Communications and Cross Cultural Differences

1
Communications and Cross Cultural Differences

• Not only do cultural differences affect the
  messengers, they also affect the message
  transmission and reception in several ways

2
Cultural Differences Affect the Message

• The only way a concept can be transferred is the
  messenger must use forms of communication the
  people understand
• The message must be translated so that the people
  understand it with a minimum of distortion.
• The message must be contextualized into local
  cultural forms
• Church buildings
• Forms of worship
• Leadership style
• People must develop a theology in which Scripture
  speaks to them in their historical-cultural
  setting

3
Symbols and Communication

• Communication is the transmission of information
  from a sender to a receiver.
• Ideas and emotions cannot be communicated
  directly from mind to mindmust first be
  expressed in forms that others can receive them
  through their senses.
• The linkage of meanings and feelings to forms
  that create symbols.

4
Nature of Symbols

• Symbols link together
• Meanings
• Forms
• Persons
• Functions
• Contexts
• Ex. tree type of plant genealogical descent
  a certain kind of animal (tree frog) a symbol of
  craziness, up a tree.

5
Types of Symbols

• Symbols do not stand alone, but are parts of a
  larger system, within which individual symbols
  have their meanings.
• Words are used to communicate cognitive messages
• Gestures and tones of voice to communicate
  feelings
• Several systems are used simultaneously
• Spoken language
• Paralanguage
• Kinesics or body language
• Temporal and spatial symbols
• Estimates are 38 is communicated verbally 62
  is communicated nonverbally!

6
Meaning of Symbols

• Symbols acquire meanings of ideas, feelings and
  values in two ways
• Many symbols refer to events in everyday life,
  but in pointing to specific things, they do not
  point to others.
• Symbols gain their meanings partly from their
  relationship with other symbols that belong to
  their same domain or field.
• Things that point to some things and not to
  others are called denotative meanings. Also
  called explicit meaning
• Some symbols have meanings that come from other
  domains or thought and feeling, which are called
  connotative meanings.
• Ex. Red neck, Reds, red-eye special. The
  word red does not mean the color, but some
  definition from politics, sports, or travel. Also
  called implicit meaning

7
Denotative and Connotative

• It is easy to learn denotative meanings of
  symbols, but often difficult to learn connotative
  meanings
• It is not obvious that they exist
• Must look at how it is used in context to discern
  the meaning
• Important to learn both sets of language
• Words have Implicit as well as Explicit Meaning

8
Explicit and Implicit
Denotative Meaning Connotative Meaning
The meaning of words
Ideas, feelings, and values consciously
associated with the words
Explicit Meanings Implicit Meanings
Basic structure of the words as category systems
Deep beliefs, feelings and judgments
unconsciously associated with the words
9
Cultural Differences in Symbol Systems

• Different cultures have different symbols
• Body motions, tones of voices, tastes and use of
  silence all can mean different
• There are cultural variations in the symbol
  system
• Blackfoot Indians do not talk for 5 min in
  greetings
• Gbeya (CAR) talk only after a meal, never during
  the meal
• There are cultural variations in the symbol
  system used for different types of communication
• Protestants communicate religious messages by
  song and spoken words
• Tribal cultures express the same through dance,
  drums, drama, bardic chants.

10
Translation

• If symbols only had explicit, denotative
  meanings, translation would not be too difficult
• Words have connotative meanings, many of which
  are implicitthis is difficult

11
Form and Meaning

• Initially we tend to equate the two we associate
  denotative and connotative meanings to sounds,
  within our own culture
• When translating to another language the
  distinction is necessary.
• If you want to communicate you must use their
  words, and other symbols that communicate as
  well gestures, architecture, worship forms and
  dress.
• Some cultures communicate respect by removing a
  hat, while others, by removing their shoes
• Songs need to be written in the melodies and
  rhythms native to the culture
• Even if translated correctly, if the music is
  foreignthe message spoken communicates that this
  religion is for foreigners.

12
Importance of the connotative meanings for
translation

• Most early missionaries emphasized on denotative
  meanings, thus resulting in a literal or formal
  translation. (shepherd, door)
• In statements of fact, denotative meanings are
  usually most important
• With the use of analogies, allegories, metaphors,
  humor and idioms. etc. in connotative meaning
  In societies where fathers are seen as
  unfaithful, distant and authoritarian, thus
  referring to God as father can be confusing

13
More on Connotative meanings for translation

• To minimize misunderstandings, recent
  translations emphasize Dynamic Equivalents to
  convey the same idea or meaning.
• This may mean changing the symbol or word.
• In Bible referred to a tax collector beating his
  breast, but in West Africa, this same action
  conveys taking pride in ones accomplishment.
  When speaking of repentance they would say, He
  beat his head.

14
Nidas Guideline for Dynamic Equivalence

• Translators should not alter the original text,
  when it refers to historical events.
• Idioms and figures of speech are more difficult
  white as snow, millstone, camel very,
  very white, a heavy stone, an animal called
  camel
• Nida warns
• In certain cases a literal translation is
  impossible because of connotative meanings
  associated with certain cultural objectsIn
  Balinese, the viper is considered a snake of
  paradise. The phrase generation of vipers (Mt
  37) is not a denunciation at all. The meaning
  can be maintained by substituting a more generic
  term, as vermin.

15
Translating Implicit Meanings

• The words in any culture have implicit meanings
  that reflect the world view of that culture. If
  no equivalent words for biblical words exists,
  what do we do to preserve divine revelation?
• It is understood that there is always some
  distortion of the original message.
• There is the addition of meanings not found in
  the original
• How do we avoid the loss of meanings or of
  addition of unintended meanings to the Bible
  Translation? (same question in
  preaching/teaching?)
• In a few cases a new word is created or imported
  from another source
• Must chose the most suitable word in the local
  language, then make explicit through teaching and
  preaching

16
Cross-Cultural Communication

• We spend most of our time in communication
• Only when communication breaks down do we stop to
  see what went wrong
• The process is
• A sender whishing to communicate a message
• Encodes the message into symbols
• Transmits the encoded message to a receiver
• Receives the symbols
• Decodes the symbols
• Learns the message
• Responds to the message
• Many things could go wrong in the process
  hindering communication, esp. in a cross-cultural
  setting

17
Messages and Para-messages

• Communications occurs in each of the 3 dimensions
  of culture
• Cognitive transmission of information and
  meaning
• Affective sharing of feeling
• Evaluative conveyance of judgments such as
  acceptance and censure

18
Ways of transmitting cognitive information

• Rituals and dramas enacting ideas
• Signs stoplights, turn signals, bells to
  transmit directions
• Language spoken or written to transmit abstract
  human thoughts

19
Ways of communicating feelings and sentiments

• Whether we like the person we are talking to or
  not
• How to indicate anger over the subject
• Whether we are joking, serious sarcastic,
  reserved or critical
• Techniques poetry, ironic comments,
  tongue-in-cheek statements, sermons, proposals,
  etc.

20
Ways of communicating our judgments

• Western-style teaching focus on ideas
• Music, poetry, art and drama focus on moods and
  feelings
• Preaching focus is on values and decisions

21
Secondary or Para-message Transition

• Unconscious communication of secondary message
  by
• Facial expression, gestures, tones of voice, body
  postures, standing distances, use of time
• Techniques of transmitting feelings and values,
  distrust, concern, disdain, indifference,
  agreement and love
• Determines the way the primary message is
  understood
• Is the primary message irony, sarcasm, humor or
  double-meaning, or straight
• Tells what the speaker thinks of the receiver

22
Media and Para-media

• Words, tones, gestures, space, time, etc
• Choice depends upon the occasion, personal
  preference and culture
• Touching is way of showing affection in some
  cultures, but in others it is taboo
• Drama and ritual and dance are important in some
  cultures, but does not communicate in others
• Several media normally used at same time
• With one we communicate one message
• With the other we communicate another message
  simultaneously
• Multimedia communication helpful for retention of
  message.

23
Percentage of Things we Remember
After 3 hours After 3 days
What we hear What we see What we see and hear
70 72 86
10 20 65
24
Medium to store information

• Literates depend on the written page almost
  exclusively, with limited mental retention
• Oral societies depend on memory and reinforce it
  with media techniques
• Songs, poems, proverbs, riddles, chants, stories
• Repetition and multi-media to retain their
  knowledge singing the same song over and over,
  reenacting their stories in drama, dances and
  rituals
• Icons are used in houses, temples paintings to
  recall religious beliefs

25
Senders and Receiversin missions both are people

• Usually unconscious, but when attempting to
  communicate in another language we become
  conscious of the encoding process
• Depends on many factors
• Use of appropriate cultural symbols
• Encoding according to our own experience
  vocabulary, pronunciation, feelings, etc. are
  determined by our age, sex, position in society,
  past experience and present attitudes
• Encoding takes into account the context (home,
  court)
• Encoding is Multilayered
• Encoding is almost as fast as we can think
• Encoding of paramessages of attitudes and values
  through tone, gestures, etc.

26
Receivers reverse the process

• Filtered through beliefs and values of their
  culture and personal experience
• If their culture sees Christianity as an enemy,
  it is difficult to communicate
• If they have had a bad experience, Christians
  become stereotyped and most of message is blocked

27
Filters and Feedback

• People tend to see and hear what they want to see
  and hear!
• Beliefs, values and feelings act as filters that
  open when they want to hear the message
• They will reinterpret the meaning to fit their
  purposes, or fail to change in response
• The audience decide whether our message gets
  through or not.

28
How do we know if we communicated?

• Feedbacklistening to those receiving the message
• Usually so intense on sending the message we
  ignore the responses
• Good communication begins with the Art of
  Listening
• Tune in to para-messages
• Formal methods of getting feedback discussion,
  formal research survey, ask key questions to see
  if message is understood and its implications.
• May mean to modify our communication
• Slow down, simplify the material, repeat,
  illustrate with concrete examples, stop for
  questions
• If hostile, dubious or rejecting, must stop to
  build trust and examine our paramessages

29
Static and Incongruity

• Static barriers to distract people from receiving
  message
• Classroom conditions, environment noise,
  distracting mannerisms of the teacher (sender) or
  a heavy accent
• Foreign clothing and behavior of sender, magic of
  his technology or poor mastery of local language
• Incongruity
• When sender speaks of sacrifice and simple
  Christian living, but drives an expensive car or
  dresses in tailored suits
• Missionary talks of loving people, but will not
  let them into his house
• Foreignness is a type of incongruity though
  message is understood, senders mannerisms (dress
  or stinginess) nullify the value of the message.

30
Two-Way Communication

• Best communication is a dialogue
• Both parties listen and learn
• Danger is that neither side really listens to the
  other
• The more we listen and learn, the more we are
  trusted, thus the more possible we can
  communicate our message

31
Reinterpretation and Response

• Receivers interpret messages within their culture
  and personal context
• Discard what they dislike or do not understand
  usually without trying to understand
• Even within the same culture people only
  understand about 70 of what is said
• In cross-cultural settings the level seldom rises
  above 50 is understood
• Must be clear, explicit, concrete and redundant
  if we hope to be understood

32
New information leads to decisions

• Information is not the only factor in
  decision-making feeling is very important
• Feelings influenced by the manner and context of
  how the message is sent
• Feelings are influenced by the degree of trust in
  the communicator
• If messenger lacks credibility in their eyes, the
  message is rejected
• If they sense the sender accepts and loves them,
  they are more open
• Deepest decisions tend to change lives
  evaluative determinations from the core of
  conversion
• Changes in knowledge and feeling are not enough
• Only when decisions lead to shifts in allegiances
  and behavior can we speak of lordship of Christ
  and Christian discipleship

33
Post decision evaluation

• Peer pressures can be great
• If there is little support for their new beliefs
  from the local community, without reinforcement
  from peers, then reevaluation of new faith often
  results in a weakening of their faith

34
Communication and the Missionary

1. Effective communication is essential to our task
2. Need to be more aware of the implicit elements of
   communication
3. Must become receptor-oriented in our thinking
   if not understood, it is we who must change
4. As we communicate the gospel it is God who works
   through His Spirit in the hearts of the
   listeners, equipping them to hear and understand
   the Gospel. Without this divine work, conversion
   is impossible.