What does cross-cultural misunderstanding mean and give an example?

Answer 1

You could refer to a science called Cultural Anthropology.

This is the study of how the meaning of a word or saying can change between cultures.

Example follows.

One time during a conference call with a friend in UK I mentioned that the dog was

begging for the candy (M&M peanuts) that I was eating, so I "Gave the dog one".

His response was laughter because in UK culture that could mean I had sex with the

dog!

Ironically, my original posting to this question contained 3 letter word, starting with

F that in USA is a derogatory term for a gay person but in UK is a cigarette.

So the forum has flagged my posting as being offensive!

If that's not cultural-misunderstanding I don't know what it is, perhaps it is

"contextual misunderstanding?"

Answer 2

Cross-cultural misunderstanding refers to misinterpretations or conflicts that arise when individuals from different cultures have difficulty comprehending each other's beliefs, behaviors, or communication styles. For example, in some cultures, direct eye contact is seen as a sign of respect and engagement, while in others, it may be perceived as disrespectful or confrontational, leading to misunderstandings in social interactions.