A Communication Accommodation Approach to the Conversations between Chinese International Students and American Christians
This paper examines the intercultural communication between Chinese international students and American Christians. The growing number of Chinese studying in the United States increases the communication frequency between American residents and Chinese students. One of the out-of-school settings that this type of intercultural communication takes place is in religious organizations. Using Communication Accommodation Theory as the theory framework, this paper identifies several communicative strategies of American Christians in the interaction with Chinese perceived by the Chinese international students. The paper also discusses how Chinese international students receive these strategies and the influence on their acculturation to the American life.