Beverages in Communication Contexts

How are beverages impacted by intercultural communication contexts?

Environmental 

Various environmental factors, such as climate, seasons, topography and wildlife have impacted what’s available for crafting beverages. It is important to note availability and scarcity of resources. 

Social 

Beverages are considered “social lubricants” meaning they can encourage social interactions. Coffee breaks, watercooler chat, tea parties, happy hours, first dates and nights out at the bar/pub fall under this umbrella. 

Temporal

In reality, any drink can be consumed anytime during the day. However, society designates timeframes and routines for consumption and certain foods are consumed during these set times. 

Physical 

The ingredients for beverages must be sourced from a place of origin, after which, they may be put through a process (such as purifying, filtering, roasting, distilling, aging, juicing, pasteurizing, etc.). Then, it needs to be packaged, distributed, marketed and sold to the masses. 

Psychological

As humans, we must consume liquids for survival. However, there are various factors that play into consumption: health considerations, religion, body image, addiction, taste and flavor profiles, etc.