| Culture shock can never be completely avoided but | | | | comparisons between the two languages highlights |
| the effects of it can be softened. It occurs when | | | | the often extreme differences in the way our |
| your own cultural values and beliefs come into conflict | | | | thoughts are formed. Your language provides the |
| with those of another culture. The greater the | | | | framework within which you perceive reality. You |
| differences between the two cultures the greater | | | | basically become a different person when you switch |
| the chance of culture shock. The most obvious | | | | over to a second language. So, lesson number one is |
| conflict area is language. Of all aspects of culture, | | | | to learn as much as you can of the language of your |
| language is the most pervasive and the use or | | | | expatriate destination. |
| misuse of language is the most obvious area of | | | | Cross-cultural communication: What is said may not |
| cross-cultural problems. | | | | be what is heard Have you ever said to someone; |
| Culture is defined here in the anthropological sense, | | | | "That is not what I meant". Well, what is said and |
| not in the fine arts sense. The anthropological term | | | | what is heard varies based on cultural differences |
| culture refers to all learned behavior and values within | | | | also. What you say may be heard as you meant it. It |
| a specific society or group of people and is | | | | may be heard as something totally different from |
| composed of all of the aspects of life within that | | | | what you meant or it might be perceived |
| ethnic group. Therefore, if culture is made up of | | | | somewhere in between these two extremes. Culture |
| learned values and behaviors, it can be studied and a | | | | acts as a filter for meaning. If this confusion is found |
| plan of action can be devised to help us confront the | | | | when speaking our own language among ourselves, |
| resultant culture shock. | | | | imagine how much greater the influence when the |
| Cultural differences and the mis-reading of these | | | | very thought patterns of the hearer is totally alien to |
| differences are the most frequent cause of conflict | | | | ours. For example, the word "it" in English covers a |
| between groups from different ethnic groups or | | | | multitude of meanings. In the Navajo Indian language |
| countries. These differences are mostly unconscious | | | | there is no generic "it". You would have to use a |
| or subconscious differences, which makes them | | | | form that describes a specific shape, form, or size of |
| harder to cope with. | | | | "it". So, lesson number two is to be aware that what |
| Culture is by nature learned behavior. There is nothing | | | | you say and what you hear may not be what is |
| innate about it. Culture is learned through use of | | | | perceived by the party on the other end of the |
| language. Nonverbal communication occurs in all | | | | conversation. |
| societies, but the verbal language is the primary | | | | Being aware of cultural differences in language use |
| medium of communication. | | | | can aid in adjustment to cultural differences, but only |
| Language: The relationship between language and | | | | through total immersion in the cultural tradition of the |
| culture is an inseparable one. Everything a person | | | | country can you avoid most culture shock. Since |
| experiences is perceived within the conceptual and | | | | most expatriates never reach that level of |
| grammatical perspective of that person's language. | | | | immersion, be resigned to the fact that some time in |
| People can never understand the impact this has on | | | | your experience abroad you will find yourself in a |
| their thinking until they learn a completely different | | | | state of culture shock. But that too shall pass. |
| language. When you do this, the structural | | | | |