LANG 3045 Intercultural Communication

This is an archived copy of the 2022-2023 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit https://hbook.westernsydney.edu.au.

Credit Points 10

Legacy Code 101950

Coordinator Mustapha Taibi Opens in new window

Description This subject aims to develop the communicative competence of students in intercultural contexts and raise their awareness of issues in the use of languages. It helps the students understand hidden socio-cultural dimensions and equips them with the knowledge and skills necessary for intercultural communication. It also prepares them to critically analyse linguistic and cultural differences around them, appreciate linguistic and cultural diversity, and integrate the subject contents into their future careers. The impact of intercultural communication is highlighted in a range of real-life sectors, such as second language teaching and learning, translation and interpreting services, international business, tourism, community services, and organisational communication. Lectures will be delivered in English and depending on demand, language-specific tutorials will be delivered in Arabic, Chinese, Indonesian and Japanese as well as English.

School Humanities & Comm Arts

Discipline Linguistics

Student Contribution Band HECS Band 1 10cp

Check your HECS Band contribution amount via the Fees page.

Level Undergraduate Level 3 subject

Equivalent Subjects LANG 3046 - Intercultural Pragmatics

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

Identify the connection between language and culture;
demonstrate awareness of linguistic and cultural factors that contribute to (un)successful intercultural communication;
examine cross-linguistic and cross-cultural differences in verbal and nonverbal communication;
use linguistic tools to analyse authentic spoken and written discourses from an intercultural perspective;
analyse linguistic and cultural diversities by examining cultural differences;
identify effective cross-communicative strategies in various contexts;
discuss and apply intercultural communication knowledge and skills to professions (e.g. translation and interpreting services, multicultural education, international business, tourism, community services, etc.).

Subject Content

- relationships between language and culture
- Differences in language use (e.g. lexical equivalence and gap) and culture (e.g. self-orientation vs. other-orientation)
- cross-cultural variability (e.g. Individualism vs. collectivism)
- cross-cultural relationship management (e.g. horizontal vs. vertical)
- face Issues and face-work across cultures
- culture-specific manifestations in spoken (e.g. politeness and impoliteness) and written discourses (e.g. techniques and genres)
- speech acts across cultures (e.g. requests and apologies)
- Hidden dimensions across cultures (e.g. low-contact vs. High-contact)
- cross-cultural communication challenges and strategies (e.g. stereotyping, miscommunication and pragmatic failure)
- Cross-cultural sensitivities (e.g. cultural practices and values, address terms, taboos and solidarity-focused or power-focused communication)

Inherent Requirements

There are inherent requirements for this subject that you must meet in order to successfully complete this subject. Make sure you read and understand the requirements for your subject online.

Inherent Requirements

Assessment

The following table summarises the standard assessment tasks for this subject. Please note this is a guide only. Assessment tasks are regularly updated, where there is a difference your Learning Guide takes precedence.

Type	Length	Percent	Threshold	Individual/Group Task
Presentation	15 minutes	20	N	Individual
Quiz	120 mins total - (45 mins for online discussion, approx. 1,000 words; 30 mins for closed-ended questions, and 45 mins for open-ended questions	40	N	Individual
Essay	2,000 words	40	N	Individual