Communication between diverse cultures

"How many languages are there in the world? How about 5 billion! Each of us talks, listens, and thinks in his/her own special language that has been shaped by our culture, experiences, profession, personality, mores and attitudes. The chances of us meeting someone else who talks the exact same language is pretty remote."
-Anonymous

I communicate differently between different groups and cultures. For example, the way I talk to my students differs from how I talk to my colleagues. And the way I converse with my student's parents differ from how I talk to my own family.

This photo captures differences in communication. The man greets the woman by bowing to her, while she goes to shake his hand.

Due do the varying abilities between my students and adults, I tend to speak more slowly and my tone and inflecting in words are spoken differently to my students because they are so young. When I speak to my colleagues, I tend to use more low language because we are friends and comfortable with teach other. However, if my colleagues and I are in a meeting with parents or administrators, we would use more high-language to keep it professional in a professional context/situational setting. I also tend to dress up more professional at work and more causal when I'm just with friends and family (non-verbal).

I also speak to my parents in a loving and adoring ways because they are the most important people in my life and I high respect them. When I speak to my brothers and sisters, I tend to use more slang/low-language with them because we are best friends. When I speak to a student's parents, I would keep it professional and use high-language but keep the "educational verbage" at a low and speak in terms they would understand, which differs from how I speak to my colleagues and administrators.

This comic shows a true difference in communication between international cultures!

Being a single girl, I also speak differently to men than I do women. I am much more comfortable speaking around women and being myself because there is not pressure of dating. But especially around single men, I am more reserved and quiet because I get nervous and anxious. My nonverbal communication differs in this area as well. If I am in a situation where a lot of single men will be present, I would take more time on my physical appearance versus when I'm just hanging out with a group of girlfriends.