CHAPTER 4

Intercultural Communication

Business English as a Lingua Franca (BELF) is a ‘neutral’ and shared communication code.1

In this chapter we move on from our examination of cultural differences to a discussion of intercultural communication and the ways in which people from the Gulf manage to communicate successfully with people from outside the Gulf. We will consider the languages that are used in the region, the strategies that people use to facilitate the numerous intercultural interactions that take place on a daily basis, and the achievement of what we will call “rapport” through the management of talk between people interacting in the workplace.

Business English as a Lingua Franca

The Dominance of English

One of the most important ...

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