When people of different languages and cultures communicate, events of misunderstandings are fairly common, although the language used in communication may be faultless. But because of the cultural differences, the same words or expressions may not mean the same thing to different peoples. A serious question may cause amusement or laughter, or a harmless statement may cause displeasure or anger. Jokes by a foreign speaker may be received with blank faces and stony silence. So in learning a foreign language, it is equally important to learn its culture.