Misinterpretation of speaker intent in a multilingual workforce
This article deals with communication problems in intercultural communication in the workplace. Findings from this study have practical implications for developers of both intercultural and language courses. The research established that a beckoning gesture commonly used by white people is regarded...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
University of Johannesburg
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Communicare |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.uj.ac.za/index.php/jcsa/article/view/1722 |
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| _version_ | 1832593761386889216 |
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| author | Rita Ribbens |
| author_facet | Rita Ribbens |
| author_sort | Rita Ribbens |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
This article deals with communication problems in intercultural communication in the workplace.
Findings from this study have practical implications for developers of both intercultural and language
courses. The research established that a beckoning gesture commonly used by white people is
regarded as offensive by most blacks. At the same time many whites are unaware of non-verbal
politeness markers signalled by means of kinetics. What whites interpret as "blunt" requests (often
regarded as demands) can be ascribed to different norms of communication in African languages.
These findings have implications for successful intercultural communication in an industrial society.
Awareness of differences in verbal and non-verbal behaviour (termed mutual ignorance by Reagan)
needs to be included in training for all members of the multicultural workforce.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2f774b0a38a840f3b8da0f321f468dba |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0259-0069 2957-7950 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | University of Johannesburg |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communicare |
| spelling | doaj-art-2f774b0a38a840f3b8da0f321f468dba2025-01-20T08:52:53ZengUniversity of JohannesburgCommunicare0259-00692957-79502022-10-0126210.36615/jcsa.v26i2.1722Misinterpretation of speaker intent in a multilingual workforceRita Ribbens0University of South Africa This article deals with communication problems in intercultural communication in the workplace. Findings from this study have practical implications for developers of both intercultural and language courses. The research established that a beckoning gesture commonly used by white people is regarded as offensive by most blacks. At the same time many whites are unaware of non-verbal politeness markers signalled by means of kinetics. What whites interpret as "blunt" requests (often regarded as demands) can be ascribed to different norms of communication in African languages. These findings have implications for successful intercultural communication in an industrial society. Awareness of differences in verbal and non-verbal behaviour (termed mutual ignorance by Reagan) needs to be included in training for all members of the multicultural workforce. https://journals.uj.ac.za/index.php/jcsa/article/view/1722communication problemsinterculturalworkplaceintercultural and language coursesbeckoning gestureoffensive by most blacks |
| spellingShingle | Rita Ribbens Misinterpretation of speaker intent in a multilingual workforce Communicare communication problems intercultural workplace intercultural and language courses beckoning gesture offensive by most blacks |
| title | Misinterpretation of speaker intent in a multilingual workforce |
| title_full | Misinterpretation of speaker intent in a multilingual workforce |
| title_fullStr | Misinterpretation of speaker intent in a multilingual workforce |
| title_full_unstemmed | Misinterpretation of speaker intent in a multilingual workforce |
| title_short | Misinterpretation of speaker intent in a multilingual workforce |
| title_sort | misinterpretation of speaker intent in a multilingual workforce |
| topic | communication problems intercultural workplace intercultural and language courses beckoning gesture offensive by most blacks |
| url | https://journals.uj.ac.za/index.php/jcsa/article/view/1722 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ritaribbens misinterpretationofspeakerintentinamultilingualworkforce |