Synopses & Reviews
This volume is both a lively introduction and practical guide to the main concepts and problems of intercultural communication. Viewed from within the framework of interactive sociolinguistics associated with Tannen, Gumperz, and others, the authors focus in particular on the discourse of westerners and of Asians, the discourse of men and women, corporate discourse and the discourse of professional organizations, and intergenerational discourse.
In this newly revised edition, the first chapter now includes a section which sets out the authors' distinction between cross-cultural communication and intercultural communication. Another section outlines the methodology of ethnography which is the practical basis of the authors' research. In the new final chapter, the authors return to this methodology and show how they and others have been able to use it and this book to do new research in intercultural communication and how this work has been used in conducting training and consultation programs.
While making use of research in pragmatics, discourse analysis, organizational communication, social psychology, and the ethnography of communication, this book presents students, researchers, and practitioners with a comprehensive and unified framework for the analysis of intercultural discourse.
Review
" The theoretical discussions are excellent. The Scollons provide a unique combination of all the essential topics in cross-cultural communication, a sophisticated and original theoretical framework, and an unusually well-organized and concise presentation of the material. The book is extremely well written: it is clear and full of telling examples. I can't imagine a better treatment of the topic."
Deborah Tannen, Georgetown University " The Scollons mix contemporary linguistic anthropology with modern concerns over intercultural communication and forge a creative, important blend. Their lively and accessible approach will enlighten anyone who lives and works in our culturally diverse world." Michael Agar, University of Maryland
"I was faced with the quandary of how to communicate to my students all that I wanted to teach them about face, politeness, power, communicative style, and discourse - without having to ask them to purchase a very expensive packet of readings. It seems that academic providence took care of me, because at that point the Scollons' book was published. Since then I have used it with great success in my class, which serves students across the spectrum of disciplines." Christina Kakava, Mary Washington College
Synopsis
This newly revised volume is both a lively introduction and practical guide to the main concepts and problems of intercultural communication. Viewed from within the framework of interactive sociolinguistics associated with Tannen, Gumperz, and others, the authors focus in particular on the discourse of westerners and of Asians, the discourse of men and women, corporate discourse and the discourse of professional organizations, and intergenerational discourse
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 257-266) and index.
About the Author
Ron Scollon and Suzanne Wong Scollon have written extensively on cross-cultural communication, from academic positions in North American universities as well as Taiwan, South Korea, and Hong Kong, and in consultancies with over fifty governmental and corporate organizations in North America and Asia. Their book, Narrative, Literacy, and Face in Interethnic Communication, has proved to be foundational both within academic studies of intercultural discourse and within corporate or institutional training programs. The authors are currently Lecturers in English at City Polytechnic of Hong Kong.
Table of Contents
List of Figures.
Series Editor's Preface.
Preface.
1. What is a Discourse Approach?.
2. How, When and Where to Do Things with Language.
3. Interpersonal Politeness and Power.
4. Conversational Inference: Interpretation in Spoken Discourse.
5. Topic and Face: Inductive and Deductive Patterns in Discourse.
6. Ideologies of Discourse.
7. What is Culture? Intercultural Communication and Stereotyping.
8. Corporate Discourse.
9. Professional Discourse.
10. Generational Discourse.
11. Gender Discourse.
References.