Radwa Ayman
2nd year
Pragmatics
Assig. 1: Refer to some non-verbal elements, such as color, haircut, hand
gesture, style of dressing that can have significant implications across
different cultures.
Example 1: Eye Contact – USA vs. Japan
Situation:
During a joint business meeting between a Japanese tech firm and an American software
company in Tokyo, the American project manager noticed that her Japanese counterpart
consistently avoided eye contact throughout the conversation. The American found this
behavior frustrating and interpreted it as a sign of dishonesty or lack of confidence. After the
meeting, she expressed concerns to her team, suggesting that the Japanese manager might be
hiding something or was unprepared. Meanwhile, the Japanese team found the American
manager's direct gaze overly intense and even disrespectful, especially given her assertive tone.
Pragmatic Interpretation:
In the United States, steady eye contact reflects trustworthiness, engagement, and confidence
(Samovar et al., 2012). In Japan, however, prolonged eye contact, especially with someone of
higher status, is often avoided as a sign of politeness, humility, and deference (Hall, 1976). This
stems from Japan's high-context culture, where indirectness and non-verbal cues play a greater
role in communication (Gudykunst & Nishida, 2001).
Sources:
Gudykunst, W. B., & Nishida, T. (2001). Bridging Japanese/North American Differences. Sage.
Hall, E.T. (1976). Beyond Culture. Anchor Books.
Samovar, L., Porter, R., & McDaniel, E. (2012). Intercultural Communication: A Reader (13th ed.).
Wadsworth.
Example 2: Silence – Finland vs. USA
Situation:
During a multinational business meeting, a Finnish executive remained mostly silent during
brainstorming discussions led by American colleagues. The Americans perceived the Finnish
executive’s silence as a lack of interest or input and later questioned his commitment to the
project. Meanwhile, the Finnish executive was surprised by the Americans’ constant talking and
felt they were dominating the space and not allowing time to reflect.
Pragmatic Interpretation:
In Finnish culture, silence is valued as a sign of thoughtfulness, sincerity, and respect for
others’ space (Lehtonen & Sajavaara, 1985). It reflects the cultural norm of avoiding
unnecessary speech. In contrast, in the USA, active participation and verbal responsiveness are
often seen as essential signs of engagement (Tannen, 1984). This mismatch often causes
misunderstandings in cross-cultural exchanges.
Sources:
Lehtonen, J., & Sajavaara, K. (1985). The Silent Finn. In D. Tannen & M. Saville-Troike (Eds.),
Perspectives on Silence (pp. 193–201). Ablex.
Tannen, D. (1984). Conversational Style: Analyzing Talk Among Friends. Oxford University Press.
Example 3: Thumbs-Up Gesture – USA vs. Iran
Situation:
An American engineer working on a construction site in Iran gave a cheerful thumbs-up
gesture to a group of local workers to show approval and say “Good job!” The workers
suddenly looked offended and some even turned away. Later, a translator explained to the
American that the workers felt insulted and disrespected.
Pragmatic Interpretation:
In the USA, a thumbs-up gesture is a casual, positive sign meaning “well done” or “okay.” In
Iran and some parts of the Middle East, however, it has a vulgar connotation, roughly
equivalent to giving someone the middle finger in Western cultures (Morris et al., 1979). These
differing interpretations arise from culturally embedded non-verbal codes and vary significantly
across regions.
Sources:
Morris, D., Collett, P., Marsh, P., & O'Shaughnessy, M. (1979). Gestures: Their Origins and Distribution. Cape.
Poyatos, F. (2002). Nonverbal Communication Across Disciplines, Volume 2: Paralanguage, kinesics, silence,
personal and environmental interaction. John Benjamins.
