Cultural Stereotypes and Metaphors in Health: An Intercultural Communication Perspective

Communication is traditionally about sending and receiving a message. The sender is seen as taking an active part of initiating a message and the receiver takes a passive role in receiving it. However, it is much more complex than this simple definition of communication in terms of transmission. It requires the participants to take an active part in the meaning making process of communication. Miscommunication can easily occur in intercultural communication due to the interference of the first culture on the second one as culture is strongly embedded in various aspects of intercultural communication. This is clearly shown in the use of cultural stereotypes and metaphors by migrants which reflect their views and attitudes in their acculturation into a new cultural environment. In the health area, migrants’ stereotypes and metaphors can give health professionals some insights into the minds of migrants about their making sense of the health concepts and issues in their new land.