Does Shared Language Always Mean Shared Understanding in EFL Intercultural Communication?

Abstract

This study aims to explore the interpretation of meaning in communication influenced by cultural backgrounds such as values, beliefs, identity, social norms, and communicative experiences of students learning English as a foreign language. And the influence of this background is a factor that can shape the development of understanding in intercultural interactions. Differences in cultural backgrounds can cause students to interpret the same message in different ways, resulting in misunderstandings even though the language used is the same. By using a systematic literature review with the PRISMA approach, and going through several stages such as identifying, selecting, evaluating, and analyzing relevant previous journal articles. Data were drawn from 20 journal articles published between 2020–2025 through Google Scholar, Scopus, and ERIC. This study shows that culture is the background that influences English-language communication, especially in the aspects of communication style, politeness, contextual meaning, and message interpretation. The findings indicate that good skills in communication are not enough to create effective intercultural communication because understanding cultural perspectives is also very important. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of how culturally shaped interpretations influence meaning-making and misunderstanding in intercultural communication among EFL learners. Therefore, this study confirms that the use of a shared language does not necessarily guarantee shared understanding.