INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION - Essay Example ture is an element in shaping these factors as well as the underlying attitudes about various issues such as work, success, wealth, authority, equity and so on. Language differences: One of the major causes of miscommunication is the use of language. This can happen even if two people speak the same language, because of differences in usage. Frequently, people from different cultures speak different languages. In these cases, communication occurs through a process of translation. Unfortunately, translation often fails to convey the spirit of the communication. In some cases, it changes the meaning altogether, and in others it has unintended connotations. A couple of examples cited by Ekwulugo (94) illustrate the impact of language differences and how they can make communications go haywire. The first concerns General Motors’ popular automobile brand Chevy Nova, a name that is well known and popular in many countries of the world, and associated with an efficient and prestigious car. In Spanish, this name means â€Å"Does not go†, which grossly misrepresents the message that the company wants to convey. Perception: Different people perceive things differently. One of the reasons for this difference in perception is the way people have been conditioned. Perception is the way people process information. Raw data that comes to a person is converted to information because of such processing. Different words and symbols acquire different meanings in different cultures. For example, making a circle with the thumb and index finger means â€Å"okay† in America, signifies money in Japan, and is the equivalent of showing the soles of one’s feet in Thailand. Torn and shabby clothes are a sign of poverty to Indians, while in parts of Europe they signify freedom. It is clear that when an American is trying to say Okay, a person from Thailand will understand it as an offensive gesture (Pickton & Broderick 53) Values and beliefs: Values and beliefs also affect communication