Abstract
In the last chapter, we saw from Tyler’s (1995) data that when people differ in the meanings that they construct and attribute to each other, a sense of hurt and offence can result. Such problems of rapport are widely reported in the intercultural literature, and this chapter focuses on reasons for their occurrence and ways in which they can be reduced or managed. In fact, problems of rapport are common in intracultural interaction as well as intercultural interaction, and much of the material in this chapter is relevant to both types. However, we pay special attention to intercultural perspectives. With the help of a number of authentic experiential examples, we explore the factors that dynamically influence people’s perceptions of rapport and the competencies that are needed to handle them. We also consider strategies for managing rapport in intercultural encounters, and ways of dealing with conflict.
Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
The Bible, Proverbs 12: 18
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Suggestions for further reading
Günthner, S. (2008) Argumentation and resulting problems in the negotiation of rapport in a German–Chinese conversation. In H. Spencer-Oatey (ed.) Culturally Speaking: Culture, Communication and Politeness Theory, 2nd edn, pp. 207–26. London: Continuum. This chapter provides an in-depth analysis of a social conversation between Chinese and German students who were studying at a German university, and explores how culturally specific ex pectations of communicative situations and different communicative conventions can give rise to problems of rapport.
Lindsley, S. and Braithwaite, C. (1996) ‘You should “wear a mask”’: Facework norms in cultural and intercultural conflict in maquiladoras. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 20(2): 199–225. This article reports an ethnographic study of conflict communication among Mexicans and US Americans working in US American-owned assembly plants in Mexico.
Spencer-Oatey, H. (2008) Face, (im)politeness and rapport. In H. Spencer-Oatey (ed.) Culturally Speaking: Culture, Communication and Politeness Theory, 2nd edn, pp. 11–47. London: Continuum. This book chapter provides a readable and more detailed account of most of the concepts presented in this chapter.
Van Meurs, N. and Spencer-Oatey, H. (2007) Multidisciplinary perspectives on intercultural conflict: The ‘Bermuda Triangle’ of conflict, culture and communication. In H. Kotthoff and H. Spencer-Oatey (eds) Handbook of Intercultural Communication, pp. 99–120. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter. This chapter provides a multidisciplinary overview of theories and research findings on conflict, culture and communication, and their interconnections.
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© 2009 Helen Spencer-Oatey and Peter Franklin
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Spencer-Oatey, H., Franklin, P. (2009). Promoting Rapport in Intercultural Interaction. In: Intercultural Interaction. Research and Practice in Applied Linguistics. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230244511_5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230244511_5
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-4039-8631-3
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