scholarly journals Linguistic and Pragmatic Failure of Arab Learners in Direct Polite Requests and Invitations: A Cross-cultural Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 223
Author(s):  
Nahed Ghazzoul
Keyword(s):  
Data Analysis ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Cultural Norms ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Pragmatic Failure ◽  
Arab Students ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Communication Breakdowns ◽  
Different Cultures

In a cross-cultural context, the speakers' cultural disposition, linguistic codes, and social identity may influence their pragmatic behaviour; thus, lead to communication breakdowns. This paper studies the cross-cultural pragmatic failure in polite requests among Arab participants from different cultural backgrounds, and reattempts to test[ validate] the universality of Speech Act Theory, and Theory of Politeness. To that end, 96 situations have been collected from 16 Arab participants divided into two groups to examine the polite strategies they use in request and invitation situations. The results of the qualitative data analysis have shown that almost all participants favour conventionally direct strategies in requests and invitations to express politeness and hospitality. As for the Arab students who are UK citizens, the results indicated that they have a tendency to use more indirect strategies in different situations. However, this indirectness was perceived as lack of hospitality in invitations, and lack of pragmatic clarity in requests by the first group. The results of the data analysis show that there is no one formula of how politeness can be perceived by different cultures, and that the differences stem out from different socio-cultural norms. The findings also provide worthwhile insights into theoretical issues concerning Arabic communicative acts, as well as the relation between the universal pragmatic features, and culture-specific theoretical differences.

scholarly journals A situation creation system to enable experiential learning in virtual worlds for developing cross-cultural competencies

2020 ◽  
pp. 233-239
Author(s):  
Maryam Sadat Mirzaei ◽  
Kourosh Meshgi ◽  
Toyoaki Nishida
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Competence ◽  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Role Playing ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Simulation Games ◽  
Cultural Competencies ◽  
Different Cultures

The emergence of virtual worlds and simulation games provide ample opportunities for developing cultural competence by offering a visual, contextual, immersive, and interactive experience. Learners can benefit from contextual interactions and develop cultural competencies by fulfilling quests or exploring the environment. However, most of the existing systems contain few pre-designed scenarios, inadequate for covering unique aspects of different cultures. This study introduces a situation creation toolkit for teachers and learners to design their culture-specific scenarios in a 3D environment and share it with others to experience such situations. In a preliminary experiment, 37 English learners with different cultural backgrounds created a scenario, specific to their culture, and provided proper/improper communicative choices as well as cultural-related notes. Scenarios were then exchanged to those of different cultures for role-playing and decision-making. Results highlighted the influence of L1 culture and stereotyping when facing an unfamiliar cultural context, thus leading to culturally unacceptable behavior. Findings suggest that through real-life scenario design and experience, our platform can prepare learners to interact in culturally appropriate ways and encourages them to gain cross-cultural competence.

scholarly journals The Directness Levels of Criticism: A Cross-Cultural Comparative Study of Korean and American Youtuber

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 109-119
Author(s):  
Aan Anisah Agustini Safari
Keyword(s):  
Speech Acts ◽  
Speech Act ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Cultural Norms ◽  
Cross Culture ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Cross Cultural Study ◽  
Different Cultures ◽  
The Way

Background: Different countries may have different cultures that are influenced by their religion, traditions, or norms. These differences affect the way they speak, such as when they are commenting or giving opinions. Due to the way people express speech acts can be varied and lead to misinterpretation because of their differences, the researcher was intrigued to conduct this study. Methodology: This cross-cultural study was carried out to observe and compare the speech act of criticism between Korean and American YouTubers and to investigate the role of their cultural background in influencing the directness level they conveyed. First, the researcher selected three Korean Youtubers and Americans as well with food review content. Second, the researcher watched one video from each channel and took notes on every expression of criticism they used. Findings: The result of this study demonstrates that in American YouTubers speech, direct strategy emerges more frequently than the indirect one. Conversely, Korean YouTubers tend to use the indirect one. The finding also indicates that their speech behavior is related to their cultural norms, in which American culture encourages clear personal opinions, while Korean culture is a restraint to express their opinion or feeling clearly. Conclusion: Due to the considerable difference between Korean and American YouTuber speech, it can be concluded that culture takes a significant part in shaping one’s speech behavior. That is why people with different cultural backgrounds may have different ways of speaking.  Keywords: Criticism; cross-culture pragmatic; directness-indirectness.

Cross-Cultural Validation of Measures of Social Support

1996 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
pp. 271-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Uday Tate
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Factorial Validity ◽  
Supervisory Support ◽  
Sales Personnel ◽  
Different Cultures ◽  
Cultural Validation

To examine the applicability of social support scales in a cross-cultural context measures of supervisory support, coworkers' support, and support from family members and close friends were obtained from retail sales personnel, 262 from the United States, 195 from Japan, and 183 from Colombia. Reliability and the factorial validity suggest that these measures may be applied across different cultures or nations.

Lying in Different Cultures

2018 ◽  
pp. 564-578
Author(s):  
Fumiko Nishimura
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Context ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Japanese People ◽  
Cooperative Principle ◽  
Individualism And Collectivism ◽  
Semantics And Pragmatics ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
Different Cultures ◽  
New Zealanders

This chapter reviews key issues related to lying within the framework of a cross-cultural context. First, important notions such as individualism and collectivism are discussed. Various definitions of lying are then introduced based on semantics and pragmatics frameworks (e.g., Grice’s Cooperative Principle). Next, the motivations and acceptability of lies are addressed by referring to values and assumptions found in different cultures. Finally, the chapter examines conversational data collected from Japanese people and New Zealanders. The data contain lies that are used as strategies to manage undesirable situations. The examples illustrate how people would choose different types of lie by following their own cultural protocols and preferences.

scholarly journals Cross-cultural psychiatric assessment

1997 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dinesh Bhugra ◽  
Kamaldeep Bhui
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
Ethnic Minorities ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Patient Interaction ◽  
Cultural Expectations ◽  
Different Cultures

Different cultures vary in their perceptions of mental illness (Karno & Edgerton, 1969), which can affect their utilisation of orthodox psychiatric facilities (Padilla et al, 1975; Sue, 1977). Mental health services may be seen by ethnic minorities as challenging the value of traditional support systems, reflecting dominant Western cultural values and harbouring implicitly racist psychological formulations. The clinician-patient interaction may become fraught with misunderstandings if the two parties come from different cultural backgrounds and bring distinct cultural expectations to the encounter.

Cross Cultural Counseling Issues of Males Who Sustain a Disability

2001 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irmo Marini
Keyword(s):  
Psychosocial Adjustment ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Severe Disability ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Acquired Disability ◽  
Male Roles ◽  
Perceptions Of Disability ◽  
Cross Cultural Counseling ◽  
Adjustment Issues ◽  
Different Cultures

This article explores the psychosocial adjustment issues faced by males from different cultures after sustaining a severe disability. Perceptions of disability and masculinity by different cultures impact a person's reaction to a severe acquired disability. Socially defined male roles and masculine traits as well as perceptions of disability are explored. Recommendations for counselors working with males with acquired disabilities from different cultural backgrounds are discussed.

scholarly journals Promoting common ground building in L2 cross-cultural conversations

2021 ◽  
pp. 220-225
Author(s):  
Maryam Sadat Mirzaei ◽  
Kourosh Meshgi ◽  
Toyoaki Nishida
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
Common Ground ◽  
Communication Strategies ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Teaching Culture ◽  
Points Of View ◽  
Immersive Environment ◽  
Optimal Approach ◽  
Different Cultures

Teaching culture out of context may not be the optimal approach, yet it could be achieved by immersive technologies. This study uses an immersive theme-based environment and focuses on cross-cultural interactions between learners of different cultures in goal-oriented scenarios. We collected interactions among learners with different cultural backgrounds and annotated common ground formation and conversation breakdowns in those interactions. Next, we recreated the scenarios in a 3D immersive environment using an in-house situation creation toolkit to enable experiencing the situation by using choices to navigate the conversation and observing the consequences. In case the conversation derails, we provide timely scaffolding by offering appropriate communication strategies to rebuild common ground. Learners can be the actors of the scenarios but can also be the observers by switching between roles and points of view. Preliminary experiments with 20 L2 learners of English from different cultures showed that practicing with immersive conversational game-play is effective for raising cultural awareness and learning to choose appropriate strategies for smooth interactions.

scholarly journals Strategi Guru Bimbingan Dan Konseling (BK) Dalam Membantu Mengatasi Kesulitan Belajar Siswa MTs Daruth Tholibiin Nganjuk

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 359-368
Author(s):  
Moh. Nasrulloh ◽  
Muslimin
Keyword(s):  
Data Analysis ◽  
Learning Difficulties ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Natural Setting ◽  
Teacher Guidance ◽  
Descriptive Research ◽  
Counselling Services ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Different Cultures

This study wants to see the effect of BK on overcoming student learning difficulties at MTs Daruth Tholibiin Nganjuk. Learning difficulties are naturally experienced by all students, but not all schools or teachers are able to help students overcome these problems. Almost all schools also have counselling guidance teachers. However, in practice, BK teachers also have differences in dealing with student problems. Because of different cultures, habits and situations. In this study using a qualitative approach, because the qualitative approach has characteristics including natural setting and researchers as key instruments, descriptive research and inductive data analysis. In collecting data using the method of observation, interviews and documentation. While the data analysis uses descriptive qualitative techniques. From this study, it can be concluded how the teacher guidance and counselling strategy in overcoming the learning difficulties of MTs Daruth Tholibiin students. Guidance and counselling (BK) teacher strategies in helping students overcome learning difficulties are carried out through classical learning orientation and information during one hour of learning, holding counselling in a special room for guidance and counselling services, conducting case conferences and holding follow-up in collaboration with teachers in the field of study and parents of students.

Cross-Cultural Pragmatic Failure in Jordanian Media Discourse

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 347-358
Keyword(s):  
Native Speakers ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Pragmatic Competence ◽  
Cultural Communication ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Cross Cultural Communication ◽  
Communication Breakdown ◽  
Pragmatic Failure ◽  
Culture Start ◽  
Arabic And English

Cultural differences are brought to attention basically in cross-cultural communication where members of each culture start to compare and contrast their culture to the cultures of their addressees. While some cultures like Arabic can be described as high context cultures for basically depending on non-verbal communication, other cultures might be low context cultures for relying basically on words. In cross-cultural communication, i.e. communication between speakers from different cultural backgrounds, speakers are not expected to find it difficult to understand their addressees as long as they have the required semantic and pragmatic competence. The present study examines the occurrence of cross-cultural pragmatic failure in a Jordanian social drama focusing on how pragmatic failure might contribute to communication breakdown. It is an attempt to identify aspects and sources of pragmatic failure in both Arabic and English, and to investigate how cultural factors might influence language use of native and non-native speakers. Keywords: Pragmatic failure; cross-cultural communication; politeness; sociolinguistics.

A cross-generational and cross-cultural study on demonstration of attentiveness

Pragmatics ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 549-571 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saeko Fukushima
Keyword(s):  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Interview Data ◽  
The Other ◽  
Questionnaire Data ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Verbal Cues ◽  
Cross Cultural Study ◽  
Field Notes ◽  
Different Cultures ◽  
The Relationship

This paper looks into whether there are any differences in demonstration of attentiveness between different generations and different cultures. By attentiveness I mean a demonstrator’s preemptive response to a beneficiary’s verbal/non-verbal cues or situations surrounding a beneficiary and a demonstrator, which takes the form of offering. When and how often one would demonstrate attentiveness may vary according to such factors as generation and culture. Three groups of people from different generations and different cultural backgrounds (Japanese and Americans) served as the participants (280 people for the questionnaire data and 18 people for the interview data). It was investigated whether there were any differences among the participants in demonstration of attentiveness, in the reasons for demonstration of attentiveness, and in rating degree of imposition to demonstrate attentiveness. It was also examined whether there was any relationship between degree of imposition to demonstrate attentiveness and demonstration of attentiveness; and in which relationship (the relationship between a demonstrator and a beneficiary of attentiveness varied from very familiar to not very familiar at all) attentiveness was demonstrated. The data were collected using a questionnaire with six situations, based on field notes; and the interviews were conducted using the same six situations. The results show that in most situations there were no major differences among the participants in the choice of demonstration of attentiveness and the reasons for it. The participants chose to demonstrate attentiveness in four situations in the questionnaire, because they wanted to be of help to the other party. There was a relationship between degree of imposition to demonstrate attentiveness and demonstration of attentiveness in four situations. Overall, the interview data confirmed the questionnaire data.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document