2. Lecture Plan
1) What is communication and intercultural
communication?
2) Nonverbal communication
3) Gestures used in different cultures and
their meaning.
3. Communication
Communication is the activity or process of
giving information to other people or living
things.
M. Kovyazina Comparative Culturology Lectures, Tyumen State University, 2004-2009
4. Intercultural Communication
focuses on differences in language and
behavior patterns
the theory of intercultural communication
encourages the understanding of the
differences between two speakers from
unique national cultures
5. Intercultural Verbal
Communication Advice
Speak slowly
Repeat as necessary
Be sincere and empathetic
Keep it simple and short
Show and demonstrate by using
examples /illustrations
6. Intercultural Verbal
Communication Advice
Check the other person's understanding by
asking, “What do you understand?” not
“Do you understand?”
Be patient, use encouragement and praise
sincerely
Watch for body language cues to
understand real meaning in
communication
8. Nonverbal communication is
studied by:
1. Proxemics /pr k si m ks/ɒ ˈ ː ɪ
2. Haptics / hæpt ks/ˈ ɪ
3. Oculesics / kj lis ks/ˈɒ ʊ ɪ
4. Kinesics /ka ni s ks/ɪˈ ː ɪ
9. Proxemics –
The study of the spaces that people feel it necessary
to set between themselves and others as they vary in
different social settings, or between different social
groups or cultures
(the study of space in interpersonal relationships)
comfortable interaction
distance (comfort zone)
10. Average comfortable distances
Distance between
faces Tone of voice Type of message
very close (7-15 cm) soft whisper top secret or sensual
close (20-30 cm) audible whisper very confidential
neutral (50 cm-1 m)
soft voice, low
volume
personal subject matter
neutral (1.3 m-1.5 m) full voice non-personal information
across the room
(2.5 m-6 m)
loud voice talking to a group
stretching the limits
(6 m-7m indoors and
up to 30 m outdoors)
loud hailing voice
departures and arrivals
18. Universal hand gestures
MEANING HAND GESTURE
“I am hungry.” Patting the stomach with the hands
“I am cold”, or it's
cozy.
Rubbing the hands together.
19. Coded / technical gestures –
hand signals used by TV directors,
gestures of referees or brokers in the
stock market
Acquired gestures – socially
generated