In Japanese there's a word for it, that prolonged silence that cuts into a conversation, bringing discomfort and interrupting flow: shiin. We've all experienced that dead-air tension, but surprisingly there are different levels of comfort with silence, depending on the language being spoken.

According to Michael Handford, 41, a professor of linguistics and a consultant in international communications, Spanish communicators in general can tolerate one to two seconds of silence, English speakers three to four seconds, and Japanese speakers five to six seconds. Handford makes it a point to know about these silences and to help his students and customers in intercultural communications break through potential blocks.

"What I find with Japanese speakers is that they often miss the chance to join a discussion, because they are used to a longer silence," Handford explains. "A lot of foreign students say, 'Oh, Japanese students don't talk much,' but it is not as simple as that."