problems. They may have defenses to foreigners because of the feeling of strange and vulnerable. These defenses have a bad effect on intercultural communication. Knowing the six stumbling blocks can help us to improve our ability of intercultural communication. We have to pay attention to situational details and keep to know foreign people’s customs, goals, and thought patterns.