Although misunderstandings as such have been extensively studied, the ways in which problems of understanding are avoided--especially in cross-cultural communication--have so far received limited attention. This article examines over 24 h of private conversation data from seven established, intercultural couples who use lingua franca English as…

In this paper, I map important "messy" elements that I learned from my five-month small-scale research project, one that was designed around pivotal works on online social research. I used computers and the Internet with Minan, a young man living in Guinea, West Africa, in order to examine his perceptions surrounding the value of these…

Misunderstandings and breakdowns in communication often occur when we interact with people from different cultures. Therefore, it is essential for us to be sensitive to other cultures. This article analyses the prevailing problems in intercultural communication and gives suggestions to higher education institutions in the hope of improving…

A study was conducted to examine core Japanese communication patterns, as viewed from insider and outsider perspectives. Using a semistructured interview method and a theme analysis method, four Japanese cultural communication themes were uncovered during the four month study: (1) communication style--concealment versus revelation, (2)…

Some of the uses of laughter in conversation are examined, specifically as laughter occurs in a second language setting. Although the concepts of humor and laughter are often intertwined, not all laughter is humorous, nor does every humorous event evoke laughter. Furthermore, cross-cultural difference can contribute to misinterpretation of…

Noting that the Korean socio-cultural background, combined with situational factors such as language difficulty and racial barriers, produce a special kind of communication pattern among Korean students in the United States, a study focused on the communication patterns of Korean students at the University of Texas at Austin. Subjects, 158 Korean…

A significant need exists for new and expanded training programs for people who must interact with different cultures. When people experience a new cultural environment, they are likely to experience conflict between their own cultural predispositions and the values, beliefs, and opinions of the host culture. A training program, the Cultural…

This paper examines the use of questioning as an index of intercultural competence (IC) in an Internet-mediated, German-American language learning partnership. Such telecollaborative, intercultural exchanges are becoming increasingly more common as a means of providing students at one location with cost-effective access to distally located…

Cultural differences are very much a part of international trade and global competition and companies which are currently in, or would like to engage in, international trade must be willing to adapt to foreign cultures with a firm understanding of national and individual environmental factors. Successful intercultural communication includes an…

By examining curricular development, assessing teaching strategies, presenting experiential/simulated learning techniques, reviewing pertinent literature/media resources, and treating selected problems/barriers, this course guide seeks to address the issue of changing pedagogical techniques and learning strategies associated with intercultural…