Abstract

Communication between the West and the Middle East has at times been tenuous, disjointed, and ineffective. Due to the ever-increasing global market, it has become essential that American technical communicators cross these geographic, cultural, and language barriers to bridge this historical communication gap. Business with Saudi Arabia particularly has prompted American technical communicators to delve into all cultural and language dynamics of an Arab audience. In essence, the technical communicator must comprehend the impact of Islamic doctrine on the Arab business person; identify the philosophical, religious, historical, and social dynamics of the English/Arab communication process; recognize the fundamental differences between the English language and the Arabic language; and, after assessing the Arab audience and language level, implement the most effective communication strategies for effective communication with a high-context society such as Saudi Arabia.