Dialogue



Dialogue

It is observed that vast cultural differences occur between nations. These differences are also reflected through the language of the people and their conversation when they talk to each other. However, it is also important to respect other cultures and understand the differences, so they can interact with each other more effectively.

In the era of internationalization and globalization, the communication between different cultures is becoming increasingly important: it presents a local level with an increasingly multicultural, a regional multinational institutions and cooperation in international organizations with transcontinental -world, as well as in cyberspace. The term intercultural communication has been widely used in different fields and areas, however it remains rather vague and rarely well defined.

Communication has always been a dominant domain of culture. The relationship between culture and communication is close yet complex. Communication is a means of human interaction through which individuals tend to share cultural practices, beliefs, norms, rituals, and patterns. Culture is a residue of social interaction that takes place between families, friends, and peers in a specific community. Without communication, the cultural heritage can neither be promoted nor preserved. Cultural characteristics can only be transmitted from one place to another by means of communication tools (Kim, 1995). Hence there exists a link between both terms and one can use them to reinforce the other. As individuals meet and interact, share a set of behaviors, attitudes and perceptions. Such distinguishing sets of customs and rituals become part of the community's culture. It can thus be rightly said that while communication shapes culture, culture too governs our means of communicating with each other in groups.

There is no accepted definition of the term of intercultural dialogue. The concept instead refers to a variety of other terms, all very current, such as multiculturalism, social cohesion and assimilation. The most appropriate definition to date is perhaps what is proposed by the Council of Europe in its White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue, which states:

"Intercultural dialogue is defined as a friendly exchange of ideas and open dialogue between individuals and groups to experience heritage and ethnic, cultural, religious and linguistic backgrounds."

Culture has four components (cognitive, material, behavioural, and communicative) out of which communication remains the most momentous one. Communication is an on-going process that shapes cultural values in an attempt to nourish our heritage and preserve the essential elements of the culture. Communication as a domain of culture can be viewed in terms of reviewing the cultural ancestry and studying the patterns of interaction that are prominent in our particular community. Therefore, all issues related to intercultural communication will be discussed in detail.

The level of interaction can influence communication strategies. This practice results in creating a level of trust between partners and it takes time. Interpersonal communication is not only a dimension of human life, but the dimension through which people as humans do. If a person does not maintain relationships, it threatens their quality of life. According to some authors, the principles of interpersonal communication are: "People communicate ...