Track 18

Unit 4a.

Business.

High and low context communication.

Page 62.

Talk about the topic parts A and B.

So what did you think of the lecture? All that high and low context stuff.

Well the two concepts are interesting. I mean, for a general understanding of communication differences across cultures.

Right. I agree the lecture help me understand communication better. Like I know it’s a generalization to say for example that Americans are low context, communicators and Koreans are high context communicators but it’s basically true in my experience.

Oh, really. What’s been your experience?

Well I used to work with this American woman in the same office and she said everything very directly like this is terrible or this is super or I hate that, or I love this.

And you wouldn’t do that in Korea?

No normally be in direct you wouldn’t say things so directly. I guess were more of a high context culture. We kind of wait for people to reach an agreement. We don’t want to announce their personal feeling so much.

So then, you didn’t get along with this American woman?

Well at first no. But then I figured out that that was just her communication style she just said everything very directly and then I didn’t take it so personally, I realized it was just a cultural thing.

That’s a good thing to understand.

Yeah is good for me to figure that out.

Good. Then you don’t get offended by anything.