SDLC 105 journal #7

[Krystin Schwarze]

I found the cultural competence article we read to be very consistent with the ideas we have been discussing in class. Effective communication cross-culturally requires more than knowing the vocabulary and grammatical structure of the language. Effective communication involves understanding the context in which certain phrases/words are appropriate, what the social norms are in communication, an understanding of body language, etc.For instance, in India, it is more rude to say "no" to someone rather than to say "yes" even if you don't follow through. This is not the case in the US. If I invite someone over for coffe and they decline, I would not be offended. If however, they accept the invitation but don't show up, I would consider that person's actions to be rude and inconsiderate. Oppositely, in India, someone would be more offended by a "no" than they would someone not showing up for a coffee date.If I want to effectively communicate in India, I will need to continue to learn the social/cultural norms of Indian society. Otherwise, even if I understand what someone is saying, I will not know what the person means or is intending to communicate to me. Miscommunication can lead to offensive, embarrassment, and misunderstanding among other things.