Controlled Practice: Language and Culture

READING/LISTENING

 

Exercise 1. Read and listen to Part 3 of the series about culture using the link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/webcast/tae_whoonearth_archive.shtml

Exercise 2. In pairs take turns to answer the questions:

1. What does the term “building-blocks” of culture mean?

2. What is the most important “building-block” of culture?

3. Is the way you speak to somebody junior to you different from the way you speak to somebody who is senior to you?

4. How can we prove that culture and language are tied together?

5. Do people from other cultures use language in exactly the same way we do?

6. Describe Benjamin Lee Whorf's linguistic discovery. What was his conclusion?

7. How do you understand the idea in the sentence: “The customs of a language, its grammar, the words themselves, are a product of the way the people of a culture experience the world”. Prove it with an example from the text.

 

Exercise 3. Match the beginning of the sentences with the end. Translate the sentences.

The “building blocks” of culture are	a product of the way the people of a culture experience the world.
There must be a word “languaculture” because	the way we see the world.
Language is a tool to help people	things which can be so different from one culture to another.
The customs of a language, the words themselves are	despite linguistic and cultural differences.
Accurately translating words from one language to another may not be enough	from the same culture communicate effectively.
Our native language actually affects	language and culture are so fundamentally tied together.
You are taught ever since you start to speak the language	to follow certain kinds of rules.
We can still communicate with people from other cultures	to understand the cultural meaning that lies behind the words.

 

VOCABULARY

 

Exercise 4. Fill in the gaps with the correct word. Translate the sentences.

1. Language and culture are fundamentally __________ together.

a) tied

b) related

c) connected

 

2. Language is a tool to help people from the same culture __________ effectively.

a) meet

b) communicate

c) rub shoulders

 

3. We don’t all __________ the world in the same way.

a) connect

b) experience

c) aware

 

4. The important thing is __________ of linguistic and cultural differences when we meet people from different backgrounds.

a) to realise

b) to be aware

c) to understand

 

5. And when we do this, we take an important step on the road to more __________ intercultural communication.

a) affective

b) affluent

c) effective

LISTENING

Non-verbal Communication

People from different cultures speak different languages but also use non-verbal communication in different ways. Listen to what people say about non-verbal communication in Part 5 of the series of talks about culture http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/webcast/tae_whoonearth_archive.shtml

Exercise 5. Choose the best way to complete the sentences.

1. If people use non-verbal communication in ways we recognise __________

a) there can be problems.

b) we think of them as people we can get on with.

c) we start talking to them.

 

2. The hand movements usually indicate that the person ___________

a) tries to calm down.

b) is emotionally overwhelmed.

c) is from England.

 

3. In the Middle East a man doesn't maintain eye contact with a woman when he is talking to her __________

a) if he is bored.

b) because it is invasion of her privacy.

c) if she is married.

 

4. Westerners are shocked __________

a) when they see people bow to each other.

b) when people stare at them.

c) when they see Arab men holding hands in the street with other men.

 

5. According to the research done in cafes around the world couples would touch each other more frequently __________

a) in Brazil.

b) in France.

c) in England.

 

Exercise 6. Listen to the text from Part 5 again. Match the two parts of the sentences.

1. ‘Non-verbal communication’ is	a) are much cooler and don't really move their bodies so much when they're talking.
2. African Americans or Mediterranean cultures	b) people think that it's a violation of social harmony to print your individuality and your ideas on the world with your arms when you're speaking.
3. People in Scandinavia	c) it's a sign of your honesty to maintain eye contact when you're talking to people.
4. In Japan	d) our body language – the way we use our hands, our faces, our eyes.
5. In England	e) a man would never maintain eye contact with a woman while talking to her.
6. In the Middle East	f) someone might take your wrist in their hand while they are talking to you to keep your attention and show their emphasis.
7. In Namibia	g) will throw their arms around and move around a lot when they're speaking.
8. In the Middle East	h) when greeting someone in the street you have to stand and look at the person and smile, and greetings take up to five minutes.

 

SPEAKING

 

Exercise 7. In pairs take turns to tell each other about:

- what non-verbal communication is and why it is important;

- the use of gestures or hand movements in different cultures;

- maintaining eye contact;

- greetings;

- keeping distance;

- touching.

GRAMMAR

 

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