Culture is manifested in our actions and affects how we tell the world who we are and what

we believe in. It is also the basis for how we behave in a certain communication context.

 PRINCIPLE OF COOPERATIVE CONVERSATION

Local and global communications are kept constant in a multicultural setting. It requires
the need to foster cooperative conversation for a successful communication.

o Grice’s Four Maxims in Conversation

1. Maxim of relation. Every interlocutor should be relevant in conversation.
They need to be relevant in communicating, requiring them to respond based
on cultural and contextual requirements.

2. Maxim of quantity. Grice underscores that every interlocutor should observe

a “fair-share-talk of time.” Everyone should be given the opportunity to talk.

3. Maxim of quality. Every interlocutor should maintain what is true in a given

conversation. Do not add nor deduce information. Always maintain a very
good reputation whenever you talk. Manifest honesty in words in order to talk
with quantity.

4. Maxim of manner. In the local culture, the manner of saying a word is more
regarded than its content. How a person negotiates meaning is very important
in conversation. Clarity of speech should be observed so that you will not be
misinterpreted.

 MODES OF COMMUNICATION
Words are primary in communication, but gestures would even make a meaningful
communication.

 Words, Greetings, and Expressions Used in Intercultural Communication

WORDS FILIPINO/ SPANISH KOREAN MANDARIN/

TAGALOG CHINESE
goodbye paalam adiós annyeong záijian
thank you salamat gracias gomawo/ xié xié ni
kamsahamnida
I love you mahal kita te amo saranghaeyo wǒ ái nĭ
you’re walang anuman de nada chonmaneyo búkéqí
welcome
take care ingat cuidate jalkaseyo băozhòng

 BODY LANGUAGE USED IN INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

Body language is a form of non-verbal communication in which visible body
language communicates particular messages, either in place of, or in conjunction with speech.
In a multicultural context of communication, you should be culturally sensitive to the
differences of this body language. Effective communication, therefore, would require the
communicator appropriate knowledge of the cultural use of body language in a multicultural
setting.
  Shaking hands. In the Philippines and in America, the cultural gesture of
shaking hands upon greeting is considered the norm when doing a person-to-person
introduction. In fact, to refuse a handshake is considered a very rude gesture. In Saudi Arabia,
you can shake a man’s hand after meeting him but you cannot shake a woman’s hand at all in
greeting.

 A-OK sign. The OK hand gesture in America and England is quite popular and
considered a general gesture that denotes an agreement of sentiment. However, this gesture in
Brazil is the equivalent of using your middle finger as a gesture in America. Likewise, the
OK hand gesture is taken as an insult in most Latin American countries, Austria, and France.

 Thumbs-Up. The Thumbs Up gesture can be an equivalent to the OK gesture

and is widely used within America England, and the Philippines. Once again, in a large
amount of cultures around the globe, giving a Thumbs-Up is a horrible idea. Using this
gesture can be denoted as a sexual insult and correlates to the middle finger meaning in the
United States.

 Sitting with crossed legs. Sitting with crossed legs is common in North
America and European countries, but it is considered disrespectful in Asia and the Middle
East where a straight and balanced posture prevails as the norm.

 Eye contact. When speaking to someone, eye contact is considered a positive

aspect of body language in the Philippines. It is also common in Spain and the Arabic culture
(among people of the same sex). Not looking back when someone is looking at you is
considered disrespectful and demonstrates insecurity, lack of interest, or indicates deception.

 Nodding the head. For Filipinos, head nod up and down generally means
agreement, approval, or “yes” while head nod from side to side or head shake means the
reverse. However, Bulgarians and Greeks, for example, are known for their unusual manner
of saying “yes” and “no”: Nodding up and down indicates a negative response.

 Tugging the Earlobes. The Portuguese tug their earlobes to indicate tasty
food, the Spaniards to signify that someone is not paying their drinks, but in Italy to insinuate
sexual innuendos.

 Pointing using the lips. In some culture—Filipino, Native American, Puerto

Rican, and many Latin American cultures— people use their lips to point, instead of a finger.
In the West, people often kiss when they meet or when they say goodbye; in many Asian
countries, it is considered too intimate of an action to be displayed in public.

 Broad arm movement. Many cultures use their arms freely, as in Italy or the
US, where they often wave their arms around when talking. However, Northern Europeans
find it hard to tolerate gesturing with the arms, associating it with insecurity ad over
dramatization. In Japan, gesturing with broad arm movements is considered impolite.

 THE ABC’S OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

Communication is complex because of the cultural and contextual factors
embedded in it. Although effective communication is difficult to achieve because of
 these considerations, good communication is attainable. Lewis (2008) provided the
following ABC’s of intercultural communication.

A- Acknowledge
-Differences in communication style should be acknowledged. Every person in
a group has a particular communication style which gives her/his own identity in
communicating.

B- Bi-level
-Communication does not only uphold speaking and listening but also require
a holistic process that includes verbal and non-verbal channels.

C- Clarify
-If you are doubtful of your understanding about what is being communicated,
ask for clarification. Devote a little extra time to verify understanding so that you
can save time and avoid frustration.

 CULTURAL COMMUNICATION BARRIERS

These barriers obviously give difficulty in understanding people, whose language

is different, and evidently challenge people who are trying to work harmoniously with
others of a different background.

1. Language barrier. Language is evidently the primary barrier of communication in

second and foreign language contexts.

2. Hostile stereotypes. Stereotypes are generalizations or assumptions people make

about the characteristics of members of a group, based on an image about what people in that
group are like.

3. Behaviour Differences. Differences of behaviour between employees of different

cultures can cause misunderstandings. Every culture has its norm about what is regarded as
appropriate behaviour.

4. Emotional display. What is considered appropriate display of emotion in one culture

may not be appropriate in another culture.

 ENHANCING ORAL COMMUNICATION IN A MULTICULTURAL

SETTING
1. Learn foreign phrases
2. Use simple English
3. Speak slowly and enunciate clearly
4. Observe eye messages
5. Encourage accurate feedback
6. Check frequently for comprehension
7. Accept blame
8. Listen without interrupting
9. Smile when appropriate
10.Follow up in writing (letters, proposals and contracts)
  DEVELOPING WRITTEN COMMUNICATION TO MULTICULTURAL
AUDIENCES
Your writing style and tone should be appropriate to the culture of the receiver
and context where it was written.

1. Consider local styles. Documents have their standard formats; hence, writers should
know which one is followed or recommended by the receiver of the document.

2. Observe titles and status. Use last names, titles, and other signs of rank and status.

3. Use short sentences and short paragraphs.

4. Avoid ambiguous expressions. Use action-specific words (e.g. purchase a computer

rather than get a computer).

a) Idioms and figurative clichés. This form of language uses words and
expressions with a meaning that is different from the literal interpretation.
Examples:
Beat the clock- to do something before the deadline
Go with the flow- to do what people do and accept things as
they are
Bend the law or bend the rules- to cheat a little bit without
breaking the law
Do the dirty work- to do the disagreeable, illegal, dishonest
things

b) Slang. It is a short or highly colloquial (informal) word.

Examples:
gonna- going to
wanna- want to
okay- all right
What you see is what you get- there is nothing hidden
lit- super cool or ‘on fire’

c) Acronym.
Examples:
LAM- leave a message
IMO- in my opinion
AKA- also known as
ASAP- as soon as possible
BAE- before anyone else
GOAT-greatest of all time

d) Abbreviation. Short form of a lengthy word or expression.

Examples:
Acct- account
recd- received
fwd- forward
 ad-advertisement

e) Jargon. Special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession

or group and are difficult for others to understand.
Examples:
Chief cook and bottle-washer - A person who holds many
responsibilities (businessjargon)
Suspect - A person whom the police think may have committed
a crime. (police jargon)

f) Strive for clarity. To present the message clearly, the writer must avoid
words that have multiple meanings, clarity words that may be confusing, and
replace phrasal verbs with clear single words.

g) Use correct grammar.

h) Cite numbers carefully. Numbers should be written following the metric

system. Spell out numbers one to nine and write the figure number 10 and
above, but spell out the number if it begins a sentence. Avoid using figures to
express the date, for example, April 8, 2019 should not be written as 4/8/19
except in North America or 4.8.19 in Europe.

i) Accommodate the reader in organization, tone and style. Organize your

message, observing appropriate tone and style to appeal to your audience.

Varieties and Registers of Spoken and Written Language

The word “register” was introduced in the field in the 1960’s. It was described by Halliday et
al. (1964, 77) as a “variety according to use in the sense that each speaker has a range of varieties
and chooses between them at different times.” We observe a language activity in the various contexts
in which it takes place, we find differences in the type of language selected as appropriate to
different types of situation. This is because the register of the language is set primarily on the level of
formality of the speech.

VARIETIES OF ENGLISH
Varieties of English refer to the different kinds of English used around the world
based on geographical locations. Several major varieties are American, British, Australian,
New Zealand, Philippine, Singapore, and Black.
There are over a hundred varieties of the English language, but the two most
prevalent varieties of the English Language are British (BrE) and American (AmE) English.
 1. American English (AmE). It is a variant of the English language which is spoken
mainly in the United States.

2. Bristish English (BrE). It is a variant of the English language which is spoken in the
United Kingdom.

3. Australian English (AuE). It is another variant of the English language which is

spoken in the Australia. Australian English began to diverge from the British English
shortly after Australia was settled in the late 18 th century. Its spelling corresponds to
British English spelling.

4. New Zealand English (NZE). It is the variant of the English language spoken as the
first language by most people in New Zealand. It is similar to Australian English in
pronunciation, with some key differences.

5. Black English. It is also called African American Vernacular English. It is also used
to refer to black communities in Caribbean and Africa.

6. Singapore English. The English of Singapore is SingEng or Singlish. Singapore

English is a language variant which is considered the most popular medium of
communication in the academe.

7. Philippine English. It is another variety of the English language related to American

English in terms of spelling and grammar. Besides the Filipino language, the English
language is native to the Philippines and is considered an official language.

VARIETIES OF ENGLISH VOCABULARY

The first part of this section shows major differences in vocabulary among the three different
varieties of English.

American English British English Australian English

1. drug store chemist’s Chemist/pharmacy
2. afternoon afternoon arvo
3. apartment flat Apartment/flat
4. attorney Barrister, solicitor Lawyer
5. candies Sweets Lollies
6. corn maize corn
7. mail post mail
8.potato chips crisps chips
9.stroller Push-chair pusher
10. subway underground loop

Given the examples above, American English and British English have major differences in
vocabulary.
 American English British American English British
English English
cab taxi zipper zip
gas petrol alumnus graduate
hood bonnet bar pub
intersection crossroads can tin
elevator lift cookie biscuit
eraser rubber first floor ground floor
fall autumn flashlight torch
diaper nappy garbage rubbish
pants trousers Private hospital Nursing home
purse handbag vacation holiday

New Zealand English: Black English:

Word Meaning Word Meaning
lolly candy bogus fake
scarfie a university cat a friend or a
student fellow
hard case a comedian whities White people
wagon car homies close friends
smoko rest break during hip knowledgeable
work dude male
chunder vomit

Singapore English: Philippine English:

Word Meaning Hold up a forcible robbing of a
kayu dumb or stupid person
yaya boastful or arrogant gimmick A night out w/ friends
shiok similar to cool and great Eat-all-you- Version of buffet w/c
havoc Wild and uncontrollable can offers unli food
paiseh Embarrassed or shy videoke Compounding of video
terok Troublesome or difficult and karaoke
ulu Rural places Live-in unmarried couple living
obiang Ugly together
carnap To steal a car

VARIETIES OF ENGLISH SPELLING

 In terms of spelling, British English and American English have a few rules which
cover the majority of spelling differences in terms of usage. When using the American
English, writers are required to use the variant consistently. Hence, consistency of use in all
aspects: pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and spelling should be upheld for effective
communication.

1. Most American English words ending in –or change to –our in British English.

American English British English American English British English

favor favour savior saviour
behavior behaviour harbor harbour
labor labour color colour
humor humour favorite favourite
neighbor neighbour honor honour

2. Many American words ending in –er change to –re in British English.

American English British English American English British English

center centre sepulcher sepulchre
theater theatre luster lustre
meter metre manuever manoeuvre
caliber calibre saber sabre
fiber fibre liter litre

3. These are pairs of words which are nouns and verbs.

American English British English

advice advise
defense defence
offense offence
pretense pretence

4. Most American spellings use –ize at the end of words while British spellings use –ise.

American English British

English
criticize criticise
organize organise
realize realise
centralize centralise
 American English British
English
operationalize operationalise
conceptualize conceptualise
analyze analyse
apologize apologise

5. This variant: -ogue/-og occurs in a number of words of Greek origin:

American English British English

catalogue catalog
analogue analog
dialogue dialog
monologue monolog

6. A number of verbs which make their participle with –ed in American English use –t in
British English.

American English British English

dreamed dreamt
leaped leapt
spelled spelt
learned learnt

FORMS OF LANGUAGE REGISTER

Language register is the level and style of your writing, and it should be appropriate
to the situation you are in.

 Formal Register. This form of language register is most appropriate in

professional and business writing. It is impersonal which means that it requires
strict implementations of rules in standard writing and is written without
considering emotions.

Examples: business letters, business reports, announcements, official speeches,

professional emails
 Informal Language Register. Informal writing is written in the way we talk to
our friends and family. This form is used when writing to someone you know
very well.

Examples: personal emails, short notes, most blogs, phone texts, friendly letters,
diaries and journals

 Neutral Register. Some writings are written in a neutral language, which means
that they are not specifically formal or informal, positive or negative. It is used w/
non emotional topics.

Examples: reviews, some letters, technical writing, articles, some essays, some
reports