LING3105 Intercultural Communication

This topic examines how culture affects communication and applies a critical approach to the impact of cultural values in intercultural communication. Students will be encouraged to evaluate and articulate their own personal beliefs in relation to observations of cross-cultural communication with the aim to develop their intercultural understanding. The focus is on analysing norms of interaction across different speech communities and how people negotiate communication in everyday settings and the workplace.

This topic aims to:

• Provide students with analytical skills for assessing the significance of cultural contexts and communication in linguistically diverse societies
• Develop practice in the skills of ethnographic fieldwork, particularly in everyday encounters and workplace contexts
• Encourage students to communicate more effectively while enhancing their inter-cultural understanding

1. Demonstrate their analytical skills by applying general concepts in specific ethnographic contexts
2. Carry out an ethnographic field project assessing the significance of key concepts in inter-cultural communication
3. Effectively articulate their own personal beliefs and assess their values in relation to their observations of communication in a range of cross- (and inter-) cultural contexts