The world has become seemingly smaller with the advancements of technologies, instead of taking days to receive a written letter, it takes seconds to get an email. While the connection is obvious there still seems to be a barrier between the majority of the world's population: Language. Though it seems irrelevant in people's small communities, the…

Globalized English offers interaction platforms, including cyber-based settings, for linguistically and culturally diverse speakers, particularly in the English as a second language/English as a foreign language context. Thus, it requires developing the intercultural competence of the parties involved. English users' different perspectives may…

The relevance of the problems stated in the article is determined by the fact that with the expansion of relations between the nations all over the world, the problems caused by misunderstanding, religion differences, and lack of cultural tolerance, have become more vital than ever. In this regard, this article is aimed at studying the conditions…

Humour is a universal phenomenon and has been studied in many fields of research such as literature, linguistics, psychology, sociology and philosophy. Humour is often expressed through language and it is little wonder that failure to understand humorous language causes breakdowns in communication. What is humorous might be culturally defined, and…

Intercultural miscommunication occurs when there is a breakdown in communication between speakers of two different cultures and languages due to cultural differences and/or sociolinguistic transfer. Intercultural miscommunication has tremendous impact on ESOL students' academic learning at North American schools. This paper examines the nature of…

This paper examines cultural differences between Japan and the United States and presents materials designed to help learners of Japanese understand patterns of behavior in that country through realistic episodes and situations. Understanding status differences is important for effective social and business communication with the Japanese. Status…

As China continues to open to the outside world (economically, politically, and educationally), English language instruction and intercultural communication education in China has increased markedly to enhance international interaction with the United States and other countries. The Chinese approach differs from practices in the United States as…

A study investigated the attitudes of English-speakers living in Finland toward English oral communication with Finns. English-speaking diplomats, businessmen, and their wives were surveyed with Likert-type and open-ended questions. Results indicated that Finns have a good command of English grammar, with difficulties in communication attributed…

Aims to identify communication difficulties that arise when Eastern and Western cultures meet in the context of language teaching and learning. With particular focus on China, this article attempts to make explicit some underlying assumptions held by teachers and to contrast these with the expectations of Chinese students. Cultural perspectives…

Taboo or forbidden topics of conversation are compared for Taiwan, the Republic of China, and United States. Emphasis is on the conveyance of conversational conventions in second language teaching. First, the concept of conversational taboos is examined, noting the non-transferability of taboos across cultures and languages. Four kinds of taboos…

Cross-border education has been growing dramatically in both English-speaking countries and non-native English-speaking countries. While more and more students, particularly from Asian countries such as Korea, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan choose to study in English-speaking countries, many native English speakers go to Asian countries to…

This paper discusses common miscommunication problems that occur between Japanese and Americans, even when both are speaking Japanese, with a focus on high contextuality and women's position in business organizations. It also examines how these cultural differences can be addressed through the use of videotaped conversations. One of the preeminent…

The problem of Hispanic-Anglo conflicts in nonverbal communication is approached in this paper from the perspective of a teacher of English and Spanish as second languages, using largely anecdotal and often autobiographical data. Specific cross-cultural differences between Hispanics (Puerto Ricans, Dominicans and Cubans) and Anglos in the area of…