Н.Э. Шарабарина, Л.В. Кулик - English for Junior Students of the Humanities - Unit 2 (1110503), страница 8
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An American ambassador in an unnamed countryinterpreted incorrectly the significance of time as it was used in visits by localdiplomats. An hour's tardiness in their system is equivalent to five minutes by ours,fifty to fifty-five minutes to four minutes, forty-five minutes to three minutes, and soon for daytime official visits. By their standard the local diplomats felt they couldn'tarrive exactly on time; this punctuality might be interpreted locally as an actrelinquishing their freedom of action to the United States. But they didn't want to beinsulting - an hour late would be too late - so they arrived fifty minutes late.
As aconsequence the ambassador said. " How can you depend on these people when theyarrive an hour late for an appointment and then just mutter something? They don'teven give you a full sentence of apology!" He couldn't help feeling this way, becausein American time fifty to fifty-five minutes late is the insult period, at the extremeend of the duration scale; yet in the country we are speaking of it's just right.(from Insights into Academic Writing)EXERCISE 7Read the text, write out the key-words and summarize the text in afew sentences.HOW SPACE COMMUNICATES: INTERACTIONDISTANCE1.2.Spatial changes give a tone to a communication, accent it, and at times evenoverride the spoken word. The flow and shift of distance between people as theyinteract with each other is part and parcel of the communication process.
Thenormal conversational distance between strangers illustrates how important arethe dynamics of space interaction. If a person gets too close, the reaction isinstantaneous and automatic- the other person backs up. And if he gets too closeagain, back we go again. I have observed an American backing up the entirelength of a long corridor while a foreigner whom he considers pushy tries to catchup with him. This scene has been enacted thousands and thousands of times - oneperson trying to increase the distance in order to be at ease, while the other triesto decrease it for the same reason, neither one being aware of what was going on.We have here an example of the tremendous depth to which culture can conditionbehavior.In Latin America, for example, the interaction distance is much less than it is inthe United States.
Indeed, people cannot talk comfortably with one another unlessthey are very close to the distance that evokes either sexual or hostile feelings inthe North American. As a consequence, they think we are distant or cold,withdrawn and unfriendly. We, on the other hand, are constantly accusing themof breathing down our necks, crowding us, and spraying our faces.(from Insights into Academic Writing )31DISCUSSIONTHE SPREAD OF ENGLISHThe Japanese may restrict other imports, but there are no trade barriers to the importationof American language. English words are popular even if they do not quite make sense: Tshirts slogans like "I feel Coca-Cola." Japlish, the combination of English and Japanese, hasresulted in many humorous billboards and shopping bags."It isn't important that the words mean anything; the important thing is that they soundgood," according to Tim Maydeld, an American advertising executive.
English has infiltratedmany languages. Franglais is the combination of English and French. Other results areSpanglish, Sovangliski (with Russian); and Hinglish (with Hindi).Foreign diplomats in Washington, D.C., can take a course in colloquial AmericanEnglish at the Smithsonian Resident Associate Program.
Where else would they learn "Let'sdo lunch," "networking," and "knee-jerk" among the 1,000 Americanisms taught?"Soon the whole educated world will have English as a first or second tongue," predictsRichard Lewis of Linguarama. "The English language seems to be moving faster in Europethan anywhere else."English is the inevitable future of Europe. It is displacing French and German as the mostwidely spoken language among Europeans. The reason is 1992, and I the trend has only justbegun.One of the greatest appeals of English as the world language is that it is easy to speakbadly,"English is the international language," says Akira Nambara of the Bank of Japan.
"Or, Ishould say, broken English."But just as English becomes the universal language, there is a backlash against that sameuniversality. People are insisting on keeping traditional languages and cultures alive.(from Megatrends 2000 by John Naisbit and Patricia Aburdene)EXERCISE 1 Discuss the problem of importation of American language to variousspheres of life in Russia.EXERCISE 2 Prove that people insist on keeping traditional languagesand cultures alive.CULTURAL NATIONALISMFrom Alor Star in Malaysia, to Soweto in South Africa, to Xian in China, young peopleembrace the products of Western culture. In Nairobi, Cairo, Buenos Aires, andKathmandu, you can hear the sounds of American music on almost any street cornier. Butthe mass export of Western culture—especially U.S.
culture - and the spread of Englishas a universal language have not come without a countertrend of cultural backlash.Against the backdrop of rock music, blue jeans, and American television, a new culturaland linguistic chauvinism is emerging:The English language can be found on the street signs of major thoroughfares in Tokyobut is prohibited in the French-speaking province of Quebec in Canada, a country that isofficially bilingual.The Catalan language, outlawed during Francisco Franco's regime, is in the midst of arennaissance.32♦In Wales parents who never learned Welsh themselves are sending their children to Welshschools.2.
In the Third World the universality of English is coming under increased scrutiny. In thePhilippines, Malaysia, and Sudan, English has been restricted in the schools. More than adozen countries have tried to limit its use. Chances are they will have about as much luckas the Academie Francaise, which has consistently failed to protect the French languagefrom an onslaught of foreign words, mostly English.3.
Nevertheless, language is the pathway to culture. If the inhabitants of a Third Worldcountry sense that an outside culture is gaining undue influence, they will feel their values are threatened and may respond with cultural nationalism, vigorously asserting theirlanguage and/or religion, just as they would counter a political or military invasion withrenewed political nationalism.(from Megatrends 2000 by John Naisbit and Patricia Aburdene)EXERCISE 31. Provide examples of the mass export of Western culture intoRussia. 2. Provide examples of 'cultural and linguisticchauvinism'.A WORLD GUIDE TO GOOD MANNERSHow not to behave badly abroadTravelling to all corners of the world gets easier and easier.
We live in a global village, buthow well do we know and understand each other? Here is a simple test. Imagine you havearranged a meeting at four o'clock. What time should you expect your foreign businesscolleagues to arrive? If they're German, they'll be bang on time. If they're American, they'llprobably be 15 minutes early. If they're British, they'll be 15 minutes late, and you shouldallow up to an hour for the Italians.When the European Community began to increase in size, several guidebooks appearedgiving advice on international etiquette. At first many people thought this was a joke,especially the British, who seemed to assume that the widespread understanding of theirlanguage meant a corresponding understanding of English customs.
Very soon they had tochange their ideas, as they realized that they had a lot to learn about how to behave with theirforeign business friends.For example:••••The British are happy to have a business lunch and discuss business matters with a drinkduring the meal; the Japanese prefer not to work while eating. Lunch is a time to relaxand to know one another, and rarely drink at lunchtime.The Germans like to talk business before dinner; the French like to eat first and talkafterwards. They have to be well fed and watered before they discuss anything.Taking off your jacket and rolling up your sleeves is a sign of getting down to work inBritain and Holland, but in Germany people regard it taking it easy.American executives sometimes signal the feelings of ease and importance in their officesby putting the feet on the desk whilst on the phone.
In Japan, people would be shocked.Showing the soles of your feet is the height of bad manners. It is a social insult onlyexceeded by blowing your nose in public.The Japanese have perhaps the strictest rules of social and business behaviour. Seniority isvery important, and a younger man should never be sent to complete a business deal with anolder Japanese man.
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