Articles
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Numbers and geometrical forms as an intercultural 'language'
Abstract: As a generalization it can be said that numbers are used in two different modes: 1) for calculating, 2) symbolically. In studying different branches of sciences one comes to the conclusion that numbers as symbols, in most cases, are connected to the same values. Interestingly the same values show up in the myths of all cultures. A similar connection can be made with geometrical forms. In archaeology one finds a strong correlation between a... [...] Read more
Crosscultural Perspectives on Interaction with Minority and Majority Children at Home and in Pre-school
Abstract: In this paper, we will discuss crosscultural perspectives on Turkish and Swedish children’s interaction with parents at home and pre-school teachers in the Swedish mainstream pre-school. Through their participation in various activities at home and in the pre-school, the Turkish and the Swedish children in this study are socialized into somewhat different norms for interaction, which reflect the somewhat different norms for social order,... [...] Read more
The sociolinguistic aspects of the business presentation and its importance for the teaching
Abstract: The increasing internationalisation of business, industry, science and academia has led to greater importance being given to the ability to present ideas and concepts to an international audience, using English as the language medium. This applies to large conference gatherings but also to business presentations . Through my somewhat unusual background as a manager from industry who later became a teacher of English as a foreign language,... [...] Read more
Language Use and Intercultural Communication in Latvia
Abstract: The aim of this paper is to illustrate how intercultural communication is affected by language use in Latvia and to show that in accordance with theories of D.L.Horowitz and P.R.Brass (Horowitz, 1985; Brass, 1991) the question of language is a question of conflict in Latvia. The empirical base for this report is the survey "Towards a civic society" conducted by the Baltic Data House. In the second analysis of empirical data, author is trying... [...] Read more
Intercultural Communication, the Print Medium and the Ideal of Two-way Symmetry in Interaction
Abstract: The Norwegian authorities emphasises to-way symmetric communication as an overall ideal to create a good relationship and communication with the public. Based on the report «Communication in Intercultural Encounters: The shaping of school-home co-operation» (Roald 1998) the paper focuses on the Norwegian authorities' common use of print information to the public as a basic tool to achieve these goals. The paper investigates how print... [...] Read more
The Medium is the Barrier
Abstract: In this paper, we present a critical viewpoint of human dialogue in the modern age. In our view, the Internet, as the paramount cultural guidepost at the end of the millennium, is a stark reflection of the barrier in human communication in our time. By means of an analysis of conversation transcripts at virtual conversation sites, we shall endeavor to show that virtual communication, to use a phrase from Zen wisdom literature, is ‘the clap of... [...] Read more
Professional Communication in Asia/Pacific Organisations: A Comparative Study
Abstract: This paper addresses the role of professional communication in manufacturing organisations in Australia, Thailand and Korea. Professional communication is seen as intentional communication that has the objective of achieving strategic goals within organisational or professional contexts. Within this view, practitioners need to consider communication as a core organisational process, be able to link communication with organisational outcomes... [...] Read more