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Cross-Cult. 5lectures &5 Seminars
Cross-Cult. 5lectures &5 Seminars
Syllabus:
5 lectures
5 seminars
1 module paper
Credit
Lectures in Cross-Cultural Studies
Lecture One. Part One.
• What is culture?
• Individual differences in C. – the degree to
which people adopt and engage in the
attitudes, values, beliefs, and behaviors. If you
act in accordance with these values and
behaviors, then that C. resides in you; if not –
you do not share that culture.
Are we similar or different?
8. Joke
9. Assert or presuppose knowledge
of and concern for H’s wants
10. Offer, promise
11. Be optimistic
12. Include both Speaker and Hearer in
the activity
13. Give (or ask for) reasons
14. Assume or assert reciprocity
15. Give gifts to Hearer (goods
sympathy, understanding,
cooperation)
Negative politeness
• Negative politeness (freedom, be unimpeded, minimizing imposition, in linguistic
realizations – conventional indirectness, hedges on illocutionary force, pessimism
about the success of requests): (lists 10 strategies)
1. Be conventionally indirect
2. Question, hedge
3. Be pessimistic
4. Minimize the imposition
5. Give deference
6. Apologize
7. Impersonalize Speaker and Hearer: avoid the pronouns “I” and “you”
8. State the face threatening act ( FTA ) as a general rule
9. Nominalize
10. Don’t indebt Hearer, don’t impinge on Hearer.
Lecture Two. Part One. The British/Americans vs.
Ukrainians: Differences in Speech Behaviour
Issues
1. The notion of competence.
2. Linguistic/grammar competence.
3. Communicative competence
4. Metacommunicative competence
5. Two types of behavior: verbal & nonverbal
Literature to Lecture Three
• Bassnett S. Studying British Cultures: An Introduction. London, New York: Routledge,
1997. – 202 p. (p. 3 – 53).
• Майол Э., Милстед Д. Эти странные англичане. – М.: Эгмонт Россия, 1999. – 72 с. (5 –
54)
• Селіванова О.І., Байкова О.М. Опановуючи англійську мову і культуру. – Київ: Ленвіт,
2008. – 126 с. ( с.120 – 122).
• Стефани Фол. Эти странные американцы. – М.: Эгмонт Россия, 1999. – 72 с. (с. 35, 48)
• Тер-Минасова С.Г. Война и мир языков и культур. – М.: Астрель, 2007. – 286 с. (с. 46 –
66).
• Майол Э., Милстед Д. Эти странные англичане. – М.: Эгмонт Россия, 1999. – 72 с. (5 –
54)
• 4. Чхетиани Т.Д. Лингвистические аспекты метакоммуникации. Автореф. дис. …
канд.филол.наук, 1987. – 24 с. 2.Селіванова О.І., Байкова О.М. Опановуючи англійську
мову і культуру. – Київ: Ленвіт, 2008. – 126 с. ( с.36 – 75).
• Linguistic competence – a good command of the target language, a
proper acquisition of its grammar, lexicon, and idiomatic units to be
able to make up correct sentences, meaningful and understandable.
e.g. (In the park) Am.: Where can I wash my hands? A guide: Just over
there in the fountain. (idiom for ‘toilet’)
An exchanged student from Japan was shot in Louisiana when he was
mistaken for a prowler while looking for the site of a Halloween party to
which he was invited. He did not know the meaning of the shouted
command Freeze! – ‘stop, don’t move’ by the gun-bearing occupant of
the wrong home.
A Vietnamese girl seeing the table Rest Room: Can I have a rest there?
The answer to which was: A sort of.
Exchange students in the USA face numerous acculturation difficulties!
• Communicative competence means pragmatic
competence: to obey norms and rules of
communication (see Grician maxims), strategies
of speech behavior, meet the requirements of
the situation (taking all the parameters into
consideration), make the interaction
comprehensive and friendly.
• Metacommunicative competence: know how to
establish, maintain and terminate interaction.
Differences in verbal and non-verbal
behavior
• Verbal: Americans and the British tend to
overestimate politeness in communication. They
demonstrate exaggeration of politeness markers
(overuse formulas of greeting, gratitude,
forgiveness, make compliments and vague
invitations like “We must meet and talk one of these
days. I’ll give you a call”, show empathy, friendliness
and deference), whereas Ukrainians underestimate
politeness phenomena, in particular within sets of
close relationship (treat them as insincere).
DIFFERENCES IN NONVERBAL BEHAVIOUR
Issues:
1. British verbal and nonverbal etiquette
2. American verbal and nonverbal etiquette
3. Ukrainian verbal and nonverbal etiquette
4. Similarities and differences of Br./Am. & Ukr.
verbal and nonverbal etiquette
Literature to Lecture Four
• Bassnett S. Studying British Cultures. London,
New York : Routledge, 1997. 202 p.
• Tarnopolsky O., Sklyarenko N. Lifestyle
Communicative Behavioral Patterns in the USA
Київ: Видав.центр КДЛУ, 2000
• Майол Э., Мистед Д. Эти странные англичане.
М.: Эгмонт, 1999. – 72 с.
• Фол С. Эти странные американцы. М.: Эгмонт,
1999. – 72 с.
British Etiquette & Manners
• British people are a bit more formal:
• Firm shake-hand, irrespective of gender, is good. Do it when being introduced and
when leaving. Don’t do it on a casual meeting.
• Address with Mr., Mrs. or Miss followed by the surname.
• Don’t use the first name until invited to do so.
• Exchange the business cards at the beginning of meeting without much ceremony.
• Do not stare into the eyes of English people. Introduction protocol should be
followed. Introduce a younger to an old person, a gentleman to a lady, a lower-rank
person to a higher rank person.
• If you plan on an agenda, forward it to your British colleague in advance for
reviewing it & recommending any changes.
• The business proceedings normally start after a brief small talk.
• In your presentation do not claim more than what are facts. Support your
presentation with facts and figures.
British Etiquette & Manners (continued)
• Do not probe people with personal questions.
• When invited for dinner at a restaurant, be punctual. If
invited at home, you may be late by 10 min, it’s OK.
Present a gift to your host (it can be a box of
chocolates, a bottle of wine or bouquet of flowers).
• Follow the dining table manners. Do not sit down
unless requested. The host may indicate the place
where to sit.
• Communicate at a bit formal level unless you are close
to the person or have developed personal friendship.
British Etiquette & Manners (continued)
• Do not lean on table or do not rest your elbows on the
table while dining.
• If invited to a meal at a restaurant, the person
extending the invitation usually pays. Do not argue
about paying it yourself; you may reciprocate at a later
day.
• Discipline is important If you happen to see a queue,
always go to the end of it and wait for your turn.
• Do not use or chew a toothpick in public.
• Do not spit anywhere.
American Etiquette & Manners
• In USA, East Coast is more conservative & formal in dress &
manners than the West Coast.
• For official meeting wear dark coloured suit with white shirt.
For men & women formal attire is recommended.
• Wear casual clothes (neat & clean) when not attending a
meeting or dinner. Wearing jeans or khaki pants or shorts is
quite in place visiting malls etc.
• Punctuality is very important due to the work ethic of the USA.
• In the USA, honest hard work is valued.
• Business meeting may be over breakfast, lunch or dinner
based on appropriateness.
American Etiquette & Manners (continued)
Falling leaves in autumn. Every leaf means a lucky month next year.
Cut your hair when the moon is waxing.
Putting money in the pocket of new clothes.
A bride should wear ”smth borrowed, smth blue, smth old & smth new
The husband should carry his new wife over the threshold of the home
Visiting the new baby for the first time, place a silver coin in its hand.
Unlucky: to walk underneath a ladder, break a mirror, to spill salt (otherwise must
throw it over the shoulder), number thirteen (especially Friday the thirteenth
when Jesus was crucified ).
Most popular food superstition is that:
When finished eating a boiled egg, push the spoon through the bottom of the
empty shell to let the devil out.
If you drop a table knife expect a male visitor, if a fork – a female visitor.
Sayings and Proverbs
• East or West home is best
• When in Rome do as the Romans do
• Bridge a gap to find a friend
• Evil communications corrupt good manners
• Agree to differ
• Custom is a second nature
• Make the whole world kin
• Take the world as one finds it
• The world is a small place/a great village
• To speak a different language
• Throw lifestyle out of the door, it will come back again through the
window
Lecture Five. American vs. British
Communicative Styles
• Issues:
1. The notion of communicative style.
2. British communicative styles.
3. American communicative styles.
4. Differences between British & American
communicative styles.
Literature to Lecture 5
• Bassnett S. Studying British Cultures. London, New York :
Routledge, 1997. 202 p.
• Tarnopolsky O., Sklyarenko N. Lifestyle Communicative
Behavioral Patterns in the USA
Київ: Видав.центр КДЛУ, 2000
• Майол Э., Мистед Д. Эти странные англичане. М.: Эгмонт,
1999. – 72 с.
• Cеліванова О.О., Іванова О.І., Байкова О.М. Опановуючи
англійську мову і культуру. – Київ: Ленвіт, 2008. – 126 с.
( с.36 – 75).
• Фол С. Эти странные американцы. М.: Эгмонт, 1999. – 72 с.
American vs. British Communicative Styles