Editing Cross-cultural communication (section)

== Differences between westerners and indigenous Australians ==

{{essay|section|date=February 2023}}

In the view of Australian linguists, such as [[Michael Walsh (linguist)|Michael Walsh]] and [[Ghil'ad Zuckermann]],{{qualify evidence}} conversations between people from [[western culture]]s are usually: "[[Dyad (sociology)|dyad]]ic" – i.e. a dialogue between two specific people; direct eye contact is important; whichever person is speaking at a particular point in time controls the interaction, and; conversations are "contained", in a relatively short, well-defined time frame.

Indigenous Australian conversational interactions – in contrast to those of westerners – tend to be: "communal" or multilateral, i.e. they involve several people simultaneously; direct eye contact is not important (or even deliberately minimised); listeners control the interaction, and; conversations are "continuous" or episodic, spread over a longer, less definite timeframe.<ref name=Engaging>{{citation|url=https://arts.adelaide.edu.au/linguistics/guide.pdf|title=ENGAGING – A Guide to Interacting Respectfully and Reciprocally with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, and their Arts Practices and Intellectual Property|author=Zuckermann, Ghil'ad|display-authors=et al|publisher=Australian Government: Indigenous Culture Support|year=2015|page=12|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160330114112/http://arts.adelaide.edu.au/linguistics/guide.pdf|archive-date=30 March 2016|author-link=Ghil'ad Zuckermann}}</ref><ref>{{citation|url=https://digitalcollections.anu.edu.au/handle/1885/47329|publisher=Australian National University, North Australia Research Unit|author=Walsh, Michael|year=1997|title=Cross cultural communication problems in Aboriginal Australia|pages=7–9|isbn=9780731528745}}</ref>