Language and Culture The Essential Partnership

Social and Cultural Functions of Language

Communicative Exchange

Language as daily occurrence for everyone.

Language also serves important communicative functions.

Language and Identity

Ethnic IdentityOrganize people into groups

according to factors such as:

Age

GenderSocio-income level

Language and Unity

Common languageShared vocabulary=Unifying forceDivisive forceMaintains social relations

Language and Culture

WHAT IS LANGUAGE?

Language

Language is a set of symbols that a cultural group has agreed to use to create meaning. The symbols and their meanings are often arbitrary.

Language Variations

Accent - is variations in pronunciation that occur when people are speaking the same language.

Language Variations

Dialects - are separate languages, and are distinguished by differences in vocabulary, grammar, and even punctuation.

Argot -is a private vocabulary to a co-culture or group. Members of these groups ,ay employ a specialized vocabulary to obscure the real meaning and create a sense of identity.

Language Variations

Slang- is a private vocabulary to a co-culture or group. Members of these groups may employ a specialized vocabulary to obscure the real meaning, and create a sense of identity.

Language Variations

Branding - is the use of a corporate name or symbols (i.e., a logo) to prominently identify a product or create widely recognized image.

Language Variations

The Symbiosis of Language and Culture

In order to have a culture, language is needed.

Language reflects what is important in a culture and in turn culture shapes language.

Language as Reflection of Cultural Values

High and Low ContextHigh-context communication tends to be

more indirect and more formal.  Flowery language, humility, and elaborate apologies are typical.

People in these cultures value logic, facts, and directness.

High and Low Power Distance

Power Distance- it is how culture accepts status differentials among the population, can also be exhibited.

Individualism and Collectivism

INDIVIDUALISM- World view that values individual freedom and self-expression.

COLLECTIVISM- World view that values the group over the individual.

Opinion

Way of life

Punctuality

Contacts

Emotion

Party

Queue When Waiting

Language in Cultural Communication Interactions

Interpersnal Interactions

Mindfulness Speech rate Vocabulary Monitor non-verbal feedback Checking

Interpretation and Translation Interpretation- indicates changing

or signed messages from one language to another.

Translation- refers to changing messages, either written, oral, or signed from one language to another.

Intercultural Marriage

Happens when two people from different cultures wed.

Potential Difficulties Advantages

•What type of food to eat•Where to live•Holidays to celebrate•Gender role expectations•Values, social behaviors

• Bring cross-cultural couple together, resulting in greater intimacy•Sharing other’s culture—becoming bicultural will likely broaden perspective and create richness

Communication Technology and

Language

Modern Technology

Enables people around

the world to easily connect

through both voice and text

messages.

Communication Technology

Internet- Allows people from different cultures to interact across vast distances, though they must find common language.

English

Two important reasons for predominance of English on the Internet:

- The system was conceived and implemented in the U.S and was designed for English speakers.

-English is the Lingua Franca of scientific and academic publishing.

Problems that can arises when a multi-culturalgroup is interacting through computer- mediatedcommunication:

-Trying to determine the context of a message,this can be a critical factor for people in high context cultures.

- Could break down traditional barriers to mixed-sex interaction.

- Problems in organization with a multicultural workface whose first varies.

Language Consideration in Intercultural

Competence

Geographical Features

- need for international economic commerce.

Other benefits in learning another language:

- Think about the world in different dimensions- Richer life- Better understanding- Provide greater insight

GET ½ SHEET OF YELLOW PAPER

2. Why is it stated that if we spoke a different language, we would perceive

somewhat different world?

1. If you’re a product of an intercultural marriage, how would you handle those

numerous problems that are thrown in the mix?

3. In what way communication technology can affect one’s

culture?