Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Cours 1
Cours 1
Cours 1
Basic Definitions
1-Basic definitions:
1. Culture: is a set of beliefs, attitudes, behaviours, and values shared by a community. That is:
knowledge, art, morals, social laws, customs, habits, beliefs, traditions we acquire as members of
a specific community.
2. Types of culture: there are two-2 types of culture:
2.1.Little “c” culture: refers to the way of life, to everyday cultural aspects like behaviours,
habits, expressions.... shared by a specific community.
2.2.Big “C” culture: refers to the cultural aspects shared by a whole nation such as literature,
arts, civilisation, and history... of a specific society.
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3. Cultural
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perceptions. That is why we do this thing in this way and that thing in that way.
4. Cultural understanding: the ability to understand cultural norms, values, customs...
5. Cultural competence: the ability (acquired) to understand and interpret and use cultural
components in one’s community (own culture).
6. Cultural differences: the differences that exist between different cultures such as habits,
behaviours....
7. Cultural shock: the feeling of confusion and doubt caused by a contact of a culture largely
different from one’s own culture.
8. Cultural bewilderment: the feeling being lost when there is contact with a new culture, and
refusal of that new culture.
9. Acculturation: refers to the adoption of the new culture and the rejection of one’s own culture.
10. Intercultural awareness: refers to the fact of being aware not only of one’s own culture
(beliefs, culture...) but also of the target culture.