I recently wrote how sharing our cross-cultural experiences and tips helps us to improve our international skills and just ran across an article published in 2005 that adds to this. Here’s the article:
- English, Language Of Lost Chances – The curse of not having to learn another tongue to get by is costing us dear by Simon Caulkin
In this article Simon Caulkin writes about the need to learn foreign languages to develop ourselves and the dangers of remaining monolingual. The last paragraph is what caught my attention. It is a wonderful illustration and summary:
The polymath and critic George Steiner once observed that while you could see with one eye, two eyes gave you perspective. It’s the same with language. What the monolingual blithely ignore is that a second language is essential to pick up the particularities in their own cultures as well as that of others. Where the one-eyed are king, it’s not surprising how often we fail to see what’s under our own noses.
Widen Your Understanding
When sharing cross-cultural experiences you can also say that one eye gives vision and two eyes give perspective.
The use of different words and metaphors influences our understanding. This happened to me as I read this article. What will you get out of sharing international and cultural experiences and tips with others?
When you see from other people’s different perspectives this can change your own perception. Your understanding of a different culture.
These are two long words beginning with “p”. For non-native English readers, here’s a quick re-cap:
- What’s a perspective? A different viewpoint. You look at something from a different angle.
- What’s a perception? It is how you understand something, how you see something.
A change in perspective can help us widen our perception and understanding of different cultures… and improve our cross-cultural communication and international skills in the process.
Tip: Communicating different perspectives of the same topic is one of the tactics you can use to try to get over certain cross-cultural communication hurdles. When you think your message is not getting across, this can help the other person see different perspectives and widen his perception of what you are trying to communicate.
Remember to follow the upcoming Cross-Cultural Communication Challenge for a culture tip each day next month.
Where To Get Your CCCC Tips Every Day In June:
- Here on this blog
- By following me on Twitter @CindyKing
- By using the Twitter hashtag #cccctips
Use these tips as inspiration to improve clarity of communication with your international clients.
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Read 2009 Cross-Cultural Communication Challenges to find out more about:
- All 4 Cross-Cultural Communication Challenges this year
- The 1st Cross-Cultural Communication Challenge – Expand Your Mindset
More on Cultural Perceptions:
- When Women Create Havoc In Cultural Perceptions
- Cultural Perception Of The Use Of Information
- International Perceptions Of Obama’s Inauguration News Coverage
- One Eye Gives Vision, Two Eyes Give Perspective
More On These Get International Clients Business Guides:
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