跨文化交际教程案例分析答案

Case1:AnInterviewinIndiaCaseanalysis:ThecaseisaboutaninterviewbetweenanAmericanprogramhostandanIndianinterviewee.TheytalkaboutsomeaspectsofIndiancultureandthechangesoccurredtheseyears.Thecasereflectssomebasicculturalelementspeoplemayfindinallcultures:language,familypattern,marriage,weddingceremony,foodandthewaytoeatfood,etc.Fromthiscase,guidethestudentsinculturestudyandculturecomparison.Thestudentsshouldrealizethattherearebothsimilaritiesanddifferencesinculture.Cultureisinfactverydynamicandpervasive.Case2:WhiteDressCaseanalysis:TheIndianwomenmightthinktheweddingceremonyisafuneraliftheyseethewesternbrideinwhitegown.Thecasereflectsthesimilesandmetaphorsinthetext.Cultureislikeaniceberg:wecanidentifythecolorofthedresswornbywomenindifferentcultures,butwedonotknowthevaluesunderneath.Cultureislikethewaterafishswimsin:peopleweardressofdifferentcolorsfordifferentcontextbuttheyusuallytakeitforgrantedandneveraskwhy.Case3:TheFrenchinNorthAmericaCaseanalysis:TheFrenchwereabletoseeIndianbehavioronlyinthelightoftheirownhierarchicalsocialsystem,whereitisnaturalforthefewtocommandandthemanytoobey.Socialsystemsthatworkedonotherprincipleswereliterallyunimaginable.Case4:Coconut-skatingCaseanalysis:Thecasereflectsthecharacteristicsofculture.Wecantellfromthecasethatcultureispervasiveandit’slearned.Peoplemayinventdifferentwaysforthingsevenassimpleastheissueoffloormoping.ThePhilippinewomanmusthavelearnedthiswayofmoppingfromherownculture.Case5:ABlackGirl’sIdentityCaseanalysis:Althoughwemaysaythatidentitiesareconstitutedbyourcommunication,itisobviousfromthecasethatwecannotsimplychooseatanymomentwhatouridentitywillberegardlessofthecontext.First,weoftendonotsharetherecipeforcertainidentitieswithothersevenifwebelongtothesameethnicity,gender,ornationality.Understandingthiscanhelpusavoidsomeofthebroadassumptionsmadeaboutgroupsofpeoplebasedonthereflectivewayofthinking.Second,aswelearnedintheveryfirstchapter,allmeaningincommunicationistosomeextentsituational.Thus,thecontextmediateswhatidentitieswecanchoose.Sometimesthingsonemayhavenocontrolover,suchasageorskincolor,areseenasessentialpartsofhowonecommunicatesanidentity.Case6HippiesCaseanalysis:Hippiescouldbedefinedasasubgroup,asthehippiesculturetendstobetemporary.InmodernAmericansociety,hippiesculturecouldalsofindtraits,butithaswidespreadinfluenceonAmericanvaluesystem.Case7CleanuptheBathroom!Caseanalysis:Culturaldifferencesdecidethetwostudentsaregoingtocommunicateindifferentways.TheChinesestudentwantstheAmericanstudenttounderstandtheunderlyingmeansofhiswords,buttheAmericanstudentisusedtothedirectstyleofcommunication.Thisisdecidedbyculture.InChineseculture,peoplewanttosavefaceofboththemselvesandothers,sotheywouldnotexpresstheirideasdirectly.However,intheUnitedStates,unlessyouexpressyourselfclearlyanddirectly,theotherscannotunderstandyou.Case8:SheHasThreeHandsThiscasecanreflectthedifferentcommunicationstylesbetweenChineseandCanadians.Inwesterncultures,communicationisthemeansoftransmittingideas.Westernpeopleusuallycommunicatedirectlywitheachother.ThatiswhytheCanadianinthiscasesayswhatisinhisminddirectlyinfrontoftheChinesewomanwithouthidinganything.WhileChineseculturestressesharmonyandemphasizestherelationshipsbetweenthecommunicators.Chinesepeopleviewcommunicationasaprocesswhereallpartiesaresearchingtodevelopandmaintainasocialrelationship.SotheChinesewomaninthiscasetriesnottoarguewiththeCanadianfacetofacetokeepthe“harmoniousrelationship”betweenthem.Case9:APieceofCakeThiscasewantsustorecognizesomecomponentsofcommunication.Sender/sourcereferstothepersonwhotransmitsamessage.Receiverisanypersonwhonoticesandgivessomemeaningtoamessage.Contextreferstoasettingorsituationwithinwhichcommunicationtakesplace.Inthiscase,MarilynandRichardaresimultaneouslythesendersandreceivers.Andtheirroom,wherethecommunicationeventhappensandwhichmakesthecouplefeelcomfortableandrelaxed,isjustthecontext.Case10:ThePlacetoHaveLunchThiscasereflectsthatcommunicationiscontextual,whichmeansthatcommunicationdoesnothappeninisolationanditmusthappenwithinasettingorcontext.Whetherthiscontextisquietornoisyisimportanttothesmoothnessofcommunication.Whenthecommunicationeventisdisturbedbynoise,thecommunicationcannotgosmoothly.Inthiscase,Case11:MakinganAppointmentThiscasecanreflecthowcultureaffectsitscommunicationstyle.Eachcultureencouragesaparticularcommunicationstyleexpectedwithinit.Thisimpliesnotonlyusingcorrectsymbols,butalsoapplyingtheappropriatecommunicationstylefortheoccasion.Communicationstylesincludemannerisms,phrases,rituals,andcommunicationcustomsappropriateforvarioussituationsinaculture.Inthiscase,knowingthecommunicationstyleoftheAmericanswhichischaracterizedbydirect,exactingandinstrumental,theexportermanagerfulfillshisjobsuccessfully.Case12:WhyDon’tYouEatthePizza?Thiscasecanreflecttheproblemsappearingduringinterculturalcommunicationandhowignoringculturaldifferencescanaffectcommunication.InMalaysia,wheremostpeopleareMuslims,peoplethinkthelefthandisusedonlyforcleaningthebodyandthusitisdirtyandcannotbeusedtopassfood.Knowingnothingabouttheculturaldifference,theAmericanstudentputshimselfinanembarrassingsituation.Case13:WeandThey?Thiscasereflectsthatininterculturalcommunication,peoplealwaysregardthemselvesasthebestgroupintheworld.Thisisactuallyinappropriateandshouldbeavoided.Case20:ChineseHospitality—OverdoneThiscasereflectsthatsometimespeopleunconsciouslyassumethatpeoplefromanotherculturemaybehaveinawaywhichissimilartotheirs.TheChineseusuallyattachalotofimportancetotakingcareoftheirguests.Whenitcomestoaforeignvisitor,ChinesehospitalityisusuallymorethanwhatcanbeunderstoodbyaWesterner,whoisuncomfortablewhenheisalwayssurroundedbypeopleattemptingtobekind.Concerningthiscase,HongtriedtorespecthertraditionsandherfriendbydoingmorethanshecouldreallyaffordtodoforJoe'svisit,havingnoideathatJoeendedupfeelingfrustrated.Case21:ADanishWomaninNewYorkThiscasecanreflectassumingsimilarityinsteadofdifference.Whencommunicatingwithpeoplefromanotherculture,oneislikelytoregardandtreatotherpeopleas“hispeople”andtoassumetheremustbeonlyonewayofdoingthings:thatis“hisway”.Inthiscase,theDanishwomanassumesthatherbehaviorofleavingthebabyalone,whichiscommoninDenmark,isalsoappropriateinNewYork.Here,sheassumeswhatissuitableinherowncultureisalsoindisputableinanotherculture.Thatiswhythesmallconflicthappens.Case22:AmbiguousTimeThiscasecanreflectethnocentrism.Culturestraintheirmemberstousethecategoriesoftheirownculturalexperienceswhenjudgingtheexperiencesofpeoplefromothercultures.Theywillbelievethattheircultureisthecenteroftheworldandtheirstandardshouldbetherolemodelfortherestoftheworld.Concerningthiscase,somehowChinesepeoplehavehabituallyreferred12:00a.m.asthetimearoundlunchtime,making12:00p.m.midnight.Fortunately,thewaytheytellothertimesarethesameasthatusedintheStates,sothere'susuallynomisunderstandingbetweenpeoplefromthetwocultures.However,thereisthisonedifferenceandFanlearnsitbypayingafinesinceshemayholdthathercultureisthecenteroftheworld.Case23:Girl-nessThiscasecanreflectoneofthetranslationproblems:thelackofconceptualequivalence,whichreferstoabstractideasthatmaynotexistinthesamefashionindifferentlanguages.Differentculturesmayattachdifferentmeaningstothesamethingorperson.Concerningthiscase,weshouldknowwhatyoungfemalescallthemselvesisverydifferentinChinafromtheStates.InChina,"girl"meanssomeonewhoisyoungandsingle.Inaway,itmakesafemalesoundmoredesirabletobecalledagirlratherthanawoman.Formostpeople,"woman"meanssomeonewhoismarriedandwhoprobablyisnotyoung.Infact,mostsingleChinesefemales,suchasuniversitystudents,wouldbeinsultedtobecalled"women".WhileintheWest,informal,publicsettings,itiscustomarytocallanywomanwhoispastpubertyawoman,eventhoughshemaynotbelegallyoldenoughtovote,marry,purchasealcoholicbeverages,driveacar,orsignacontract.Thisterminologybecamewidespreadduringthe"women'sliberationmovementinthe1960s".Theterm"'girl"issometimesinterpretedtobedemeaningordisrespectful.Case24:AnUnfairDecisionThiscasereflectsprejudice,whichinvolvesanunfair,biased,orintolerantattitudetowardsanothergroupofpeople.Inthiscase,Mr.Biasdecidedtoselectsomeoneelse,insteadofapplicantfromthecountryLevadel,fortheposition.ThatisjustbecauseheholdsprejudicetowardspeoplefromthecountryLevadel.Case25:SuccessStoryOneofthesourcesofthefrustrationandmisunderstandingsthatoccurredinthiscasewasdifferentnotionsofwhatwasverballyrelevant.Inthiscase,Marywasexpectingamuchmoredirectresponsetoherquestion.Ms.Goshima,however,wasuncomfortablewiththequestionandfeltherresponseshouldbeveryindirectandestablishapropersenseofmodestybeforerevealingtheanswertothequestion.IfMaryhadbeenmorepatient,shewouldhaveeventuallyheardtheanswertoherquestion,butshewasnotreallypayingattentionwhenitfinallycamebecauseshefeltthatMs.Goshima'scommentsweren'treallyrelevanttoherquery.Case26SlogansandtheImportanceofLanguageTheinterculturalencountersweexperiencearenotonlyinfluencedbylanguageandperceptualdifferences,andlanguagechoicebasedonrestrictedandelaboratedsocialsituations,butalsoonlanguageandhowitistranslatedformembersofaculture.Formanyreasonslinguisticinterpretationandsemanticsprovidethesourceofnumerousmisunderstandings.Forinstance,aninsurancecompanydiscoveredthatfiresinadvertentlyoccurredbecausewarehouseemployeesactedcarelesslyaround"empty"barrelsofgasoline,althoughtheypreviouslyhadexercisedgreatcautionaround"full"drumsofgasoline.Thetermsfullandemptyseemtomasktherealdangerinworkingwithgasolinedrums.Emptydrumsareextremelycombustible,whilefulldrumsposefarlessthreat.Thelinguisticperceptionofthewordemptyinthegeneralculturesignifiednullorvoid,butintheworkcultureofvolatileproductslikegasolinethesemantic"interpretation"wasdisastrous.AstoryistoldofaChristianScientistwhorefusedtotakevitamins,sincetherecommenderdescribedthemas"medicine."However,thesamepersongladlytookthevitaminswhenhewastoldtheywere"food."Case28TwoDifferentCommunicationStylesThedialoguetakesplacebetweenayoungcouplewhohavebeendatingforashorttime.ThemanisaU.S.student,andthewomanisfromanAsianculture.Notethemisunderstandingthatresultsasaconsequenceoftheuseofdirectandindirectmodesofcommunication.Inalllikelihood,JimisnotgoingtogetmuchofananswerfromMichiko.ShecontinuesthroughoutthedialogueusingrathergeneralanswerstoJim'sveryspecificanddirectquestionsaboutherfeelingstowardtheUnitedStates.MichikomightbelievethatJimisbeingfartoodirectandinvadingherprivacy.Besides,thefactthatshehastraveledhalfwayaroundtheworldshouldlieindicativeofherdesiretobehere,right?TheremusthesomethingabouttheUnitedStatesthatattractedher.Michikocannotpossiblysaysome​thingcriticalabouttheUnitedStatesbecauseshewouldloseface,aswouldJim,asanative.Shereliesonimpreciseandindefiniteanswers.Case29MisunderstandingIdiomsaresimplystatementsthatarenotstrictlytrue,buttheirmeaningisunderstoodbyagroupofpeople.IfyouaskwhathappenedtoMarthaandpeoplesay,"Shekickedthebucket,"itdoesnotmeanthatsheliterallydidthis;itmeansshedied.Justlikeinthecasemystudent'sfrienddidnotliterallymeanthatShangshouldgetoutoftheapartment.Idiomsarecommoninallcultures,butwhenusedininterculturalsettingstheycancreatealotofconfusion.Onepotentialareaofmisunderstandingrelatedtoidiomsiswhentousethemandwithwhom.Forexample,Iwouldnotusethe"kickthebucket"idiomjustanysettingorwithjustanyperson.IfIamtalkingwithmygrandmotherandIamgoingtotellheraboutsomeonewhohasdied,Imayusewhatisoftenperceivedasagentleridiomandsaythepersonhas"passedaway."Understandingthecontextofwhenanidiomisappropriateorsensibleispartofinterculturalknowledge.Case31GoingOuttoEatIntheinteraction,Jimisastudentatalocaluniversity.HewasbornandraisedintheUnitedStates.AkiraisanexchangestudentfromJapan.JimandAkiraareeatingdinnertogetherinalocalrestaurant.Theyhaveknowneachotherforonlyashorttime.NotonlyisJim'sstyleofcommunicationovertlypersonal,buthe'salsoquitedirect.JimistryingtoinvolveAkiraintheconversationbyrelatingtohimhispersonalexperiencesandpreferences.Jimusesthefirstperson"I"nofewerthaneleventimesandevenreferstoAkiraas"Buddy."Akiraneverreferstohimselfinthefirstperson;AkiragenerallydeferstoJimandsayslittle,evenaddressingJimas"Mr.Jim."Asaforeigner,AkiraprobablyseesJimassociallysuperiorandusesaformaltitle.Moreover,ratherthantalkingabouthisper​sonalpreferences,AkiramentionsthatJapanesepeopleenjoyrestaurants.Case32:WhatIsWrongwiththeInteraction?Thiscasecanreflectdifferentnonverbalcommunicationpatternsexistintheactualinterculturalcommunication.Nonverbalcommunicationdiffersaccordingtodifferentcultures.Peoplemighthavedifferentopinionsabouttheproperspace,time,bodylanguageandparalanguage.Ifwedon’tpayattentiontointerculturalnonverbalcommunication,wewillhavesomemisunderstandingandconflict.Inthiscase,Jim(anAmerican),MitsukoandAkira(twoJapanese)belongtototallydifferentcultures;theyhaveverydifferentopinionsaboutthespaceandbodylanguages.Therefore,MitsukoandAkirafeltuncomfortablewhenJimgavesomeexaggeratedbodylanguageandkeptclosespacedistanceincommunication.Case33:AreAmericansIndifferent?Thiscasecanreflectdifferentnonverbalcommunicationpatternsexistintheactualinterculturalcommunication,especiallyfacialexpressiondifferaccordingtodifferentcultures.ComparedtomostChinese,Americansliketosmilealotandtohavecausalandrichfacialexpressionsintheirdailylives,eventhoughtheyhavesomemisfortune.Inthiscase,becauseofthedifferentopinionsaboutfacialexpressionsininterculturalcommunication,theAmericanladytalkedaboutherfather’ssicknessanddeathinasmilingwaytoshowshestillhastheoptimisticwaytotreatthefuturelife,whichismisunderstoodasbeingindifferentandselfishbytheChinese.Case34:WhatIsSue’sProblem？Thiscasecanreflectnonverbalinterculturalcommunicationshouldbeaccordingtothedifferentcontext,too.Contextreferstotheactualsettingwhencommunicationoccursandisalsoimportantinnonverbalcommunication.Inthiscase,SueknewhowtowaiandsheknewthatbowingwasgenerallyimportantintheThaiculture,but,asissoeasytodoinanewenvironment,sheforgottoconsiderthecontext.RelationalhierarchyisveryimportantinThailand.Sue’sdeferentialactionsmayhaveappropriateincertainsettings,butgivenherstatusofeldervisitorsuchactionsdirectedtowardthechildrenwereextremelyconfusinganduncomfortableforthestudentsandteachersalike.Case35:AQuarrelThiscasecanreflectthedifferentuseandunderstandingofsilencecaninfluencetheactualinterculturalcommunication.Differentculturemighthavedifferentinterpretationstothesilence.TheEasterncultureusuallyattachesmoremeaningstosilence,whilethemostwesternculturesconsidersilencetobeabsenceofcommunicationandmostrudecommunicativebehavior.Inthiscase,LiHuawantedtoprovidetheopportunityforthemtocalmdownandthinkaboutthematterscarefullyandsoshekeptsilence,whilethissilencewasmisunderstoodbySmithastheabsenceofcommunicationandhemightthinkLiHualookeddownuponhimandbecameangrier.Case36:Don’tPutYourHandonMyArmThiscasecanreflectdifferentcultureshavedifferentopinionstospatialrelations.Differentcultureshaveverydifferentopinionsaboutanindividual’sunconsciouslystructuringthemicrospaceimmediatelysurroundingthephysicalbody.Someculturescanhaverelativelyclosedistancewhencommunicatingwhileotherculturescannot.Somewesternculturesconsiderbodytouchbetweenpeopleofthesamegendertobeculturaltabooandasymbolofbeinghomosexual.Inthiscase,Samisfromwesternculturesandknowsthesocialtabooofbodytouchveryclearly,sohewouldn’tletothersmisunderstandMark’sclosebodydistanceandtouchwithhim,eventhoughMarkfromChiledoesn’tknowtheculturaltabooatall.Case37:What’swrong?Thiscasecanreflectdifferentgesturescanrepresentdifferentmeaningsindifferentculturesandmisuseofsomegesturescanleadtoineffectiveinterculturalcommunication.Forexample,thecommon“OK”gesturemeansbeinggoodandfriendlyinsomewesterncountriessuchasUSA,whileinLatinAmericaitrepresentsomethingdirtyandobscene.Therefore,inthiscase,thegestureoftheAmericanpoliticianisreallyadisasterandithurtthepeopleinthisLatinAmericancountryandalsomadehimselftobeunwelcomeperson.Case38:AnAmericanLibrarian’sPuzzleThiscasecanreflectthemeaningsshownbyfacialexpressionsandgesturesdifferaccordingtodifferentculturesininterculturalcommunication.Forexample,thesmileinChinacanconveylotsofmeaning,suchasbeingfriendlyandattentiveandnoddingone’sheadinChinaisnotalwaystosay“yes”,sometimesitisjusttosay“I’mlistening.”WhileinUSA,noddingone’sheadandsmilingisusuallytosay“yes”andshowagreement.Therefore,inthiscase,theAmericanLibrarianmisunderstoodtheChinesestudentZhuXiaohua’sfacialexpressionandgesture–noddingandsmilingandfeltquitepuzzled.Case39:MarriageandSocialStatusShaheedwasdisappointed,butheunderstoodtheproblemandacceptedthesituation.However,inpartbecauseofdifferentworldviews,thisstoryreallybothers.manyAmericans.Howmanydifferencesinworldviewsdidyourecognizeinthisexperience?Icountatleastfive.Forexample,anAmericanwouldhavefeltthatthehierarchicalnatureofthesituationthathelpedtoestablishtheconcerninthefirstplacewasinherentlywrong.Shaheedandthewomanwouldbeseenasequals.Inaddition,ifthereweretobeanydifferencesbetweenthetwo,theyshouldhavebeendeterminedbyachievement,notascribedtotheindividualsbybirth.Third,thedecisiontogowithwhatiswantedbythefamiliesorgroupsinvolvedisinlinewithacollectivisticapproachratherthananindividualisticapproach,whichwouldhaveencouragedeachpersontodowhatwasbestforhim-orher-self.Fourth,Shaheed'smother'sunderstandingofthemeaningofbeingservedbananasatteadependedentirelyonlhecontextratherthantheverbalmessage.ManyAmericanswhohearthisstoryworry,aboutwhetherShaheed'smothergottherightmessage.Finally,Americanswouldtendtowanttodiscusstheissuemore,asking,"Whywon'tthiswork?"andtryingtoconvincetheyoungwoman'smotherthatitisokay.Thisorientationisgroundedinusingcommunicationprimarilyasaninformationsourceratherthanasasociallubricant,whichShaheed'smotherdidbynotthreateningthefaceoftheotherpersonorthestatusquoofthecurrentrelationship.Case40:HowCanWeLendMoneytoHer?Itisnotunusualformarriedcouplestocomeintoconflictovermoneyorhowtheyrelatetoin-laws,butinthiscaseitiscomplicatedbecausethereareculturaldifferencesinwhatisgoodandbadandwhatismorallyappropriateinthissituation.InGermanytherearestrongnormsagainstborrowingunlessyouabsolutelyhaveto,andthenyouborrowfromabankandpayitbackasquicklyasyoucan.Exceptforveryrareoccasionsinwhichachildmustborrowfromaparent,youwouldneverborrowfromfamilymembers,becausetheyhaveenoughproblemsoftheirown.Incontrast,Laoborrowingnormsindicatethatborrowingisanaturalandongoingpartoflife.Noonehaseverythingtheyneed,soeveryonewillneedtoborrowatsometime.Buddhahassaid,"Dogoodandgoodwillbedonetoyou,"soloaningisanhonor.Finally,borrowingfromaninstitutionisfrowneduponbecauseyouwillnotgetagooddealanditwilllooklikeyourfamilydoesnotcareaboutyou.Case41:GettingFrustratedJaywasfrustratedinlargepartbecausemanyofthenormshewasusedtodidn'tapplyinSaudiArabia,andmanySaudinormsdidnotmakesensetohim.MuchofthebusinessdoneinSaudiArabiadependsonbaksheesh,atypeofkickbacktoamiddleman(anditisaman),whofacilitatescontactsbetweenpotentialbusinesspartners.Themiddlemanisdoingaserviceandexpectstogetpaidforit.Themorebaksheeshthepersongives,themorelikelyitisthatthepersonwillsucceed,becausethemiddlemanwillbesuretotreathimverywell.GivingbaksheeshisanormintheSaudibusinesscommunity.Inaddition,SaudisbelievethatGodgaveusmultifunctionalhandsandthatthehandisourbesttoolforeating.However,theyarealsoconcernedwithhygiene.Theyreservethelefthandforcleaningthemselvesandusetherighthandforeating.Saudishaveanumberofnormsrelatedtorestrictingmaleandfemaleinteractionthat,withinthecontextoftheirreligiousbeliefs,makeperfectsensebutwouldbeveryinappropriatetomostWesterners.Case42:WrongSignal?NingTongwasnotobservingthehouserulesforwatchingTV,whichwasprobablywhyheeventuallystoppedsayinganythingintheargument.Usually,whenaChinesechoosesnottosayanymorethingsinanargument,itwouldmeanoneorbothofthefollowing:thepersonfeelsthathe/sheiswrong;thepersonwantstostoptheargumentby