This document discusses cultural differences between Arab and Western (British-American) communication styles. It analyzes differences based on Hofstede's cultural dimensions model, including power distance, individualism vs collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, and long vs short-term orientation. Key differences discussed are greater power distance and collectivism in Arab cultures, as well as the importance of concepts like "face" and honor. The document also examines politeness conventions, appropriate topics of discussion, non-verbal communication norms, and challenges in Anglo-Arab intercultural communication.

1. Akhfin Rahardhiyanto
Elinda Fariz
Naimy Zam Zam
Sarrah Ulfah
Silva Citra Dewi

3. We could make difference between 2
types of study:
1.Those who focuse on comparing the value,
priority and orientation based on each
typical of culture
2.Those who focuse on on actual
communication.
American and British cultures are taken
as typical examples of low-context cultures.
Hutching and Weir(2007) said that they
remark that Arabs consider their word of
honor as binding and there is no need
formal wirtten contexts.

4. No. Five Dimensions Arab British-Americans
1 Power distance
Accepts
hierarchical
ranking and
privileges
2 Individualism vs. Collectivism Collectivist Highly
individualistic
3 Masculinity vs. Femininity
4 Uncertainty avoidance Lower tolerance of
uncertainty
Higher tolerance
of uncertainty
5 Long-term orientation vs. Short-term
orientation
Emphasizes birth
and rank
Focuses on
activity and
achievement
Hofstede’s framework for the
comparison of cultures
No Five Dimensions Arab
British-
Americans
1 Power distance
Accepts
hierarchical
ranking and
privileges
2
Individualism vs.
Collectivism
Collectivist Highly
individualistic
3
Masculinity vs.
Femininity
4
Uncertainty
avoidance
Lower
tolerance of
uncertainty
Higher
tolerance of
uncertainty
5
Long-term
orientation vs. Short-term
orientation
Emphasizes
birth and
rank
Focuses on
activity and
achievement

5. The notion of face and
honor is crucial for an
understanding of Arab
culture.
“Losing face is the
ultimate disgrace, and
an Arab will go to almost
any length to avoid it.”
Ex: Arabs rarely say
either yes or no, they are
more likely to ignore
something they disagree
with, then openly reject
or criticize it.

6. Politeness issues differences in positive &
negative politeness:
In terms of offering British prefers positive politeness while
Arab favors negative politeness
Ex: in British when they offer food they’ll say “would you like
another piece of cake?” while Moroccan would forcefully give
more food and wouldn’t take no for an answer.
In terms of written communication
Ex: in job application letters, Arabic speakers use less negative
politeness and more positive politeness (using compliments
and appeal for pity).
In terms of compliments Arabic-speaking communities use
more formulas than Americans in compliments.
Ex: similar formulas that exist in two languages used with
different speaking actions (English thank god and Arabic
hamdu lillah)

8. Another source of
misunderstanding may be
the subjects of conversation
chosen by the participants
in an Anglo-Arab
interaction.
The Arabic speakers
differed significantly from
the Americans in their
judgments of what points
could appropriately be
talked about discussionsof
age, money, recreation,
weather, travel, and
themselves.

9. Non-linguistic parameters such as gestures, eye contact,
and personal space may also have impact on
interlocutor’s perceptions of one another.
Researcher found that the Arabs confronted each other
more directly than the Americans, sat closer to each
other, and looked each other more squarely in the eye.
About personal space, may this space will be different
between friends and between strangers. Norms for
personal space clearly vary depending on whether the
interlocutors are the same or the opposite sex

10. About eye contact, Wunderle (2007)
advising intercultural negotiators,
maintains that Arab use more eye contact
than their American counterparts, but US
Department Of Justice document (n.d.)
for police training warns that in Arab
culture it is disrespectful to maintain
direct consistent eye contact.
 Here too, it is probably necessary to
distinguish situations involving different
sexes from same sex interactions

11. Participants in an
intercultural exchange
cannot be assumed that
they maintain the
communication patterns
they habitually use with
their compatriots.
Arabic speakers prefer to
express disagreements
indirectly when talking
among themselves.

12. Discussion of intercultural
interaction often seems to
focus on the productive side
of interaction, advising
participants on how to talk
to other. Americans need
not only to know how to be
polite when speaking to
Arabs,and to be able to
interpret the Arabs.

13. Family Values
Meeting Etiquette
Gift Giving Etiquette
Dining Etiquette
Table manners
Business Meeting Etiquette
Business Negotiating
Dress Etiquette
Business Card

15. In tthhee lliitteerraattuurree oonn AAnngglloo--AArraabb
ccoommmmuunniiccaattiioonn tthhaatt tthhee kkeeyy ttoo
ssuucccceessssffuull iinntteerrccuullttuurraall
ccoommmmuunniiccaattiioonniiss kknnoowwlleeddggee ooff tthhee
ootthheerrss’’ ccuullttuurree.. SSoo oofftteenn lleeaarrnniinngg ttoo
iinntteerraacctt wwiitthh mmeemmbbeerrss ooff aannootthheerr
ccuullttuurree sseeeemmss ttoo bbee eeqquuaalleedd wwiitthh
lleeaarrnniinngg aabboouutt tthhiiss ccuullttuurree..

16. There are number of problems with this assumption,
and we would agree with Shi-Xu and Wilson’s remark
that “more linguistic and cultural knowledge is not a
necessary, not even a sufficient, condition for the
success of intercultural communication”.

17. First, there is the danger that provision of detailed
information about the other may full interactants into a
false sense of security. And this is definitely a situation
where a little knowledge maybe a dangerous thing. A
misused formula, a misleading gesture, or a
misinterpreted remark may sometimes have far more
serious consequences that a simple admission of
ignorance.

18. Obstacle in AAnngglloo--AArraabb IInntteerraaccttiioonn
Another danger is the Western people who already
judge Arabs in stereotype.
And so, we would agree that studies of Anglo-Arab
intercultural communication need to address not
merely the norms of such communication.

19.  There is a big differences between Arabian people and Moslem people
especially in culture
 Arab culture refers to the culture in
the countries in which the official
language is Arabic (although the
Arabic language in some of them is the language
of minority), and the west officials and
scholars used to call them "Arab countries"
of Western Asia and North Africa, from
Morocco to the Arabian Sea.
 Arab, is one of the region that
have numbers of different
local signal