unit9LanguageandCulture市公開課一等獎省賽課微課金獎?wù)n件

Chapter9LanguageandCulture1/62（一）InterpretationWhatisculture?Inabroadsense,culturemeansthetotalwayoflifeofapeople,includingthepatternsofbelief,customs,objects,institutions,techniques,andlanguagethatcharacterizesthelifeofthehumancommunity.Inanarrowsense,culturemayrefertolocalorspecificpractice,beliefsorcustoms,whichcanbemostlyfoundinfolkculture,enterprisecultureorfoodculture,etc.Therearegenerallytwotypesofculture:materialandspiritual.2/62AreferencetoChineseculture1.文治與教化漢，劉向《說苑指武》“凡武之興，為不服也，文化不改，然后加誅?！绷?，昭明《文選》“文化內(nèi)輯，武功外悠。”2.利用文字能力和普通知識3.考古用語。指同一個文化特征。4.人類在社會歷史發(fā)展過程中所創(chuàng)造物質(zhì)和精神財富總和：廣義文化。5．人類文化精神結(jié)晶：狹義文化。中國文化起源展現(xiàn)多方位性向聚攏性、融合性及至統(tǒng)一保守性發(fā)展特色。西方文化起源展現(xiàn)單一性向外向性、及至代謝圖新性發(fā)展特色。3/62Typesofculture:Materialculture:concrete,substantialandobservablespiritualculture:abstract,ambiguous,hidden.(theproductsofmind,e.g.:ideologies,beliefs,valuesandconceptsoftimeandspace)Culture,especiallymaterialculture,isreproducedandpreservedthroughthemaintainingofbeliefs,traditions,educationandotherinstitutionalmechanisms,meanwhile,itchangesslowlywiththedevelopmentofthesociety4/62Featuresofculture:1.cultureissociallyacquiredinsteadofbiologicallytransmitted.2.Cultureissharedamongthemembersofacommunityinsteadofbeinguniquetoanindividual.3.Cultureissymbolic.Symbolizingmeansassigningtoentitiesandeventsmeaningswhichareexternaltothemandnotabletobegraspedbythemselvesalone.Languageisthemosttypicalsymbolicwithinculture.4.Cultureisintegrated.Eachaspectofcultureistiedinwiththeotheraspects.Inotherwords,cultureiscomposedofthefollowingsystems:techno-economicsystem,socialsystem,ideationalsystemandlinguisticsystem.5/62TherelationshipbetweenlanguageandcultureWhatwesayinfluenceswhatwethink,whatwefeelandwhatwebelieve.Humanslearntheirculturethroughlanguage;cultureistransmittedthroughlanguage.Languageuseisheavilytintedwithitsculture.Thesamewordmaystirupdifferentassociationsinpeopleunderdifferentculturalbackground,e.g.theword“dog”.Languageembodiesculturalidentity.Languageexpressesculturalreality,reflectsthepeople’sattitudes,beliefs,worldoutlooks,etc.Theculturebothemancipatesandconstrainspeoplesocially,historicallyandmetaphorically.Culturealsoaffectsitspeople’simaginationorcommondreamswhicharemediatedthroughthelanguageandreflectedintheirlife.6/62Ontheonehand,languageasanintegralpartofhumanbeing,permeatesinhisthinkingandwayofviewingtheworld,languagebothexpressesandembodiesculturalreality;ontheother,language,asaproductofculture,helpsperpetuatetheculture,andthechangesinlanguageusesreflecttheculturalchangesinreturn.Eachculturehasitspastandtradition.Itislanguagethathasplayedamajorroleinsocializingthepeopleandinperpetuatingculture,especiallyinprintform.…,anycultureexistsinrelationtoanotherculture,anyculturehasitsownstrongpointandweakpoint,andanyculturecannotavoidundergoingsuchperiodsasthoseofgermination,development,primeofitslifeanddecline.7/62Languageandculture,intrinsicallydependentoneachother,haveevolvedtogetherthroughthehistory.Languageisrelatedtocognition,andcognitioninturnisrelatedtotheculturalsetting.Theirmutualinterdependencecanfindproofintheriseofcivilization,thedevelopmentofwritingandhumancommunication.Eachculturepresentstoitsmembers,eitherconsciouslyorsubconsciouslythroughwords,theideasandconceptsthatculturetransmitsfromgenerationtogeneration.Inaword,Cultureisawidersystemthatcompletelyincludeslanguageasasystem.Yetitisquitedifficulttoseparatethetwo.8/62Meaninginlearningcultureandlanguage:Learningalanguageisinseparablefromlearningitsculture.Culturalcommunicationisgainingincreasingpopularity.Theignoranceofculturaldifferencescancreatebarriersinlearningthetargetandincommunication,thuscausingsomeunnecessarymisunderstandingandconfusionsometimes.Itwouldbeeasierforustomasterthetrendofcultures:theborrowedwordsusuallyreflecttheroutesofculturalimports.Understandinglinguisticimperialism:itisnecessarytoadoptspeciallanguagepolicytoprotectthepurityoftheirlanguages.Ithelpstobridgethegapbetweenbothculturalandlinguisticdifferences.9/62disputes:a.Anthropologicalculturevs.highculture(人類學(xué)文化與優(yōu)雅文化之爭)b.Culturesandlanguagesc.Traditionandanti-traditiond.Chinesecultureandforeigncultures(Chineseculturewillbecomemorematureapproachingthemainstreamofworldculture.ThedifferencesbetweenmodernandancientChinese,betweenhomeandabroadcultures.ClassicalChinesepoetrymakesagoodexample.

WeshouldputChinesecultureinapositionofcarryingonequaldialogueswithWesternculture.There’snogoodifweadvocate“overallWesternization”ofculture.)10/62Sapir-WhorfhypothesisEdwardSapirandBenjaminWhorf,proclaimedthatthestructureofthelanguagepeoplehabituallyuseinfluencesthewaystheythinkandbehave,i.e.differentlanguagesofferpeopledifferentwaysofexpressingtheworldaround,theythinkandspeakdifferently,thisisalsoknownaslinguisticrelativity.SapirandWhorfbelievethatlanguagefilterspeople’sperceptionandthewaytheycategorizeexperiences.ThisinterdependenceoflanguageandthoughtisnowknownasSapir-WhorfHypothesis.11/62Strongversion&weakversionStrongversionbelievesthatthelanguagepatternsdeterminepeople’sthinkingandbehavior;Weakversionholdsthattheformerinfluencethelatter.ThestudyofthelinguisticrelativityorSWHhasshedtwoimportantinsights:Thereisnowadaysarecognitionthatlanguage,ascode,reflectsculturalpreoccupationsandconstrainsthewaypeoplethink.MorethaninWhorf’sdays,however,werecognizehowimportantcontextisincomplementingthemeaningsencodedinthelanguage.12/62LinguisticevidenceofculturaldifferencesAnylinguisticsignmaybesimultaneouslyofadenotative,connotative,oriconickindofmeanings.Denotativemeaning----ameaningthatcanbefoundinadictionary.Connotativemeaning----ameaningorideasuggestedbyawordorthinginadditiontotheformalmeaningornatureofthewordorthing.Iconicmeaning----theimageoriconinvokedinmindbyaword.Forexample,“Myloveisared,redrose”.Itstirsupvividlytheimaginationofabeautifullady.Thisistheiconicmeaning.13/62Someillustrationsoftheculturaldifferencesinlanguage:greetingsandtermsofaddress;Peoplechoosetheproperonefromadozendifferentgreetingstogreetdifferentpeopletheymeetondifferentoccasions.e.g.:--Howdoyoudo!--Ninhao!(Nihao!)--Whereareyouheadingfor?--Tongzhi./Shifu.(Mr.Mrs.)TheextensionofkinshiptermsisanotherfeatureofChineseculture.NativespeakersofEnglishwouldbepuzzlediftheyareaddressedinthiswaybypeopleoutsidetheimmediatefamily.Similarly,theuseofrespectfultitles—ChairmanJiang—toindicatepeople’sinfluentialstatusistypicalofChineseculture.14/62thanksandcompliments;PeopleinthewesttendtoverbalizetheirgratitudeandcomplimentsmorethanChinesespeakersandthatthewesternerstendtoacceptthanksandcomplimentsmoredirectlyandfranklythanweChinesedo.--YouspeakexcellentEnglish.--No,no.(emphatic.Chinesepeoplewillanswerlikethattoshowtheirmodestyandthattheydonotdeserveacompliment.)--Thankyou.(positive.Englishspeakingpeoplebelievethatthecomplimentissincere,itisnotexpressionsofprideorimpolitenessandthatthepraiseisnotunworthyachievement.)15/62colorwords;Peoplespeakingdifferentlanguagesdividethecolorspectrumindifferentways.Differentlanguagesentaildifferentcolorrelatedassociations.green:associatedwithenvyorjealousye.g.:green-eyes;greenwithenvyblue:suggestingsentimentalorunhappyfeelings;associatedwithhighsocialpositionorbeingaristocratice.g.:abookwithwell-knownnames16/62privacyandtaboos;Althoughpeopleofdifferentculturehavemanycommonareasofprivacyortaboos,therearealsoareaswhereourculturediffersfromWesternculture.Forexample,thewesternpeopleplaceahighvalueonprivacy.Itisnotappropriateforustoaskquestionsaboutpersonalinformationlikeage,familybackground,salary,orquestionsonpersonalactivities.Moreover,weshouldbecarefultoavoidexpressionsrelatedtosexualintercourse,someorganofhumanbody,four-letterwordsandracismetc..17/62roundingoffnumbers;Thewayaspeechcommunityroundsoffitsnumbersisexplainableasinterplaybetweenlanguageandculture.American:4Frenchman:5Itisoftenoutoflinguisticconveniencethatpeoplewithdifferentculturesroundoffnumbersdifferently.e.g.:I’mfourandahalfyearsold.I’mfivesui.WeChinesealsousearoundnumberfollowedbythemeasuresuiinplaceoftheEnglishmeasureyearsold.AsaresultofmisunderstandingaboutthewayChinesespeakersroundofftheirnumbers,manyEuropeansbelieve“inChinayouareayearoldwhenyouareborn.”18/62wordsandcultural-specificconnotations;Thesamewordindifferentlanguagesmaybeentailedwithdifferentconnotations.Generallythesemanticdifferencesbetweentwolanguagesmaybegroupedasthefollowing:Aterminonelanguagethatdoesnothaveacounterpartinanotherlanguage.Wordsortermsinbothlanguagesthatappeartorefertothesameobjectorconceptonthesurface,butwhichactuallyrefertoquitedifferentthings.Thingsorconceptsthatarerepresentedbyoneorperhapstwotermsinonelanguage,butbymanymoretermsintheanotherlanguage,thatis,finerdistinctionsexistintheotherlanguage.Termsthathavemoreorlessthesameprimarymeaning,butwhichhaveconsiderablydifferentsecondaryoradditionalmeanings.19/62cultural-relatedidioms,proverbsandmetaphors.Idioms,proverbsandsayingsandmetaphorsindifferentlanguages,derivedfromdifferentorigins,alsodemonstrateculturaldifferences.Differentlanguagesmayhavedifferentidiomsowingtodifferentlivingenvironments,socialconventionsandliteraturetraditionetc.Dog:Englishpeopleviewdogashumanbeing’sbestfriend,whileChinesemoreoftenthannotrelatethewordwith狗腿子，棒打落水狗,etc..20/62Comparethefollowing:Everydoghasitsday.Dogdoesnoteatdog.Giveadoganillnameandhanghim.Barkingdogsseldombite.狗急跳墻、狗頭軍師、狗咬狗、狗腿子、狗屎堆、狗嘴吐不出象牙、狗膽包天、狗官21/62ThesignificanceofculturalteachingandlearningLearningalanguageisinseparablefromlearningitsculture.Weshouldnotonlylearnthemereimitationofthepronunciation,grammar,wordsandidioms,butalsolearnthewaysinwhichtheforeignlanguagereflectstheideas,customs,andbehaviorofthatsociety.Weneedtolearnenoughaboutthelanguage’sculture.Itisofgreatsignificanceinlearningaforeignorsecondlanguage.Otherwisetheignoranceofculturaldifferencescancreatebarriersinlearningthetargetlanguageandincommunication,thuscausingsomeunnecessarymisunderstandingandconfusionssometimes.22/62Culturaloverlap:Culturaloverlapreferstotheidenticalpartofculturebetweentwosocietiesowingtosomesimilaritiesinthenaturalenvironmentandpsychologyofhumanbeings.Forexample,thesuperiortendstorefertohimselforherselfbymeansofkinshipterms,suchas“Havedaddy/mummy/teachertoldyouthat?”23/62CulturaldiffusionThroughcommunication,someelementsofcultureAentercultureBandbecomepartofcultureB,thisphenomenonisknownasculturaldiffusion.Onetypicalexampleofculturaldiffusionistheappearanceofloanwords.PrestigewasanimportantfactorforthoseEnglishmenwhowantedtoadvanceingovernmentandwhothereforelardedtheirspeechwithNormanwordsduringtheNormanconquer.LaterEnglishhasalsoborrowedmanywordsinhistoryfromFrench,LatinandGreekandotherlanguages.Itiseasierforaspeechcommunitywhenexpandingbeyonditsborderstoborrowanexistingwordfromtheindigenouslanguagethantocoinanewone.Theborrowedwordsusuallyreflecttheroutesofculturalimports.Thoseloanwordspreservetheirowngrammaticalstructures.24/62SciencefroArabs:zero,algebra,alkaliMusicfromItaly:opera,soprano,piano,virtuosoThepracticeofobservingholidaysofforeignoriginsandacceptingconceptsfromothercultures.Christmas,Mother’sDay,St.Valentine’sDayTheattitudetowardsculturaldiffusion(esp.culturalimperialismowingtolinguisticimperialism)25/62Linguisticimperialismisakindoflinguicismwhichcanbedefinedasthepromulgationofglobalideologiesthroughtheworld-wideexpansionofonelanguage.Withthemonopolyofonelanguageoverothers,itsaccompaniedideologies,structuresandpracticeswillbeapotentialthreattotheindividualculturalidentityandculturalintegrity.Questionisraisedforfurtherthinking:Isitnecessarytoadoptspeciallanguagepolicytoprotectthepurityoftheirlanguages?(FrenchhasmadespecialeffortstoprotectitslanguagefrombeingcorruptedbyotherlanguageespeciallyAmericanEnglish.Thisisakindoflinguisticnationalismagainstthelinguisticimperialism.)26/62InterculturalcommunicationInterculturalorcross-culturalcommunicationiscommunicationbetweenpeoplefromdifferentcultures(theirculturalperceptionsandsymbolssystemsaredistinctenoughtoalterthecommunicationevent.)Itisgainingincreasingpopularity.Itimpliesacomparisonbetweencultures.Incross-culturalcommunication,weneedtopayspecialattentiontothesignificantdifferencesregardingsocialrelationsandconceptofuniversefromdifferentperspectivessuchaslanguage,food,dress,attitudetowardstime,workhabits,socialbehaviorandreligiousbeliefthatcancausefrustrationsincommunicationsandcontacts.27/62Asanewly-establisheddiscipline,interculturalcommunicationmakesmulti-disciplinarystudyofpolitenessacrossculturesingreatdetails.Ithelpstobridgethegapbetweenbothculturalandlinguisticdifferences.Astheworldisbecominga“globalvillage”,itssignificanceininternationalcommunicationinvariousaspectsandlanguagelearningisbecomingmoreandmoreself-evident.28/62(二)Practice:Discussthefollowingunderlinedwordsorphrases:1.ShallIcomparetheetoasummer’sday?Thouartmorelovelyandmoretemperate.2.Howoldareyou?Howmuchdoyoumake?Areyoumarried?3.--Yourdressisdonice!--Where,where.4.ThatallGreektome.(我對此一竅不通。)5.Ifwintercomes,canspringbefarbehind?6.Jackisafair-weather

friend.7.Johnoverstayedhiswelcome.8.Duringthewar,hewassentondangeroussecretmissionsabroad.Veryexciting!HewasasortofJamesBond.Severalwordsforreference:1.geographicdifference;2.privacy;3.linguisticorlogicaldifference;4.addressorlocation;5.linguisticdifference/logicalstructure;6.cognitivegaps;7.wordformation;8.specialnamesofpeople(oraddress)29/62Fillintheblanks:1.Generallyspeaking,therearetwotypesofculture:______and_______.2.ManynativeChinesespeakersthinkitisappropriatetouseanemphatic“no”toshowtheir___.3.Differentlanguagesmayhave____divisionsofcolour.4.Weshouldbecarefulto____expressionsrelatedtosexualintercourse,someorganofhumanbody,four-letterwordsandracismetc.5.Learningalanguageis_____fromlearningitsculture.Answers:1.material/spiritual;2.modesty;3.different;4.avoid5.inseparable30/62TrueorFalse:1.Languagehasplayedaminorroleinsocializingthepeopleandinperpetuatingculture,especiallyinprintform.2.Cultureisawidersystemthatcompletelyincludeslanguageasasubsystem.3.Languageisrelatedtothecultureofimaginationgoverningpeople’sdecisionsaswellasactions.4.Thestructureofthelanguagepeoplehabituallyusedoesnotchangethewaystheythinkandbehave.5.Bilingualdictionarydefinitionsgiveexactequivalentsinmeaning.Answers:1.F(minor→major);2.T;3.T;4.F(doesnotchange→influences);5.F(Oneshouldbecarefulinassumingthat.)31/62Translation:1.Thetownboastsabeautifullake.2.Thereareteachersandteachers.3.IsuspectedshemightberightandIwrong;butIwouldnotponderthematterdeeply:likeFelix,Iputitofftoamoreconvenientseason.4.He’saShylock.Reference:1.這個鎮(zhèn)上有一個漂亮湖。2.世上有好老師也有壞老師。3.我懷疑她是正確，而我錯了，不過我不想把這問題深究下去，也像費立克斯一樣，我把它暫且擱下，未來再說。（腳注--費立克斯：《圣經(jīng)》中一個遇事拖延法官）4.他是個守財奴。32/62Discussion:1.Doyoubelievethatinterculturalcommunicationisgainingincreasingpopularity?2.Useseveralwordstodescribethenecessityofacomparisonbetweencultures?3.Doyouthinkinterculturaladaptationisnecessary?4.Howtomanageinterculturalconflictsorconductinterculturalnegotiation?33/62（三）additionalreadingCrossCulturalConflictResolutioninTeamsTeammembersworkinincreasinglydiverseenvironments:intermsofage(therearemoreolderworkers),gender(therearemorewomen),race(therearemorepeopleofcolor),language(therearemorelanguagesspoken),andnationality(therearemoreimmigrants).Beyondthesedifferences,therearealsodeeperculturaldifferencesthatinfluencethewayconflictisapproached.34/62Theuseofteamsrepresentsanimportantchangeinthewaywework.Thetheoryisthatthroughtheinterdependencyofthepartsgreaterproductivityisachievedbythewhole.Experiencehasbeenlesskind.Onereasonthatteamsfailtomeetperformanceexpectationsistheirparalysisthroughunresolvedconflict.Thisarticlefocusesontheimpactofcultureonthepreventionandresolutionofconflictinteams.35/62TeamsDynamics

Overtimesuccessfulteamsdevelopculturallydistinctpathwaystocommunicate,problemsolve,makedecisions,andresolveconflict.Mostliteratureonteamssuggeststhattheyrealizehighperformancelevelsbypassingthroughfourdistinctdevelopmentphases:'forming','storming','norming'and'performing'.36/62Thedevelopmentofteamnormsdoesnottakeplaceinavacuum,butisembeddedinthewidersocial,politicalandeconomiccontextoftheday.Anotherrealityisthatteammembersdonothaveaccesstothesamepower.Sourcesofpowerdiffer,asdoexpectationsabouthowandwhenitwillbeused.WritingforaNorthAmericanaudience,Cutcher-GershenfeldandKochanhavesuggestedthatasuccessfulteamwill:37/62becomfortabledealingwithconflictbecommittedtoresolvingdisputesclosetothesourceresolvedisputesbasedoninterestsbeforerightsandpowerlearnfromexperiencewithconflicts.

(Cutcher-GershenfeldandKochan)38/62Thistiesinwithresearchontheeffectsofinterpersonalconflictinteams.Ateammember’scommitmenttotheteamandtheteammissioncanincreaseifconflictiswell-managedandresolved,butdecreasesifconflictgoesunresolved.Ifunhealthyconflictgoesunresolvedfortoolong,teammembersarelikelytoquitortosearchforalternatives.(WallaceBishopandDowScott)39/62DefiningCulture

Socialanthropology,astheacademicfieldresponsibleforthestudyofculture,hasyettosettleonadefinitionofculture.However,forourpracticalpurposes,cultureisdefinedasthesharedsetofvalues,beliefs,norms,attitudes,behaviors,andsocialstructuresthatdefinerealityandguideeverydayinteractions.(AdaptedfromMooreandWoodrow).40/62Thisdefinitionimpliesthatcultureisanattributeofagroup,andalsocontemplatesthefactthattheremaybeasmuchvariationwithinthegroupasbetweendifferentgroups.Weoftenassociateculturewithanationalgroup,however,cultureincludesethnicgroups,clans,tribesandorganizations.Teamswithinorganizationsalsohavebeliefs,attitudesandbehaviorsthatconstituteuniquecultures.Althoughtherearemanysimilaritiesbetweencultures,itisimportantnottominimizerealdifferencesthatdoexist.41/62Ausefultoolforconsideringtheculturesofdifferentgroupsisthebellcurve.Themajorityofagroupculturewillconfirmtoadominantsetofbeliefs,attitudesandbehaviors,buttherewillbemembersoftheculturalgroupthatdifferinsignificantwaysfromthenorm.42/62IndividualisticandCollectivistDimensionsofaCulture

Animportantdimensionofcultureistheextenttowhichmembersidentifywiththegroup(inthiscasetheteam)ratherthanthemselvesasindividuals.Individualisticculturesplaceahighvalueon"autonomy,initiative,creativity,andauthorityindecisionmaking."(MooreandWoodrow)Individualintereststrumpgroupinterests,andanygroupcommitmentisafunctionofaperceivedself-benefit.43/62Collectivistcultures,ontheotherhand,valuethegroupabovetheindividual.Groupconformityandcommitmentismaintainedattheexpenseofpersonalinterests.Harmony,gettingalongandmaintaining'face'areseenascrucial.ThedominantcultureintheUSA,Canada,WesternEurope,Australia,andNewZealandisindividualistic,whilecollectivismpredominatestherestoftheworld.Howeverexamplesofbotharefoundeverywhere.InCaliforniawheretherecentcensusfoundthat32%ofthepopulationisHispanic,7%areAfricanAmericanand10%areofAsiandescent,itcansafelybeassumedthatarelativelyhighpercentageoftheworkforcecomesfromasocialenvironmentthatiscollectivist.44/62ComfortwithConflict

Individualistsandcollectivistsviewconflictdifferently.Collectivists,whoplaceahighvalueonharmony,gettingalongand'face'seeconflictasasignofsocialfailure.Asaresult,comfortlevelswithconflictsituations,especiallyofaninterpersonalnaturearelow.Conflictisoftenavoided.Whilemanyindividualistsalsofeeldiscomfortwithconflict,itisacknowledgedasaninevitablepartoflifethatmustbedealtwith.However,beinginconflictwithanotherisnotnecessarilysomethingtobeashamedabout.45/62InvolvementandRoleofThirdParties

Teammembersfromacollectivistculturewillprobablybemorecomfortablewithafellowteammemberaddressingaconflict,ratherthanbringinginsomeonefromtheoutside.Individualists,ontheotherhand,maypreferanimpartialoutsider,whoserelationshiptotheteamisremote-suchasaHumanResourcerepresentativeorexternalmediator.46/62Theexpectedroleofthethirdpartyisalsoinfluencedbyculturaldimensions.Inwestern,individualisticculturesmediationhasevolvedasaprocessinwhichthethirdpartydoesnotmakedecisionsforthedisputants.Somemediatorsprovideanevaluationofthestrengthsandweaknessandtheyaredescribedasevaluative.Attheotherendofthiscontinuumaremediatorswhodonotmakeevaluations.Theyarepurelyfacilitative.Incollectivistcultures,mediatorsareoftenexpectedtoprovidecounsel,evaluateandadviseinanefforttorestoreharmony.Disputantsengageathirdpartypreciselybecausetheyareunabletofindasolutionthemselves.47/62CommunicationStyles

Thereareanumberoffactorsthatcontributetocommunicationstyle.Onefactoristheextenttowhichitisexpressiveorrestrained.Someteammembersmayhavebeensocializedtorevealstrongemotionsandtofeelcomfortablewithprolongedeyecontactandtouch.Othersmaybemorestoic,andmaskemotionswithapokerface,usemonotonespeechandavoideyecontact.48/62Anotherareaofdifferencerelatestodirectness.Someculturesareverydirect.Theyliketo'cuttothechase'andgetfrustratedwithsomeonewho'beatsaroundthebush'.Indirectculturesprefertodealwithrelationalaspectsfirst,andtorestoreharmonybeforeaddressingsubstantiveissues.NegotiationStyle

Negotiationisameanstosatisfyneeds.Itcanbebrokendownintooneoftwoapproaches-positionalandinterestbased.Positionalnegotiationinvolveshagglingoverextremepositionswithoutaclearunderstandingofunderlyinginterests.Bycontrast,aninterestbasedapproachfocusesontheneedsandconcernsofthedisputants.Aninterestbasedapproachiswidelyusedbyconflictresolutionpractitioners,especiallyinwesterncultures.Ithasbeenpopularizedthroughbookssuchas"GettingtoYes"(Fisher,UryandPatton)buttheextentofitsinternalizationislimited.49/62Teamsshouldconsidertheirownnegotiationstylesandmakeanexplicitdecisionastowhethertheywilluseaninterestbasedorpositionalnegotiationapproach.Duringnegotiations,culturesthatpreferadirectcommunicationstylewillseekdirect,facetofacecommunicationratherthanindirectshuttlediplomacy50/62Thereareotherculturalfactorsthathaveabearingonthewayateamwillapproachconflictpreventionandresolution.Theseinclude:ourrelationshiptotime(Whetherwearemonochromicanddoonethingatatimeorpolychromicanddoseveralthingsatonce.Whetherweexpecttheprocesstohaveastartandendortobeanongoingprocess)ourrelationshiptorules(Whetherwevaluerulesandorderoverfeelingsandrelationships)ourrelationshiptovenue(Whetherweareprivateorpublic,indoororoutdoor,formalorinformal)51/62Lessons

Giventhatteamsarecomprisedofdiverseindividualswithuniqueculturalbackgrounds,whatlessonscanwedistillforthesuccessfulpreventionandresolutionofconflict?1.KnowYourselfandYourOwnCulture

Startingwithyourself,examineyourownbeliefs,values,biases,andprejudices.Howdoyoubehave?Whatareyourhotbuttons?Locateyourindividualcultureinthecontextofyourfamily,regional,andnationalcultures.Whatisthesocial,politicalandeconomiccontextoftheday?Beingawareofourowncultureshelpsustobeopentodifferentideas.Weareabletocompareandcontrastdifferentapproacheswithoutbeingthreatened.52/622.Learnothersexpectations

Weshould,asFederalMediationandConciliationServiceCommissionerJanSunoohassuggested,expectdifferentexpectations.(Sunoo)Theonlywaywewillknowwhatourteammembersexpectistohaveanexplicitconversationaboutthenatureofconflictandhowweprefertodealwithitwhenitarises.Thisshouldleadtoamoregeneralconversationthataddresseshowtheteamwantstoworktogether.