Cultural Norms and Pragmatic Errors in Verbal Communication

Abstract

Pragmatics is the study of how people effectively carry out verbal communication in a specific environment. Different cultures require different behaviors, which is a kind of cultural norms. Language and culture are closely linked. By understanding the relationship between language, culture and communication, this paper explores the manifestation of pragmatic errors in verbal communication, and emphasizes that in order to smooth cross-cultural communication and avoid pragmatic errors, the communicative parties should understand each other’s cultural background. In verbal communication, language should be combined with social situations and interpersonal relationships, and cultural norms should be observed.