Question
– what are the characteristics of a competent intercultural communicator?
– who, in your opinion, is a famous effective intercultural communicator?
– try to come up with your definition of linguistic ethnography.
Answer
Question 1
A competent intercultural communicator must possess specific characteristics. Firstly, they have to embrace a code of ethics. In other words, the communicator must know what it is to communicate orally and immorally and always strive to do the former. According to Creese and Copland (2017), excellent communicators do not take advantage of people’s vulnerabilities and weaknesses to coerce them into agreeing with something that they would otherwise reject. Secondly, an intercultural communicator of any merit exercises empathy when communicating to an individual or group. Thirdly, the communicator must be tolerant and avoid judgmental attitudes in the course of interactions (Koester and Lustig, 2012). Lastly, adaption skills are vital to their success. Their mindset and verbal flexibility are such that they can adapt communications to any given environment. These standards and norms of communication are essential factors in determining an intercultural communicator prowess.
Question 2
Oprah Winfrey, a renowned philanthropist and cultural influencer, is a famous effective intercultural communicator. She understands the needs of her audience and inspires them to see the best in themselves. Oprah is mindful, tolerant, patient, accommodativeand has cognitive flexibility, qualities that make her a profound intercultural communication (De Costa, 2015). Many consider Oprah Winfrey to be the most wonderfullypositive role model because of the same qualities that comprise her proficiency as an intercultural communicator.
Question 3
Scholars view linguistic ethnography as an umbrella term. Ethnography refers to thepractice of studying social lives using a scientific approach,which may include methodological and epistemological systems. The strategy also investigates the actions of those being observed from their perspectives or points of views. Linguistic ethnography scrutinizes how communication formsa part of the broader social structure or context for interaction. Ethnographic and linguistic approaches can be combined to comprehend the operation of communication and social processes.
References
Creese, A., & Copland, F. (2017). Linguistic ethnography. Research Methods in Language and Education, 339-351.
https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007%2F978-3-319-02249-9_25
De Costa, P. I. (Ed.). (2015). Ethics in applied linguistics research: Language researcher narratives. Routledge.
Koester, J., &Lustig, M. (2012). Intercultural competence: Interpersonal communication across cultures. Pearson Prentice Hall.