When it comes to communicating across different cultures, understanding the language may be just the beginning.
A leading intercultural communications expert said that the ability to “read between the lines” and understanding non-spoken expressions in various cultural contexts is also an important part of communication, one that’s often overlooked when studying foreign languages.
According to Park Myung-seok, professor emeritus at Dankook University, the English-education curriculum in Korean schools does not reflect this fact nearly enough. Park has written several books on the topic of intercultural communications. Most recently he co-edited a book, titled “Communicating Nonverbally: An Introduction to Nonverbal Communication.”