Multimodal Pragmatics in Intercultural Communication: Egyptian Multimodal Cues in English-mediated Interactions

Abstract

This study explores the dynamics of multimodal communication in intercultural contexts, focusing on Egyptian users of English. Multimodal cues, such as gesture, eye contact, intonation, volume, and interpersonal distance, are culturally shaped, making cross-cultural communication prone to misunderstandings. Drawing on a multimodal pragmatic framework and a qualitative methodology based on Norris’s (2004a) Multimodal (Inter)action Analysis (MIA), the study examines a manually compiled corpus of YouTube videos featuring the Egyptian actor Bassem Youssef speaking English in anglophone environments. Specifically, through this case study, key para-linguistic and extra-linguistic resources are analysed to explore how Egyptian communicative style interacts with English-mediated discourse. The analysis investigates whether pragmatic transfer from Egyptian norms enhances communicative effectiveness or produces unintended impoliteness and challenges in cooperation. The case study’s findings offer empirical insight into culturally embedded Egyptian nonverbal practices in English interactions, highlighting the importance of cultural awareness in interpreting multimodal signals.