Intercultural Communication (Essay Sample)

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Intercultural Communication
Intercultural communication refers to the transfer of ideas between people that have different cultures and background significantly difference in language. People migrating to other countries different from their own have to deal with the changes that arise due to difficulties in communication. Moreover, there exist problems that people face in intercultural communication other than language. Some of these issues and obstacles include language, nonverbal signs and symbols, stereotypes and high anxiety and preconceptions. I will point out the stumbling blocks in Laray Barna’s novel and explain my thoughts on how the generalizations, theories and experiences of different writers may correspond to someone’s background, knowledge, and experience (Laray 66).
Language
It is the first problem mentioned in Barna’s article as a significant stumbling block. With no doubts, English acts as the official language in the universe. Most people tend to travel every year in different English-speaking countries like the UK and USA among others. Most people prefer being multilingual, however; there sometimes occur misunderstandings and misinterpretations because some tend to cover up the things like the vocabulary idioms and slang (Laray 69). According to the author, native speakers are usually fluent and speak fast unlike non-native speakers. Therefore, it is recommended that authors should use less complicated vocabulary that every native speaker comprehends.
Nonverbal Signs and Symbols
Barna points out that language is not the only problem affecting the foreign visitors. There is also the problem that occurs with the nonverbal signs and symbols to consider. Many different aspects of nonverbal communication exist that include facial expression and gestures among others. The use of nonverbal symbols that one is not well aware of their meanings cause misunderstandings and sometimes leads to shameful situations. To prevent this, the author needs to practice all the aspects of nonverbal signs depending on the readers they target (Laray 68).
Preconception and Stereotypes
Prejudice and stereotypes are difficult to get over. The main reason is that most people accept their national culture as the truthful and right one. Most people find it hard to express themselves in quite a different lifestyle. Moreover, everyone has their preconceptions concerning particular cultures, beliefs and tradition. Therefore, to get accustomed to the different cultures in the world and adjust one needs to be open-minded and accept change depending on the difference in culture.
High Anxiety
High tension is often regular in intercultural communication due to ambiguities that exist. All the languages possess different speaking speed (Lustig & Jolene 85). Different people have different rates when it comes to speaking the English language. Most people, therefore, tend to forego speaking and reading the language because of anxiety. It affects the communication that should exist between the reader and author in expressing their thoughts and opinions.
Tendency to Evaluate
The writer indicates that so...