Dialogue in Cross-cultural Perspective: Deciphering Communication Codes
Donal . Carbaugh, University of Massachusetts Amherst; David Boromisza-Habashi, University of Massachusetts Amherst; and Xinmei Ge, University of Massachusetts Amherst
DATE: January 2006
SOURCE: From the book entitled: Aspects of Intercultural Dialogue: Theory, Research, Applications. N. Aalto & E. Reuter (eds.), Koln, Germany : Saxa Verlag, 2006, pp. 27-46.
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ABSTRACT:
In this chapter, we take a very preliminary look at several expressive systems in order to ask: Is there something like “dialogue” in each, as a concept and practice. We explore the expressive systems-in-use both the relevant terms in several languages AND the practices being referenced with those terms. The analyses focus on Blackfeet, Chinese, Finnish, and Hungarian expressive systems. We find that the systems, considered together, reveal a wide variety of possibilities that are active when “dialogue” is mentioned, and translated. The analyses we present follow a general program of inquiry in ethnographic studies of communication generally, and cross-cultural communication in particular (see Carbaugh, 1990; Scollon and Scollon, 1995). Our methodology is a version of speech codes theory (Philipsen, 19997), and cultural discourse analysis (Carbaugh, 1996, 2005; Carbaugh, Gibson, and Milburn, 1995), focusing specifically on "dialogue" as a cultural term for talk and pragmatic action (Carbaugh, 1989).