PRAGMATIC FAILURE IN INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION IN ENGLISH

Abstract

As English is more and more used as a global means of communication by people from a variety of different cultures, it has become increasingly apparent that problems do occur in interpreting the meanings of words and phrases. In communication, the issue of language misuse can arise when there is a mismatch between the language used and the social context. This is known as pragmatic failure. Pragmatic failure can be described as a failure in communication because speakers are unable to either use or interpret language in the appropriate context. Intercultural communication in English is often marred by pragmatic failure. This phenomenon is explored in the following article which looks at the common manifestations and underlying causes of this issue. Previous research suggests that misunderstandings arising from a pragmatic or conversational context are frequently the result of cultural differences rather than grammatical errors. Without awareness of the pragmatic factors, it is possible for communication to fail and relationships to suffer as a result. English language programmes ought to incorporate teaching in intercultural pragmatics to ensure effective communication in the multicultural context.