Mutual knowledge and the ‘hidden common ground’: An interdisciplinary perspective on mutual understanding in intercultural communication
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Karsten Senkbeil
Abstract
This chapter argues that there exists a hidden form of common ground which heavily influences intercultural understanding, and which should thus augment existing theories on common ground emergence in Intercultural Pragmatics. It begins with a short recapitulation of the meaning of knowledge in theoretical discussions in linguistics and other humanities, which adds a transdisciplinary perspective on ‘mutual knowledge’, the key idea in discussions of the common ground. With the aim of a synthesis of current developments in pragmatics, cognitive linguistics and anthropology, this chapter demonstrates that similar trends surrounding terms such as embodied knowledge and empracticism can be observed across these neighboring disciplines. Combining these ideas into a unified perspective helps reassess what exactly we mean when we discuss ‘assumed mutually shared knowledge’ among speakers-hearers, particularly in intercultural encounters. Examples from empirical research on intercultural discourse in English as a lingua franca support the theoretical argument. Hence, this chapter intends to show that we need to pay attention to embodied and empractic networks of knowledge that are cognitively and communicatively complex at first glance, but widely shared across cultures, a hidden common ground in intercultural communication.
Abstract
This chapter argues that there exists a hidden form of common ground which heavily influences intercultural understanding, and which should thus augment existing theories on common ground emergence in Intercultural Pragmatics. It begins with a short recapitulation of the meaning of knowledge in theoretical discussions in linguistics and other humanities, which adds a transdisciplinary perspective on ‘mutual knowledge’, the key idea in discussions of the common ground. With the aim of a synthesis of current developments in pragmatics, cognitive linguistics and anthropology, this chapter demonstrates that similar trends surrounding terms such as embodied knowledge and empracticism can be observed across these neighboring disciplines. Combining these ideas into a unified perspective helps reassess what exactly we mean when we discuss ‘assumed mutually shared knowledge’ among speakers-hearers, particularly in intercultural encounters. Examples from empirical research on intercultural discourse in English as a lingua franca support the theoretical argument. Hence, this chapter intends to show that we need to pay attention to embodied and empractic networks of knowledge that are cognitively and communicatively complex at first glance, but widely shared across cultures, a hidden common ground in intercultural communication.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- Introduction 1
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1 Understanding common ground
- The interdependence of common ground and context 7
- Understanding common ground as a cognitive object 25
- From laboratory to real life: Obstacles in common ground building 59
- Presupposition failures and the negotiation of the common ground 81
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2 Emergent common ground
- Grounding emergent common ground: Detecting markers of emergent common ground in a YouTube discussion thread 105
- Co-constructing emergent common ground: The role of the intercultural mediator 135
- The co-construction of common ground through exemplars unique to an ESL classroom 163
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3 Common ground building
- Mutual knowledge and the ‘hidden common ground’: An interdisciplinary perspective on mutual understanding in intercultural communication 197
- The linguistic code as basis for common ground building in English as a foreign language 219
- ELF disagreement as an interactional resource for doing interculturality 237
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4 Common ground in different discourses
- Working offline: Common ground in written discourse 263
- Metapragmatic expressions as common ground builders in intercultural business communication 281
- Harmony and common ground: Aikido principles for intercultural training 305
- Contributors to this volume 337
- Index 339
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- Introduction 1
-
1 Understanding common ground
- The interdependence of common ground and context 7
- Understanding common ground as a cognitive object 25
- From laboratory to real life: Obstacles in common ground building 59
- Presupposition failures and the negotiation of the common ground 81
-
2 Emergent common ground
- Grounding emergent common ground: Detecting markers of emergent common ground in a YouTube discussion thread 105
- Co-constructing emergent common ground: The role of the intercultural mediator 135
- The co-construction of common ground through exemplars unique to an ESL classroom 163
-
3 Common ground building
- Mutual knowledge and the ‘hidden common ground’: An interdisciplinary perspective on mutual understanding in intercultural communication 197
- The linguistic code as basis for common ground building in English as a foreign language 219
- ELF disagreement as an interactional resource for doing interculturality 237
-
4 Common ground in different discourses
- Working offline: Common ground in written discourse 263
- Metapragmatic expressions as common ground builders in intercultural business communication 281
- Harmony and common ground: Aikido principles for intercultural training 305
- Contributors to this volume 337
- Index 339
