1. Lecture 6 Context and Culture Applied Linguistics English Department FKIP – Sriwijaya University 2014 1

2. Context of Culture Context of Situation Genre and Register Theory in Practice 2

3. Context of Culture (Register + purpose) Context of Situation (Register) Metafunctions (Lexico-Grammar) 3

4. How is Context in Text? Con-text Context of Culture (genre) is in text 4

5. Texts have texture ► Sequential Implication ► Grammatically coherent ► Situational coherence (texture) ► Generic coherence (Structure) ► Cohesion (Semantic tie. Eg. Lexical Chains) ► Referential cohesion Text + texture - texture Emergent text 5

6. Recess Text Freewrite 6

7. Texture “We do not ordinarily meet with language that is not textured. What we call ‘non-sense’ is something we disagree with; but it is perfectly adequate as discourse…People go to great lengths to interpret as text anything that is said or written, and are ready to assume any kind of displacement – some error in production, or in their own understanding- rather than admit that they are faced with a non-text…this is an unconscious process; we are not aware of making such adjustments when we listen or read.” MAK Halliday (An introduction to Functional Grammar 1994 p.334) MAK Halliday (An introduction to Functional Grammar 1994 p.334) 7

8. What Happened to Recess? 8

9. …In the name of standards, of making sure young children acquire what are billed as ‘skills for the global economy’ schoolchildren across the country have no playtime. Atlanta made front-page headlines by building an elementary school with no playground. In 1998, a front-page story in the New York Times featured a picture of an appealing little kindergartner in Atlanta, Toya Gray, who confided to the reporter that she’d like to “sit on the grass and look for ladybugs.” …The times zeroed in on the fact that in the name of standards and excellence, Toya’s school, a new structure, was built very deliberately-without a playground…The then Atlanta superintendent of schools, Benjamin O. Canada, explained the policy, “We are intent on improving academic performance. You don’t do that by having kids hanging on the monkey bars.” …From Chicago to Virginia, school districts have abolished recess. And even in districts where recess is still on the books, increasingly, children who score poorly on standarized tests are forced to forgo the play break…Ironically, as plenty of experts will testify, by taking away children’s free time, schools are making it more difficult for them to pay attention. P. 2 Statement of Problem and Position Evidence of Problem Restatement of problem Restatement of Position 9

10. How is Context in Text? Con-text Context of Situation (Register) is in Text 10

11. Exercise ► Write a small excerpt: Situation: Two small children are in the playground talking about toys. 11

12. How do these texts create meaning? This vehicle is driven by a CourteousProfessional Driver (White color background) Should you agree Please contact 8888888888 (Blue color background) How am I driving? 12

13. Social activity Dear ______ We want to have recess but we need to ask you first. Students learn better when they have a break. If you want us to learn better, then please consider giving us a break. We have very little time to talk to Our friends. When we had recess earlier in the Spring we only went outside for 10 Minutes. When we came back in and got Straight to work. We’ve really bored since we can no go Grammar Discourse Language in Social Context 13

14. Register: Variation According to Use Genre fieldtenormode Field (presenting ideas, the world) Experiential Ideational choices · Noun phrases nominal groups (participants) · Verbs (material, behavioral, mental, verbal, relational processes) S. p. 53 · Prepositional phrases, adverbial adjuncts, and other resources for expressing time, place, manner (circumstance) · Use of conjunctions, pronouns etc. for making logical relationships. Tenor (taking a stance/expressi ng speakers ’ relationships) Interpersonal Interpersonal choices · Mood (statements, questions, demands) · Modality (modal verbs, and adverbs) · Intonation · Other resources for evaluative and attitudinal meaning (appraisal, humor, etc.) Mode (language/ structuring the text) Textual Textual choices · Cohesive devices (conjunctions, connectors, etc.) · Clause- combining strategies · Thematic organization 14

15. Field  the writer's/speaker relationship to the subject matter. Common sense/everyday Technical/specialized 15

16. TENOR  the relationship between the writer and the reader. Power equal unequal Contact frequentoccasional Affective Involvement high low 16

17. Mode  the means of communication; the kind of text that is being made.. Casual Conversationtelephone e-mail fax radio Novel Visual contact Aural feedback Visual contact Aural feedback 17

18. Context of Situation always occurs within the context of Culture ► Text 1 (Letter) Field: Finals of the Soccer World Cup Tenor: Friend to friend Mode: Written to be read ► Text 2 (Conversation) Field: Finals of the Soccer World Cup Tenor: Friend to friend Mode: interactive telephone conversation ► Text 3 (Newspaper Article) Field: Finals of the Soccer World Cup Tenor: Specialist to general audience Mode: Written to be read 18

19. As we could see... ► Texts vary in a number of ways according to their social purpose (genre) and their situation (style). The genre determines the structure of the text, whereas register determine the style, language patterns and vocabulary used within the text. 19

20. ► Context is in text ► Knowledge of context (culture and situation) tells us significant information about how language will be used. Analysis of the grammar in a text, will tell us about the context. ► This reciprocal illumination of context and text allows language educators to target their teaching specifically to the particular needs of students by analyzing the context of situation relevant to the student’s needs, goals, and rights. In this way, teaching language can become a true ‘evidence- based instruction’ as interventions respond to specific students, in specific sociopolitical settings and not to generic interpretations of mandated, prescripted curricula. To Conclude 20

21. Dr. Edward Hall ► Anthropologist and cross-cultural researcher ► Distinguished cultures on the basis of the role of context in communication ► Context: the whole situation, background, or environment connected to an event, a situation, or an individual. ► “It was taken out of context”: without the words or circumstances and so not fully understandable.

22. Contexts: High and Low Low-ContextHigh-Context Information and meaning are explicitly stated in the message Individual “internalizes” meaning and information, so that less is explicitly stated Values IndividualismValues Group Sense Values direct verbal interaction and is less able to read nonverbal expressions Values indirect verbal interaction and is more able to read nonverbal expressions

23. Contexts: High and Low Low-ContextHigh-Context Tends to use “logic” to present ideas Tends to use more “feeling” in expressions Tends to emphasize highly structured messages, give details, and place great stress on words Tends to give simple, ambiguous, noncontexting messages Emphasizes linear logicEmphasizes spiral logic

24. Low-Context Ideas ► In a low-context culture, Hall argues, “Most of the information must be in the transmitted message in order to make up for what is missing in the context.” ► To members of a low-context culture, speakers in a high-context culture seem to talk around a subject and never get to the point.

25. Clash or Low and High in The Joy Luck Club ► Mothers expect daughters to learn from and obey their elders (as they did). ► Mothers do not feel they need to “explain.” ► Mother’s fears, warnings, instructions or examples are not fully supported by the context of American culture, and so the daughters have difficulty understanding. ► Daughters feel they do not understand their mothers because information is omitted; mothers think information can be inferred and does not need explanation.

26. 26 Understand Cultural Differences ► Cultural differences have huge impacts in the business world  International business dealings  Working locally with an international work force ► Culture profoundly affects how people communicate  And communication is the basis of all business activities ► The Silent Language  Culture is often outside of people’s conscious awareness

27. 27 What is Culture? ► How does it impact business activities? ► How can cultural differences hamper international business? ► How can an understanding of cultural differences improve international business?

28. 28 What is Culture? ► A lens – a frame of reference  Through which we view and interpret human interaction ► 90% of communication is nonverbal  Nonverbal communication is heavily culturally influenced

29. 29 Key Concepts ► Speed: fast and slow messages ► Context ► Space ► Time ► Information Flow ► Interfacing

30. 30 Fast and slow messages ► How quickly is the meaning of a message understood?  Art is slow; a cartoon is fast  Television is faster than print ► Messages are sent and received at different speeds depending upon culture ► People are messages  How long does it take to “know” a person?

31. 31 Context ► How much of the relevant information is in the message, and how much is already understood by sender and receiver? ► High context situations  a message can contain lots of meaning without much information content ► Low context situations  The message must contain all relevant information

32. 32 Space ► Territoriality  What space and how much of it is “mine”?  Size and location of an office ► Personal space  How close is too close?  This is very culturally dependent

33. 33 Time ► How people view time is very culturally dependent ► Monochromatic vs. polychromatic  How many things are done at once? ► One thing: monochromatic ► Many: polychromatic

34. 34 Time ► Polychronic cultures  Lots of information is present  Very tolerant of interruptions  Very fluid and flexible ► Monochronic cultures  Compartmentalized  Schedules and agendas very important

35. 35 Time: Orientation to Past, Present and Future ► Cultures differ in the importance they place on past, present and future  For example: in some cultures, current proposals must be positioned in terms of their historical relationships ► Respect given to age and seniority is also relevant here

36. 36 Time as Communication ► Time-related behavior “says” a lot  But it’s all different by culture ► Examples of time as communication  How far ahead are appointments scheduled?  How much importance is placed on a schedule?  How is waiting time interpreted?  What does setting end dates imply?

37. 37 Time as Communication ► Other cultures  Schedule and agendas are viewed as goals, not binding  Promptness is not as important as completing a human interaction ► As a result, interruptions will delay appointments  Forcing someone to wait is not intended as an insult

38. 38 Information Flow ► How fast does information make its way through an organization? ► In highly networked, high context cultures  Very fast  Information is not “hoarded” ► In other cultures  Information flow is slow because communication is more compartmentalized ► Email is changing this, but…  Email is a low-information-content medium

39. 39 Context ► Low context cultures  US and Canadian  Northern European ► High context cultures  Mediterranean (Arab, Greek, Southern European)  Japanese  African  Latin American

40. 40 Space ► Territoriality  What space and how much of it is “mine”?  Size and location of an office ► US: Executives have large, isolated spaces ► Japan: Executives often don’t have private offices ► Personal space  How close is too close?  This is very culturally dependent  North American, North European ► Don’t get too close!  Mediterranean, Latin, African: close

41. 41 Time ► How do monochromatics view polychronicism?  Chaotic  Noisy  Inefficient (is anything getting done?  Creates anxiety ► How do polychromatics view monochronicism?  Slow, sterile, boring, uncreative  Creates frustrations

42. 42 Time: Orientation to Past, Present and Future ► Cultures differ in the importance they place on past, present and future ► US culture is very present and near-future oriented ► In some cultures (German, French) historical context is very important ► Some Asian, Arab cultures are very past- oriented

43. 43 Time as Communication ► Highly scheduled cultures  North America, Northern European  Lots of importance placed on punctuality  Time communicates importance  Poor schedule adherence ► Interpreted as arrogance or incompetence

44. 44 Interfacing ► What happens when different cultures meet? ► Least difficult interfacing  Low context to low context  Germans and Americans  Canadians and Scandinavians ► Most difficulty  High context to low context  High context to high context

45. 45 So What Do You Do? ► Don’t judge culture  No culture is more or less valuable or efficient than any other ► Understand your own cultural framework ► Be interested – study – the cultures you work with ► Move slowly and softly  Ask, listen, observe ► Be brave and have fun!

46. 46 Any Questions? If not, End of Lecture