Fatmi Article:

summary and explanation of chapter:

A "communicative event" is a specific instance of communication, defined by having the

same purpose, topic, participants, language, tone, interaction rules, and setting throughout.

Saville-Troike's definition helps us describe these events but doesn't explain how language
and culture are connected.

To understand this connection, we use the "language–culture nexus," which examines how
language and culture influence each other. This involves looking at:

● Language Variety: Different types of language used in different cultural contexts.

● Cultural Meaning: How words and expressions carry specific cultural meanings.
● Interaction Patterns: Cultural norms that guide how conversations flow.
● Relevant Topics: Topics of conversation that reflect cultural values.
● Tone and Sensitivity: How cultural differences shape emotional expression and
politeness.

By considering these factors, we see how language and culture are deeply intertwined in
every communicative event.

The language-culture nexus is an idea that helps us understand how language and culture
connect and influence each other in a conversation or piece of communication. Here’s what
it means:

1. Local Integration: When people communicate, they bring together different cultural
and language influences from their social networks.
2. Written Language: In writing, communication happens in two phases: making the
content (production) and reading it (reception), which can happen at different times
and places.
3. Context: Communication happens in both small, personal settings (micro-context)
and larger, societal settings (macro-context). For written language, this might involve
several contexts.
4. Discursive Content: The conversation or text usually has a clear theme and may
include cultural references or representations.
5. Multilingual: Communication can involve multiple languages and switching between
them (code-switching).
6. Life Context: Each participant’s personal background and experiences influence
how they interpret the communication.

When people communicate, they work together to create, negotiate, or sometimes argue
over meanings and identities. This process involves power dynamics, as different
participants may have different levels of influence or authority.

In short, the language-culture nexus is about how communication is shaped by and

reflects various cultural influences and social contexts, and how people co-create
meaning through their interactions.
Language–Culture Nexus: Convergent or Divergent

Convergent Language–Culture Nexus

A convergent language–culture nexus occurs when the language and cultural background of
the participants align closely. This means the language and cultural context blend smoothly
together.

Examples:

1. Local Conversation: Imagine a conversation in a pub in Aalborg, Denmark.

Everyone involved is from Aalborg, speaks with the local Aalborg accent, and talks
about local issues. Their language and culture are very similar.
2. Swedish Language Class: A class in Sweden teaching Swedish as a second
language. The teacher is a native Swedish speaker, and although the students come
from different linguistic backgrounds, they all speak Swedish in class. They study a
Swedish novel about Swedish history. Here, the focus is on the Swedish language
and culture, creating a unified context.

Divergent Language–Culture Nexus

A divergent language–culture nexus happens when the language and cultural backgrounds
of the participants differ significantly. This means the language and cultural context do not
blend as smoothly.

Example:

● International Phone Call: A telephone conversation between a professor in

Copenhagen and a colleague in Aix-Marseille. The person in Aix-Marseille speaks
English with some Russian influences, being a Russian immigrant, while the person
in Copenhagen speaks English with Danish influences. They discuss academic
collaboration, blending different cultural and linguistic influences.

Theoretical and Methodological Significance

1. Convergent Situations: If researchers only study convergent situations, they might

conclude that language and culture are always closely linked. This could lead to the
idea that language and culture form a unified identity, often connected to national or
ethnic identity.
2. Divergent Situations: Studying divergent situations shows that language and culture
can mix in more complex and varied ways. This challenges the idea that there is
always a close, unified connection between language and culture.

Implications in Linguistics and Language Teaching

● First-Language Bias: Linguistics has traditionally focused on convergent situations,

where language and culture are closely linked. This has led to a bias towards
studying native languages and cultures.
 ● Foreign-Language Teaching: Language teaching often focuses on creating
convergent situations, where students learn to use the language within a unified
cultural context, rather than exploring diverse and mixed cultural influences.

In summary, understanding both convergent and divergent language–culture nexuses helps

us see the full range of ways language and culture interact, rather than assuming they
always form a close and unified relationship.

Objective and Subjective Dimensions

Objective Approach

The objective approach focuses on describing and analyzing the actual, observable details
of how language and culture interact. This involves looking at the facts and data:

1. Empirical Complexity: This means studying the real-world details within a

communicative event (like a conversation or written text) and its context (the situation
and environment in which it occurs).
2. Internal Complexity: Analyzing the specific components within the communication
event, such as language use, cultural references, and interaction patterns.
3. External Complexity: Considering how the communication event relates to the
larger social, cultural, and environmental context.

Subjective Approach

The subjective approach focuses on the personal experiences and perceptions of the people
involved. This involves understanding how individuals see and interpret the relationship
between language and culture:

1. Experiences and Notions: Exploring how people feel about and understand their
own use of language and culture.
2. Categorisations: How individuals classify and define their language and cultural
practices.
3. Identifications: How people identify themselves and others in terms of language and
culture.
4. Narratives: The stories and explanations people create about how language and
culture relate to each other in their lives.

Interaction Between Objective and Subjective Approaches

1. Analytical Approach: Using both objective and subjective methods can provide a
more comprehensive understanding of the language–culture nexus.
○ Objective Analysis: Provides a detailed, factual description of how language
and culture interact in practice.
○ Subjective Analysis: Provides insights into how people experience, interpret,
and give meaning to these interactions.
2. Examining Interaction: By looking at both the empirical (objective) complexity and
the personal (subjective) experiences, researchers can better understand the full
picture of how language and culture are intertwined.
In summary, the language–culture nexus can be analyzed from both an objective
perspective, focusing on observable facts and details, and a subjective perspective, focusing
on individual experiences and perceptions. Combining these approaches offers a richer,
more complete understanding of the relationship between language and culture.

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Language–Culture Nexuses at Higher Levels

The concept of the language–culture nexus, which describes the connection between
language and culture, can be applied not only to small, individual events but also to larger
contexts.

Micro-Level (Single Communicative Event)

At the micro-level, the language–culture nexus focuses on a specific communication

instance, like a conversation or written interaction.

Higher Levels

To understand the language–culture nexus at higher levels, we need to look at both lived
communities and imagined communities.

Lived Communities

Lived communities are small, real-life groups where members interact personally.
Examples include:

● Nuclear Family: Family members interact, developing their language and cultural
practices together.
● Kindergarten or School Staff: Teachers and students or staff members interact
daily, shaping their linguistic and cultural practices.
● Small Firms or Transnational Teams: Employees work together, sharing language
and cultural habits.

Analysis at this level involves studying how language and cultural practices develop and
interact within these groups. Researchers might look at:

● Language Use: How people speak and write in these communities, including
multilingual practices.
● Discursive Practice: The themes and perspectives expressed in conversations and
writings.
● Cultural Practices: The role of physical spaces, objects, sounds, music, and body
language in communication.
● Social Organization: How these elements come together to form the community's
social structure.

Imagined Communities
Imagined communities are larger groups where members don’t personally know each
other but still feel a sense of belonging. Examples include:

● Nations: Citizens of a country.

● Generations: People born around the same time.
● Trade Unions: Members of a labor union.
● Transnational Networks: People connected across borders, like an international
school network.

These communities are "imagined" because the members don’t interact directly but share a
common identity or purpose. They are not defined by physical proximity but by shared ideas
or goals.

Continuity and Conflict

Even within a single lived community, like a school class, there can be differences and
conflicts in how language and culture are used and understood. These conflicts might
manifest in:

● Breaks and Clashes: Disagreements or misunderstandings in communication.

● Diverse Interpretations: Different perspectives and motives among members.

Despite these differences, a community can still function if there is a general agreement on
the basic rules and perspectives of their interactions.

Summary

● Lived Communities: Small, real-life groups with direct interactions. Researchers

study language and cultural practices empirically, considering physical and social
contexts.
● Imagined Communities: Larger groups where members share a common identity or
purpose without personal interactions. These communities are based on shared
ideas or goals.

Understanding the language–culture nexus at higher levels helps us see how language and
culture operate in both small, personal groups and larger, more abstract communities. This
approach highlights the complexity and dynamic nature of language and culture across
different contexts.

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Core Concepts of the Language–Culture Nexus

Meaning and Reference Potential of Language

The central connection between language and culture lies in the ability of language to
convey meaning and refer to reality. Language allows people to talk about the world around
them, including:
 ● Past, Present, and Future: Language can describe events and situations across
time.
● Everyday Reality and Imagined Worlds: Language can refer to real-life
experiences and fictional or hypothetical scenarios.

Generic vs. Differential Sense of Language

1. Generic Sense:
○ Refers to human language in general.
○ Language’s broad ability to describe and refer to the world.
2. Differential Sense:
○ Refers to a specific language (e.g., English, Danish, Russian).
○ Over time, languages accumulate cultural and linguistic elements that make
them particularly good at referring to specific contexts.

First-Language Contexts

● A specific language develops precise ways to refer to things within its cultural
context.
● This includes borrowing words from other languages and creating new terms
(lexicalization).
● The result is that it’s usually easier to refer to things within the language's own
cultural context (internal references) than to outside contexts (external references).

Separation of Language and Culture

The argument here challenges the idea that language and culture are inseparable at a
national level, which is a view often tied to national-romantic ideals. This perspective
suggests:

● Language and Culture Can Be Separated: It’s possible to study and understand
how language and culture can function independently of each other.
● Critical Perspective: This viewpoint is critical of the idea that a language is
inherently tied to a single national or cultural identity.

Specific Connections Between Language and Culture

When looking at how a particular language connects closely with its culture, focus on:

● Meaning and Reference Potential: How effectively a language refers to and

describes the outside world based on the cultural and linguistic resources it has
developed.
● Languacultural Resources: The tools and elements within a language that allow its
users to refer to their environment and experiences accurately and relevantly.

Summary

● Meaning and Reference: Language’s ability to describe and refer to reality is the
core connection between language and culture.
 ● Generic vs. Differential: Understanding language broadly vs. within specific cultural
contexts.
● First-Language Contexts: Specific languages develop precise references for their
own cultural contexts.
● Separation Argument: Language and culture can be studied as separate entities,
challenging the idea that they are inseparable at a national level.
● Practical Use: The effectiveness of a language in referring to reality depends on its
developed cultural and linguistic resources.

By understanding these points, we can appreciate the nuanced ways in which language and
culture interact and how they can be analyzed both together and independently.

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