In recent years, researchers have shown an interest in face-to-face or online intercultural communication as a way of understanding cultural similarities and differences. The present research shows how intercultural communication is carried out on the ...

In recent years, researchers have shown an interest in face-to-face or online intercultural communication as a way of understanding cultural similarities and differences. The present research shows how intercultural communication is carried out on the Internet through an analysis of e-mail discourse data of Korean and Australian students. In this paper, we discuss communication and miscommunication between Anglophone Australians and Koreans using English as a second language, along with the concepts of culture, intercultural communication and pragmatic strategies. We compare choice of lexical words used in their e-mail letters and analyze their different writing styles, in terms of uncertainty and negotiation. Our research shows that in cultural contacts on the Internet, cultural differences are reflected as in face-to-face conversations, and that people negotiate to avoid conflicts and misunderstandings. In other words, native cultural norms and language conventions affect intercultural interactions on the Internet as well. Nevertheless, globalization may lead to a multi-cultural perspective on human communication with East and West combined, and thus understanding differences between cultures is necessary for effective intercultural communication.