A discussion on the communication and miscommunication between cultures in the United States.
This paper outlines the cultural patterns that exist today in America and Latin America and compares how their differences could be resolved through common ground rules of interpersonal communication. The paper shows how finding a common ground is relatively easy when the problem is identified as one of miscommunication.
“As a nation America is a region inhabited by multi cultures. Multi linguists categorize the society, diversity in ethnicity and varied customs. The traditions people follow vary from individual to individual and from area to area. For example an Irish in New York differ in language usage as well as living customs as compared to an Afro American in St. Louis. The attitudes of individuals in America too are different and vary from individual. The most dominant social group that is the Anglo American and the African American groups. They are likely to dominate communication norms as well. Generations of Anglo American have been living with power and authority in their hands. Their attitude is such that they treat others, different from them, secondary to their own status. This kind of attitude often leads to misunderstanding and miscommunication. Misunderstanding occurs especially when white Anglo Americans treat a member of their social circle with cordiality but when it comes to important communication, their mental attitude acts as a deterrent for effective comprehension of the desired outcomes. Thus, psychologically they block out the message that is sent from the speaker, who is different from their social group say from the Hispanics or the Chinese [Beamer, 1998].”