Miscommunication

The dictionary defines “miscommunication” as “a failure to communicate adequately.”

It is easy to miscommunicate even between people who speak the same language. The probability of miscommunication is even greater across language and cultural barriers.

Noe was a student in our Culture/Language Acquisition Practicum. He saw a skull sitting next to his language helper’s house and wanted to know what significance or role it played in the native’s culture. But how do you ask that when your language helper has a limited understanding of English? He tried to communicate the concept of “significance” in simple terms as he framed his question.

Noe asked, “So what is behind that skull?”

One definition for “behind” is “something that is underlying but not apparent to the observer.” That’s how Noe was using the word. He wanted to know what was “behind” the skull in the sense of what is the underlying significance of the skull.

But a far more common definition of “behind” is “at the back of someone or something.” And that is how Noe’s language helper understood the word “behind.”

The language helper paused for a second and looked over at the skull sitting next to his house. Then he looked at the area behind the skull. Finally he replied, with a puzzled expression on his face, “Well, there is nothing behind that skull.”

It was obvious to the language helper that there was nothing located behind the skull. But he checked just to make sure that he wasn’t missing something. When he was sure that there was nothing in back of the skull, he told Noe there was nothing there. But he could not quite understand why Noe thought that there was something behind the skull.

Noe and his classmates got a chuckle out of the mistake that he made. But it was a good learning opportunity to demonstrate the difficulty of communicating with someone who does not know your language or culture.

Our summer break is just beginning. We have spent the last two mornings evaluating our Culture/Language Acquisition Practicum. Summer months are a good opportunity for working on curriculum that we teach during the regular semester. I appreciate your prayers as we fine tune our courses in preparation for the fall semester.

Bob

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You can’t break God’s promises by leaning on them!

1.      God’s presence—“I will never leave thee” (Heb. 13:5)

2.      God’s protection—“I am thy shield” (Gen. 15:1)

3.      God’s power—“I will strengthen thee” (Isa. 41:10)

4.      God’s provision—“I will help thee” (Isa. 41:10)

5.      God’s leading—“And when He putteth forth His own sheep, He goeth before them” (John 10:4)

6.      God’s purposes—“I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil” (Jer. 20:11)

7.      God’s rest—“Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28)

8.      God’s cleansing—“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9)

9.      God’s goodness—“No good thing will He withhold from them that work uprightly” (Psalm 84:11)

10.  God’s faithfulness—“The Lord will not forsake His people for His great name’s sake” (1 Sam. 12:22)

11.  God’s guidance—“The meek will He guide” (Psalm 25:9)

12.  God’s wise plan—“All things work together for good to them that love God” (Rom. 8:28)