Abstract:

The article is devoted to the issue of developing foreign language cross-cultural communication skills in training international experts. From this angle a foreign language is viewed as a verbal framework of the cross-national communication process aimed at finding the possible common ground in economic, political, social, and other areas of interaction that is often a challenge for specialists in international relations in today’s turbulent world. Hence sufficient knowledge of cultural characteristics of the countries represented by the communicators, and handling such differences properly in interpersonal engagement make one of the cornerstones of professional efficiency, which accounts for the above issue topicality.

The subject matter of the present paper is cross-national communication, different behavior patterns relevant for business environment in different cultures.

The purpose of the research is to analyze the important cross-cultural and linguocultural aspects, which should be taught to international specialists in reference to their future occupation.

The methods of the research are as follows: the critical analysis of theoretical regulations, the comparative and correlation analysis, the functional linguistic analysis. The synergy of these methods helps reveal the defining points of success or failure in building up business students’ efficient communicative skills.

Eventually, the authors come to the conclusion that specific character of the business communication course implies integrating international business materials (like international documents regulating commercial activity) into interactive training practice with students of higher education institutions that do not specialize in professional foreign language studies. Studying business terms and word combinations in actual culturally-orientated discourse reduces the likelihood of their irrelevant usage in communication and contributes to cross-cultural awareness of business students.

Keywords:

English as a foreign language, business communication, linguocultural aspects of teaching, cross-cultural awareness, interactive training methods.