Keep It Simple

When you communicate, keep in mind that even though English is considered the international language of business, it is a mistake to assume that every businessperson speaks good English. In fact, only about half of the 800 million people who speak English learned it as a first language. And, those who speak it as a second language are often more limited than native speakers.

When you communicate cross-culturally, make particular efforts to keeping your communication clear, simple and unambiguous.

And (sadly) avoid humor until you know that the person you're communicating with " gets it" and isn't offended by it. Humor is notoriously culture-specific: Many things that pass for humor in one culture can be seen as grossly offensive in another.

Conclusion

Second language learning involves the acquisition of the second identity. This creation of a new identity is at the heart of culture learning.

Сulture learning is a process of creating shared meaning between cultural representatives. It is experiential, a process that continues over years of language learning, and penetrates deeply into one’s patterns of thinking, feeling, and acting.

Though there are stereotypes which describe the standards and the values that guide the behavior of representatives of different cultures, the teachers should teach their students not to blindly follow the stereotypes because each person within this or that culture is unique.

The language teacher and researcher, in dialog with each other, can be a part of a creative event by fashioning an integrated and cohesive understanding of how learners acquire the ability to communicate clearly and effectively in a second language, taking into consideration peculiarities of different cultures communication norms.

Such kinds of activities as problem-solving, discussions, case study, projects connected with culture study are designed by the teachers to help learners to improve cross-cultural communication skills that include:

- Verbal and non-verbal cross-cultural communication styles;

- Cross-cultural working styles and expectations;

- Language issues in a cross-cultural context;

- Tips and strategies for a better cross-cultural communication.

Literature

1. Brown, H. Douglas. 2000. Principles of language learning and teaching. NY: Longman.

2. Robinson-Stuart, Gail and Nicon, Honorine. 1996. Second culture acquisition: Ethnography in the foreign language classroom. Modern Language Journal 80: p. 432

3. Ting Toomey, Stella. 1999. Communicating across cultures. Guilford Publications

4. Laura M., Lynn S. 1995. Business across Cultures. London: Longman.