Implementation of Partnership Principles in Cross-Cultural Communications Amongst Malay, Akit, and Chinese Ethnics

Abstract

A Cross-cultural communication occurs in multicultural and multilingual societies. Selatpanjang is a multicultural and multilingual city with "native" ethnic Malays, Chinese, and Akit people. This research aims to describe the implementation of partnership principles in cross-cultural communication amongst Malay, Akit, and Chinese ethnics in Selatpanjang. This study uses a descriptive method. Data were collected through observations and interviews. The steps taken in analyzing the data are data reduction, data categorization, data synthesis, and formulation of research findings. The research findings revealed that the implementation of partnership principles in cross-cultural communication amongst Malay, Akit, and Chinese ethnics is as follows: 14.2% of respondents from the Malays implementing the partnership principles belong to the "very good" category. In addition, 43.2% of them belong to the "good" category. 42.5% of them belong to the "fairly good" category. None of them fall into the "poor" category; 58.7% of respondents thought the Akit ethnic group fell into the "very good" category, 31.2% fell into the "good" category, 10% fell into the "fairly good" category, and none fell into the "poor" category. Regarding Chinese ethnics, 38% of them belong to the "very good" category, 22.7% belong to the "good" category, 18.25% belong to the "fairly good" category, and none belong to the "poor" category. In addition, the findings revealed that the implementation of partnership principles cannot be separated from the language characteristics of each ethnic group. Akit people tend to convey the right amount of message and the right information, focus on the topic of conversation, and speak concisely "according to" their rigid, closed, and flat character. Ethnic Malays commit several violations of the maxim of the partnership principle, influenced by their humorous, adaptable, and self-limiting character. Chinese tend to be serious and focused, but they speak longer to convince interlocutors.