Through a series of 74 dialogues and one-page analyses, this practical
guide comes as close as you can get on the printed page to actually
experiencing cultural difference.Updated with a new introduction and
chapter
How much culture lurks in common conversation? According to Craig
Storti, so much that many of our most common, seemingly innocent
exchanges-in social settings, on the job, in the world of business-are
cultural minefields waiting to explode. These explosions-cultural
misunderstandings-can cause confusion, irritation, even alienation. At
the workplace and in the world of business these explosions undermine
communication, threaten important relationships, and cost a great deal
of time and money; away from work, they strain, even endanger, personal
relations.
Cross-Cultural Dialogues is a collection of brief conversation (4-8
lines) between an American and someone from another country and culture.
Short as each dialogue is, it has buried within it at least one, and
usually several breaches of cultural norms which the reader is
challenged to figure out. And a challenge it is: the exchanges are so
brief and innocuous that even the wariest among us are sandbagged by the
dialogue's hidden subtleties. Ten cultures are represented by the
non-Americans in the dialogues: Arab/Middle Eastern, British, Chinese,
French, German, Hispanic, Indian, Japanese, Mediterranean/European, and
Russian, and the dialogues are grouped according to the setting in which
they occur: social, workplace, and business.
Whether you're a learner, trainer, educator, or an armchair
interculturalist, you'll enjoy solving these cultural riddles-and
increase your cultural awareness in the bargain.
