Intercultural Communication: Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The Nature of Intercultural Communication

• In 2003, the top 10 countries for U.S. Exports (in order from high to low) were Canada, Mexico, Japan, United Kingdom, Germany, China, South Korea, the Netherlands, Taiwan, and France.

Terms

• Acculturation: A sociocultural assimilation
• Backstage culture: Cultural information concealed from outsiders.
• Communication barriers: Obstacles that impede effective communication.
• Cultural intelligence: The ability to understand and adapt to different cultural contexts.
• Cultural symbol: A representation that carries a specific meaning within a culture.
• Cultural synergy: Combining different ideas/cultures to form something better together.
• Culture: Shared values, beliefs, and norms of a group of people.
• Diffusion: The spread of cultural elements from one group to another.
• Enculturation: The socialization process to learn and accept a culture.
• Ethnocentric management: Managing with a belief that one's own culture is superior.
• Ethnocentrism: The belief that one's own culture is superior.
• Frontstage culture: Cultural norms and behaviors displayed publicly.
• Geocentric management: A management approach that seeks the best people for key jobs throughout the organization, regardless of nationality.
• Globalization: The process of increased interconnectedness and interdependence among countries.
• Intercultural business communication: Communication between people from different cultural backgrounds in a business context.
• Intercultural communication: Communication between persons of different cultures.
• Interpersonal intelligence: The ability to understand and interact effectively with others.
• International communication: Communication Between nations and governments.
• Intracultural communication: Communication between members of the same culture.
• Intrapersonal intelligence: Self-awareness and understanding of one's own emotions and motivations.
• Macroculture: Dominant cultural beliefs or values.
• Melting pot: A concept where different cultures assimilate into a homogeneous society
• Microculture: A small group of people with shared interests or beliefs.
• Mindsets: Established sets of attitudes or beliefs.
• Multicultural: Relating to or including several cultures.
• Multinational firm: A company that operates in multiple countries.
• Networks: Interconnected groups of people or things.
• Norms: Culturally ingrained principles of correct and incorrect behavior.
• Polycentric management: Adapting management practices to suit each individual culture.
• Regiocentric management: Managing based on regional similarities.
• Roles: Expected behaviors associated with a particular position.
• Rules: Explicit regulations governing conduct or procedure.
• Spatial intelligence: The ability to perceive and understand spatial relationships.
• Stereotypes: Oversimplified generalizations about a group of people.
• Subculture: Groups having traits differing from the macroculture.
• Subgroup: A smaller group within a larger group.
• Transnational: Extending or operating across national boundaries.
• World culture: A set of shared values and beliefs that transcend national cultures.

Chapter 2: Universal Systems

• Marriage and family systems: Cultural practices surrounding marriage and family structures.
• Matriarchal: A social system where women hold primary power.
• Monogamy: Having only one spouse.
• Nuclear family: A family consisting of parents and their children.
• Patriarchal: A social system where men hold primary power.
• Political systems: Methods of governing and exercising power.
• Polyandry: A marriage system where a woman has multiple husbands.
• Polygamy: Having more than one spouse.
• Polygyny: A marriage system where a man has multiple wives.
• Property: Tangible wealth or objects that is owned by people.
• Serial monogamy: Having a series of monogamous relationships.
• Social hierarchies: Ranking of individuals or groups in a society.
• Social interaction: How people communicate and relate to each other.
• Social reciprocity: The exchange of favors or benefits between individuals or groups.
• Subnationalism: Loyalty or attachment to a subnational group or region.
• Supernationalism: The idea of countries acting together for benefits.

Chapter 4: Cultural Shock

• A source of cultural shock for many U.S. persons living abroad is the financial burden of the required higher standard of living.
• A major factor in the early return of expatriates is family problems.

Chapter 5: Language

• Acronyms: Abbreviations formed from the initial letters of a word or phrase.
• Argot: Language used by a particular group or profession
• Back translation: Translating to a language, then back to the original to check accuracy.
• Bernstein hypothesis: Theory about restricted and elaborated codes of language.
• Cant: Insincere expressions of enthusiasm
• Cognates: Words that have a common linguistic origin.
• Colloquialism: Informal words or phrases used in conversation.
• Connotative meanings: The emotional or cultural associations of a word.
• Conversation taboos: Topics that should be avoided in conversation.
• Denotative meanings: The literal or dictionary definition of a word.
• Ebonics: Dialect of American English.
• Elaborated codes: Language characterized by explicitness and detail.
• Euphemisms: A mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.
• Figurative meanings: Language that uses imagery, metaphors, and similes.
• Grammarians: Experts in the rules of grammar.
• Group Decision Support Systems: Technologies used to facilitate group decision-making.
• High-context language: Communication style relying heavily on nonverbal cues and shared understanding.
• Homonyms: Words that sound alike but have different meanings.
• Host language: The language of the country where a person is living.
• Jargon: Technical or specialized language of a particular profession or group.
• Linear language: Language organized in a sequential or step-by-step manner.
• Linguistic determinism: The idea language shapes thought.
• Linguists: People who study language.
• Low-context language: Communication style emphasizing directness and explicitness.
• Nonlinear language: Language that is not structured in a straightforward manner.
• Novelists: Writers of novels.
• Parable: A simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson.
• Proverb: A short, well-known saying that expresses a common truth or belief.
• Repartee conversation: Quick and witty conversation.
• Restricted codes: Language characterized by simplicity and limited vocabulary.
• Ritual conversation: Formulaic or scripted conversations.
• Sapir-Whorf hypothesis: Theory that language influences thought.
• Self-disclosure: Revealing personal information to others.
• Semanticists: People who study the meaning of words.
• Slang: Informal language.
• Sociolinguistics: The study of language in relation to society.
• Subjective interpretation: Understanding based on one's own perspective.
• Syntactic rules: Rules governing the structure of sentences.
• Verbal dueling: Competitive exchange of insults or comebacks.

Chapter 6: Nonverbal Communication

• Chromatics: The use of color in communication.
• Chronemics: The study of the use of time in communication.
• Deductive method: Reasoning from general principles to specific conclusions.
• Haptics: Communication through touch.
• Inductive method: Reasoning from specific observations to general principles.
• Intimate zone: Very close proximity.
• Kinesics: Communication through body movements and gestures.
• Monochronic: A time orientation that emphasizes doing one thing at a time.
• Nonverbal communication: Communication without the use of words.
• Oculesics: Communication through eye contact.
• Olfactics: Communication through smells and scents.
• Paralanguage: Aspects of spoken communication besides the words themselves (e.g., tone, pitch, and pace).
• Personal zone: The space we maintain with friends and family.
• Polychronic: A time orientation that emphasizes doing many things at once.
• Proxemics: The study of the use of space in communication.
• Public distance: Distances of 12 feet or more.
• Social zone: The distance we maintain with acquaintances and strangers.