【英文學習】Cross-cultural difference 跨文化差異

 

1.      Encountering people from another culture can be difficult at the very least. From the beginning, people may send the wrong signal. Or they may ignore signals from another person who is trying to develop the relationship. 
 

2.      Different cultures place varying amounts of emphasis on the importance of relationship building. For example, business in  Turkey is not possible until there is a relationship of mutual trust. Even with people at work, it is necessary for people to spend a lot of time in “small talk,” usually over a glass of tea, before they do any job. Haste equals rudeness.
 

3.      In many European countries, too—like the UK, France, or  Spain —people find it easier to build up a working relationship in social settings. It is at restaurants or cafes, and not at the office, where people form lasting working relationships.
 

4.      Talk and silence may also vary in some cultures. I once made a presentation in Bangkok to local staff. I was sure it was going to e a success, but for some reason it was not. The staff stared at me blankly and smiled. My presentation began to fall apart. Nobody asked any question. I had expected my presentation to start a lively discussion; instead there was an uncomfortable silence.
 

5.      After getting to know Thai ways better, I realized that the staff thought I was talking too much. In my own culture, we express meaning mainly through words. We speak a great deal to express what we feel and think, and silence makes us uncomfortable. In some other cultures, people understand a lot of what is happening from the context, and sometimes feel too many words are unnecessary. People communicate in an unspoken way. 
 

6.      Even within Northern Europe , cross-cultural differences can cause misunderstandings. Certainly, English and Germans cultures share similar values; however, Germans tend to get down to business more quickly. Typical British comments of our neighbors include such descriptions as “overbearing” and “rude.” In fact, this is just because one culture starts discussions and makes decisions more quickly.

7.      People from different parts of the world have different values, and sometimes these values clash head-on. Nevertheless, if we can understand and appreciate these differences, a multicultural environment can be a wonderful learning opportunity.