Dimensions of Intercultural Communication (Essay Sample)

Based on British and Thai Cultures
SBCC
COMM 101
April 18, 2014
Dimensions of Intercultural communication Based on British and Thai Cultures
Introduction
Communication is inevitable. In the contemporary society, communication has become the epitome to conducting business successfully. According to CITATION Har60 \l 1033 (Harold, 1960), communication is a process which explain who, says what, in which channel, to whom, with what effect. According to CITATION Mic09 \l 1033 (ETL, 2009)"intercultural communication is the sending and receiving of messages across languages and cultures. It is also a negotiated understanding of meaning in human experiences across systems and societies." For better understanding of what intercultural communication is, we shall examine a film, Anna and the King.
Anna and the King is a historical drama directed by Andy Tennant. It was done in the United States of America (USA); in 1999.It is a drama that reflects two cultures that are completely different. It is British versus Thai (presently Thailand) cultures. The film is based on two novels "The English Governess at the Siamese Court" CITATION Ann70 \l 1033 (Anna, The English Governess at the Siamese Court, 1870) and "Siamese Harem Life" CITATION Ann72 \l 1033 (Anna, Siamese Harem Life, 1872). The film highlights how Anna Leonewens moved from England to Siam to teach the first born of the King. She was windowed and she got this particular invitation from the King because she was a teacher. She came along with her son Louis, but on arrival finds herself in a culture that has traditions that are much varied from hers. Siam in this context refers to the present Thailand. Siam’s traditions that Anna finds hard to appreciate are sexist view of the females, polygamy, and even the hierarchical nature of the society. In fact, the film highlights that the King had many wives and concubines with an offspring estimated to be fifty eight in number.
In this paper we will get us to understand different dimensions of intercultural communication and their effect in the way communication happens between different cultures. It is based on the based on examples from the British and Siam cultures to make us better understand these dimensions. We will explore the dimensions and discover how they apply in a real live situation based on the film Anna and the King.
There are a lot of differences between Anna and the King as the film takes on, but the most important idea is that both have developed a relationship based on mutual respect to each other. This relationship grows to the point that it turns into a love affair. Anna plans to live Siam’s at some point. This is as a result of the differences between her and the King due to the cultural differences. This condition which later causes a concubine to be sentenced for live is what makes her to have a greater reason of even wanting to quit this land. The concubine is accused of betrayal to the King.
At the end the King has a noble idea of modernizing Siam in order to relate with the western countries. His efforts are opposed by his juniors and key Alak, the military advisor General who has the plan to oust the King out of power and Kill the Royal family, so that he retains the position. His efforts to oust the King out of power are however thwarted by Anna and his son. Anna and her son live the country back to their homeland, England. Consequently, we will analyze the dimensions of intercultural communication based on examples from the film, "The English Governess at the Siamese Court" CITATION Ann70 \l 1033 (Anna, The English Governess at the Siamese Court, 1870) and "Siamese Harem Life" CITATION Ann72 \l 1033 (Anna, Siamese Harem Life, 1872). The example are based on topic definitions from communication Journals like CITATION Mea14 \l 1033 (Measuring Communication Styles in the Malaysian Workplace: Instrument Development and Validation, 2014).
Meeting the Prime Minister
Power distance, task vs. person orientation
On arrival, Anna is taken to the Prime minister. She was accompanied by a translator who did interpret Siamese language to English for her to comprehend what the Prime minister is saying. The Prime minister inquires of Anna’s personal background, but to her that is irrelevant. She is seeking fulfillment of the contract that had brought her to Siam. This Prime minister gets furious because of Anna behavior and in response instructs her with English regarding the customs of Thai. (Tennant, 1999)
Anna’s contract was to teach the Prince of Siam, so when she was brought before the Prime minister she wanted it fulfilled without deviation to other topics. The two are individualistic; each of them is seeking to get a solution to a problem. The prime minister wants to get acquitted with Anna’s personal background whilst, Anna sought to be settled to the house outside the palace as was agreed in the contract. Prime minister informs her that in Siam things follow a process or hierarchy for them to be ascertained.
It is useful to realize that Anna was addressed as "sir”, whilst she was a woman. This is an indicator that she is felt to be a superior since in their culture women are viewed as inferior and therefore not worthy to stand before men.
Appearance before the King
Ascribed or achieved status and Power distance,
Siam highly hierarchical, and thus Anna had to be accompanied by the prime minister to an audience with the King. The Prime minister accompanied Ann to train her about the protocol to be followed in the presence of the King. Anna observed the protocol at first and made a request to the King. When the King brings to an end his audience without considering Anna’s request, she assumes the protocol and dares approaching the King.(Anna, The English Governess at the Siamese Court, 1870) The security guards as is expected of them, rise to the occasion to take her away but the King Calls them off. Anna talks with the King and she is given the responsibility of training the Royal family, specifically the wives, children, and concubines. She is treated as a guest at the house and within a short spun, she argues with the King letting her status changed to an employee.
As earlier explained, explained culture status can be ascribed or achieved. In Anna’s place status is achieved, whilst in Siam culture is ascribed. This is the reason why when she approached the King and introduced herself as the teacher who was to teach his family, the King acted cautiously because this was irony to him.
When the King has an audience all his subjects Kneel before him, however this case does not apply to Anna. She makes a choice to get defiant and fail to observe the predetermined customs and addresses the King directly without kneeling even. The Security guard thought of her to be a dangerous being and decide to take action on her.
The Royal School
Ascribed or achieved status, Power distance and Masculinity/Femininity
Prince Chulalongkorn praises the Kingdom led by his father very much that Louis, the Son to Anna decides to make pun of the King. This results to a fight between the two boys. The Prince gives his teacher Anna a present on the first day she begins teaching him.(Tennant, 1999)
It is clear from the movie that Prince Chulalongkorn feels superior to Louis, and indeed according to the Royal family status and hierarchy he is. Though small he ranks high in the rank than any civilian. He is the son of the King and Louis is the son of a teacher, referable to as a civilian. In that case the prince does not expect Louis to do anything that may suggest they are equal or that may be little the royal family. In the other hand Louis does not get if there is any difference between the two of them. This is what leads to a fight.(Tennant, 1999)
Louis makes a comment that is unlikely of him towards the prince. Because of his culture he has to apologize to his mother who had overhead, and surely he does. The culture of Siam underrates women and sees them as sexists and in that case, the prince inform Louis of failing a test by apologizing to a woman.
After a rude comment to the Prince, Louis tells his mother that he is sorry. The Prince then lectures him that a man should under no circumstances apologize to a woman.
Slavery
Universalism/Particularism and Traditionalism
Anna is straight forward and fears no person; she has the heart of a lion. She dares complain to the Prime minister about a slave that she had seen at the noblewoman’s house backyard. That courage propels her to trick the noblewoman. She buys the freedom of the slave with a wedding ring. (Anna, The English Governess at the Siamese Court, 1870)
Traditionally, the noble woman has the rights to own a slave, who performs duty at her discretion. It is true that in Siam t...