How Cultural Norms in Indian Culture Influence Communication?

Introduction

Attention-getter: “Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk said, “As many languages you know, as many times you are a human being.” The same goes for knowing other cultures.”

Thesis statement: Indian cultural heritage is a fantastic source of spiritual and scientific knowledge. Moreover, Indian cultural communication patterns derive from their deep spirituality.

Preview main points: Effective interaction with people from different cultures may demand some basic knowledge about their communication norms and traditions. Not to feel like a cultural stranger, when visiting India on vacations or when communicating with Indian Americans, one should know the communicational patterns of this culture.

Body

Cultural values and norms shape communication. Indian culture is collectivistic.

A brief history of Indian ancient metropolises. The Ancient Hindustan.

First Indian metropolises appeared earlier than Buddha’s teaching and were separate kingdoms that later united in one great empire.

People’s ways of life in metropolises made Indian culture collectivistic.

• Indian people were keen traders – collectivism vs. individualism, pros and cons.
• Indian people were keen warriors – collectivism vs. individualism, pros, and cons.
• Lives in metropolises required dense cooperation, which led to collectivism.

Sample Speech: Citation “A” brief statement of supporting material in a speech.

Indian culture is collectivistic, like most Southern cultures.

• Climate influences people’s ways of life.
• Climate affects people’s forms of communication.
• Climate influences the manner and direction in which the culture develops.

Transition: Collectivism is not the only characteristic feature of Indian culture that developed under the influence of its urbanization and hot climate.

Preview of second sub-point

Another way of expressing oneself primarily characteristic of Sothern cultures is competitiveness vs. cooperation. In harsh conditions, people tend to be more restrained and defensive. But the geography of India and its location mainly in the tropical and subtropical regions made survival more attainable. It also led to better cooperation since the Indian jungle was still full of animated danger personified well in R. Kipling’s stories – tigers, snakes, bears, and all types of smaller cats like jaguars and pumas.

Cultural values and norms shape communication. Indian culture is cooperative.

Indians living in metropolises and villages had to face many dangers.

• Indian people always used to be keen warriors – competitiveness vs. cooperation.
• The dangers of selfishness.

Indians living in metropolises and villages had to cooperate to survive.

Indian people always used to be keen traders – competitiveness vs. cooperation.

Indian hospitality

Indian famous hospitality: to what extent Indian are prone to celebrate guests and travelers’ visits.

Indian hospitality is rooted in their spirituality and could have derived from respect towards traveling monks, ascetics, and enlightened individuals.

Transition

Cultural values and norms shape communication. Indian culture has low uncertainty avoidance.

Cooperative life in the face of dangers formed Indians as a confident nation.

Confidence is the ground allowing face uncertainties.

Cultural values and norms shape communication. Indian culture has rich non-verbal communication.

• Indian dance tradition: from kings to festivals.
• Indian cinematic tradition: from celebrations to Bollywood.
• Rich non-verbal communication in Indian culture: the meaning of gestures, head movements, and facial expressions.

Reference

Adler, Ronald B., George R. Rodman, and Athena Du Pré. Understanding human communication. Vol. 10. Oxford University Press, 2016.