Intercultural Relationship Challenges

According to linguist Magdalena Hoeller, intercultural couples often face emotional hurdles because profound feelings are most deeply expressed in our first language, making communication in a second language feel less authentic. In this video, she unpacks communication challenges including humor gaps, power imbalances based on language fluency, and the need to create a shared "microculture" to successfully navigate these linguistic and cultural differences. She supports a theme we have seen in the last two units of seeing challenges as opportunities for growth and understanding. As you listen to her presentation, consider the role of the “compromising” communication style of relationship management.