Communication is an act between two or more parties. Successful communication is based on all parties coming to the communication event with a similar understanding of the item at hand. Unsuccessful communication can result from the parties involved in the event having different background, life experiences, languages, dialects, slang, wit, humor, grasp of irony and idioms, and even just trouble hearing or seeing.
In the case of two people standing together at a cocktail party, communication begins with a thought in one person's brain which he converts to speech and body language in order to convey the desired message to the other interlocuter. Once the message has left his lips, the ears, eyes, and brain of the second person gather data and interpret the message given by the first person. We can imagine that these people are perhaps coworkers who know one another decently well and have a standing rapport with one another, so it is unlikely that the message will be understood with different intent by the second person.
However, if we change the details of mystery man 2, the story changes:
Man 1: 25 yr old, message: "I'm really digging the DJ"
Man 2: 65 yr old, receives: ...he is digging something? and responds: "You were gardening today?"
And another change:
Man 1: 40 yr old, message: "I'm really digging the DJ"
Man 2: 21 yr old, receives: .... thinks: is that guy really wearing a sweater vest?
Communication breakdown can occur before a message even begins transmission if the interlocuters are not receptive to passing messages due to cultural differences.
In order to be heard, we must first be seen as equals on the discussion stage. This may mean changing things about ourselves so that we become acceptable matches in the eyes of our interlocuters. We accommodate in this manner everyday with our choice of dress (work clothes to appear professional, team sportswear to indicate support and camaraderie with other sports fans, etc.).
Kubota (2002) discusses accommodation at a national level through 'Kokusaika'. Wanting to be a player in the global market, Japan began anglicizing in the late 20th century. In adopting McD's and EFL programs, Japan placed certain aspects of American society over its own heritage. At the same time, these became tools for Japan to communicate and claim power in the international community. This tension built around the promotion of English allows for a growth in nationalism in that national description and support is a larger, more cohesive identity as defined through the lens of the government and international relations. But with a growth in nationalism, there is a decline in support for domestic diversity.
Going back to the earlier conversation examples, for Japan, the analogy can be made that they are meeting with the Westernized others at the McD's, and everyone has decided not to wear sweater vests anymore. Each individual is entering onto the communication field with firm footing.
But what does it mean that English should be the most prominent language studied (and as Kubota states, it is the only 'foreign language' in most schools)? What message is communicated through the Anglicized Center?
Why should a person feel pressured to remove his sweater vest and speak American English ('plain English')?
The power struggle presented through 'Kokusaika' and through this article place U.S. and U.K. Englishes on golden thrones. Those who are native speakers of these Englishes see themselves as entitled while those learners of these Englishes feel inadequate and lesser world citizens: there exists a perceived superiority of both the language and its speakers. And where the article mentions a high percentage of Japanese citizens who travel outside the country yearly, the average midwest American does not even own a passport; we can conclude that as far as Englishes being an international asset, the average Japanese person has more international commonsense than the average American English speaker.
The article, and this gal, suggest that in order to find more equal footing on the communication stage, it is not the concern of only one party to make changes. Accommodations should be made and cultural information learned and exchanged by every person around the world. Especially in schools where children are highly impressionable and where we are expected to learn the abilities that will help us succeed in life. We need to present children at all levels with relevant learning materials that support their individual identities while introducing new concepts, world views, and world languages.
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