BFL in the context of intercultural communication

BFL in the context of intercultural communication

CULTURAL VALUES AT WORK

How do you feel when someone makes the following statement:

"People in my country are much friendlier than people in your country"?

1. Identify the ethnocentric attitudes in the following sentences. Give your comments. 

1. Mentonia has produced the finest works of art in the world.

2. Mentonia is a superior country because it has produced the greatest technology in the world.

3. Non-Mentonians do everything the wrong way round.

4. The Mentonian language is the best language for poetry.

5. The Mentonian people have been very generous in teaching people in other countries how to do things the right way

6. If everyone did things the Mentonian way, the world would be a better place 

Ethnocentric statement:

Mentonia has produced the world's greatest literature.

Revised statement:

Mentonia has many writers who have produced well-known works of literature.

Here are some of the more common idioms that express understanding or inability to understand. 

to catch on                                                               
to be beyond someone
to see
to read between the lines despite one’s own anger
to hear someone out and left unsaid

Multiple Choice

to catch on

• to begin to understand

• to listen carefully and hear what is said

• to listen to someone and try to understand

Multiple Choice

to be beyond someone

• to understand

• to be too difficult to understand

• to begin to understand

Multiple Choice

to see

• to listen carefully and hear what is said

• to begin to understand

• to understand

Multiple Choice

to read between the lines despite one’s own anger

• to listen carefully and hear what is said

• to listen to someone and try to understand

• to begin to understand

Multiple Choice

to hear someone out and left unsaid

• to understand

• to be too difficult to understand

• to listen to someone and try to understand

 Individually, think of four values that are important in your culture and four values you think are important in the United States.

Decide which four values are most important in your culture and in American culture. 

^{You are the editor-in-chief. You want to keep both Sakiko and Edmundo because they are both excellent editors. How can you help them resolve their conflict? With a partner, talk about a possible solution. Write out a plan of action that will help the two employees resolve their differences. Think about the following questions:}

_{1) Why are Sakiko and Edmundo having problems with each other? What specific behaviors are causing the misunderstandings?}

_{2) What small things can they do to work together better on a daily basis?}

^{3) What is the best way for you, the editor-in-chief, to communicate with them? Should you write them each a letter? Or should you call a meeting with both of them?}

^{4) How much should you, the editor-in-chief, be involved in their cultural misunderstandings?} 

Read your action plan to the class. As a class, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each solution. Consider the following questions: 

1) Does the solution consider each employee's cultural style?

2) Is the solution feasible for the two employees?

3) How will the solution effect their future relationship?

4) How will the solution affect the work environment and other employees?