大学英语
跨文化交际
Chapter 2
Communication and
Intercultural
Communication
黑龙江大学外语部
Quotation
Our most basic common link is that we all
inhabit this planet .
——John F .Kennedy
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
Learning Objectives:
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
Chapter Outline
Communication and Intercultural Communication
Communication
Communication
Defined
Components of
Communication
Characteristics of
Communication
Dynamic
Systemic
Symbolic
Irreversible
Transactional
Self-reflective
Contextual
Culture and
Communication
Intercultural
Communication
Intercultural
Communication
Defined
Forms of Intercultural
Communication
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
Lead-in Case:
She Has Three Hands
Read the case and answer the
following questions:
 1. Suppose you are the Chinese doctor, if you are
communicating with the Canadian physiotherapist, will
his words irritate you? How would you respond to the
situation?
 2. What caused their communication conflicts?
 3. What do you think of the different communication
styles of the two doctors?
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
Text A Communication
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
▲Pre-reading Task:
Form groups of three or four and work together to
write a letter to a penpal friend. Analyze the following
elements involved in the process:
1. What meaning do you want to express?
2. In what way would you like to deliver or organize your
idea?
3. By which channel are you going to send your message?
4. Is there anything that might interfere with the process?
5. How do you think the letter will be interpreted by people
from different cultures?
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
1. The Definition of Communication
Western Perspective of communication
Eastern perspective of communication
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
Western Perspective of
communication
In western cultures,
communication is studied as the
means of transmitting ideas.
Western cultures emphasize the
instrumental function of
communication; that is,
effectiveness is evaluated in
terms of success in the
manipulation of others to
achieve one’s personal goal.
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
Eastern Perspective of
Communication
Definitions of communication from many Asian
countries stress harmony, which is most notable in
cultures with a Confucian tradition. Eastern cultures’
understanding would define communication as a
process where all parties are searching to develop and
maintain a social relationship.
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
2. Components of Communication
Sender/Source （信息源）
A sender/source is the person who transmits a message.
Message （信息）
A message is any signal that triggers the response of a receiver.
Encoding （编码）
Encoding refers to the activity during which the sender
must choose certain words or nonverbal methods to send
an intentional message.
Channel /Medium （渠道）
Channel/Medium is the method used to deliver a
message
.
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
Receiver （信息接收者）
A receiver is any person who notices and gives some
meaning to a message.
Decoding （解码）
Decoding is the activity during which the receiver attaches
meaning to the words or symbols he/she has received.
Feedback （反馈）
The response of a receiver to a sender’s message is called
feedback.
Noise （干扰）
Noise is a term used for factors that interfere with the exchang
of messages, including external noise ，physiological noise,
psychological noise and semantic noise. Noise is inevitable.
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
(1)External Noise
Sounds that distract communicators:
voices in the next room; annoying ring of someone’s
cell phone in a meeting; etc.
Other types of external noise that don’t involve sound:
an overcrowded room or a smelly cigar
(2) Physiological Noise
illnesses and disabilities
(3) Psychological Noise
forces with the sender or receiver that interfere with
understanding: egotism; hostility; preoccupation; fear;
etc.
(4) Semantic Noise
caused by using different languages; the use of jargon;
different understanding of the message delivered; etc.
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
Picture Analysis
What are the components of communication
reflected in the following picture?
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
Text B
Characteristics of Communication
a. Communication is dynamic
b. Communication is systematic
c. Communication is symbolic
d. Communication is irreversible
e. Communication is transactional
f. Communication is self-reflective
g. Communication is contextual.
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
Pre-reading Task:
Teacher: Who can guess what it is —a small animal with four legs that
people often keep as a pet and can catch mice easily?
 A Chinese student: It is called “猫” in Chinese.
 A French student: It is called “Chat” in French.
 A Japanese student: “Neiko” in Japanese.
 A Spanish student: “Gato” in Spanish.
 A German student : “Katze” in German
 A Russian student : “Kosta” in Russian.
Answer the following questions:
1. Do we use the same word to symbolize a certain object when we
communicate with those speaking different languages?
2. What kind of process is involved in communication?
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
a. Communication Is Dynamic
Communication is an ongoing activity.
It is not fixed. A word or action does not stay
frozen when you communicate; it is
immediately replaced with yet another word
or action.
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
b. Communication Is Systematic
（系统性的）
Communication does not occur in isolation
or in a vacuum, but rather is part of a
larger system. We send and receive messages
not in isolation, but in a specific setting.
Setting and environment help determine the
words and actions we generate. Dress,
language, topic selection, and the like are all
adapted to context.
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
c. Communication Is Symbolic
（符号性的）
Symbols are central to the communication
process because they represent the shared
meanings that are communicated. A symbol
is a word, action, or object that stands for or
represents a unit of meaning.
People's behaviors are frequently
interpreted symbolically, as an external
representation of feelings, emotions, and
internal states.
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
d. Communication Is Irreversible
（不可逆转的）
Communication is an irreversible process.
We can never undo what has already been done.
Although we may try to qualify, negate, or
somehow reduce the effects of our message,
once it has been sent and received, the message
itself cannot be reversed.
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
e. Communication Is Transactional
（交互式的）
A
transactional
view holds
that
communicators are simultaneously sending
and receiving messages at every instant that
they are involved in conversations.
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
f. Communication Is Self-reflective
Human beings have a unique ability to think
about themselves, to watch how they define the
world, and to reflect on their past, present, and
future.
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
g. Communication Is Contextual
（情境的）
All communication takes place within a
setting or situation called a context. By context,
we mean the place where people meet, the social
purpose for being together, and the nature of
the relationship. Thus the context includes the
physical, social, and interpersonal settings.
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
Text C Culture and Communication
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
The relationship between culture and
communication is compared to the
relationship between a map and a journey.
How do you understand and interpret this
simile?
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
If possible, interview a foreign visitor to your
country. Ask him about how his cultural
background influences his actual
communication practices in China.
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
Text D
Pre-reading Task:
Imagine you are organizing an international summer
camp with children coming from different countries. What
of the followings should be your main concerns:
problems between children of different races.
problems between children of the same culture.
problems between children of different cultures.
problems between children who share the same nationality but not
the same race.
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
1. Intercultural Communication
Defined
Intercultural communication refers to
communication between people whose cultural
perception and symbol system are distinct
enough to alter the communication event.
2. Forms of Intercultural
Communication
a. International Communication
b. Interethnic Communication
c. Interracial Communication
d. Intracultural Communication
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
a. International Communication
International communication takes place between nations
and governments rather than individuals;
it is quite formal and ritualized(仪式化) .
United Nations Conference
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
b. Interethnic Communication
Ethnic groups usually form their own communities in a
country or culture. These groups share a common origin
or heritage that is apt to influence family names,
language, religion, values, and the like.
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
c. Interracial Communication
Interracial communication occurs when the sender and the
receiver exchanging messages are from different races
.
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
d. Intracultural Communication
It is defined as communication between or among
members of the same culture.
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
Homework and After-class Activities
Go to the library or surf the Internet to get more vivid
examples of the four forms of intercultural communication.
Chapter 2 Communication and Intercultural Communication
Now, let’s summarize the
key points
of this chapter!
Thank you！