Role of Non-Verbal Language in Cross-Cultural Interactions - Essay Example

Running Head: THE ROLE OF NON-VERBAL LANGUAGE IN CROSS-CULTU INTERACTIONS The role of non-verbal language in cross-cultural interactions Name Course Institution Date The role of non-verbal language in cross-cultural interactions Introduction Communication is the processes through which information is passed across from one person to another (Hinde 1975).However, the person for whom the information is intended for must be able to understand the information that is being passed across in order for the process to be complete and to be successful. Non verbal communication is an essential part of the communication process which enables the person receiving the message to understand the message better.Non verbal communication refers to the mode of communication whereby a given message is sent and received without the use of words. In non verbal communication, a given message is usually passed across through the use of body movements (Hinde 1975). According to Knapp & Hall (2007), “Much of non-verbal languages focus on face to face communication which can be classified into the environmental conditions, the physical characteristics of the communicators and the behavior of the communicators in the course of the interactions”. There are many ways in which the body or parts of the body can be moved in order to communicate nonverbally. They include the use of gestures, employing a given body posture, using facial expressions for example winking, through the use of glances and other body movements i.e. dancing or moving a given body part in a given way to form a certain symbol that can pass a certain understandable message (Argyle 1988).Non verbal communication plays a vital role within the context of cross cultural interaction in communication. But perhaps, before discussing its role in cross cultural communication, it will be important to have a look at the main reasons why this mode of communication is employed or used in a given society: The use of non-verbal communication Non verbal communication enables a given individual to reinforce the information that he or she has passed across through the use of the word of mouth. When one is communicating a sad message across, he or she has to reinforce it using the relevant facial expression which displays the sadness of the message for example frowning the face. If it is a message that is carrying good news, then the individual must accompany the good news with a given element of non verbal communication which will be symbolizing the good news that the individual is passing across. For example the individual could put on a smile which will definitely be symbolizing the good news (Hinde 1975). Non verbal communication is also used by individuals who are engaged in the communication process to assist in the interpretation and elaboration of a given message. When a given non-verbal cue is employed in the communication processes, it helps the person who is sending the message across to elaborate and pass the meaning of the message across easily (Hinde 1975). The person who is receiving the message understands it better and more easily when the sender includes a non verbal element. For example at a given time, we are all forced or required to give directions to a certain place. In giving the directions, we have to make use of our hands in pointing the directions that the person in need is required to take. When we point towards the direction that the person is supposed to follow in order to get to his destination, we will be forced to employ the non-verbal elements to accompany the spoken word for that individual to understand the directions being given and to follow them accordingly. Non-verbal language can also be used to manage a conversation that is taking place between some given individuals. Non-verbal language is an effective tool of managing a conversation since a conversation is a process of talking that involves turn taking. For example, a speaker can stop talking in order to allow or to give room for a comment from another person who is participating in the same conversation. An individual participating in the conversation can show a desire of wanting to speak through the use of a certain non-verbal cue for example raising a hand or pointing out to something in the room that will lead to him being given an opportunity to say something. A person can also use nonverbal communication to express his or her emotions. Words alone cannot describe the emotions of an individual effectively. The use of gestures, facial expressions and other body movements will help in displaying the depth of the emotions that are within the given individual who is engaged in the processes of communication (Hinde 1975). Non verbal communication can sometimes be used in substituting the spoken language in cases whereby the person being communicated is not capable of understanding the language that the person speaking is using. It helps in overcoming language barrier (Brauer 2002). For example a Chinese who does not understand the English language at all might want to ask for something from an American national who also does not understand the Chinese language. They both will be forced to use a medium that will be understandable to both of them. If the Chinese wanted to make a phone call, he will raise his hand to his ears and try to make the necessary gesture that will symbolize a need to make a call. The American national will definitely understand the need of the Chinese and will comply. Once the American complies with the need of the Chinese, then the communication purpose could have been complete (Brauer 2002). This mode of communication is also used in the situation whereby a deaf person is involved. Sign language, which is an example of nonverbal communication, is widely used in the world of the deaf people. Without non verbal communication, then the deaf people will have serious communication problems and may never be involved in the communication processes. In relation to cross-cultural communication, non verbal communication is an essential and useful mode of communication. Cross-cultural communication refers to the communication that takes place between people who are from different cultures (Jandt 2009). When individuals who come from different cultures interact, they are forced to find a way through which they could easily communicate and pass the necessary messages across without being misunderstood since the different cultures do sometimes cause a misunderstanding which mainly comes from the fact that there are many different meanings which can be accorded to a particular message depending on the cultural background of the person who is being communicated to. For example, the gesture of nodding the head up and down can be interpreted differently depending on the cultural background of the individuals who are involved in the communication process. In the northern part of America, the gesture could be taken to mean that the nodding individual totally agrees and is in acceptance of what is being communicated to him. In most of the Middle East countries, nodding the head downwards simply means that the individual agrees with what is being communicated to him and nodding upwards is a clear sign of disagreement(Jandt 2009). In some of the Asian countries like Japan, nodding of the head is a clear indication that the individual is attentive and is following the conversation while in some other cultures the same non verbal communication gesture of nodding the head might lack meaning. Therefore, even though nonverbal communication is important in cross-cultural communication, it is easy for one to be misunderstood when using it to pass a given message across(Hinde 1975). It is for this reason that non verbal communication, within the cross cultural context, has been divided into three different categories: a. Non verbal communication behaviors which exist both in the culture of the person who is passing the message across and the person who is receiving the message and do mean the same thing in both cultures. b. Non verbal communication behaviors which do exist in both cultures but do have different meanings. c. Non verbal behaviors which in one culture have a meaning but in the other culture do not have a meaning at all. Non verbal communication, even though the messages that it passes across are sometimes misinterpreted depending on the cultural backgrounds of the individuals involved in the communication process, plays a vital role in cross cultural interaction. The roles that it generally plays are many depending on the body part that is used in communicating (Hinde 1975). The roles include: Frowning is part of non-verbal communication that carries the same meaning across many different cultures of the world. When one person frowns to another person, it could be an indication of sadness or pain. For example when an American tourist visits an Asian country which does not use his language for communication and one of the natives of that particular country mistakenly steps on the tourists foot, the tourist could frown to display the pain that shoots across his body and as a result the native will react quickly to withdraw from the action that is causing the pain. If the tourist was to begin cursing in his native language, then the Asian individual could not understand what the tourist implies and may continue stepping on the foot unknowingly (Hinde 1975). In cross cultural interaction, nonverbal communication can be used to express or show approval of something. This comes about when a given individual is trying to communicate to another individual who is from a different cultural background using nonverbal language. Once the message is passed across and is understood, the individual who is passing the message across can smile as an approval sign for having delivered the message successfully. Smiling is a universal non-verbal communication cue which suggests happiness or a good ending to something. In the whole world, when people are happy, they smile as a sign that represents and displays their happiness (Hinde 1975). The use of this non-verbal cue is often evident in traditional ceremonies such as weddings and family gatherings. As a form of communication, non verbal communication also plays a vital role in cross cultural communication. It is used to indicate or to show negation or disagreement (Hinde 1975). In the different cultures of the world, disagreement is usually displayed by an individual through the shaking of the head from side to side. For example to show disagreement of a given act by any given individual in the society whom we do not share the same verbal language with, the shaking of the head can be employed to pass the message across which will be understood by the other party. This non-verbal communication cue is understood by most of the different cultures of the world. It is mostly used to reinforce a message of disapproval (Hinde 1975). The shrugging of the shoulders is another form of non verbal communication that can be effectively employed as a means of communication between different cultures. It is universally accepted to mean that we do not understand what the other person is trying to communicate to us or that we do not know what the other person means. If a Chinese man does not understand what a British national is trying to communicate to him using English, he may shrug his shoulders as a sign of not getting what the British national is trying to say. As a result of the shrug, the British national will take up the cue and try to communicate in a different way that will easily be understood by the Chinese man (Widdowson, 1984). Waitz (1979), notes that the thumb up as a non verbal communication gesture is also used widely cross culturally to mean that it is ok. It is an approval sign that is widely accepted across many different cultures to show that everything is fine or that everything is ok. It is also used in numbering to indicate number five amongst many different countries. In Britain, America, Australia and Africa, the thumb is a representation of number five when it comes to counting (Weitz, 1979).When crosses his arms and legs tightly when sited down in a raining environment, it could be a clear indication that the person is feeling extreme cold due to the rainy weather or due to the fact that he is being rained on. This form of non verbal language is easily understood across all cultures of the world. But if the person is sited the same way with his legs and arms tightly crossed and his chin down in a dry sunny condition, then it will be taken to mean that the person is in deep disturbing thoughts (Wagner, 2002). Vocal cues are also part of the nonverbal language which can be effectively used in the process of cross cultural communication to pass a certain given message across. The vocal cues include: pitch, volume, speed and silence. They are easily understood across many different cultures. For example pitch, which marks the lowness or highness of one’s voice, can be used to indicate a given emotion. Words can be said or uttered in many different ways to indicate a given emotion. A speaker can use pitch to express the pain that he is going through. The same speaker can also use pitch to indicate joy or happiness. Even though the person being communicated to might not get to understand the message that is passed across through the words used, he or she will be able to understand the emotions of the individual through the vocal cues that he or she will use (Valdes, 1992). Even though non-verbal language plays a vital role in the process of communication, it has to be known that sometimes it does cause a communication break down between the individuals of the different cultures who are engaged in the communication process. This is especially so when one individual tends to assume that what is common in his or her own culture is also common in another individual whose culture is quite different from his. They end up using the expression in trying to pass across a given message which the other individual misinterprets or does not understand at all (Jandt 2009). According to Jandt (2009), “the Chinese people prefer being silent in some given situation as a sign of accepting what the speaker has told them”. In some cultures for example in the American and British culture, silence is not regarded as a means of conveying a message across. “There is no message in silence”. To an American the silence can also imply a negative or passive reaction. If a Chinese uses silence to mean acceptance of what an American has said to him, the American might misunderstand what the Chinese implies by the silence and as a result there will be a communication breakdown (Jandt 2009). Conclusion In conclusion, people are born and raised up in different social and cultural backgrounds. The cultural backgrounds within which they grow up in have their own different systems of non verbal communication. The people who grow up in these systems are forced to learn and to adopt these systems of communication which they end up using on a daily basis. As a result of every individual growing up in a given cultural system that instills its own ways of communication into the individual, many different nonverbal expressions come up which are sometimes unacceptable in other cultures and end up causing communication barriers as a result. Even though the non verbal expressions do vary from one culture to another, majority of the expressions are widely used and accepted across many different cultures. It is due to this fact that non verbal language comes in as the most effective form of communication in cross-cultural communication (Pease, 1990). References Argyle, M. (1988). Bodily communication. London: Routledge. Brauer., G.(2002). Body and language (N.Y).Intercultural learning through drama .Connecticut: Ablex Publishing. Hinde, R. (1975). Non-verbal communication. UK: Cambridge University Press. Jandt, E. (1995). Intercultural communication: An introduction. California: Sage Publications Ltd. Knapp, L.& Hall, J.(2007). Nonverbal Communication in Human Interaction. 5th ed.Wadsworth: Thomas Learning. Pease, A. (1990). How to read others thoughts by their gestures. London: Sheldon press. Valdes, J. M. (1992). Culture bound: Bridging the cultural gap in language Teaching. New York: Cambridge University Press. Wagner, J. (2002). Understanding drama-based education. New York: Green wood Publishing. Weitz, S. (1979). Nonverbal communication: Readings with commentary. UK: Oxford University Press. Widdowson, G. (1984). Teaching language as communication. UK: Oxford University Press. Read More