Yoji Yamakuse interview on intercultural communications

>>M. Novak : Some people say that all you have to do is speak the same language. With everybody moving toward English, what do you think is the value of the intercultural skills as opposed to just the language skills? >>Y. Yamakuse : Okay, you know, people may forget that English is spoken based on different context. You know, that is really important, or based on different expectations. When I speaking to you I'm using "American mode", like gesture, or eye contact, or like way of speaking - how to construct my theory. But when I speak into Japanese people, maybe I will use a different way. Maybe I will start from background, and I don't use such kind of, I mean, gesture. Just I will sit down like this. But both side must have a good will to communicate. But if I start speaking like this, [moving to Japanese style] it is really, difficult for Americans to understand - hum? I am quite a progressive Japanese - [switching back to American style] right? So, context and background is different. Then they use English - it is a trap, trap! So to avoid this trap we need to have a so called "view" of intercultural analysis. And that is my job to fix it. And this is not easy. Sometimes it's gonna be quite serious. The reason is, you know, if like intercultural communication, misunderstanding accumulated, it's gonna be a collapse of the business itself. Sometimes, even, unfortunately legal action can be happened. People may consider other "Oh, I am looked down", based on the English context is different. That case, that person might sue other people because of discrimination. It may happens! So, you know, intercultural communication is a key issue to, how can I say, fill that gap. That is why, English is the same - of course English is the same - but again, if people depend on the English itself, it is really dangerous.