Language and communication are two different things...we may all speak English, but what we say and mean by what we say is primarily influenced by culture/upbringing and context. In an essentially global economy-driven world, we need to communicate with many people whose styles are very different from our own. How do we make ourselves understood by other people? How do we place their words in the proper context and respond appropriately? This short talk attempts to address some of these questions and help us talk to each other in mutually respectful and effective ways.