Intercultural communicative competence in the Global South

Abstract

In increasingly globalized academic environments, intercultural communicative competence (ICC) is crucial for navigating diverse linguistic landscapes and achieving academic success. This qualitative exploratory case study examines the ICC of Thai students in Indian higher education within the framework of World Englishes. Conducted at The English and Foreign Languages University, the study investigates how Thai students negotiate meaning and manage linguistic and cultural challenges in multilingual academic interactions. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with six Thai students and analyzed using systematic coding and thematic analysis guided by established intercultural communication strategy frameworks. The findings indicate that participants prioritized intelligibility and comprehension over grammatical accuracy, employing strategies such as simplification, approximation, paraphrasing, meaning replacement, and form avoidance to sustain conversational flow and minimize breakdowns. The study reveals that intercultural communication in Global South academic contexts relies heavily on adaptability and pragmatic negotiation rather than adherence to native-speaker norms. These insights contribute to discussions on English as a Lingua Franca and offer pedagogical implications for internationalized higher education.