Intercultural Barriers
Since we have learned before about the relationship between language and culture, we have realized language and its values embedded do matter a lot in intercultural communication.
Here are more instances.
1. Dog? What do you mean?
Read the following scenario and check your understanding by making choices marked with A, B, C, D. You can choose more than one choice for the appropriate answer.
Mr.Long Yongtu, former Vice Minister of State Ministry of Foreign Trade of China, told his story to the media about his misunderstanding when he served as a key world Trade Organization ( WTO ) negotiator of China.
When China entered the WTO in 2001, China had a long and hard negotiation with the US for the export of Chinese pork into the US market. The US negotiator didn’t intend to accept the agreement on the export of the Chinese pork into the US market, even though Mr. Long Yongtu’s efforts to persuade the US were in vain.When the US negotiator explained to Mr. Long Yongtu that even the US dogs would not eat it, Mr. Long Yongtu hesitated a second before he lost his temper by shouting at the US negotiator “get out.” Upon hearing “get out,” the US negotiator was so shocked that he did not know what happened, and stared at Mr.Long Yongtu for a second without saying anything. When Mr. Long Yongtu shouted at him the second time, the US negotiator left the room immediately, thinking what went wrong with Mr. Long Yongtu or with himself?
The following day the negotiation resumed. When they met, Mr. Long Yongtu started with an apology for his anger the day before without giving any account for losing his temper.
Today, when Mr. Long recalled his experience during the WTO negotiations, he felt sorry for his misinterpretation due to cultural differences between China and the US.
Questions for Intercultural Understanding:
2. Journal Reading
3. Tasks
