Chapter 2: Communication and Globalization

Lesson Outcomes: At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
a. Define what globalization is;
b. Identify the impacts of globalization to communication.
Lesson1: The Globalization phenomenon
Globalization- Globalization is a process of interaction and integration among people,
companies and governments of different nations, a process driven by international trade
and investment and aided by information technology.
Globalization has emerged as a new paradigm for describing the way in which the
human family can relate to each other. Globalization is the increased
interconnectedness of all peoples on the face of the earth.
Globalization motives are idealistic, as well as opportunistic, but the development of a
global free market has benefited large corporations based in the Western world. Its
impact remains mixed for workers, cultures, and small businesses around the globe, in
both developed and emerging nations.
Globalization is a social, cultural, political, and legal phenomenon. 

 Socially, it leads to greater interaction among various populations.

 Culturally, globalization represents the exchange of ideas, values, and artistic
expression among cultures.
 Globalization also represents a trend toward the development of single world
culture. 
 Politically, globalization has shifted attention to intergovernmental organizations
like the United Nations (UN) and the World Trade Organization (WTO).
 Legally, globalization has altered how international law is created and enforced.

Lesson 2: Communication and Globalization

Benefits of Globalization to Communication

 As technology advances, the world is both getting larger and smaller. Today we
are able to communicate with people across the globe at the touch of a button.
While globalization, or communication between nations beyond their borders, is
an old concept, with the onset of new technology globalization is impacting the
ways we communicate and learn in fascinating ways. We are expanding our
understanding of fellowship and as we become more connected, we are
deepening our educational experiences.

 The world becomes more accessible and equitable in general. Search engines,
EBooks, online courses and other virtual education give more people the ability to
learn about subjects that used to require a certain level of income or social
positioning. Information isn’t as restricted and it allows us the opportunity not only
to receive information but to enter into academic spaces and contribute.

’The Globalization of Communication’

Main points:
- Today communication is increasingly global
- This promotes a ’reordering’ of time and space
- This in turn, promotes global interconnections interdependencies = globalization.
- Globalization is a progress, not an end state. Started mainly with three processes
during the 19th century:

Tracing the History of the Globalization of Communication

1.) 1830’s. The telegraph – electric communication via transatlantic underwater

cables. No more messengers.
1843 – Washington and Baltimore connected
1865 – Britain and India connected
 1870s – Europe linked to large parts of the world
1924 – King George V sends a message to himself that circulated the globe in 80
seconds

2.) 2.) 19th century. Emergence of global news networks. Significant in three ways
1.) News over large territories
2.) Global in scope
3.) Reached big audiences

3.) 3.) Electro-magnetic waves. The emergence of organziations with the mission to
dissiminate radio frequencies.

Effect of Globalization to Communication Skills

a. Virtual Interaction- Globalization has introduced virtual communication

and collaboration as a major part of workplace dynamics. Modern
entrepreneurs need to understand the strengths and limitations of different
communications media, and how to use each medium to maximum effect. For
example, communicating via email to distant team members requires a certain
etiquette and nuance not necessarily required in face-to-face interactions.
Holding virtual meetings requires a similar change in approach, and people who
are unaccustomed to communicating in groups in virtual settings can find
themselves lost, confused or unable to share their input. When choosing a
communication skills training program, look for courses that address the
challenges of virtual interactions.

b. Cultural Awareness in speech- The need for cultural awareness is a

major impact of globalization on the required skill set of effective
communicators, resulting in the evolution of communication skills development
programs. Modern entrepreneurs and employees need the ability to catch
subtle nuances of people's manner of speech when communicating across
cultures. Even when two people are speaking the same language, cultural
differences can affect vocabulary, colloquial expressions, voice tone and taboo
topics.

c. Cultural Awareness in Body Language- Awareness of cultural differences

in body language can be just as important as the nuances of speech. Modern
training programs teach students to understand acceptable speaking distances,
conflict styles, eye contact and posture in different cultures, accepting that the
physical expressions of their own culture are not universally accepted. 

d. Time Differences- The advent of global collaboration introduces another

new dynamic to communication skills -- the need to communicate and share
information with people across several time zones. When people collaborate
with others on the other side of the globe, their counterparts are usually at
home asleep while they themselves are at work. Today's communication skills
development programs should address the nuances of overcoming this
challenge by teaching people to understand the information needs of their
 colleagues, according to the communication styles of different countries or
cultures.

Assessment:
1. Write an essay about your view on the impact/ effect of
globalization to communication.
2. Give 5 advantages and 5 disadvantages of globalization.

Lesson 3: Varieties and Registers of Spoken and Written language

Learning Outcomes: At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
a. Determine culturally- appropriate terms, expressions, and images (sensitivity to
gender, race, class, etc.);
b. Adopt cultural awareness and sensitivity in communication of ideas;
According to an article written by Gleaner, we have six language registers: formal,
casual, intimate, private, frozen and consultative. These registers can be use depending
on the situation and people we encounter. It is essential to use appropriate varieties and
registers of language in certain communication context because in different situations
and people call for different registers. It shows the level of formality and informality of
the language used. When we use appropriate varieties and register of language we’re
showing respect, interest, comfortableness and professionalism.
However, we have different approach in language register when it comes to face-to-face
conversation and in written mode. We characterized face-to-face conversation as multi-
modality because we can use different registers and we considered the status, position
or the way of living of the person we’re communicating with in order to know when and
where to use or drop the formality. While in writing a paper we commonly use the formal
register since the construction of sentences, correction of grammar and appropriate
using of words really matter.
Language Variety
Variety- It refers to any variant of a language which can be sufficiently delimited from
one another.
 Social
 Historical
 Spatial
A. Varieties of Language
1. Pidgin- is a new language which develops in situations where speakers of
different languages need to communicate but do not share a common language.

Examples: Nigerian pidgin, Bislama (spoken in Vanuatu)

2. Creole- is a pidgin that becomes the first language of the children and the
mother tongue of the community.

Examples: Gullah, Patwa (Jamaican Creole), Pidgin (Hawai’l Creole English)

3. Regional Dialect- is not a distinct language but a variety of language spoken in

a particular community.

Examples: Hillbilly English (from the Appalachians in the USA), Geordie (from
the Newcastle upon Tyne in the UK)

4. Minority Dialect- is a variety used as a marker of identity, usually alongside

standard variety, by the members of a particular minority ethnic group.
 Examples: African American vernacular English in the USA, London Jamaican in
Britain, Aboriginal English in Australia

5. Indigenized Variety- are spoken mainly as second languages in ex-colonies with

multilingual populations.

Example: Singlish (spoken in Singapore)

B. Language Registers
Register- According to Nordquist (2018), a register is:
 Defined as a way a speaker uses a language differently in different
circumstances
 Determined by factors as social occasion, context, purpose, and audience
 Determined the vocabulary, structure, and some grammar in one’s writing and
even in one’s oral discourse.
Five Distinct Registers According to Nordquist;
1. Frozen- it refers to historic language or communication that is intended to remain
unchanged, like a constitution or a prayer.
Examples: The Holy Bible, the United States’ Constitution, Romeo and Juliet

2. Formal- is used in professional, academic or legal settings where communication

is expected to be respectful, uninterrupted, and restrained. Slang is never used
and contractions are rare.
Examples: TED talk, a business presentation, the Encyclopaedia Britannica, and
Gray’s anatomy by Henry Gray

3. Consultative- is used in a conversation when they are speaking with someone

who has specialized knowledge or who is offering advice. Tone is often
respectful, may be more casual if the relationship is friendly.
Example: the local TV news broadcast, an annual physical examination, a
service provider like a plumber

4. Casual- is used when interacting with friends, close acquaintances and co-
workers, and family.
Example: a birthday party, a backyard bbq

5. Intimate- is reserved for special occasions, usually between only two people and
often in private

Examples: an inside joke between two college friends, a word whispered in a

lover’s ear
Language Registers are classified as:
1. Formal Language Register- is more appropriate for formal writing and letters to
a boss or a stranger.
 is impersonal, meaning it is not written for a specific person and without
emotion
Example: business letter, letters of complaint, reports, official speeches,
announcements, professional e-mails
Rules in Formal Writing:
a. Do not use contractions.
Cannot instead of can’t, have not instead of haven’t, is not instead of
isn’t
b. Spell out numbers less than one hundred.
 Nineteen, seventy-eight, twenty-two, six
c. Write in third person point of view; avoid using I, you, we, and us.
d. Avoid using too much passive verbs.
Passive: The bone was eaten by the dog.
Active: The dog ate the bone.
e. Avoid using slang, idioms, exaggeration, (hyperboles) and
clichés.
Awesome, cool, check it out, ok/okay
f. Avoid abbreviations and acronyms.
Department of Education (DepEd), Influenza (Flu), Philippine Peso
(PhP)
g. Do not start sentences with words like, and, so, but, also. Here
are some good transitional words and phrases to use in formal
writing.
Nevertheless, However, As a result of, Additionally, in addition,
Although
h. Always write in complete sentence.
i. Write longer, more complex sentences.

2. Informal Language Register- is conversational and appropriate when writing to

friends and people you know very well.
Examples: personal e-mails, phone text, short notes, friendly letters, diaries and
journals
There are no major rules to informal writing but you can include things
such as:
 Slangs and clichés
 Figurative language
 Symbols and
abbreviations
 Acronym
 Incomplete sentences
 Short sentences
 First person, second
person point of view
 Jokes
 Personal opinions
 Passive and active voice
 3. Neutral Language Register- It is not necessarily formal or informal. It is used to
deliver facts.
Examples: reviews, articles, technical writing
Assessment:
1. Write 10 sentences using formal register.
2. Write a friendly letter using informal register.

Lesson 4: Factors affecting Intercultural Communication

In this age of globalisation, workplaces are increasingly integrated. This makes
communication and cross-cultural understanding more crucial for everyone, including
executives, business leaders, workplace managers, and employees. In order to develop
skills as communicators, we must gain practical knowledge of the factors that make
communication across cultures succeed or fail.
According to experts in the field, some of those factors include:

1. Cultural Identity
Culture can be defined as the learned behaviour of values, attitudes, thought
patterns and ways of doing things that a person brings with them from a
particular place where they were brought up as a child. These values and
attitudes can have an impact on communication across cultures because each
person's norms and practices will often be different and may possibly clash with
those of co-workers brought up in different parts of the world.

2. Racial Identity
Racial identity refers to how one's membership to a particular race affects how
they interact with co-workers of different races.

3. Ethnic Identity
Ethnic identity highlights the role ethnicity plays in how two co-workers from
different cultures interact with one another. In the United States, white European
and Americans are less likely to take their ethnicity into account when
communicating, which only highlights the importance of addressing different
ethnicities in a workplace as a way of educating all co-workers to the dynamics
that may arise between individuals of the same or different ethnic groups.

4. Gender Roles
Another factor that impacts intercultural communication is gender. This means
that communication between members of different cultures is affected by how
different societies view the roles of men and women. 

5. Individual Identity
The individual identity factor is the fifth factor that impacts cross-cultural
communication. This means that how a person communicates with others from
other cultures depends on their own unique personality traits and how they
esteem themselves. Just as a culture can be described in broad terms as "open"
or "traditional," an individual from a culture can also be observed to be "open-
minded" or "conservative." These differences will have an effect on the way that
multiple individuals from the same culture communicate with other individuals.

6. Social Class
A sixth factor which influences intercultural communication is the social identity
factor. The social identity factor refers to the level of society that person was born
into or references when determining whom they want to be and how they will act
accordingly.

7. Age
 The age identity factor refers to how members of different age groups interact
with one another. This might be thought of in terms of the "generation gap". More
hierarchical cultures like China, Thailand, and Cambodia pay great deference
and respect to their elders and take their elders' opinions into account when
making life-changing decisions. 

Characteristics of Competent Global Communicators

A. Be considerate of cultural differences. When communicating globally, it’s
important for you to understand that cultures and beliefs vary across different
nations.
B. Learn how your associates deal with things in their countries. The best
way to handle cultural differences is to research beforehand how different
countries handle business meetings or any other type of discourse.
C. Be aware of language barriers. English is usually the medium of discourse,
but take note that some countries do not necessarily use this as their primary
language. While you may sound smart with witty jargon among those who have
been speaking the language for most of their lives, people from China or
France, for instance, may not understand your wit. Best to stick to formal
English, which is easier to understand.
D. Go over any form of written correspondence before you send it out to
your contacts. It is easy to unconsciously cause misunderstandings when you
deal with people from different parts of the world. When reviewing your
correspondence, make sure that you’re not using derogatory terms or even
sentences that may be taken in the wrong light.
E. Always stay updated with developments in communications and
information technology. Over the years, technology has improved so that it’s
now possible to obtain real-time updates from people located from the other
side of the world. To be able to maintain the efficiency of global
communications, it’s important that you stay updated with the latest trends and
try to incorporate the more effective ones in your communication strategies.