Case 1:
An Interview in India
Case analysis: The case is about an interview between an American program host and an Indian interviewee. They talk about some aspects of Indian culture and the changes occurred these years. The case reflects some basic cultural elements people may find in all cultures: language, family pattern, marriage, wedding ceremony, food and the way to eat food, etc. From this case, guide the students in culture study and culture comparison. The students should realize that there are both similarities and differences in culture. Culture is in fact very dynamic and pervasive. Case 2:
White Dress
Case analysis: The Indian women might think the wedding ceremony is a funeral if they see the western bride in white gown. The case reflects the similes and metaphors in the text. Culture is like an iceberg: we can identify the color of the dress worn by women in different cultures, but we do not know the values underneath. Culture is like the water a fish swims in: people wear dress of different colors for different context but they usually take it for granted and never ask why. Case 3:
The French in North America
Case analysis: The French were able to see Indian behavior only in the light of their own hierarchical social system, where it is natural for the few to command and the many to obey. Social systems that worked on other principles were literally unimaginable. Case 4:
Coconut-skating
Case analysis: The case reflects the characteristics of culture. We can tell from the case that culture is pervasive and it’s learned. People may invent different ways for things even as simple as the issue of floor moping. The Philippine woman must have learned this way of mopping from her own culture.
Case 5:
A Black Girl’s Identity
Case analysis: Although we may say that identities are constituted by our communication, it is obvious from the case that we cannot simply choose at any moment what our identity will be regardless of the context. First, we often do not share the recipe for certain identities with others even if we belong to the same ethnicity, gender, or nationality. Understanding this can help us avoid some of the broad assumptions made about groups of people based on the reflective way of thinking. Second, as we learned in the very first chapter, all meaning in communication is to some extent situational. Thus, the context mediates what identities we can choose. Sometimes things one may have no control over, such as age or skin color, are seen as essential parts of how one communicates an identity. Case 6
Hippies
Case analysis: Hippies could be defined as a subgroup, as the hippies culture tends to be temporary. In modern American society, hippies culture could also find traits, but it has wide spread influence on American value system.
Case 7
Clean up the Bathroom!
Case analysis: Cultural differences decide the two students are going to communicate in different ways. The Chinese student wants the American student to understand the underlying means of his words, but the American student is used to the direct style of communication. This is decided by culture. In Chinese culture, people want to save face of both themselves and others, so they would not express their ideas directly. However, in the United States, unless you express yourself clearly and directly, the others cannot understand you.
Case 8:
She Has Three Hands
This case can reflect the different communication styles between Chinese and Canadians. In western cultures, communication is the means of transmitting ideas. Western people usually communicate directly with each other. That is why the Canadian in this case says what is in his mind directly in front of the Chinese woman without hiding anything. While Chinese culture stresses harmony and emphasizes the relationships between the communicators. Chinese people view communication as a process where all parties are searching to develop and maintain a social relationship. So the Chinese woman in this case tries not to argue with the Canadian face to face to keep the “harmonious relationship” between them. Case 9:
A Piece of Cake
This case wants us to recognize some components of communication. Sender/source refers to the person who transmits a message. Receiver is any person who notices and gives some meaning to a message. Context refers to a setting or situation within which communication takes place. In this case, Marilyn and Richard are simultaneously the senders and receivers. And their room, where the communication event happens and which makes the couple feel comfortable and relaxed, is just the context. Case 10:
The Place to Have Lunch
This case reflects that communication is contextual, which means that communication does not happen in isolation and it must happen within a setting or context. Whether this context is quiet or noisy is important to the smoothness of communication. When the communication event is disturbed by noise, the communication can not go smoothly. In this case, Case 11:
Making an Appointment
This case can reflect how culture affects its communication style. Each culture encourages a particular communication style expected within it. This implies not only using correct symbols, but also applying the appropriate communication style for the occasion. Communication styles include mannerisms, phrases, rituals, and communication customs appropriate for various situations in a culture. In this case, knowing the communication style of the Americans which is characterized by direct, exacting and instrumental, the exporter manager fulfills his job successfully. Case 12:
Why Don’t You Eat the Pizza?
This case can reflect the problems appearing during intercultural communication and how ignoring cultural differences can affect communication. In Malaysia, where most people are Muslims, people think the left hand is used only for cleaning the body and thus it is dirty and can not be used to pass food. Knowing nothing about the cultural difference, the American student puts himself in an embarrassing situation. Case 13:
We and They?
This case reflects that in intercultural communication, people always regard themselves as the best group in the world. This is actually inappropriate and should be avoided.
Case 20:
Chinese Hospitality — Overdone
This case reflects that sometimes people unconsciously assume that people from another culture may behave in a way which is similar to theirs. The Chinese usually attach a lot of importance to taking care of their guests. When it comes to a foreign visitor, Chinese hospitality is usually more than what can be understood by a Westerner, who is uncomfortable when he is always surrounded by people attempting to be kind. Concerning this case, Hong tried to respect her traditions and her friend by doing more than she could really afford to do for Joe's visit, having no idea that Joe ended up feeling frustrated. Case 21:
A Danish Woman in New York
This case can reflect assuming similarity instead of difference. When communicating with people from another culture, one is likely to regard and treat other people as “his people” and to assume there must be only one way of doing things: that is “his way”. In this case, the Danish woman assumes that her behavior of leaving the baby alone, which is common in Denmark, is also appropriate in New York. Here, she assumes what is suitable in her own culture is also indisputable in another culture. That is why the small conflict happens. Case 22:
Ambiguous Time
This case can reflect ethnocentrism. Cultures train their members to use the categories of their own cultural experiences when judging the experiences of people from other cultures. They will believe that their culture is the center of the world and their standard should be the role model for the rest of the world. Concerning this case, somehow Chinese people have habitually referred 12:00 a.m. as the time around lunchtime, making 12 : 00 p.m. midnight. Fortunately, the way they tell other times are the same as that used in the States, so there's usually no misunderstanding between people from the two cultures. However, there is this one difference and Fan learns it by paying a fine since she may hold that her culture is the center of the world. Case 23:
Girl-ness
This case can reflect one of the translation problems: the lack of conceptual equivalence, which refers to abstract ideas that may not exist in the same fashion in different languages. Different cultures may attach different meanings to the same thing or person. Concerning this case, we should know what young females call themselves is very different in China from the States. In China, \desirable to be called a girl rather than a woman. For most people, \is married and who probably is not young. In fact, most single Chinese females, such as university students, would be insulted to be called \is customary to call any woman who is past puberty a woman, even though she may not be legally old enough to vote, marry, purchase alcoholic beverages, drive a car, or sign a contract. This terminology became widespread during the \liberation movement in the 1960s\The term \Case 24:
An Unfair Decision
This case reflects prejudice, which involves an unfair, biased, or intolerant attitude towards another group of people. In this case, Mr. Bias decided to select someone else, instead of applicant from the country Levadel, for the position. That is just because he holds prejudice towards people from the country Levadel.
Case 25:
Success Story
One of the sources of the frustration and misunderstandings that occurred in this case was different notions of what was verbally relevant. In this case, Mary was expecting a much more direct response to her question. Ms. Goshima, however, was uncomfortable with the question and felt her response should be very indirect and establish a proper sense of modesty before revealing the answer to the question. If Mary had been more patient, she would have eventually heard the answer to her question, but she was not really paying attention when it finally came because she felt that Ms. Goshima's comments weren't really relevant to her query. Case 26
Slogans and the Importance of Language
The intercultural encounters we experience are not only influenced by language and perceptual differences, and language choice based on restricted and elaborated social situations, but also on language and how it is translated for members of a culture. For many reasons linguistic interpretation and semantics provide the source of numerous misunderstandings. For instance, an insurance company discovered that fires inadvertently occurred because warehouse employees acted carelessly around \caution around \working with gasoline drums. Empty drums are extremely combustible, while full drums pose far less threat. The linguistic perception of the word empty in the general culture signified null or void, but in the work culture of volatile products like gasoline the semantic \was disastrous. A story is told of a Christian Scientist who refused to take vitamins, since the recommender described them as \when he was told they were \ Case 28
Two Different Communication Styles
The dialogue takes place between a young couple who have been dating for a short time. The man is a U.S. student, and the woman is from an Asian culture. Note the misunderstanding that results as a consequence of the use of direct and indirect modes of communication.
In all likelihood, Jim is not going to get much of an answer from Michiko. She continues throughout the dialogue using rather general answers to Jim's very specific and direct questions about her feelings toward the United States. Michiko might believe that Jim is being far too direct and invading her privacy. Besides, the fact that she has traveled halfway around the world should lie indicative of her desire to be here, right? There must he something about the United States that attracted her. Michiko cannot possibly say something critical about the United States because she would lose face, as would Jim, as a native. She relies on imprecise and indefinite answers.
Case 29
Misunderstanding
Idioms are simply statements that are not strictly true, but their meaning is understood by a group of people. If you ask what happened to Martha and people say, \does not mean that she literally did this; it means she died. Just like in the case my student's friend did not literally mean that Shang should get out of the apartment. Idioms are common in all cultures, but when used in intercultural settings they can create a lot of confusion. One potential area of misunderstanding related to idioms is when to use them and with whom. For example, I would not use the \with my grandmother and I am going to tell her about someone who has died, I may use what is often perceived as a gentler idiom and say the person has \away.\Understanding the context of when an idiom is appropriate or sensible is part of intercultural knowledge. Case 31
Going Out to Eat
In the interaction, Jim is a student at a local university. He was born and raised in the United States. Akira is an exchange student from Japan. Jim and Akira are eating dinner together in a local restaurant. They have known each other for only a short time. Not only is Jim's style of communication overtly personal, but he's also quite direct.
Jim is trying to involve Akira in the conversation by relating to him his personal experiences and preferences. Jim uses the first person \as \says little, even addressing Jim as \superior and uses a formal title. Moreover, rather than talking about his personal preferences, Akira mentions that Japanese people enjoy restaurants. Case 32:
What Is Wrong with the Interaction?
This case can reflect different nonverbal communication patterns exist in the actual intercultural communication. Nonverbal communication differs according to different cultures. People might have different opinions about the proper space, time, body language and paralanguage. If we don’t pay attention to intercultural nonverbal communication, we will have some misunderstanding and conflict. In this case, Jim (an American), Mitsuko and Akira (two Japanese) belong to totally different cultures; they have very different opinions about the space and body languages. Therefore, Mitsuko and Akira felt uncomfortable when Jim gave some exaggerated body language and kept close space distance in communication. Case 33:
Are Americans Indifferent?
跨文化交际教程案例分析答案
