Hellow , How are you?
I want to talk about culture lecture and the question that Dr.Tayba asked us. She asked, whether the culture is learned or inherited? Defining culture is no easy task because it means many different things to many people. There are easily as many definitions of " culture " as there are cultures in the world. This is what it said in the hand out of Dr.Tayba about defining the culture. So, if there is no specific definition for the culture, how come we just say it is learned. I tried to give my opinion in percentage; of course, it is not accurate 100% because I did not make any studies about it. But, still I think it is the most logical answer for me. When I said my opinion to Dr. Tayba and my friends in the class, some agree with me and some are not. My answer was that culture is 80% learned and 20% inherited .Dr.Tayba's opinion was that culture is learned, because it acquired from the nature and she remind us from previous lecture, how the nature influence people. In this point I agree with her. But, still I insist that there is a little effect of inheritance in the culture. When Dr.Tayba asked me, what is your proof. I mentioned " Dr.Taha Husain " and how he was living in a countryside of Egypt and all his family around him were less education, not to mention his blindness. All these reasons gives me a conception that there is a part of inheritance on our life. By coincidence, while I was writing this paragraph, suddenly Kuwait TV on channel one shows in " Almoraselloon " program a short story about " Taha Husain " they talked about his house and his daily life it was marvelous. Finally, I want to say if culture is just leaned. What about people who have a willingness to create their own and others culture. Someone like " Taha Husain " or even the "profits".

Culture and Respect

The term culture refers to a state of intellectual development or manners. The social and political forces that influence the growth of a human being are defined as culture.
Each country in the world has its own culture, where there are a people in some land diffidently there is a culture, lifestyle, beliefs and values. The way we communicate with other people and treat them is one of the important elements in our culture. Even if we are changed our lifestyle, clothes, way of eating and living, we can't change our value and tradition of our culture.

While am searching in ''google'' I had read some impressive examples of respecting people in different countries, and it is reflect of their culture. Indian culture treats guests as god and serves them and takes care of them as if they are a part and parcel of the family itself. Even if they do not have something to eat, they do not leave their guests with hunger. The books of Indian culture contain a lessons which taught the respecting one another. According to Indians, elders are the blessing of any family and the bless come by touching their feet.

Another example of elders respect we can recognize it from Filipino culture. The younger members of family give a lot of respect to those who are older, even though if they are older than them in weeks or months. Also, the family to them the most important thing in life and they always support their family by working hard and send for them money.

In the end, as a human we have to respect all nationalities because we may find on them amazing values that we can learn through it, and be proud of our culture as the way it is.

Cultural Identity Struggles

By Eman M.

Language is the most important means to express our social identity. Regardless to it's obvious importance in our daily life communication, and how it convey our ideas, beliefs, and our point of views to others. Our language and culture are the reflection of our identity and who we are or where do we belong. Sometimes we across some situations that threat our identity somehow without our awareness and how we act is bushed most of times by the need of being accepted by others, but we forget that the others who must accepts us as we are.

I still remember when I was just eight years old when I used to travel with my family to visit our relatives in Saudi Arabia, and I naturally talk with them using my Kuwaiti accent but children there found it funny so they start laughing, then I changed my accent and tried to talk the way they do just to feel the acceptance. When time came to go back home my friends in Kuwait didn't accept the change that occurred to my accent when I was away, I heard some giggling and laughing whenever I used some of the Saudi's words (such as "duffeiny" rather than "dizzeiny" which means push me).

Another example of how people struggle with expressing their social and cultural identity in a different culture. I have a friend who is living in the U S A. for a year now, and she is wearing "Abaya and Niqab", but she can't were them anymore because of people's reaction toward the traditional black Abaya and Niqab, she says that once a child started to cry aloud the moment he saw her and he was pointing at her with fear in his eyes. After that incident she started to wear colorful Abaya and unfortunately without the Niqab.

Body language across cultures

Forms of Greeting
Handshakes:

United States and Canada: Firm handshake.
France: Soft, quick handshake.
Japan: Handshake with arm fully extended, accompanied by a bow.
Germany: Firm handshake. Men traditionally accompany the handshake with a slight bow.
Middle East: Handshake with the free hand placed on the forearm of the other person.
Bowing: Many people from Asian cultures bow in greeting. In Japan, people bow with their hands at their sides, and the depth of the bow is related to the level of respect due to the other person. Thais bow with their palms together and fingers outstretched, while people from Cambodia and Laos bow with their hands in front of their chests. Pakistanis use the salaam, and bow with the palm of the right hand on their foreheads.

Hugging and Kissing: Native Hawaiians hug and exchange breaths in a custom called "aha." Mexicans will usually hug upon greeting (the abrazo). Men in many parts of the world exchange kisses on the cheek, and places where this is a common practice include Cuba, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East.
For the Maori of New Zealand, a traditional greeting includes the pressing together the noses (the hongi), and a cry of welcome (the karanga).

Other Body Language
Eye Contact: In Western cultures, people make intermittent eye contact while speaking to demonstrate interest and trustworthiness. People in the Middle East use very intense and prolonged eye contact to gauge someone else's intentions, and will move in very close to see the other person's eyes better. However, in Japan direct eye contact is interpreted as an invasion of a person's privacy and an act of rudeness.
Smiling: North Americans usually smile automatically when greeting others, while people from other cultures may interpret this as insincere. Asian people smile less than Westerners, and in Korea it is considered inappropriate for adults to smile in public. For Koreans, a smile usually indicates embarrassment, and not pleasure.
Head Shaking: Although usually shaking one's head from side to side is used to indicate "no," even this simple gesture doesn't have a universal meaning! Bulgarians shake their head to indicate agreement, and people from southern India and Pakistan move their head from side to side to express a variety of meanings. Depending on context, this headshake could mean "you're welcome," "goodbye," enjoyment, the equivalent of a shrug, or that the person acknowledges what another person has said.
Posture: In the Middle East, it is extremely offensive to point the bottom of one's foot in another person's direction – so sitting cross-legged might be a bad idea!
Personal Space: The amount of personal space North Americans require is about the length of an arm. The French, Latin Americans, and Arabs need less personal space, while Germans and Japanese need more. The size of one's personal space may also be influenced by social status, gender, age, and other factors.

contradictions

Try to find an example for a word, phrase or gesture, (maybe a habit )that may mean something different from culture to culture:

Belief
Believing that some numbers could bring you good or bad luck.
For some eastern countries like Japan or China they believe that the number 4 is a bad omen and it’s meaning relates to death, so they would not have a room (apartment, hospital room, hotel room, street...est.) with that number.
Furthermore have you ever seen a Japanese elevator?
You may find that some of its numbers are missing or replaced and the elevator's numbers may even start from -1.
For us in the Islamic communities we believe that the 1 and 7 may give us good luck (1 refering to only one Allah and 7 refering to the seven heavens).

not using electronics
There is a culture that dose not believe in using anything electronically related, yet they still want to use modern means, so they have an elevator that runs on solar power (sunlight).
in addition when entering the elevator they would not press any of the elevator’s buttons they just get in to the elevator and wait for it to reach their floor (the elevator stops on each floor automatically).

Colours

When receiving a red letter
In China and Japan receiving a red letter on New Years, it is a great omen because it means they have been given some money.
In England to receive a red letter it means you still have some bills to pay and that this is the final notice (warning).
But i think to receive a red letter in America is the worst because it mostly means that someone you hold close to you or know has just died in the Forces and this is the letter to inform you of their death.

Giving flowers
Most people would love to receive flower or have someone put flowers on their desk. but if you were from Japan it would be considered an insult because in their culture it means that you are telling them to go and die.

Words

The word (date)
If you were to tell someone that you have a date later on today, most would think that you meant it as a social date yet in some countries when you say this it means it has somthing to do with work and that you have a meeting later on.
also for us in the arab communities date means the fruit that is eaten with arabian coffee.

Can you think of anything to add to this?

Dubai 101

Hey who had the chance to watch the show Dubai 101 (it is a show about the emirate culture on channel “Dubai one”)

Here are some of the examples on what they talked about

What you need to know before going to emirates

The way you dress (not to show your shoulders and not to have any clothes shorter then knee length for women)
Most women are found wearing a black habib or something similar
How to greet
Some men greet each other with something called a nose kiss, in other word the men touch their noses with each other and they do it three times it is a sign of deep respect and a greeting
Instead of shaking hands with each other they but one hand over their heart (so that the arm comes across the body) as a sign of greeting it is especially used between different genders that are not closely family related.(there are NO handshakes)
Some of the gestures used in other situations:
Like shaking your cup as a sign that you have finished with your drink instead of actually saying that you had enough.
It is considered an insult to show the soles of your feet or the bottom of your shoes in public.
There were many more but that’s all I could remember.
(I think that most of the ] gestures could almost be found in most Islamic cultures)
Which of these do you think is most commonly found here in Kuwait or that is similar?

Spanish culture

In Spain we are known for our diversity and our joyful outlook on life, although it is not so well-known that we like to enjoy life in many different ways. This is reflected in such customs as the running of the bulls (one week of the year in the northern central town of Pamplona), and bullfighting (mostly celebrated in southern Spain).This also has a lot to do with the way we express ourselves. As a result we have several languages, all of them official, which demonstrate our diversity and our rich heritage (in case that you were not aware of this, Spanish's real name is Castilian, and therefore, when referring to the other languages you will read about Castilian). Learning a language is more than just knowing the grammar and its vocabulary. It is knowing the people and their way of life: their customs, traditions, celebrations and other aspects that may be typical, and sometimes particular, to the culture. The relaxed pace of life in Spain and the hospitability Latin America is known for, are qualities visitors and students find charming.

Cultural assimilation

Cultural assimilation is a political response to the demographic fact of multi-ethnicity which encourages absorption of the minority into the dominant culture. It is opposed to affirmative philosophy (for example, multiculturalism) which recognizes and manages difference.

The term assimilation is often used with regard to immigrants to a new land, such as the various ethnic groups who have settled in the United States. New customs and attitudes are acquired through contact and communication. The transfer of customs is not simply a one-way process. Each group of immigrants contributes some of its own cultural traits to its new society. Assimilation usually involves a gradual change and takes place in varying degrees; full assimilation occurs when new members of a society become indistinguishable from older members.

Forced assimilation

it is a process of forced cultural assimilation of religious or ethnic minority groups, into an established and generally larger community. This presumes a loss of many characteristics which make the minority different.

Social consequences for Language shift

Language shift can be detrimental to at least parts of the community associated with the language which is being lost. Sociolinguists report that language shift (when it involves loss of the first language) can lead to cultural disintegration and a variety of social problems including increased alcoholism, dysfunctional families and increased incidence of premature death.

For example, Ohiri-Aniche (1997) observes a tendency among many Nigerians to bring up their children as monolingual speakers of English and reports that this can lead to their children holding their heritage language in disdain and feeling ashamed of being associated with the language of their parents and grandparents. As a result of this some Nigerians are said to feel neither fully European nor fully Nigerian. (from Wikipedia)

What does a banana mean in other cultures ? ( Hanan )

Cultural Differences?
Or, are we really that different?

Gregorio Billikopf
University of California

In 1993, I had my first opportunity to visit Russia as a representative of the University of California. I was there to provide some technical assistance in the area of agricultural labor management. "Russians are a very polite people," I had been tutored before my arrival. One of my interpreters, once I was there, explained that a gentleman will pour the limonad (type of juice) for the ladies and show other courtesies.

Toward the end of my three week trip I was invited by my young Russian host and friend Nicolai Vasilevich and his lovely wife Yulya out to dinner. At the end of a wonderful meal Yulya asked if I would like a banana. I politely declined and thanked her, and explained I was most satisfied with the meal. But the whole while my mind was racing: "What do I do? Do I offer her a banana even though they are as close to her as they are to me? What is the polite thing to do?"

"Would you like a banana?" I asked Yulya.

"Yes," she smiled, but made no attempt to take any of the three bananas in the fruit basket. "What now?" I thought.

"Which one would you like?" I fumbled.

"That one," she pointed at one of the bananas. So all the while thinking about Russian politeness I picked the banana Yulya had pointed at and peeled it half way and handed it to her. Smiles in Yulya and Nicolai's faces told me I had done the right thing. After this experience I spent much time letting the world know that in Russia, the polite thing is to peel the bananas for the ladies. Sometime during my third trip I was politely disabused of my notion.

"Oh no, Grigorii Davidovich," a Russian graciously corrected me. "In Russia, when a man peels a banana for a lady it means he has a romantic interest in her." How embarrassed I felt. And here I had been proudly telling everyone about this tidbit of cultural understanding.

Certain lessons have to be learned the hard way. Some well meaning articles and presentations on cultural differences have a potential to do more harm than good and may not be as amusing. They present, like my bananas, too many generalizations or quite a distorted view.

Some often-heard generalizations about the Hispanic culture include: Hispanics need less personal space, make less eye contact, touch each other more in normal conversation, and are less likely to participate in a meeting. Generalizations are often dangerous, and especially when accompanied by recommendations such as: move closer when talking to Hispanics, make more physical contact, don't expect participation, and so on.

Here is an attempt to sort out a couple of thoughts on cultural differences. My perspective is that of a foreign born-and-raised Hispanic who has now lived over two decades in the United States and has had much opportunity for international travel and exchange.

accents

check out on youtube (21 accents ) before reading

Do you think there is a relationship between someone’s accent and to our course of language and culture?

The reason why I am thinking this is that by listening to someone's accent, it may give us a chance to see in to their culture and character of the person that is speaking it, even if they speak the same language it could still sound different.

What do you think?

Cultural imperialism (Muneera)

Cultural imperialism : is the practice of promoting, distinguishing, separating, or artificially injecting the culture of one society into another. It is usually the case that the former belongs to a large, economically or militarily powerful nation and the latter belongs to a smaller, less important one. Cultural imperialism can take the form of an active, formal policy or a general attitude. A metaphor of colonialism is employed: the cultural products of the first world "invade" the third-world and "conquer" local culture. In the stronger variants of the term, world domination (in a cultural sense) is the explicit goal of the nation-states or corporations that export the culture. The term is usually used in a pejorative sense, usually in conjunction with a call to reject foreign influence.

Click here to read more ..

Proper ways to say good bye in different cultures around the world ( Hanan )

I will start with the great USA: When telling someone good bye that’s about all you have to say. Bye, see you later, talk to you later, see you tomorrow, and the list goes on. Although there is a proper way of saying good bye to a person you just meet like it was nice meeting you, good seeing you hope to talk to you again soon, or my favorite its been real meeting you I’ll catch you later. As Americans we are just not to formal with hellos and good byes yet they are the key point of communication in our society.

I will only hit five other countries Great Britain, Russia, China, Japan, and Mexico

Great Britain: Things like god be with ye and cheerio are said with a good firm hand shake. Looking you right in the eye so that you get a feel of the other person.

Russia: Do svidanja yeah its hard to say but it is said at a distance but again looking each other in the eyes. Contact is not mandatory but placing a hand on the other persons shoulder is a sign of respect.

China: Joi gin, Joi wooi, Wa ki liao it all depends on the dialect that you are useing. Makeing a fist with the right hand and placing it in the palm on the left hand, never close it over. With a slight head bow never looking at the person you are saying goodbye to. To look is a way of showing your distrust.

Japan:Sayonara, Itte kimasu, Itte irasshai,ltte rasshai, Itte mairimasu, Dewa mata, Jaa, mata atashita, Jaa, mata ashita aimashou, Dewa sono uchi ni
Jaa nee, Jaa mata, Bai bai, Soreja, Soreja mata, Sainara, Hona sainara, Hona sainara, and Mata ai masho. For a island counrty there are alot of diffrent ways of saying goodbye. A goodbye should be accompanied by a bow with both hands open at your sides facing towards you.

Mexico (Spanish): Adios being the most common. When saying good bye its good to give a little bit of space but do not get uncomfortable if your space is invaded. The people of Mexico are very relaxed people and like there space but are very easy going. When you say good bye say it in a tone that says I will see you later.

\Funny Facts and Trivia about different languages ( Muneera)

- There are about 40000 characters in Chinese language.

- The word Taxi is spelled the same in English, German, French, Swedish, Dutch and Portuguese languages .

- The `sixth sick sheik`s sixth sheep`s sick` is said to be the toughest tongue twister in the English language.

- There is no word for `weather` in the Hawaiian language, probably because the weather is so good most of the time.

- India has about 800 dialects and 15 major Languages.

- Hallelujah is Hebrew for `Praise the Lord`.

- The Balinese have no word in their languge for art or artist.

- In China there are more people who speaks English than in the U.S..

- In Indonesia they have over 300 different languages.

- Eskimos have more than twenty words to describe snow.

- Before the year 1000, the word `she` did not exist in the English language. The singular female reference was the word `heo`, which also was the plural of all genders. The word `she` appeared only in the 12th century, about 400 years after English began to take form. `She` probably derived from the Old English feminine `seo`, the Viking word for feminine reference.

- in China there are no difference between the word `Rice` and `food`.

- There are 160 words for camel in Arabic.

- Nigeria is home to about 400 languages.

- Jamaica is the largest English-speaking island in the Caribbean.

- There are only 12 letters in the Hawaiian alphabet.

- In Chinese the words for crisis and opportunity are the same.

- `I am.` is the shortest complete sentence in the English language.

- In Australia a banana bender means that a person comes from Queensland.

- The longest one-syllable words in the English language are `strengths` and `screeched`.

- In Chinese language China is called Zhong Guo. Zhong Guo means Land of the Middle.

- The number 9 in Thai means progression.

- The sentence `the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog` uses every letter in the English language.

- In Japanese the word for `different` and `wrong` are the same.

- The most difficult language to learn is Basque, spoken in northwestern Spain and southwestern France.

- In Japanese language there is no single word for water. They say mizu for cold water and oyu for hot water.

- No word in the English language rhymes with `month`, `orange`, `silver` or `purple`.

- The ampersand & was once a letter of the English alphabet.

- India is also known as Hindustan or Bharat by natives.

- The word "Checkmate" in chess comes from the Persian phrase "Shah Mat," which means "the king is dead".

- The word "karate" means "empty hand."

- "United Arab Emirates," a small country in the Middle East, is made up of alternating vowels and consonants. It is the longest name of a country whose letters do that.