Although a relationship naturally exists between ethnography and cross-cultural pragmatics, this relationship has not been fully explored. The purposes of this paper are to clarify the assumptions underlying ethnography and to suggest ways in which issues in cross-cultural pragmatics (CCP) can be approached from an ethnographic perspective. To this end, we examine the philosophy, goals, and methods that underlie ethnographic work. We then provide two illustrations of how an ethnographer examines issues in CCP, specifically, second language education and cross-cultural communication in the workplace. Finally, we offer suggestions as to how CCP researchers might best go about integrating ethnographic methods in their work.