Semester Long Blog Project
Chapter 1: Semester Long Blog Project - MIRANDA MARINER
The United States is often referred to as the land of immigrants. Immigrants are people who come to a new country, region, or environment to settle more or less permanently (Martin). This hits home to me because I have two very important people to me that are considered immigrants.
First, my best friend for a majority of my life was adopted at two years old from Russia. She technically migrated to the United States after being adopted from Russia by her adoptive parents. She has permanently lived in the U.S. for eighteen years now. Second, my step-mom is from Turkey. In 2007, she and her family moved to the United States for better job opportunities. She has lived here since and just within this past year was granted her citizenship after twelve years. My step-mom has since lived here permanently and has no intentions of moving back.
As stated above, my step-mom moved to the United States with her family in order to get better job opportunities. The book states that there is increasing diversity in the U.S. workforce, and her reason is most likely why for every immigrant. My step-mom actually attended the University of Louisville and in the last twelve years has obtained three separate degrees, two being bachelors and one being an associates, so that she could have a successful career in the medical field. Her efforts have proven to be a success and apart of the statistic since she would be considered a foreign minority in the U.S. work force.
Throughout the years I have heard from my step-mom how difficult it was to adjust to the "melting pot." The melting pot is a metaphor that assumes that immigrants and cultural minorities will be assimilated into U.S. majority culture, losing their original culture. (Martin). Even after living in the United States for over twelve years my step-mom maintains certain cultural norms from Turkey and has not at all adjusted to U.S. culture. These norms often include bringing gifts to a guests home every time they visit, never using their hands to eat food, and more. Some things she has accustomed to, however, like consuming pork. Depicted below is a common dish full of Turkish cuisine. As you can see, multiple sets of silverware accompany eat dish because they eat nothing without silverware.
One of the most important concepts from this chapter was the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis. The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis was developed by linguists Edward Sapir and Benjamin Whorf which explores the phenomena of the use of formal and informal pronouns (Martin). This method was always interesting to me because I am a native English speaker but took Spanish classes throughout high-school and college. Despite being in honors foreign language courses for over five years I always found it frustrating determining the use of a formal or informal pronoun. If it were up to me I would always use the informal pronoun of "tu" like described in the text because that is just how I thought of communication. Everything was informal and just casual conversation. Being a native English speaker made this concept harder when trying to learn another language because it was weird having to distinguish the difference rather than just use the same word, like how we would in the English language.
By using the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis over time I was able to achieve a small amount of intercultural competence. Intercultural competence is the ability to behave effectively and appropriately in interacting across cultures (Martin). It took a long time to become used to using the different types of pronouns, but after a few years it became much easier to speak the Spanish language than before. When I first began studying a foreign language I was only able to write and read in Spanish, but by year four of an honors course I learned faster and how to properly recite a speech in this beautiful romance language. It states in the text that by learning a second or third language our intercultural competence enhances by providing insights into other cultures and expanding our communication repertoire (Martin).
The United States is often referred to as the land of immigrants. Immigrants are people who come to a new country, region, or environment to settle more or less permanently (Martin). This hits home to me because I have two very important people to me that are considered immigrants.
First, my best friend for a majority of my life was adopted at two years old from Russia. She technically migrated to the United States after being adopted from Russia by her adoptive parents. She has permanently lived in the U.S. for eighteen years now. Second, my step-mom is from Turkey. In 2007, she and her family moved to the United States for better job opportunities. She has lived here since and just within this past year was granted her citizenship after twelve years. My step-mom has since lived here permanently and has no intentions of moving back.
As stated above, my step-mom moved to the United States with her family in order to get better job opportunities. The book states that there is increasing diversity in the U.S. workforce, and her reason is most likely why for every immigrant. My step-mom actually attended the University of Louisville and in the last twelve years has obtained three separate degrees, two being bachelors and one being an associates, so that she could have a successful career in the medical field. Her efforts have proven to be a success and apart of the statistic since she would be considered a foreign minority in the U.S. work force.
Throughout the years I have heard from my step-mom how difficult it was to adjust to the "melting pot." The melting pot is a metaphor that assumes that immigrants and cultural minorities will be assimilated into U.S. majority culture, losing their original culture. (Martin). Even after living in the United States for over twelve years my step-mom maintains certain cultural norms from Turkey and has not at all adjusted to U.S. culture. These norms often include bringing gifts to a guests home every time they visit, never using their hands to eat food, and more. Some things she has accustomed to, however, like consuming pork. Depicted below is a common dish full of Turkish cuisine. As you can see, multiple sets of silverware accompany eat dish because they eat nothing without silverware.
Martin, J. N., & Nakayama, T. K. (2018). Intercultural Communication in Contexts (7th ed.).
McGraw Hill: New York, NY. [ISBN: 978-1264099047]
Chapter 2 - Semester Long Blog Project
By using the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis over time I was able to achieve a small amount of intercultural competence. Intercultural competence is the ability to behave effectively and appropriately in interacting across cultures (Martin). It took a long time to become used to using the different types of pronouns, but after a few years it became much easier to speak the Spanish language than before. When I first began studying a foreign language I was only able to write and read in Spanish, but by year four of an honors course I learned faster and how to properly recite a speech in this beautiful romance language. It states in the text that by learning a second or third language our intercultural competence enhances by providing insights into other cultures and expanding our communication repertoire (Martin).
Martin, J. N., & Nakayama, T. K. (2018). Intercultural Communication in Contexts (7th ed.).
McGraw Hill: New York, NY. [ISBN: 978-1264099047]
Chapter 3 - Semester Long Blog Project
Hofsteade's value orientations were one of the most important concepts of chapter three. As stated in the text these different problems required different solutions in varying cultures. Specifically, the masculinity-femininity value is one that I truly see eye to eye with. The masculinity-feminitiy value refers to the degree to which gender-specific roles are valued and the degree to which cultures value masculinity versus femininity (Martin). According to the text areas like Japan, Mexico, and Austria were more masculinity oriented, meaning that men should be the "bread makers" that take care of their family. Men are supposed to value achievement, ambiguity, and material goods whereas women are supposed to value service to others, quality of life, and nurturance. This is the complete opposite in areas such as Denmark, Norway, and Sweden which all are more interested in the importance of quality of life for all. I believe the United States values masculinity rather than femininity, even now still in 2019. Before, in the early 1900's, masculinity values and gender specific roles were the way of life in families. Despite the efforts of gaining equality for women in the United States, we are still treated as not being able to be smart than a man, not being paid equally or more for better work, still being considered housewives that need to take care of the home and not necessarily work. Hundreds of years of change and still this way of life has not changed much in the United States which I believe is extremely unfair to the population of women who often work harder and smarter.
The uncertainty avoidance is another value that strikes me as extra important. Uncertainty avoidance strikes the degree to which people who feel threatened by ambitious situations respond by avoiding them or trying to establish more structure to compensate for the uncertainty (Martin). The United States is a low uncertainty avoidance culture, which I find accurate for myself as a citizen of the U.S.. I often find myself taking risks often and being carefree considering rules. I am a person who often thinks rules are meant to be broken and that you only live once to have fun and be free, hence the regular risk taking.
Chapter 4 - Semester Long Blog Project
The only way that we are able to know in the present day about what has occurred in the past is through the voices of others who were either part of it or studied other voices deeply to properly write about it. This is something that I find interesting because, in reality, us present day people are just believing the voices of others to know what happened in the past of this world. Although credibility is established, history is just written by multiple people and can obtain different points of view. Altered history is when historical events are changed in order to serve particular idealogical goals (Martin). Have you ever been curious to see what history textbooks are like for other countries in the world? I have been and actually went as far as looking up examples on how they write their history. For example, a German history textbook does not dwell on the terrors of the Holocaust and it is describes in a lighter tone that matches the German ideological goal from 1945. In America it is described in a completely different perspective which gives the sense of altered history being present. The same goes for American history when discussing the horrors of the slave industry. It is often altered in American texts to tell just enough information to be educated, but shows the perspective of Americans rather than Africans who endured such cruel crimes.
Among the three different perspectives of intercultural communication, I most relate to the social science perspective. The social science perspective claims that people have multiple identities created by oneself and group membership (Martin). There are three main aspects of identity which include individualized identity, familial identity, and spiritual identity. Americans emphasize the one or two dimensions then downsize the others.
The individualized identity is a sense of independence and self-reliancy (Martin). This is the aspect of identity that I most relate to because I have always been taught to be extremely independent from a young age. Not only was I taught this but some circumstances considering my family life made me grow up sooner than I needed to which had a serious effect on my rapid growth of independence. Later in life, I ended up getting married at only eighteen, paying all my bills, and taking care of myself and my family. That is a true sign of independence, as a young adult.
The second aspect of identity is the familial identity. Familial identity is the importunateness of emotional connectedness to and interdependence with others (Martin). This aspect somewhat connects to me, just like everyone else on a certain level, because I am very family and friend oriented. Being such a social person has given me a sense of security by making an emotional connection with someone.
The final aspect of identity is spiritual identity. Spiritual identity is when the spiritual reality is realized and experienced to varying extents by people through a number of outlets (Martin). I am not an incredibly spiritual person, therefore this is the aspect that I tend to downsize the most, just like the social perspective states in the text.
Chapter 6 - Semester Long Blog Project
The critical perspective is one of three ways to view intercultural communication. The critical perspective suggest that we need to understand the role of power and powder differentials in these encounters (Martin). By recognizing the difference of power within various categories, communication can become easier or harder. This is one of the aspects that makes intercultural communication such a complex process that we can study in modern day.
Hofsteade's value orientations were one of the most important concepts of chapter three. As stated in the text these different problems required different solutions in varying cultures. Specifically, the masculinity-femininity value is one that I truly see eye to eye with. The masculinity-feminitiy value refers to the degree to which gender-specific roles are valued and the degree to which cultures value masculinity versus femininity (Martin). According to the text areas like Japan, Mexico, and Austria were more masculinity oriented, meaning that men should be the "bread makers" that take care of their family. Men are supposed to value achievement, ambiguity, and material goods whereas women are supposed to value service to others, quality of life, and nurturance. This is the complete opposite in areas such as Denmark, Norway, and Sweden which all are more interested in the importance of quality of life for all. I believe the United States values masculinity rather than femininity, even now still in 2019. Before, in the early 1900's, masculinity values and gender specific roles were the way of life in families. Despite the efforts of gaining equality for women in the United States, we are still treated as not being able to be smart than a man, not being paid equally or more for better work, still being considered housewives that need to take care of the home and not necessarily work. Hundreds of years of change and still this way of life has not changed much in the United States which I believe is extremely unfair to the population of women who often work harder and smarter.
The uncertainty avoidance is another value that strikes me as extra important. Uncertainty avoidance strikes the degree to which people who feel threatened by ambitious situations respond by avoiding them or trying to establish more structure to compensate for the uncertainty (Martin). The United States is a low uncertainty avoidance culture, which I find accurate for myself as a citizen of the U.S.. I often find myself taking risks often and being carefree considering rules. I am a person who often thinks rules are meant to be broken and that you only live once to have fun and be free, hence the regular risk taking.
Martin, J. N., & Nakayama, T. K. (2018). Intercultural Communication in Contexts (7th ed.).
McGraw Hill: New York, NY. [ISBN: 978-1264099047]
Chapter 4 - Semester Long Blog Project
The only way that we are able to know in the present day about what has occurred in the past is through the voices of others who were either part of it or studied other voices deeply to properly write about it. This is something that I find interesting because, in reality, us present day people are just believing the voices of others to know what happened in the past of this world. Although credibility is established, history is just written by multiple people and can obtain different points of view. Altered history is when historical events are changed in order to serve particular idealogical goals (Martin). Have you ever been curious to see what history textbooks are like for other countries in the world? I have been and actually went as far as looking up examples on how they write their history. For example, a German history textbook does not dwell on the terrors of the Holocaust and it is describes in a lighter tone that matches the German ideological goal from 1945. In America it is described in a completely different perspective which gives the sense of altered history being present. The same goes for American history when discussing the horrors of the slave industry. It is often altered in American texts to tell just enough information to be educated, but shows the perspective of Americans rather than Africans who endured such cruel crimes.
Altered history is not to be confused with absent history. Absent history is history that was not recorded or is missing (Martin). This would purely be a he-say she-say idea that people discuss, since there is no factual information to back the claims up, hence the history being not recorded or missing. Throughout history, I am sure there is plenty of information missing or not record for a number of reasons. Missing crucial details about the events of the Holocaust for German history and the events of the Slave Trade for American history is considered to be absent history.
Martin, J. N., & Nakayama, T. K. (2018). Intercultural Communication in Contexts (7th ed.).
McGraw Hill: New York, NY. [ISBN: 978-1264099047]
Chapter 5 - Semester Long Blog Project
The individualized identity is a sense of independence and self-reliancy (Martin). This is the aspect of identity that I most relate to because I have always been taught to be extremely independent from a young age. Not only was I taught this but some circumstances considering my family life made me grow up sooner than I needed to which had a serious effect on my rapid growth of independence. Later in life, I ended up getting married at only eighteen, paying all my bills, and taking care of myself and my family. That is a true sign of independence, as a young adult.
The second aspect of identity is the familial identity. Familial identity is the importunateness of emotional connectedness to and interdependence with others (Martin). This aspect somewhat connects to me, just like everyone else on a certain level, because I am very family and friend oriented. Being such a social person has given me a sense of security by making an emotional connection with someone.
The final aspect of identity is spiritual identity. Spiritual identity is when the spiritual reality is realized and experienced to varying extents by people through a number of outlets (Martin). I am not an incredibly spiritual person, therefore this is the aspect that I tend to downsize the most, just like the social perspective states in the text.
Martin, J. N., & Nakayama, T. K. (2018). Intercultural Communication in Contexts (7th ed.).
McGraw Hill: New York, NY. [ISBN: 978-1264099047]
Chapter 6 - Semester Long Blog Project
The critical perspective is one of three ways to view intercultural communication. The critical perspective suggest that we need to understand the role of power and powder differentials in these encounters (Martin). By recognizing the difference of power within various categories, communication can become easier or harder. This is one of the aspects that makes intercultural communication such a complex process that we can study in modern day.
Social positions are one of the major aspects coming from the critical perspective. They have always had an important role in society, but even more so in modern day society. Social positions are the places from which people speak that are socially constructed and thus embedded with assumptions about gender, race, age, class, social roles, sexuality, and more (Martin). People come from various backgrounds which causes there to be a difference in social positions. Not only are basic demographics defining people, but also their residence, education, and more that is completely voluntary and up to each person's own discretion. Communicating with people from a different gender, for example, is often immediately assumed that they are in a relationship. Growing up, I was often told that opposite sex people could never be just friends and I always thought that was absolutely ridiculous. I have been friends with many men that I have not ever had any sort of other relationship with, these men have felt the same way and have even discussed with me how they never even had the thought of having a "crush." It is funny that something as simple as different gender friendships can make people feel jealous, insecure, angry, upset, and whatever else. Not only does this apply to gender, but every other demographic possibility listed above. The friendship among opposite genders hits home with me, personally, because of having such a difficult experience with it throughout my school years.
Martin, J. N., & Nakayama, T. K. (2018). Intercultural Communication in Contexts (7th ed.).
McGraw Hill: New York, NY. [ISBN: 978-1264099047]
Chapter 7 - Semester Long Blog Project
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