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and cross cultural nuances. This should not only take place between
languages but also within languages. Even in English there are cross
cultural differences in meanings. For example, the airline UAL
headlined an article about Paul Hogan, star of Crocodile Dundee, with,

"Paul Hogan Camps it up" which unfortunately in the UK and Australia
is slang for "flaunting homosexuality".
The Spoken Word

Areas where the spoken word is used in PR, such as press
conferences or interviews, should be prepared for within a cross cultural
framework. In short, speaking styles and the content used differ across
cultures. British and American communication styles are described as

'explicit', meaning messages are conveyed solely through words.
Correlating background information is deemed necessary and divulged,
ambiguity is avoided and spoken words have literal meaning. In many

other cultures, communication is 'implicit'. The message listeners are
likely to interpret is based on factors such as who is speaking, the
context and non-verbal cues. Spoken words do not fully convey the

whole story as listeners are expected to read between the lines. With
relation to content, speakers must be aware of the cross cultural
differences in humour, metaphors, aphorisms and anecdotes. In addition,

references to topics such as politics and/or religion can be a very
sensitive issue in other cultures. When the spoken word is used the cross
cultural distinctions of the target culture must be incorporated in order to
help the speaker appeal to and identify with the audience.

The Written Word
Press releases, features and copywriting all require a certain
amount of cross cultural sensitivity when being applied abroad.

Journalistic traditions, writing styles, news worthiness, delivery systems
and whether a 'free press' exists are all areas that will affect how the
written word is tailored.
In addition, the most important point, from a cross cultural

perspective, is how to write in a way that engages the readers in that
society or culture. Some cultures may prefer colourful and inspirational
writing, others factual and objective. Some may be motivated by

language that incorporates a religious or moral tone, others by a money-
orientated or materialistic one.
When writing, the first step should always be to look at and

integrate the cross cultural particulars of the target audience.