INVESTIGATING THREE INTERCULTURAL FACTORS LEADING TO

COMMUNICATION FAILURE IN THE "MIND YOUR LANGUAGE" SITCOMS

ABSTRACT

Introduction
Today's world is flat, and communication by language is an indispensable need. According to Sapir
(1935), "Language is the communication process par excellence in all known societies" (p.78).
However, when people from different cultures communicate with each other, communication
failures can quickly occur due to failure to recognize the belief and value systems underpinning
the culture.
According to Girik Allo (2018), culture means different things to different people. It originated
from the fact that language is part of culture. Language and culture are foreign but have a very
close relationship; language is strongly influenced by culture, and conversely, culture is
significantly infused by language and how people think about it (Rabiah, 2018). Intercultural
communication competency (ICC) is a person's ability to achieve goals while using successful and
responsible communicative behavior to negotiate between multiple identities in a culturally
diverse situation.
Three components make up intercultural competence: intercultural awareness, sensitivity, and
effectiveness (Chen & Starosta, 1996). In this study, the influence of culture on cognition is a
decisive choice for evaluating human communication effectiveness. Liu et al. (2019) specifically
gave four main causes leading to barriers in intercultural communication: ethnocentrism,
stereotypes, prejudice, and racism. In addition, factors that create barriers to the use of intercultural
communication, added by Kateřina (2020), are high anxiety, ethnocentrism, cultural relativism,
preconceptions (stereotypes, prejudice), assuming similarity instead of difference, racism and
xenophobia, and ethnophaulisms. Some of these barrier factors will be used as arguments to
demonstrate their impact on English as a foreign language considered in this study.
In "Mind the Language" - the research context, each individual comes from a different country,
and language barriers and cultural factors have led to misunderstandings in communication. The
British sitcoms were broadcast in 1977, with conversations on classroom encounters, in which
teacher Brown was often misunderstood due to the diversity of different cultures of his learners.
It can be said that intercultural communication barriers in EFL classrooms are one of the things
that need attention for the development of humanity in globalization. The potentially dangerous
cultural factors for self-awareness that this research aims at are certain factors that must be
achieved to bring cultural issues in linguistics to the core.
Literature review
Intercultural Communication
Intercultural communication studies often focus on interactions between people who speak
different primary languages, speak the same language, and typically come from diverse cultural
backgrounds (Kecskes, 2011; Szkudlarek et al., 2020). In the age of globalization and integration,
the rise of intercultural diversity points to the necessity of developing global citizens with solid
intercultural communication abilities (Jandt, 2021; Nunan, 2003; Teng, 2005). Myron and Koester
(1993) defined intercultural communication as the interaction between people from different
cultures. Keating (1994) highlighted the value of communication and how it affected people's
behavior. The core of all human relationships is communication, with the capacity to express
views, values, thoughts, and feelings.
Aside from that, the process of developing shared knowledge and employing signs and symbols
that elicit meaning in another person helped communicators create productive discourse
(Sarbaugh, 1993; Cleary, 2008). In other words, culture, according to Hofstede (2001), is
conducted as the communal programming of the mind that sets one group or category of people
apart from another. Further acknowledges become prominent while the definition is not
exhaustive, and it adequately captures what he could measure. The mind was examined as a
component of culture, where the head represents thinking, the heart represents feeling, and the
hands represent doing, with implications for beliefs, attitudes, and abilities. Rodriguez (1999)
emphasized the impact of culture on people's perceptions and behavior. Parvis (2018) stated that
people with similar ideals create culture, while culture shapes people's lives. Cultural values,
traditions, and norms within family or friends are all shaped into a culture. How individuals in
society understand the communication events around them is frequently determined by their
worldview of the world. Because of this, people from many cultures are used to judging the
behaviors of other societies using their own ideologies and value systems. From the viewpoint of
Samovar and Porter (2004), perception and communication are both influenced by culture. So,
culture has a significant role in how individuals interact and interpret all forms of communication.
In particular, it is crucial to collaborate with people from different cultures by taking advantage of
one's national cultural understanding and practical communication abilities. Otherwise,
intercultural competence is the capacity to comprehend one's culture and other cultures to have a
productive dialogue. It is crucial to note that interpersonal communication skills are part of every
person's personality (Kurylo, 2012). Regarding this, students may perceive the importance of
intercultural competence in real-life interactions and wish to develop this competency in the EFL
classroom.
Barriers to Intercultural Communication
Increasing globalization leads to more excellent global connectivity, which has improved
international communication. These are the root causes of several typical impediments to
intercultural communication, which are also deeply integrated into people's attitudes and values.
Some researchers have indicated that cultural barriers hinder communication and interactions
(Byram, 2008; Matthew & Thakkar, 2012; Paige, 2013). According to the results of Ilie's (2019)
study, when people from various countries and cultural backgrounds connect, there will be both
pros and cons to intercultural communication. If someone is unfamiliar with a new culture and
refuses to learn about its unique customs and practices, there may be misunderstandings between
communicators from different cultural backgrounds (Starosta & Chen, 2007).
Nagda et al. (2006) found that dynamic barriers result from individuals having diverse
perspectives on the same issue, including racism, prejudice, stereotyping, ethnocentrism, and
anxiety with ambiguity. The emotional barriers warrant more study since they are more
challenging to overcome than other intercultural obstacles and have a deeper psychological
foundation. Liu et al. (2019) found four key factors that impede intercultural communication:
ethnocentrism, stereotyping, prejudice, and racism. The concretization makes it quite evident that
these issues are what disadvantaged second-language users experience. Moreover, Barna's (1997)
concept was among the first and still the best observations of what hinders people from conducting
more successful intercultural communication and building intercultural relations (Bennet, 2013).
This study considers four factors that hinder intercultural communication: ethnocentrism,
stereotype, and prejudice, which will most affect EFL students based on the movie.
Ethnocentrism
Ethnocentrism is defined as positively assessing another culture according to the norms of one's
own culture. People also feel that one's cultural background is superior, including assessing issues,
values, beliefs, and language (Mohanthy, 2005; Zhu, 2020). In other words, people's beliefs that a
lot of different cultures are behind their own in development or that their culture should serve as
an example for other civilizations have been described by Kim & Penry Williams (2021).
Moreover, ethnocentrism frequently results in the undervaluation and subordination of other
civilizations (Vita, 2001). Furthermore, effective communication is impossible because severe
ethnocentrism denies knowledge of different cultures (Jandt, 2021).
Stereotype
Stereotyping arises when a person overgeneralizes or has oversimplified beliefs about a group of
individuals with little to no fundamental knowledge (Keene, 2011; Zhu, 2020; Ilie, 2019). It results
from certain people's sluggish and constrained perceptions, who are always inclined to fit
individuals into predetermined categories based on their prior experiences. Such persons typically
base their conduct toward outgroup members on stereotype-related expectancies (Gudykunst,
2007). According to Ninvalle (2004) stereotypes are characteristics that are imposed on a group of
people because of things like their race, nationality, and sexual orientation. Stereotypes fall under
various categories based on race, religion, gender, age, occupation, and social class (Zhu,2020).
Prejudice
According to Whitley and Kite (2006), the distinctions between stereotypes and prejudices are
sometimes unclear. Prejudice is an expression of opposing views against a social group and its
members, whereas stereotypes are a quick way to generalize the traits of a social group. The latter
stresses unfair, unreasonable, and negative sentiments founded on preconceived notions and an
attitude of hatred unjustly aimed toward a specific person or group. Hence, prejudice refers to the
impact or feeling one experiences while thinking about engaging with members of other groups.
Prejudices are broadly defined as firmly held unfavorable attitudes toward a specific group. These
emotions frequently consist of rage, fear, aversion, and anxiety. Macionis (1998) described the
restrictive and unreasonable generalization about a group of individuals as prejudice. People who
maintain limiting opinions based on a lack of tangible proof act prejudiced. A particular social or
economic status, gender, sexuality, age, affiliation with a political party, or ethnic background may
be the object of prejudice.
In Allport's studies from more than fifty years ago, there are five typical manifestations of
prejudice, according to Starosta and Chen (2007): verbal abuse, physical avoidance,
discrimination, physical contact, and massacre. Name-calling and even racial jokes are examples
of verbal abuse. Physical avoidance in the form of isolation frequently occurs when some people
despise the other group of people. The failure to provide members of other groups with equal
chances in political rights, education, employment, and entertainment is another kind of
discrimination.
"Mind your language" sitcoms as cultural representations.
"Mind Your Language" is a four-part British television series broadcast in 1977. This comedy
television series, created by Stuart Allen, focuses on students from various nationalities who desire
to study English as a foreign language. It is set in a London adult education institution. Jeremy
Brown, a new EFL teacher who has taken over for his old teacher, who quit due to the stress of
instructing this unique class, is the movie's primary character. He teaches in a class of immigrant
students from diverse national, linguistic, and occupational backgrounds. Ten students serve as
representatives for each nation (Italy, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, China, Japan, India, and
Pakistan), and they frequently communicate with hilarious situations in episodes. The characters
included Ali Nadim, Anna Schmidt, Danielle Favre, Jamilla Ranjha, Juan Cervantes, Maximillian
Papandrious, Ranjeet Singh, Chung Su-Lee, Taro Nagazumi, and Giovanni Capello.
Methodology
Research Aims
The study investigates the critical effect of intercultural communication barriers that cause the
failure of communication between international students in an EFL class and the educators (a
teacher and the principal) in seasons 1 and 2 of the Mind Your Language TV series. The impact
of failure in intercultural communication awareness will be a way to support students in avoiding
getting into a rut when learning a foreign language. The study findings will assist in identifying
cognitive obstacles in learners regarding intercultural communication, hence improving the
eradication of cognitive boundaries and proposing solutions to overcome them.
Research Questions:
The study aimed to answer the following question:
What intercultural factors lead to communication failure in "Mind Your Language"- EFL sitcoms?
Research design, instruments, and participants
This study focuses on the description with a qualitative approach to provide a factual explanation.
While providing explanations for social phenomena can lead to the formation of new theories,
qualitative research often focuses on social people or groups who may have different views of
reality (Collins & Stockton, 2018).
The research instrument is considered essential to any research because it represents the data
collection the researcher will use during the research process. There are many data collection
forms in research, including observation, interviews, questionnaires, and documentation (Burhan,
2006; Meleong, 2001). "Mind The Language" is the object for collecting qualitative data using the
instruments of observation and analysis of the document in combination as follows:
1. Primary data, using observation from the sitcom "Mind Your Language."
2. Secondary data, using documentary techniques from movie scripts, websites, and
YouTube relevant to the research.
Observational data collection concentrates on seeing an object with all the senses of the human
body. This will serve as the basis for demonstrating that it does matter through their
communication that the research makes sense. The documentation technique involves gathering
online information, videos, transcriptions, and some printed publications. In this step, the writer
will combine transcripts and similar studies to analyze the content into sentences and assess which
important cultural factors have influenced the characters. From there, compare and contrast and
then conclude that the groups of subjects are affected the most.
The participants in this study were ten students in the sitcoms, and the two teachers who had direct
contact with them were recognized as Mr. Jeremy Brown, a full-time English teacher, and the
headteacher, Ms. Dolores Courtney, who also had regular contact with everyone in the class.
Data analysis
Some of the steps taken for the analysis are as follows:
+ Watch the comedy "Mind Your Language" several times to understand the general
content and ideas behind the work.
+ Collect the film's measured values. This helps to demonstrate support for the research
and related topics that have been carried out.
+ Grouping the elements into sections. After identifying all the situations obtained from
the film, these values are classified according to the factors that hinder intercultural
+ Relying on data sources from transcripts and carefully screening the data will ultimately
interpret the data in qualitative descriptive analysis.
+ Interpreting the results
Findings
Findings on communication failure due to stereotypes
Stereotypes as an intercultural factor that causes communication failure will be considered in
three regions: East Asia, West Asia, and Europe. In each different ethnic group, students in the
class also have their signatures, catchphrases, and detailed habits through the process of contact.
The clear separation of each group of regions makes it easy to visualize each typical pattern and
concretize the characteristics to identify them from a national and ethnic perspective.
First of all, the East Asian group, including Japan and China, is grouped because this group
has cultural similarities, skin color, and ethnicity. Because of those similarities, the characteristics
of only East Asian countries have been molded. The first character, Taro Nagazumi, is known as
an executive in the Japanese electronics industry. He always appeared with typical Japanese items,
which set the pattern for him. The guy stood in the sitcom and bowed to the teacher like a
distinctive Japanese culture. This greeting gesture, called "Ojigi," is one of the actions that
Japanese people regularly perform daily, from school to work. When answering a teacher's
question, Taro always greets to show respect and courtesy. In the following stereotypes, Taro
always appears with a camera around his neck because of his interest in photography, and often
takes pictures for his classmates. Also, he likes to quote Japanese philosophers and poets. These
three characteristics initially show that Taro is a person who loves beauty and is gentle in his
lifestyle. This cause is also the factor that forms the mindset of an authentic Japanese.
Among the habits that Taro uses, it can be seen that he can speak English quite fluently but has a
habit of adding -o to almost every word he says, like "thank-o," "England-o," "Oh So!" as one of
his favorite phrases. In the movie scene in season 2, episode "Brief Re Encounter," the "-o" sound
also appears as his habit when communicating with people, especially when answering the
teacher's question.
Mr. Brown (teacher): Does "avoirdupois" ring a bell now, Taro?
Taro: Yes-o! "Avoirdupois" is French for "Have you some peas-o?"
*(avoirdupois: Measurement System)
(peas= money in British slang)
This element is a pronunciation formed because the Japanese language has inadvertently
influenced him in English pronunciation. This problem not only causes discomfort to the listener
but also puts him at a disadvantage in learning foreign languages because this habit is
subconsciously attached to the culture.
The second in the group of typical Asian stereotypes, Chung Su-Lee, is a Chinese female secretary
of the Chinese Embassy. She is an ideological woman who constantly carries her Little Red Book
of Mao, which she frequently cites. Mao Zedong founded the People's Republic of China,
sometimes called Mao Tse-tung or Chairman Mao, who served as the party's leader from 1949
until he died in 1976. Statements from his speeches and writings were published in the Little Red
Book. She is a typical representative of China, and she has a love of achievement and a passion
for leadership, as shown in episode 1, season 1, "The First Lesson." She published her book on
how culture has influenced the way she thinks. At the same time, it has contributed to boosting her
awareness when communicating with people from her own culture. In her daily routine, when she
interacts with everyone in the classroom, especially when she answers the professor's questions,
Su-Lee mainly uses political thinking to express her answer, leading to much confusion for the
teacher and her classmates. In Ep3, Sulee talks about the lecture in the newspaper with Mr. Brown,
but she understands in her way that "the figure of speech recall politics that disturbed and
suppressed working class." This core cause has contributed more specifically to the character
stereotype of Su-Lee - a person with boundless political and patriotic beliefs.
Besides, in the second season of the movie, in the episode "Queen for the Day", she chooses a
Chinese military uniform. She tells her teacher: "This is the uniform of the People's Army as
prescribed by Chairman Mao." With the considerable influence she is seeing, it can be realized
that every action or style of dress also makes it easier to appreciate the most incredible ideal that
she pays attention. Because of these specific factors, it is partly concretized that Chung Su-Lee is
a typical Chinese.
The next region is South Asia, which includes countries such as Pakistan and India. It is
represented by three typical stereotypes, including Ali, Jamila, and Ranjeet, in this sitcom. These
countries are grouped together because they share similar cultural characteristics. The characters
come from these countries known for their diverse religious backgrounds. The first is Ali
(Pakistani) - he always appears with a Jinnah hat. In episode 1, season 1, "The First Lesson", Ali
appears wearing a Jinnah hat, and so does throughout the series. The Jinnah hat is a well-known
Pakistani national attire. The hat is frequently referred to as the karakul or the pie hat because it is
manufactured from the fur of the Karakul sheep and is named after the founder of Pakistan,
Muhammad Ali Jinnah. As for Ali's appearance on this sitcom, he is attached to the hat and
stamped on this stereotype.
For another habit, Ali often shakes his head when talking. People in India shake their heads to
show approval or thanks, depending on how fast or slow the movement is. They show respect if
the movement is slow, accompanied by a smile. When Ali wants to express himself in English, he
inserts cultural words by saying "jolly good' as his thank you "yes, please." Ali's typical
catchphrases are "yes please" in situations where he should say "yes, thank you" or "yes indeed,"
"oh blimey!", "Squeeze me please," which is how he pronounces "Excuse me please." These
pairing words have become a difficult habit to break, leading to a unique pronunciation that makes
those around him difficult to understand and detrimental to his studies. Therefore, culture directly
affected Ali's way of life and activities and directly became the first obstacle when he started
learning English.
The next character from India to be analyzed is Jamila - a housewife. Her actions,
traditional costumes, and how she uses English words have created a stereotype for her. In the
context of episode 1, season 1, "The first lesson". Jamila appeared dressed in traditional Indian
clothes and continuously knitted like a housewife in India always does. Jamila is constantly
knitting layers of any type. This act sticks with her more than a friend. Knitting is her responsibility
at home, which certainly affects Jamila when she comes to England to learn a second language.
Next, she always shows up with her sari in life and when going to class. The final feature also
shows her catchphrase early in the series is "God hefening", which is how she pronounces "Good
evening" after learning the phrase from Mr. Brown. The above cultural features show that Jamila
is a typical convergence model for the Indian housewife that her culture has influenced. This has
affected her ability to learn a new language in a new culture.
The third representative analyzed in the South Asian group was Ranjeet Singh - a London
Underground employee from Punjab in India and a Sikh. Although he is from the same hometown
as Jamila, he is very devoted to Sikhism. This characteristic makes the difference, precisely the
cause of religious conflicts. First, being a Sikh, his distinguishing feature is the word turban on his
head. Wearing a turban, a long piece of cotton or silk looped around a hat or the head, is part of
the Sikhism code of conduct for males. This factor is common with Ali and Jamila; they have
cultural traits that influence how they dress and behave. Second, he is pretty aggressive when he
argues with Ali (who is harsh on him). His Kirpan constantly threatens Ranjeet. Sikhs carry
kirpans, single-edged blades, or daggers made of iron or steel. It holds great significance for Sikhs
because it embodies the traits they must exhibit, such as bravery on the battlefield and compassion
for their beaten foes. With the habit of communicating with people whenever he is a latecomer for
many reasons, the act of "closing hands" apologizing and the catchphrase "a thousand apologies"
made a difference and impression on him. From the unique points of Ranjeet's personality, the
assessment connected the group of subjects from South Asian countries with religion, and each
individual showed that they were remarkable for existing beliefs and traditions. This reason is also
the stereotype factor that motivates this group of subjects to have many difficulties in intercultural
communication.
Continue with the European group, including Greece, Italy, Spain, Germany, and France.
This group of characters is listed together because they share similar cultures and skin colors in
the same region.
The first is a similar stereotypical character, Maximillian Papandrious (Greek) and
Giovanni (Catholic Italian chef). These two guys have relatively similar appearances in terms of
costumes. Most of all, they share the same hobby with a girl named Danielle from France. They
are constantly pursuing and ready to argue to get that girl's attention. When analyzing Maximilian's
character, this guy is also polite and well-spoken. However, he also has a heavy accent, which
causes him to add "h" to almost every word he says, like "H'okay." This unique feature created a
guy with the habits of a typical Greek.
On the other hand, while Max has a mistake in pronouncing "h", Giovanni has very
distinctive words to identify him, such as: "Proffessori", "Silenzio". He often calls "Mr. Brown
Professori". When surprised, he often remarks, and he says the catchphrases like "Santa Maria",
"Santa Daisy", "Okey Cokey", "Buona Sera" or "Holy Ravioli".
The iconic figure of Spain is Juan Cervantes, a Spanish Catholic bartender with an
optimistic outlook. He is a person who is always happy with what he understands, and the common
word that he talks with everyone at any time is "por favor". In Spanish, "por favor" means "Please"
in English. He always uses this word instead of speaking English in conversations because he does
not know much about this language. Hence, using gestures to describe is also one of the ways to
help Juan communicate. However, this will cause much difficulty for others in understanding how
he expresses himself in his language. Also, his typical catchphrase is "s'alright!". Sometimes,
when correcting, he says, "Sorry, wrong number." By this interpretation, he entirely agrees with
what the other party is saying. However, not everyone can understand the signs or language he is
using. Juan's stereotype of character helps distinguish the culture he possesses.
Among the next typical character in the European group is Anna Schmidt - a German who
works as a babysitter. Comments about this character can tell that she is always serious about
herself, and even in "All Through the Night," she admits that she is not a joker. Perhaps German
culture was ingrained in her subconscious and led to this seriousness. In addition, the fact that she
studied hard and attentively showed the style of an actual class president, which was the style of
an indomitable, resilient German army in the past. Moreover, she is physically strong and will not
hesitate to strike out against anyone who irritates her, especially Max. With the influence of
German culture on English communication in the classroom, these characteristics created a serious
Anna, and it is not easy to be comfortable or happy with everyone in the class. In addition, her
habit of inserting German words into sentences confuses listeners. For example, when introducing
herself to the professor, she said, "Anna Schmidt! Jairman au pair." The next habit is
pronunciation; she also punctuates her sentences with German words, and the main problem is
mixing v and w sounds. According to Anna's character line, she is wholly shaped as a person with
faithful German in lifestyle and communication.
Danielle Favre, an amorous young French Catholic, is the last member of the European group to
be considered stereotyped. To talk about her characterization throughout the film, she stands out
as a stylish Frenchwoman. This girl appears in a beautiful outfit and has a sweet voice. However,
in part 2, another girl appeared as beautiful as her, so she was very jealous for fear of losing
attention. The French culture has shaped her character and personality in how she presents herself
to people. In addition, she is very fond of and infatuated with Professor Brown. The fact that
someone as romantic as Danielle caused many difficulties for the professor. She only makes a few
typical English mistakes because she speaks it well. This girl only made the minor mistake of
pronouncing a heavy French accent and switching from "the" to "ze" in the sentence 'Ave I come
to ze right place?"
In conclusion, the stereotype factor is the shaping of 10 characters representing countries
from Asia to Europe with the characteristics that each person represents. The habits and cultural
uniqueness of the people are partly the cause of the failure in natural communication because they
all do not realize these things. It can be said that stereotypes are not a nasty factor that comes from
culture, but they are a factor that determines the success or failure of language learning in general
and how characters interact with each other.
Findings on communication failure due to ethnocentrism
Conflicting ethnocentrism
The background of the series' first episode clearly illustrates the problem of
ethnocentrism in intercultural communication. Japanese-born Taro started the debate around
"effectiveness". The teacher (Mr. Brown) asked each student to identify themselves by giving their
name, job, and birthplace. Mr. Brown believed that Anna (German) responded to the teacher's
question by introducing herself in proficient English and providing a thoughtful and helpful
response. Anna replied, "Germans are always efficient", with her confident face. Taro refused to
concur after hearing this and said, "Japanese much more efficient," which outraged Anna and led
to their shared attitude of not wanting to lose.
Anna (German lady): German are zer best
Taro (Japanese man): Japaneses make much bettal terevision and all camelas
It can be noted that Taro's disapproval represents his national and ethnic spirit, indicating that this
shortcoming will be a barrier to his entrance to many cultures, notably the West, for respect should
be. On the other hand, Anna must also reduce her national pride to limit the divergence in people's
thinking.
In episode 3, in Miss Courtney and Juan's dialogue, he gives an example of a catalyst for his
people in the country. "Po parvo, in my country, Spain, most people are almost catalysts". Perhaps
subconsciously, he thought his country was so great that it could create a catalyst, but this meaning
was skewed because Ms. Courtney's original intention was "Can anyone give me a sentence
containing the word 'catalyst'? Come along, somebody! ". To protest against Juan's promotion of
each nation, Giovanni said: "Italy is a much bigger catalyst country". When both characters
disagree, conflict ensues, demonstrating that intercultural failure has caused communication
failure. Following the "point of honor" scenes:
Ali Nadim: This month, I have been chosen to lead the holy procession at the mosque, so I am
practicing.
Ranjeet Singh : Aaah, waste of time! The Sikh religion is the true religion!
Giovanni Capello: That's a-not true! The Catholic religion is the true religion!
Juan Cervantes : [gesticulating] Sí, Sí, Roman Catholic!
Maximillian Papandrious: What about Greek Orthodox?
Anna Schmidt: What about Martin Luther?
Taro Nagazumi : Shinto!
Jamila Ranjha : Buddha!
Chung Su-Lee: Chairman Mao decree all religion
In the following religious conflict situation, all class members argued in defense of their own
religion, neither giving in nor showing disrespect for each other's culture, causing many problems.
Subconscious ethnocentrism
Something in a situation with "pork" between a teacher and a student made the story hostile due
to intercultural differences. Mr. Brown views the term "pork" as neutral and free of any negative
associations. He asked for a sentence that included Ali's word "pig" as an answer. An element of
selfishness emerged when the teacher forgot the cultural implications of the other. Along with that,
Ali also shows his selfishness when he thinks he is not wrong when he has to do taboo things in
the country, such as not eating pork.
Teacher: Correct this sentence, Ali, Waiter, I would like some pork chops.
Ali : Waiter, I would not like some pork chops.
Teacher: This is not right.
Ali: Yes please, It is against my religion to be eaten pork.
It is because of the lack of cultural understanding of the two sides that both characters come to the
wrong responses. This connection in communication has been lost and failed because they could
not understand each other's ideas. In the second scenario, Su-Lee is a girl who loves politics and
ethnicity so much that when she asks the teacher about the spelling of the word "Democracy", she
replies, "C-H-I-N-A". At the same time, another finding also shows that this girl used her
ethnocentrism to judge others objectively. Su-Lee criticized the scarves that Ai sold because of
capitalist exploitation, while her country did not.
Su-lee (Chinese girl): Do you have any scarfs?
Ali (Pakistani man): Most definitely! For you, only one pound! Made in Hong Kong?
Su-lee: l will not buy from a capitalist state where workers are exploited as cheap labor.
In "The First Lesson," Giovania reveals that he is a chef in an Italian restaurant called Ristorante
dei Popoli ("People's Restaurant"). For someone who does not understand Italian, the way he
speaks the Italian language is entirely inappropriate. In this case, he made the mistake of thinking
he understood but did not care whether others (Professor Brown) understood. Besides, as a chef,
he should have said "cooking chef" but answered "cookoda". This is one of the prime cases where
European characters have misleading pronunciations.
Mr. Brown: where do you work?
Giovania (Italian) : I work in resturante di populie
 Mr. Brown: A waiter
Giovania (Italian): no waiter, a cookoda
The defining feature is the scene where the character Ali first comes to class and asks Miss
Courtney for directions. She uses the word "right" to end the instruction. For a native, that is
considered valid, and so be it. However, a Pakistani like Ali confuses "left, right" and does not
know this. The consequences of the problem come from both the instructor and the listener.
Because of that, Ali failed to communicate because he did not understand the meaning of the
English word, and Miss Courtney did not realize the problem on the student's side.
Ms. Courtney: Go down the corridor
Ali: Down the corridor
Ms.Courtney: Good
Ali: Turn left
Ms.Courtney: Turn left. Right!
Ali: You are confusing me - Left or right?
Ms.Courtney: Left Look! You just go down the corridor, turn left, and wait in room five!
Ali: Room five! - l am understanding you now!
In conclusion, it can be affirmed that they have greatly influenced the students' perception of the
contradictions about the promotion of the country and the potential subconscious mind that
inadvertently underestimated or downplayed equality in how these students interacted with each
other, including with teachers.
Findings on communication failure due to prejudice
Prejudices are viewed as negative thoughts that are imposed on different objects. The
characters in this movie will have actions and words that imply mocking the opponent, saying that
they do not like to achieve what they want. The study showed that the findings of discrimination
in national and ethnic differences and religious differences were formed from the prejudices of
each character. Noticeably, this happened across all groups of regions together, not just each of the
"Asia-Europe" regions, because of the most significant differences as we often think. The clarified
finding of these is:
In one scene with students, Professor Brown showed them objects and requested that
students answer the names of those items in English. "Bacon" is a pretty famous British dish, but
because Juan's vocabulary is not that great, he answered with the word "milk man" instead of
"pork". Giovanni wanted to remind Juan with good intentions but was misunderstood as lashing
out and mocking him as a pig, so he disparaged him as "Italian ravioli". Italians are famous for
their pasta, a famous cuisine, so Ravioli is also the typical one. If Vietnam is renowned for "Banh
mi", Pho"; or Korea is famous for "Kimchi", it is the same in Italy. Juan borrowed the dish from
Giovanni's country and scorned other people's culture.
Mr. Brown: And where does bak-eh, bacon come from?
Juan: Eh, the milkman!
Mr. Brown: Bacon does not come from the milkman.
 Juan: Every week I buy the bacon from the milkman.
Giovanni: Pig. Pig.
Juan: Pig? You are calling me a pig? You are a pig, you Italian...ravioli!
Giovanni: Ah, shut your plates of meat, you Uncle Ned!
(Cockney rhyming slang in English: Plate of meat= feet; Uncle Ned=head)
Prejudice in Juan's way of thinking has been an indispensable factor in intercultural
communication. On the one hand, he is set in his mind that a failure in communication will not
only bring others respect but also make this agent form deep in each person's psyche. In addition,
prejudice is the main factor that hinders integration with other cultures when living in the same
classroom environment, as the movie shows in the following situation about "Asian-European"
discrimination. This is about the situation of Ali and Juan when they both want to sit together, but
Ali discriminates against Juan for the reason that "big Spanish bottom" implies a Spaniard with a
big butt. This behavior equated with Europeans being prominent and disparaging other people's
races. Ali's attitude was controversial; if he wanted a kinder word, he had to make room for Juan
as a latecomer. Thereby, we can see that the words are small, but assigning other people with the
characteristics of a country is a non-standard behavior.
Ali: Get up
Juan: What for?
Ali: That's my seat
Juan: l don't see your name on seat
Ali: Get your big Spanish bottom out of my chair
Juan: You no talk me like that! l punch you
Mr.Brown: That's enough! Seats are not reserved. Sit somewhere else.
Ali: Ok, I'll sit at the back. You big Spanish bottom!
Ali, once again, uses his prejudices to voice his opinion. This perception is considered to have
influenced him in the pre-existing culture and applied them to the judgment of others. This factor
can be recognized as a habit of not respecting the opponent's culture and deliberately creating
judgments in word usage. He did not realize that using such expressions would bring himself and
others together to denigrate each other's national culture. At the same time, this influence will be
an engine for quarrels to protect national interests. In an ethnically contentious situation, Su-Lee
and Taro became a testament to what was analyzed above. In the prejudice of the character Su-
Lee, she judged Japan as "typical of Fascist Nipponese" in her article. Taro also countered with
disagreement because she thought that his country was not like that and that "China run by
peasants". Each person has an attitude of assessment about each other's national politics, and they
all think they are not wrong. When everyone has a negative prejudice against each other,
arguments will arise because of this factor, whose perception is the role for them to control
themselves or become advocates for what they think is right.
In the following situation, prejudice about religion became a direct argument. In the Asian context,
two characters, Ali Nadim (Pakistan), who used to live in India, and Ranjeet Singh (Indian),
appear. The tension also arises as a result of the fact that both characters compete in their own
religions. Ranjeet is a Sikh, whereas Ali is a Muslim, and this creates controversy for the majority
of the movie as cultural differences result in contentious ethnocentrism. The disagreement in the
first episode, "The First Lesson," started because they did not respect one another's religion.
Ranjeet vehemently disagreed and disparaged Ali when the teacher (Mr. Brown) asked that they
sit together since he believed they were both fellow countrymen.
The Teacher (Mr.Brown): Perhaps you'd like to sit next to Ali, your countryman
Indian Man (Ranjeet): l cannot sit there! It is impossible
The Teacher (Mr.Brown): Why is it impossible?
Indian Man (Ranjeet): My religion is Sikh. And he is Muslim!
Pakistan man( Aki): Islam is the only true faith!
Indian Man (Ranjeet): And Muslim false profit!
Pakistan man (Ali): How you dare to be speaking you damn fool! Sikhs are unbelievers
and infidels!
Indian Man (Ranjeet): Sikhs are peace-loving people. And if you are not careful, I will
have much pleasure in dispatching you with this! (he takes the kirpan knife to threaten Ali)
From the above behavior of the two characters, it can be said that Ranjeet's excessive religious
devotion has lowered the faith of others and caused Ali anger. When both cannot control this
sensitive issue, a fight will result without intervention from the teacher. Each character's ego is
representative of their culture and religion, so if they cannot respect other people's religions, they
will never be able to communicate well because interculturality is the core factor of learning a
language. Prejudice stands against it when prejudice becomes a climax for everyone in the same
class to oppose a student from a country they consider a "Spy." In episode 10, season 1, Mr. Brown
presents Boris to the other students and informs them that he intends to stay in England, prompting
them to accuse the Russians of being a spy, a double agent, and a traitor. The characters and
representatives of each country have a wrong opinion of Russia, and that leads to mass
discrimination; its multinational nature has the same opinion, which is a failure in intercultural
communication.
Su-Lee: Why he wish to reave Lussia? (reave=leave; Lussia=Russia)
Teacher: l haven't the faintest idea
Giovanni: Maybe he's a spy
Max: Yeah a double agent
Anna: Maybe Su Lee is right! Send him back where he came from
Sulee: He should be intellogated (intellogated= interrogated)
Everyone unanimously accused and accused Russian students of "spying" just because they had
an unfriendly view of what the Russian government did. Still, it was also a way of equalizing
everyone. In the country, they are the bad guys. This is a dangerous prejudice factor for the
development of language learning as well as cultural connections.
In summary, the prejudice factor is present in the subconscious of most students representing
specific cultures, especially Asians, who have the most negative views about what they understand
from the past and what they thought was right. The failure of the prejudice factor makes
communication with other countries even more complex and hinders language learning in an
intercultural place like this EFL class.
Discussion
From the perspective of culture, the research took a comprehensive look at what is going on in the
lives of EFL students in terms of the challenges they confront in international situations resulting
from three intercultural factors: stereotype, ethnocentrism, and prejudice. The reality that students
originate from two diverse cultural areas, such as Asia and Europe, has been more wholly
acknowledged regarding regional culture, with distinctions in skin color and ethnicity and
variances in education and communication with one another. Their challenges are all caused by
their growing up in their own culture when combined with diverse cultures in terms of upbringing
and lifestyle, resulting in conflicts between cultures.
The sitcoms showed that language classes pay more attention to the language used than formal
grammar rules, which clarifies aspects related to intercultural factors. The results found by
including specific intercultural factors such as stereotypes, nationalism, and prejudice as barriers,
directly and indirectly, create misconceptions in each student, as demonstrated through research
on the factors and their impact on an individual's real life.
The stereotype component is believed to be the most comprehensive in ordinary settings. In this
component, it can be stated that each character has distinctive features. This accurately reflects the
cultural gaps across countries. This finding aligns with Ninvalle's (2004) study that examined the
stereotype factor, which is the stereotype of persons who are defined as typical in terms of gender,
nationality, race, and occupation. Furthermore, the stereotyped element based on customary
behaviors, traditions, and clothing styles revealed that language factors and ethnocentrism are
merged to produce stereotype elements.
Ethnocentrism is recognized as a crucial problem- a combination of direct and indirect
subconscious conflicts that inevitably establish a barrier for learners. Ethnocentrism is the belief
that individuals believe in their culture, that their society will be an example to other communities,
and that different societies must depend on them (Vita, 2001; Jandt, 2021). When the film is
researched and seen through the eyes of ethnocentrism., There were disagreements between the
students, as seen by their arguments. They believe their country is the greatest and that national
ego should be honored. When characters put themselves first, it lowers the opponent's worth and
triggers ongoing disputes about fighting for the country's benefit.
Furthermore, ethnocentrism is manifested subconsciously in students and instructors. Sometimes,
this is due to a lack of awareness of a country's cultural knowledge rather than a lack of purposeful
communication. This fails both the speaker and the listener since they assume they will
comprehend the message both convey. Not only is there an opposite aspect of ethnocentrism in
this study that is perceived to be unfavorable in terms of attitudes and perceptions represented in
the sitcom, but prejudice has similarities. It can substantially affect failure to learn and
communicate in an intercultural context, such as an EFL classroom. This element was compatible
with Kite et al.'s (2022) study as it negatively influences individual attitudes toward bias or
injustice that they expressly inflict on other things. In intercultural communication, the perception
of one-sidedness, such as learners wanting to use critical words directly at their adversaries, is a
highly negative prejudice factor that makes it challenging to integrate with different cultures and
creates negative feelings about themselves and others. Prejudice has a tremendous cultural
influence on an individual's identity and behavior and is essential to intercultural communication.
In addition, research results indicate that prejudice has similarities and can significantly impact
learning and communication in intercultural contexts, such as the EFL classroom. This factor was
found by Kite et al. (2022) to negatively influence individuals' attitudes toward bias or injustice
that they explicitly inflict on others. Therefore, the prejudice aspect becomes more intense when
it occurs in specific contexts. In intercultural communication, the perception of bias, such as
learners wanting to use words that directly criticize their opponents, is a highly negative prejudice
factor that makes it difficult to integrate with different cultures and creates negative feelings about
themselves and others. In short, prejudice dramatically influences an individual's identity behavior
and significantly impacts intercultural communication.
In the end, the investigation of intercultural factors in the "MYL" series reflects how each
character perceives the behaviors and attitudes they might exhibit when interacting with one
another. It goes beyond the findings of errors in a language like speech and includes discovering
cultural causes concealed within it. Research demonstrated the indispensable need for intercultural
education for people from many nations and cultures in today's worldwide environment. The
ability to settle effectively demands attention to and awareness of the differences in each person's
culture.
Conclusion and Implications
To become global citizens with full convergence of intercultural communication, learners must be
aware of which cultural factors will influence their learning and personal development, especially
the three factors studied in this paper. The research results indicate that the barriers to intercultural
communication between specific countries - representing the latent cultural roots in Asian
countries have taken over all the specific barriers. This has significantly affected the
communication ability of English learners from different countries. Overall, the three intercultural
factors strongly influenced the failure of communication between students when they studied in
class and life. These cultural barriers were also the core causes reflecting the cultural relationship,
education, and each individual's perception as a representative.
From the research findings, some implications were drawn out as follows:
+ For schools and teachers
Schools must focus on investing in and developing subjects related to different cultures
by comparing and contrasting the correlations or differences between regional cultures. From
there, students can grasp the risks or barriers that may cause a lack of international integration due
to intercultural factors. Above all, improving language and cultural competence when
communicating across cultures will be one of the advantages for students, as it will help them
easily find jobs in companies with intercultural factors.
Teachers teaching subjects should incorporate intercultural elements as soft skills to create
opportunities for students to explore and practice the cultural and racial values of many countries
in the current era of globalization. Furthermore, educational methods should focus on the common
goals of global education as stated by Case (1993, cited in Patel et al., 2011), which include:
 "1. Understanding of global interrelatedness and interdependence,
2. respecting cultural diversity,
3. fighting racial discrimination,
4. protecting the global environment,
5. understanding human rights, and
6. accepting basic social values." (p.79)
+ For students
First, students must master their cultural background, and then other countries.
Consciously learn from information sources such as books, newspapers, and electronic devices
and supplement their knowledge about intercultural factors. Doing this will give them a deeper
understanding of a culture, and communication will become easier when interacting with people
from that country.
Second, they are clearly aware of how to integrate well into other cultures without losing
their national identity. Awareness of the importance of the culture, customs, and people
characteristics of each territory's culture is one way to promote deeper and broader integration on
the journey of a global citizen.
Finally, learning and knowing how to respect is the key to all communication. Self-
awareness is the most critical factor in deciding how to get along with others, especially those
from different countries.
References