LL250: Intercultural Communication         
Prof. Bauer-Ramazani                                                                                            Name _________________    
 

Directions: Use the information in this chapter to support your answers to the following questions.

1. There is evidence that _________________ is linked to speech.

2. The two major functions of language are the ________________ and __________________  of culture.

3. Language functions as a tool to _______________, ______________, and ________________ ideas, thoughts, and feelings.

4. What are cultural differences in emotional expression (e.g. Thai vs. Middle East)?

5. Give examples of how language reflects your identity.

6. There are two ways to think about the relationship between language and culture

1. Language ________________ our perception of reality--our experience of the world around us.

2. Language _________________ our reality of world view, the way we experience our world/environment

•  Which of these (a. or b.) is called the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis of linguistic relativity (linguistic determinism)?
   

7. What does the example of the same word for different types of “brother-in-law” in Hindi show? 

8. Culture influences __________________ through symbols and rules as well as our_________________ of the universe.
    

9. Using the value dimensions/cultural patterns you learned in chapters 2 and 3, what can you conclude about the culture of India, which has different words for the father’s older brother, the father’s younger brother, the mother’s older brother, the mother’s older brother-in-law, etc.?

• Does your language have special/different words for

Ø      Older/younger brother, father’s older/younger brother, mother’s older/younger brother

Ø     different types of aunts (mother’s sister, father’s sister, mother’s cousin, father’s cousin), uncles, cousins (first, second, first cousin-once removed), etc.? 

Ø     What does this indicate about the value system of your culture?

Ø     What does the difference in the grouping of words between Asians and Americans, for example indicate about their respective cultures?

• Conclusion: What do you think--Is language more of a mold or a cloak (something that surrounds culture)?  Does it determine our ways of thinking and relating to the “reality” of existence like pouring molten metal into a mold?  Or is language more like a cloak that dresses up the same basic categories of reality that all human beings share? 

10. The meaning elicited by words depends on the context and background of the speaker/listener.  Give examples.

11. Do words possess meaning on their own or do words elicit images in our mind?  How do the words grass, dog, lap, house, freedom, democracy illustrate this?  Can you give more examples?

12. Do people from various cultures see and experience the same or different realities? Do words that a baby learns structure/shape/form/determine the baby’s perception of reality?  HOW do the examples of snow and reindeer illustrate this?  Can you give more examples?

13. Explain how the example of a vending machine that does not take 10p coins (p. 146) reflects the values of three different cultures (British, American, Japanese)
    
     

14. Name four main characteristics in which language use varies from culture to culture.

15.  Complete the following table, using the information in your text.

©2004  Christine Bauer-Ramazani, Saint Michael's College. Last updated: July 09, 2017