Local and Global Communication in

Multicultural Settings

Maxim of Relation (be relevant

-make sure that all the information you provide is relevant to the current exchange; omit
irrelevant information
Maxims of Quantity (be informative
- There are two maxims of quantity:
1. Make your contribution as informative as is required.
2. Do not make your contribution more informative than is required.

Maxims of Quality (be truthful

- There is one supermaxim of quality:
Try to make your contribution one that is true.
There are two more-specific maxims of quality (sometimes referred to as submaxims):
1. Do not say what you believe to be false.
2. Do not say that for which you lack evidence
Maxims of Manner (be clear
- There is one supermaxim of manner:
Be perspicuous [clear].
There are various additional maxims of manner (sometimes referred to as submaxims),
that are based on this supermaxim.
1. Avoid obscurity of expression
2. Avoid ambiguity.
3. Be brief.
4. Be orderly.
Visual Mode
-The visual mode refers to the images and characters that people see
Aural Mode
-The aural mode is focused on sound including, but not limited to, music, sound effects,
ambient noises, silence, tone of voice in spoken language, volume of sound, emphasis,
and accent
Gestural Mode
-The gestural mode refers to the way movement is interpreted. Facial expressions, hand
gestures, body language, and interaction between people are all gestural modes
Linguistic (or Alphabetic) Mode
-The linguistic mode refers to written or spoken words. The mode includes word choice,
the delivery of written or spoken text, the organization of words into sentences and
paragraphs, and the development and coherence of words and ideas
Spatial Mode
-The spatial mode, as the name implies, refers to the arrangement of elements in space.
It involves the organization of items and the physical closeness between people and
objects

Lewis (2008) provided the following ABC’S of intercultural communication

ACKNOWLEDGE
-Differences in communication style should be acknowledged. Every person in a group
has a particular communication style which gives her/his own identity in communicating.
Bi-Level
-Communication does not only uphold speaking and listening but also require a holistic
process that includes verbal and non-verbal channels
Clarify
-If you are doubtful of your understanding about what is being communicated, ask for
clarification. Devote a little extra time to verify understanding so that you can save time
and avoid frustration.
Cultural Communication Barriers
-1. Language Barrier
2. Hostile Stereotypes
3. Behavior Differences
4. Emotional display

Enhancing Oral Communication in a Multicultural Setting

Guffey (2008) suggests the following helpful situations in which one or both
communicators may be using English as a second language
1. Learn foreign phrases.
2. Use simple English.
3. Speak slowly and enunciate clearly.
4. Observe eye messages.
5. Encourage accurate feedback.
6. Check frequently for comprehension.
7. Accept blame.
8. Listen without interrupting.
9. Smile when appropriate.
10. Follow up in writing.

Developing Written Communication to Multicultural Audiences

Guffey (2008) suggests the following guidelines that can help you create successful
written messages for multicultural audiences.

1. Consider local styles.

2. Observe titles and status.
3. Use sentences and short paragraphs.
4. Avoid ambiguous expressions
a. Idioms and figurative cliches
b. Slang
c. Acronym
d. Abbreviation
e. Jargon
5. Strive for clarity
6. Use correct grammar.
7. Cite numbers carefully.
8. Accommodate the reader in organization, tone, and style.

Evaluating Messages and Images of

Different Types of Texts

Pardo (2004) explains that these types of texts share characteristics that may include
an understanding of the author's intent, the social purpose of the text, how it is
structured, how well it’s written, the subject matter, vocabulary, language choices, the
reading level, and other surface features.

PRINT-BASED TEXTS
-Print-based refers to those tests that are prepared in prints, but any printed text is a
multimodal bot since it involves various communication modalities.

Multimodal texts
-refer to those types of texts that use a combination of two or more communication

modes, for instance, print, image, and spoken text as in film or computer presentations.
-Multimodal text is often a digital text but can be a book, such as picture book,
information text or graphic text.
• A multimodal text can be paper – such as books, comics, posters.
• A multimodal text can be digital – from slide presentations, virtual museums, e-
books, blogs, e-posters, web pages, and social media, through to animation, film
and video games.
• A multimodal text can be live – a performance or an event.
• And, a multimodal text can be transmedia– where the story is told using ‘multiple
delivery channels’ through a combination of media platforms, for example, book,
comic, magazine, film, web series, and video game mediums all working as part of
the same story.

A text may be defined as multimodal when it combines two or more semiotic systems.
There are five semiotic systems in total:
• Linguistic: comprising aspects such as vocabulary, generic structure and the
grammar of oral and written language
• Visual: comprising aspects such as colour , vectors and viewpoint in still and
moving images
• Audio: comprising aspects such as volume, pitch and rhythm of music and sound
effects
• Gestural: comprising aspects such as movement, speed and stillness in facial
expression and body language
• Spatial: comprising aspects such as proximity, direction, position of layout and
organization of objects in space.

Critical Reading and Listening

-Critical reading and listening are activities that require communicators to move beyond
superficial -engagement and analysis with a text or speaker.

Critical reading is an important activity in evaluating written arguments. It helps with the
following activities:
• Examining the evidence and logic
• Assessing external influences on the argument
• Investigating the limitations of the study or text
• Evaluating the interpretation and facts presented
• Deciding to what extent you accept the validity of the argument and conclusion

While many people undertake reading as a passive activity (by simply scanning the text),
you can get more from your readings when you actively engage with the presented
material. Critical reading offers the following benefits:
• It promotes comprehension and absorption of material
• It provides a context for facts, events, and people
• It ensures that knowledge is judged on its merits
• It improves concentration
• It demonstrates your ability to perform an essential academic skill

Passive reading
Purpose: basic grasp of a text
Activity: absorbing; understanding
Focus: what a text says
Questions: What information does the text have? What information can I get out of the
text?
Direction: accepting the text
Purpose: restatement; summary

Active reading
Purpose: judgments about how a text works
Activity: analyzing; interpreting; evaluating
Focus: what a text does and means
Questions: How does the text work? How is it argued? What choices does the author
make? What patterns are present? What kinds of reasoning and evidence are used? What
are the underlying assumptions? What does the text mean?
Direction: challenging the text
Purpose: description; interpretation; evaluation

Steps in critical reading

1. Skimming
• Review text prior to class
• Look at key words, titles, headings, phrases, dates, and places
2. Annotating
• Read actively: talk back to the text
• Write notes in the margins
• Underline important ideas
• Highlight memorable images
• Mark thesis and key words
• Underline sources
• Identify confusing sections

3. Summarizing
• Paraphrase the overall idea
• Select key words from the text
• Outline the writer's arguments
4. Analyzing
• Determine the overall meaning of the text
• Consider whether and how evidence relates to the overall message
• Evaluate the significance of the evidence
• Pair your analysis with examples/evidence
• Judge the credibility of the text and its author(s)
5. Re-reading
• First reading: skim for main ideas
• Second reading: reflect on text
• Third reading: answer questions

Critical listening
-It is as important to listen critically as it is to read critically.
- a process for understanding what is said and evaluating, judging, and forming an
opinion on what you hear.

Critical listening strategies

1. Find areas of interest in the material you're listening to
2. Reserve judgment: recognize your emotional biases
3. Work at listening: mentally summarize and review what is being said, organize
information, and find connections to what you already know
4. Avoid distractions (internal or external)
5. Listen for and note main ideas; focus on central themes
6. Evaluating Multimodal Texts
-The fact that media messages are constructed means that they can also be
deconstructed, or separated into parts. The checklist below relates to the five parts of
the communication situation—sender, message, medium, receiver, and context. Asking
questions about a message in the context of these parts will help you to analyze and
evaluate it.