KODGOK113 Govorno komuniciranje Esej 1 datum rada/rok za predaju 15.03.2010.

kolska godina 2009/2010 Studentski broj: 597304-414471

The role of nonverbal elements in intercultural communication

Since the dawn of mankind there was a significant role of nonverbal elements in communication. We could say that it was the main part of communication at the

beginning. It kept its place in modern communication but with differences across cultures. We use it for emotions, attitudes or expectation that cant be expressed by words or to increase the meaning of the spoken word. It got new dimensions in accordance with social progress and cultural changes. It has changed much less then language but persisted as impartial part of everyday communicating. Nonverbal communication is hugely important in any interaction with others. This is because we tend to look for nonverbal cues when verbal messages are unclear or ambiguous, as they are more likely to be across cultures (especially when different languages are being used). Since nonverbal behavior arises from our cultural common sense. Cultures also attribute different degrees of importance to verbal and nonverbal behavior. Western cultures give less importance to nonverbal then eastern do. For western people it is more important to give straight, clear and if possible honest statement then the way you expressed it. For eastern cultures nonverbal elements that goes with that statement count at least equally as the statement itself. Nonverbal communication is communication without words. Mostly that is communication of spontaneous, unintentional signals that are received by someone. These signals can be intentional as well, but most nonverbal elements are unconscious at least for some time. Those elements can be body movements, facial expressions, personal appearance, use of touch while we talk to someone, use of space between persons involved

in conversation, use of time. Even volume, rhythm and rate of our speech are elements of nonverbal communication and can communicate our feelings without our will. One more very powerful nonverbal element is silence. It can be used to express feelings but also to regulate flow of our communication. We use nonverbal communication to duplicate, replace, complement, accent, regulate or contradict verbal communication. We also use it to mislead others, communicate emotions, demonstrate and maintain cultural norms, and indicate relational standing. The most challenging to my opinion is use to demonstrate and maintain cultural norms with nonverbal elements in intercultural communication. It is area where importance of nonverbal is expressed in the best and the most complex way. To demonstrate and maintain cultural norms combines all nonverbal elements with additional knowledge and necessity to use nonverbal elements more conscious and intentional to achieve desirable result. Some nonverbal elements are universal such as head nodding to express acceptance, head shaking to express denial or expressing feelings such as happiness, anger, sadness. Majority of nonverbal elements are cultural specific. Some just look the same but can have slightly different to completely opposite meaning, while some are unknown to some cultures. If we realize that two persons can see the same sign but interpret it differently based on their social, racial, economic or other cultural background, then we have made a first step to understanding. By recognizing that, as having similarities, cultures have differences we may understand and accept it with time. Every culture has a language, set of

social rules and system to regulate community. If we adjust our views of the world to someone elses by looking for similarities rather then differences, and if we try to understand differences by using similarities then we are more likely to succeed and achieve it faster. To communicate successfully with person from the other culture you have to find out the key elements of nonverbal communication besides the need to be able to speak the same language. It might be important to find out the rules of nonverbal communication so the other person wont feel uncomfortable or, even worse, insulted. Such elements are important for the first impression and most likely to the course and outcome of the further conversation. Unawareness of differences such as use of space, time and touch might give bad impression and spoil someones opinion even before conversation started. Such differences can be found between cultures in European countries as well as between cultures on the different continents. While for French people kissing is normal part of greeting even among colleagues from workplace, English would be terrified by such intimacy and breaking into someones private space. Use of time or punctuality is highly appreciated in for example United States, England or Germany while in Spain, Portugal or Bosnia it is not so important. People for ex-Yu area like to say Alive man cant be late. what shows that we sometimes take time almost for granted. In the one of the last chapters Ivo Andrics The Bridge on The Drina it is nicely pictured how our people used to deal with time. Writer describes time when Austro-Hungarian monarchy took over the Bosnia from Ottomans and started ruling it. Local people, both Christian and Turkish i.e. Muslim couldnt understand the use of time by Austrians and other nations that came into Bosnia.

They seemed always in hurry, always rushing to have the work done, while locals had more attention to small everyday rituals then the work that needs to be done. It is nice example of relative coexistence of two cultures, with its differences but also similarities when compared to the other culture. Body gestures and facial expressions are also important nonverbal elements that differ among cultures. While Americans would consider person who is avoiding eye contact as unreliable and suspect that person is either lying or hiding something, people from eastern cultures will interpret this as a sign of respect. Asian people are very much concerned about common opinion, maintaining face, showing respect, avoiding conflict and keeping personal feelings hidden as much as possible. Showing feelings in public and even among family members is considered unacceptable. In Japan it was even unacceptable for husband to share problems and show feeling with his wife. By doing contrary he would humiliate himself and disregarded her position and showed her disrespect. This is completely unacceptable by modern western social rules where such behavior would eventually have negative result for partnership. We had similar behavior in western society in the past. Husbands were not sharing money, work, political and similar problems with their wives not because they respected them, but because it was common opinion that women have nothing to do with that and are not capable to understand it. Eastern cultures are high context cultures and people are more collectivistic. This means that they are more concerned about common sense and goals then about their own. They rely on certain social rules without questioning it and we can say that nonverbal elements are more important in their communication. Or they pay more attention on use of

nonverbal then western cultures do. It is common rule in the eastern culture to pay more attention to trivial things and to do important ones like something unimportant. While western businessman would like to discuss every point of possible deal, eastern businessman will do it along with the small rituals of tea drinking or lunch and will pay more attention to this then to the deal itself. Eastern culture will rarely question rules and hardly will attempt to change anything in their social system. For most of the rules they expect everyone to know it as well as they do, and understand it in the same way. This becomes a problem when they have conversation with someone who is not from their culture. Western cultures are more open and people expect things to be said, while eastern expect some things to be known without saying any word. Good example is situation where someone of more influence and better social status helps an employee or neighbor who is in less favorable position in eastern culture. After the favor has been done, something that person cant repay or return in the same manner, neither one of them will mention it again. The man who received help will always try to be of help and to respect the one who helped him. He will never say well You helped me once, a lot. And I helped you so many times, now I think we are even. Neither the person who used its money, power or relations to help will mention or complain that he did it. It is something that is almost completely nonverbal, something that has to be done in such manner and both of them accept their position ruled by their culture and society. This would be very uncommon for the western person who would do anything to repay and probably would insult the other. While I was working as interpreter I found out the most challenging point to decode nonverbal elements and to try to explain to both sides in small tips and suggestions

differences between cultures. There was a problem to translate our proverbs sometimes but that is verbal point. When you have two persons, in the best option, from different countries, not speaking same language, as interpreter you have a hard task to translate everything accurately as possible, not changing meaning, not giving directions for course of conversation nor advices. But if you stick to doing only that, as a robot, you will sooner or later find yourself in trouble and in more talk then necessary. But if you on necessary points include small remarks or explanations on cultural background, customs or social rules conversation will be smoother, more interesting and most probably with better outcome. You have take care that both sides must know what you are talking about, so none feels offended or disconnected for conversation. Also you have to control your own nonverbal elements as much as possible.