Intercultural Communication Obstacles
Your third essay must address Barna's article concerning intercultural communication.
Aim to explicate THREE of the five "stumbling blocks"; you may choose which three to focus on in your essay.
You must use at least THREE direct quotes to support your writing; quotes must be properly embedded.
Also, remember to use the 3.6 paragraph structural technique to help in the construction of your writing.
Specifics:
Five complete paragraphs
MLA compliant (see Purdue OWL website)
Three direct quotations
Works cited page is not needed, but do include parenthetical citations.
Due date: 4/11/19
Reminder: a 3.6 Paragraph makes three points in six sentences
Sentence one: the topic sentence presents the subject of the paragraph.
Sentences two, three, four, and five: these sentences support the topic sentence with specific examples and/or evidence.
Sentence six: the concluding sentence restates the main idea.
Barna's article I will upload by photos
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Barna’s Intercultural Communication Obstacles
Language difference is one of the main stumbling blocks to effective communication. Vocabulary, syntax, idioms, slang, dialects, etc. are different between languages. Barna observes that there is ‘tenacity with which someone will cling to just one meaning of a word or phrase in the new language regardless of the connotation or context.’ (pg. 340) Most people tend to compare some of the foreign words, syllables idioms, etc. to their own language where they might have very different meanings. Rather than being open-minded and listening in order to learn and or understand the speaker of another language, they try to search for the elements that they can map to their own languages. Secondly, Barna observes that language is also intertwined with culture and the meaning of some words sometimes change to reflect the cultural norms. Barna points out that “in some cultures, it is polite to refuse the first or second offer of refreshments.”(pg. 340) She notes that many foreigners often go hungry if they do not get a third offer when they interact with cultures that do not have similar traditions. In such cases, ‘no’ means ‘yes’ and these small differences, when looked through the lens of another culture, can be a stumbling block to effective communication. Language as a stumbling block can be navigated by use of nonverbal signs and signals though in some cases they also affect effective communication in intercultural communication.
Nonverbal signs and signals are not standards across cultures. Different communities and cultures coin their own nonverbal communication techniques and gestures. They are subject to the environment and the way of the life of the people. Barna points out that “people from different cultures inhabit different sensory realities. They see, hear, feel and smell only that which has some meaning or importance for them. They abstract whatever fits into their own personal world of recognition and then interpret it through the frame of ref...