Communication Between Cultures

established cultural norms. In intercultural interactions this requires that you learn

which topics are acceptable and which are taboo. In the United States early conver-

sations often center on the weather or some aspect of the physical setting, such as the

scenery or furnishings in a room. As the interaction becomes more comfortable, topics

relating to sports, food, or travel may be discussed.^84 If both parties continue the con-

versation, which is a positive sign, they begin gathering information about each other

through personal questions related to likes and dislikes and family matters. For U.S.

American businesspersons personal questions are not actually considered taboo in the

business context. Hence, you might hear the most well-intentioned U.S. citizen ask

questions such as“What do you do?”“How long have you been with your company?”

or“Do you have a family?”But those personal topics are considered taboo in many

cultures. For example, in Saudi Arabia, asking about a person’s family can cause con-

siderable offense.^85 Discussions of politics with“strangers”in Germany and Iran can

also be taboo.^86 People in Chile, Argentina, and Venezuela also are uncomfortable

talking about political issues.^87

Be Attentive to Your Speech Rate

One problem encountered by second language speakers, and as we noted earlier when

discussing using an interpreter, is that native speakers often talk quite rapidly. For

example, if you are interacting with someone who is using English as a second

language, you cannot automatically assume that he or she is completely fluent. There-

fore, until the other person’s level of language competence is determined, you should

speak a bit more slowly and distinctly than you normally do. By closely monitoring

feedback from the second language speaker, you can adjust your speech rate accord-

ingly. It is also important to look in the direction of the other person, as this can aid

in understanding a second language.

Be Conscious of Differences in Vocabulary

Determining the second language speaker’s vocabulary level is also important. Until

you are sure that the other person has the requisite second language ability, avoid

professional vocabulary, technical words, acronyms, and words with multiple mean-

ings. In a healthcare setting, instead of using“inflammation,”it might be more effec-

tive to say, “The area will get red and a little sore.” Metaphors, slang, and

colloquialisms can also impede understanding and should not be used. In the United

States, for instance, the phrase“we are on a parallel course”is used to indicate that

you agree with the other party’s proposal. However, in Japan it means that the pro-

posal will never be accepted because parallel lines never meet. In addition, please

recall our earlier warning that humor does not travel well across cultures.

Attend to Nonverbal Behavior

When interacting with a second language user, you need to be alert to the indivi-

dual’s nonverbal responses. This can provide cues about your speech rate, type of

vocabulary, and whether the individual understands what you are saying. Moreover,

Attend to Nonverbal Behavior 291

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