Language and Cultural Communication

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Language and Cultural Communication
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Directions for Group Exchange

• Read your white slip, and do not share it with
  anyone.
• Using the details presented on your slip, talk to
  your group for two minute intervals about
• What is your favorite vacation spot?
• What is your most embarrassing moment?
• What is your favorite sports team and WHY?
• Round 1-
• 1 2
• 3 4
• Round 2-
• 1 4
• 2 3
• Round 3-
• 1 3
• 2 4

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Can culture exist without language?

• Language is a system of sounds or other symbols
  that, when put together according to certain
  rules, results with meanings that are
  intelligible to all speakers.
• Different types oral/written, symbolic

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Basic Terminology

• Linguistics the scientific study of all aspects
  of language.
• Social Dialect a regional sub-section of a
  language who speak the same language.

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Are There Sex Differences in Speech?

• Women use Im Sorry
• qualifiers (kinda) and intensifiers (really,
  totally)
• Adjectives
• Rising Intonation-(females)
• Women faint, Men Pass out

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Proxemics

• Space-expands and contracts depending on
  emotional state, activity being performed, and
  cultural background
• intimate (close friends)
• personal (1-4 feet-conversation)
• social (business transactions)
• public (audience)

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Gestures

• 90 percent of emotional communication is spoken
  by body language in America
• Kinesics the gestural component of the gesture
  call system that consists of postures, facial
  expressions, and bodily motions that convey
  messages.
• Examples raising your brows when asking a
  question
• nodding while someone is speaking
• using hands to illustrate a topic

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Some language/gesture differences among cultures

• Raising Voices- (in US we do it when angry)
• China loss of control
• OK and thumbs up-
• the simple "OK" gesture (forming a circle with
  your thumb and index finger) is an obscene
  gesture in Germany and "zero" or "worthless" in
  France
• Victory/Peace Sign- Australia- obscene gesture

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Eye Contact and Smiling

• Eye Contact -United States- good listener
• Latin American Countries- disrespectful to look
  at superiors in the eyes
• Smiling- happiness in United States
• Confusion, anger in Japan
• Non-smiling can be a preferred greeting

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More Gestures

• Men Holding Hands
• in Middle Easttrust and friendship
• crossing legsinsult because your bottom of shoe
  is showing (Middle East)
• Waving goodbye- no in parts of Europe and Latin
  America
• Pat on the head-unacceptable to those that
  practice the Buddhist faith

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Finally

• Bulgaria-
• nodding head means no, shaking back and forth
  means yes
• Calling the waiter-
• in Columbiaclap twice
• Mexicomake kissing noises

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Paralanguage

• Extra linguistic noises that may accompany
  language
• Voice Quality Pitch control, rhythm
• Vocalizations laughing, crying, belching,
  yawning

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Where would we be without it?

• Language is the roadmap of a culture. It tells
  you where its people came from and where they are
  going.  
• -Rita Mae Brown