This project was designed to generate information relative to a specific intercultural communication situation, especially directed toward diversity between cultural expectation and performance in the following areas: first, Chinese expectation of American Latter-day Saint missionaries' performance in Chinese contexts; and second, performance of the missionaries, as reflected by their knowledge of proper conduct in Chinese contexts at the end of their missions.Using Q-card sorting procedures and t-test analysis, an analytically developed instrument consisting of seventy statements grouped in six behavior categories was applied in the specific areas. Twenty-nine of the seventy statements showed significant diversity. Four of the hypothesized behavior categories proved to be statistically significant. These include, in descending order from the largest significance: "tradition", "language", "personal manners", and "personal space". Generally, the results indicate that missionaries are returning from Taiwan and Hong Kong with some cultural deficiencies which may interfere with effective personal communication. A program of ongoing cultural education designed for missionaries in these areas is suggested as a way to alleviate such deficiencies

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This study is offered as a potential contribution to the struggle for Indigenous reclamation, revitalization and renewal of knowledge systems, cultures, lands and resources. It acknowledges that Canadian Indigenous history does not begin with the arrival of the Europeans. Neither does their future depend exclusively on Western worldviews. Rather, the study argues, the future depends on the convergence of Indigenous worldviews, encapsulated through orality in their languages and knowledges, with imported Western worldviews and knowledges encapsulated through literality. Using qualitative ethnographic, sociolinguistic and phenomenological research approaches, this study focuses on some primary questions: Firstly, can locating the discourse between Indigenous and Western knowledge systems in an abstract, neutral and voluntary `ethical space' between them contribute to identification of their complementary diversities? Secondly, can the convergence of these knowledge systems in creative interconnections in research, development and teaching enable each system to preserve its own integrity? Thirdly, can a portable (collaborative, multi-venue) institutional model for Indigenous tertiary education be developed? This model will be capable of being locally-customised. It will be intended for local development by Indigenous communities wishing to add a community-based delivery mode interconnected with others to the delivery of tertiary education to their citizens. To address these questions, findings from literature on Indigenous knowledges globally and literature on Indigenous tertiary education in North America is converged with field research findings. Findings from the literature and field research are converged to describe how the imposition of Western worldviews has contributed to a systemic erosion of Indigenous worldviews, languages, knowledges and practises. However, interviewees do not advocate `either-or' choices. They are clear that `both-and' solutions, under community jurisdiction, hold the greatest promise for stimulating the resurgent forces that can play a lead role in reclaiming, renewing and revitalizing Indigenous responsibility for Indigenous peoples, resources, economies, communities and governance. They are just as clear that the reclamation, renewal and revitalization of Indigenous knowledges through tertiary education can lead the way in Indigenous governance, community, social, health, justice, and economic development. Data illustrate that conventional/mainstream tertiary institutions often argue for the inclusion of Indigenous program content managed by Indigenous people. They argue that this will assure that a few incremental reforms may turn the institutions into instruments that serve Indigenous peoples and communities effectively. This study shows that such arguments ignore Indigenous contexts and Indigenous teaching/learning processes while continuing to embrace the Western development paradigm. It also calls for a complementary Indigenous Multiversity that, while pluralist and open to all knowledges, is rooted in Indigenous thought and knowledge. It can be the basis for reaching out to and interfacing with other peoples and their knowledges. This study sees the `ethical space' in an Indigenous Multiversity as an optimal location for confronting and reaching out to all knowledges and worldviews while resolving content/context/teaching-learning process issues. Starting in one community, the Multiversity could finally be made up of a consortium. The consortium could unite interdependent Indigenous community-based tertiary institutions. The institutions could be partnered with conventional/mainstream professional and technical institutions and colleges. Such partnerships could assure that, in addition to having access to local and other Indigenous languages, values, knowledges and worldviews, students may be able to access Western languages, values, knowledges and worldviews. / Educational Studies / D.Ed. (Comparative Education)

The aims of this research are to develop an intervention programme to facilitate improved crosscultural peer interactional patterns and implement it. An initial investigation was launched to determine the extent of dysfunctional relationships between pupils in a desegregated school. Available literature was consulted to obtain information about cognitive, affective, physical and social development of adolescents and fundamental aspects of peer group relationships and their relevance in improving cross-cultural relationships. The data were collated and the principles extracted formed the basis of the designed intervention model and the activities and goals incorporated in it. The model consisted o~ eight interpersonal problem-solving group sessions, centred on developmental levels to be addressed by activities designed around a theme directed to achievement of goals (adequate cross-cultural communication, development of trust, increased sensitivity) which support the primary aim of improved cross-cultural relationships. A qualitative research study, namely action research was undertaken and the intervention programme was implemented. The participants in the programme comprised eight carefully selected grade seven pupils. This researcher (facilitator) adopted the role of participant observer and recorded her observations concerning the interactions within the group and between herself and the group. The group sessions were videotaped and analysed by the researcher as well as by an outside expert. The group sessions were analysed according to the aspects of positive relationships and the expected outcomes. Guba's model was used to confirm the trustworthiness of the research. The continued effectiveness of the programme was evaluated six months later from answers to a questionnaire obtained from former group members. The group members could relate to people of other cultures better than before. This contributes to an acceptance of and respect for cultural diversity in macro-society. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Communication / MA (Communication)

M. Tech. Language Practice / This study seeks to investigate intercultural communication between employees at a French-speaking West African embassy in Pretoria. Thirty (30) research participants were selected by means of convenient and voluntary sampling techniques. The study followed a qualitative case study research approach, and used three instruments to collect its data: observation, recording and interviews. It analysed its data through conversational and content analyses. The findings of this study aimed to improve intercultural communication interaction between French and non-French-speaking employees in order to promote a friendlier intercultural environment.

The interpreter is overlooked when considering the refugee claim process in Canada, even though refugee lawyers most often work with interpreters to understand their clients. Through qualitative interviews with refugee lawyers, this thesis aims to better understand how interpreters affect the lawyer-client dynamic. Tension surrounding the appropriate role of the interpreter, the complexity of communicating through interpreters, and interpreters’ effects on lawyer-client relationships emerged as themes and are explored with reference to the existing interpretation studies literature. The author proposes that an updated lawyer-interpreter-client relationships framework is necessary to fully encompass the realities of these complex relationships, and offers suggestions for best practices to ensure lawyers, interpreters, and clients maintain productive relationships. / Graduate / 0398 / actontess@gmail.com

No description available.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: If they don’t come out clearly to show us the true picture of different areas, it means that some areas that do not get the weather forecast cannot profit from their farming activities. This pushes our country into more poverty. If an agency can be identified and charged with the responsibility to disseminate the forecast to the various parts of the country, it would greatly help the farmers and Uganda as a country to develop. These are the words of a participant at one of fifteen Ugandan farmer group meetings that were convened and asked to discuss a tape-recorded seasonal weather forecast, following their own rules of procedure. The audio recordings and transcriptions of these meetings, which are in Luganda, form the object of inquiry for this study. Using a multi-perspective approach to spoken discourse analysis, this study investigates manifestations and patterns of participation and decision-making as they emerge through evaluation and appraisal in the context of participatory community development processes. Taking the discourse of farmer group meetings as a genre of business meetings, where the public is included in decision-making interactions between government and citizens, the study invokes the appraisal theory, genre analysis theory, citizenship talk analysis model, and the business-meeting negotiation approach to explore how participants use Luganda to express assessment and make decisions during interactive discourse. The study identifies three main styles of making decisions, which demonstrate a culturally constructed concept of participation in Luganda. Whereas subtle decision-making involves spontaneous group positions that are not formally announced as a decision, explicit decision-making manifests positions that are overtly announced by a participant. Virtual decision-making involves intermittent moves towards a group position. While some meetings have moderators, several others have the role of moderator performed by various participants. Indeed, in several cases participants take turns to speak in a spontaneous way, without having to seek the permission of the moderator. Despite the difference in styles of decision-making, the overarching goal of participation in this genre of Luganda discourse is to reach consensus and to demonstrate a collective identity. This goal however does not take away the right and freedom of participants to reason critically, negotiate for a position, express conflict, and to question authority. This study breaks the ground for further research into areas of evaluation, intercultural communication, forensic linguistics, professional discourse, and other fields of applied linguistics in Ugandan languages, as well as in other African languages. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: As hulle nie duidelik na vore kom om aan ons die ware prentjie van verskillende gebiede te toon nie, beteken dit dat sommige gebiede wat nie die weervoorspelling kry nie, nie wins uit hulle landbou-aktiwiteite kan maak nie. Dit dompel ons land al meer in armoede. As ʼn agentskap geïdentifiseer kan word en met die verantwoordelikheid getaak kan word om die voorspelling na die verskillende dele van die land te versprei, sal dit die boere baie help en Uganda as ʼn land help ontwikkel. Dit is die woorde van ʼn deelnemer by een van vyftien vergaderings vir Ugandese boere wat byeengeroep is en gevra is om ʼn bandopname van seisoenale weervoorspelling te bespreek deur hulle eie reëls van prosedure te volg. Die bandopnames en transkripsies van hierdie vergaderings in Luganda was die navorsingsonderwerp vir hierdie studie. Met behulp van ʼn multiperspektiefbenadering tot gesproke diskoersanalise het hierdie studie manifestasies en patrone van deelname en besluitneming ondersoek soos dit deur evaluering en waardebepaling teen die agtergrond van deelnemende gemeenskapsontwikkelingsprosesse na vore gekom het. Met die diskoers van vergaderings deur boeregroepe as ʼn genre van sakevergaderings, waar die publiek by besluitnemingsinteraksies tussen regering en burgers ingesluit is, het hierdie studie sig op die teorie van waardebepaling, die teorie van genre-analise, die model vir die analise van burgerskapgesprekke, en die benadering tot sakevergadering-onderhandeling beroep om te verken hoe deelnemers Luganda gebruik om assessering uit te druk en gedurende interaktiewe diskoers besluite te neem. Die studie het drie belangrike besluitnemingstyle geïdentifiseer wat ʼn kultureel gekonstrueerde begrip van deelname in Luganda demonstreer. Terwyl subtiele besluitneming spontane groepsposisies behels wat nie formeel as ʼn besluit bekend gemaak word nie, gee eksplisiete besluitneming blyke van posisies wat op overte wyse deur ʼn deelnemer aangekondig word. Virtuele besluitneming behels intermitterende beweging in die rigting van ʼn groepsposisie. Terwyl sommige vergaderings moderators het, voer verskeie ander die rol van moderator deur verskillende deelnemers uit. Om die waarheid te sê, in etlike gevalle neem deelnemers beurte om op ʼn spontane wyse te praat, sonder om die toestemming van die moderator te verkry. Ondanks die verskil in besluitnemingstyle is die oorkoepelende doel van deelname in hierdie genre van Luganda-diskoers om konsensus te bereik en ʼn kollektiewe identiteit te toon. Hierdie doel neem egter nie die reg en vryheid van deelnemers om krities te redeneer, vir ʼn posisie te onderhandel, konflik uit te spreek, en gesag te bevraagteken weg nie. Hierdie studie baan die weg vir verdere navorsing ten opsigte van gebiede van evaluering, interkulturele kommunikasie, forensiese linguistiek, professionele diskoers, en ander gebiede van toegepaste linguistiek in Ugandese tale, asook in ander Afrikatale. / The Graduate School of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Stellenbosch, the African Doctoral Academy (ADA), Makerere University, the French Institute for Research in Africa (IFRA), and the Center for Research on Environmental Decisions (CRED) at Columbia University

published_or_final_version / abstract / English / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy