The Erasmus exchange program has a positive influence on students' intercultural awareness since they find the chance to meet other cultures. Despite high levels of proficiency, there may still be misunderstandings between students of different cultures. As a consequence, the Erasmus program might not achieve its pluriculturalism aim. Purpose of…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (2004) mandates that schools facilitate parent participation in planning the Individual Education Program (IEP). However, culturally and linguistically diverse parents are less likely to feel fully included in the IEP process. In this article we examine three sources of cross-cultural…

Discussion of text-based computer-mediated communication (CMC) focuses on a study that explored CMC in communication misunderstandings. Considers the lack of nonverbal cues, language and cultural barriers, and differences from face-to-face communication, and includes a copy of the questionnaire used in the study. (LRW)

Understanding how laughter communicates helps to explain how individuals respond to laughter in intercultural situations. There are three manifestations of laughter: reflex responses to particular physical stimuli; automatic reactions to informative stimuli that can be intentionally controlled; and symbols encoded with semantic meanings…

Describes an international business communication course taught at Murray State University. Acquaints students with the challenges of international business communication, provides guidelines for successful cross-cultural business communication, and gives practice in solving international business problems through the use of the guidelines. (RAE)

Argues that the generation gap is the collision of two distinct cultures--a youth culture and an adult culture. Each culture is expressed through verbal and nonverbal norms that enhance a feeling of group kinship but hamper communication with members of the other culture. (JG)

Results of intensive interviews with close friends or relatives of the decedent indicated that at least 60

This investigation concerned specific verbal and nonverbal sources of communication problems between blacks and whites in the U.S. Army. Special reference was made to the problems which lead to misinterpretations and social offensiveness. (SW)

Although there are only about 2,000 active speakers of the Hawaiian language, there exists a coherent system of nonverbal behavior which can be identified as Hawaiian and which contrasts sharply with middle class white American behavior. Teachers of Hawaiian children should be aware of this in order to avoid potential misunderstandings in the…

A study investigated the listening experiences of American university students who interviewed people from other cultures as part of a class project. A total of 103 individuals from African, Asian, European, Latin American, and Middle Eastern cultures were interviewed. Each of the American interviewers described his/her perceptions of five…

Because people meeting across cultures often carry with them misunderstandings and suspicions--relationship problems which must be resolved before any task can be completed--the phrase "problem-solving" must be defined more literally when applied to intercultural communication. Sources of cultural conflict must be recognized and…

Misunderstandings and impoliteness can occur among people from different countries because of differences in cultures and languages. Observations about British, American, and other European cultures concern set phrases, word connotations, intonation, forms of address and reference, grammar, and nonverbal behavior. (SW)

Each culture has its own nonverbal as well as its verbal language. Movements, gestures and sounds have distinct and often conflicting interpretations in different countries. For Americans communicating with Japanese, misunderstandings are of two types: Japanese behavior which is completely new to the American, and Japanese behavior which is…

Examines the sociolinguistic aspects of Saudi greeting rituals, discussing the phraseology and nonverbal signals employed by greeter and greetee in various situations. Also explores the communication problems that Saudis and Americans have when communicating in each other's language and culture. (MDM)

This book considers the complex subject of language development and instruction for learners with special needs. The primary purpose of the book is to examine language and its components and to suggest instructional strategies for conquering language difficulties. Some special features of the book are strong core chapters which cover key…