Communication in Singapore is essential. Singaporeans are very group oriented and dependent, and one of the forms of communication that is relied upon heavily, are the non-verbal cues and indicators. Tone of voice, the posture, and various facial expressions speak louder than words many times. Many of those holding conversations in the city and at the best Singapore hotels and restaurants, the locals will often take into consideration these verbal cues as indications of one’s sincerity and honesty. When conversing, Singaporeans are extremely subtle, and a bit indirect in their conversations. Rarely will they demand, but they will imply and drop hints. They feel that direct statements may result in the other person ‘losing face’. This is a huge concern in Singapore, the idea of losing and saving face.
When questioned, a Singaporean will rarely if ever, say ‘no’. Their response is usually a positive statement, such as “I will try”…this again is an attempt to maintain communicative harmony and allows both parties to ‘save face’. Maintaining harmonious relationships is of utmost importance in the city. One element that is very important in this culture, is silence. One need not rush into a conversation here, in fact it is considered polite and respectful, to pause before answering questions, as this silence indicates that one is seriously thinking about the question and their answer to follow. They appreciate considered thought. Many foreigners from the western countries are often unaware that by hastily rushing questions and answers, their Singaporean friends are being offended. Many times they see this as rude and thoughtless, and will create unfortunate misunderstandings. It is a slower, more considerate way of communicating when one is traveling through Singapore.
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