What is culture?
Hello again and many thanks for your comments – maybe I should get a job with the Scottish tourist board!
As I was looking at the link Taru put in her post about the summer school project she’s involved in, I noticed that they are doing a ‘Cross-cultural Development’ course. Now that’s a coincidence…. I’ve recently been discussing the subject of ‘culture’ and cross-cultural awareness with some of my classes, and we’ve been discussing questions such as: How can we define culture? What exactly is it? How does it affect us? How can we be more aware of our own culture and other cultures? We’ve been listening to an interesting series of programmes called ‘Who on Earth are we?’ Why not give some of them a listen?
BBC LE - Talk about English: Who on Earth are We?
I’d be fascinated to know some of your views on culture and its importance in our lives.
Did any of you manage to look up any of those words and phrases from my last post? If not, a) Why not? :-) and b) Here are some definitions:
Get ahead of oneself - to do or say something sooner than you should.
Far-flung - a place that is a great distance away or spread over a large area
Get itchy feet - to feel a desire to travel, visit new places, move on
…or so – an example of ‘vague language’ meaning approximately/about
Get a handle on - to gain a (better) understanding of something
It’s high time – means that something should already have been done, or something cannot be delayed any longer
Fiendishly – extremely (usually found with words like difficult/hard/complex)
Small talk – conversation which has no real importance but it is to pass time, for example talking about the weather.
The exception that proves the rule – although the specific example doesn’t follow the general rule, the statement is usually true.
Squeeze in – to fit something in
Gearing up for – preparing/getting ready for
Flat out – as fast or as hard as possible
Off the beaten track – a remote place, not often visited and away from the usual tourist routes
Give you a feel for – to give you an impression or idea of what something is like
It can be difficult finding out the meaning of idioms and phrasal verbs using normal dictionaries. I’ve found the Cambridge Online dictionary very useful as you can search the idioms and phrasal verbs dictionaries online. You just need to go to the link below and, where it says ‘Select another dictionary’, choose ‘Idioms’ or ‘Phrasal verbs’. Simple! Make sure you type in what you think is the key word. For example, in the phrase ‘off the beaten track’ it makes more sense to search for ‘track’ than ‘off’. Try it…
Cambridge Dictionaries online
Taru, in general, your writing is very clear and communicates your message effectively. I like the fact that you do not always settle for the simplest way to say something – you are inventive and try to use more complex and imaginative structures. I really liked your description of the karaoke singer – it’s funny the idea of a singer who strikes fear into your heart yet at the same time fills you with anticipation. Sounds a bit like the Eurovision Song Contest…
A few points to consider:
Do you know the difference between how we use the verbs ‘say’ and ‘tell’? This is a common mistake made by a lot of students. Look at the following LE page and try to improve the beginning of your post.
BBC LE - Ask about English: Say & Tell
What’s the difference between ‘experiment’ and ‘experience’?
'We were wondering how the river boat will survive on waves'. (in this situation you are looking at the future but from a point in the past, not from the present moment. This is sometimes called ‘future in the past’. Can you think of any alternative to the word ‘will’ in your sentence?
In the time-honoured teacher tradition of getting the students to do the lion’s share of the work, I’ve got a few sentences from Taru’s writing which I’d like everyone to help her improve. Can you spot the problems in the following sentences and provide an alternative? (the errors are mostly in one particular grammatical area – what is it?)
1. The studies consist with 210 units and they are divided in seven parts.
2. We have a small group and we arrange free time actives to the students.
3. We left from campus and walked though the city and arrived to the harbor of the Kemijoki River.
4. He laughed of it.
* The lion's share = the biggest part of something (in English we have loads of idioms with animals. Can you think of any others?)
Comments Corner
Mercè, James, Plinio, Ana Paula, YPW, Abdisamad and Kuldeep.
Thanks for making me feel at home here. It's nice to read your lovely comments on my photographs.
Taru
What really traumatised me about Hungarian was the number of different suffixes they add to words and the incredible number of different vowel sounds. If I remember rightly, four different 'o' sounds, four 'u' sounds - help! I wonder if Finnish has a large number of vowel sounds?
Marianna
Thanks! Walking and climbing mountains is one of my favourite pastimes, although I don't do as much as I'd like. Not much beats the feeling of reaching the summit of a mountain and enjoying the moment, exhaustion and elation.
Alice
The Scottish Highlands are indeed a wonderful place. It's great to see that you're taking my advice and looking for those words. I'm impressed!
Hyoshil
I'm glad you're listening to 'Keep your English up to date' and you're setting a great example by using some of the new words and expressions in your writing.
Thanks for the tip - looks like I'll have to 'keep my eye on the ball'. By the way, the way you said 'fired' I wonder... have you been watching 'The Apprentice'?
Kriszta
I really enjoyed my time in Budapest - I loved the quality of the light there. Scotland is a great place to visit, although you can't guarantee the sunshine and you need to be wary of the midges!!
Comments
Hello Jim, Firstly, thanks for your useful link of Cambridge Dictionaries. It will certainly be my number-one choose if I need to do some translation. Well, about the culture.. I think that it is the thing whose importance is very huge in every person's life. It can affect human's thinking, understanding of the world and so on. And it's not bad, I think, it's actually very good. By taking part in culture life, we can get a handle in ourselves, understand, what's really important for us. Talking about the term 'culture' itself, it is probably everything what humans can create in order to develop their spiritual life, true worths. It's hard to talk about culture in my mother-tongue, so I can't express myself very well neither in English. Sorry for that. Now about Taru's mistakes. I am not sure whether I will not do another mistakes, but I will give a try..So: 1)The studies consist OF 210 units. 2)We have a small group and we arrange free time ACTIVITIES FOR the students. 3)We left campus.. 4)He laughed AT it. I hope I am correct in at least one case! About idioms of animals-we have a very interesting and intelligent Teacher, who teaches us lots of useful idioms, icluding those of animals;))
Hello Jim, I hope you're doing well. I'm glad to hear that you felt at home because of us. That's wonderful to hear. And I assure you that you already have made us feel at home,too. On the other hand, if I try to deal with the sentences, here they are: 1)The studies consist of 210 units and thay're divided into seven parts. 2)We have a small group and we arrange free time activities for the students. 3)We left from the campus and walked through the city and arrived to Harbor of the Kemijoki river. Thank's for letting us do this work. All the best, Abdisamad
Hello again, Sorry I forgot the last sentence. And here it is: 4)He loughed because of it. Thanks
HI, I woould like to say something about culture: it's a very a large part of our life; it means no matter how much you know about the word "culture" but if you talk to someone you must look like a polite person, a nice person... so you need culture for almost everything. I think culture is a very complex word so that, culture is much more than a word.
Hi Jim, It is very interesting to use Cambridge Dictionaries online. I have tried it. Thanks a lot. Homework: 1)consist of, divided into, 2)activities, 3)arrived at, 4)laughed at. Idiom: I am so hungry that I could get eat a horse.
Hello! Jim! of course we (or I at least)have checked those words I found new to my lexical in your first blog and searched them in the BBC and one of them led me to come across a new and strange expression which was (like herding cats in a thunder storm)can you explain it to me please.I see your blog so informative and useful to me. Thank you so much. By the way !I have an idea .Instead of asking us to notice the mistakes of the student blogger, which we automatically do, why don't you find a way to challenge some of us ,for example, by paraphrasing some specific paragraphs from the student blog?thank you and have a good one. Cheikh Vall
Hi Jim, It is said that Geographical conditions developed the different cultures. U.K where people witness very low temperature, there was need of body to wear minimal clothes in order to provide heat to body. Hence it becomed the part of U.K. culture.In north India, during peak summer and peak winter, we need a dress to cover full body. In areas which witness heavy snow and accute cool temperature, people need daily non-veg food to provide neceesary heat (hence it is now part of their culture) whereas in hot areas people are unable to eat & digest the non-veg (mutton, chicken etc) daily. Political circumantances, events, economic conditions also affect and develop culture. In ancient India, society was female dominated. Lator on, continuous attacks by foreign elements and looting and abduction of females, changed the scene and it becomed male dominated society. Following are the corrections of Taru sentences: 1. The study consists 210 units and is divided into seven parts. 2. We have a small group and we arrange free time activities for the students. 3. We left campus, walked through the city and arrived at the harbor of the Kemijoki River. 4. He laughed of it. Thanks
Thank you for your comments. I have gone through the introductions you gave. I try to form the sentences once again 1. Studies consist 210 units and divide seven parts. 2. We are a small group (of student tutors) ... [actually we are] 3. Sorry, I can't fine the correction 4. He laughted that. I think you already know that Hofstede from Maasrich University but any way he has very much Ideas about cultures ( in business world) and his thoughts can be solved to the other contents f. ex. Why the sustainable development is not taken easily or not at all in count even though there are statements of Rio Janeiro, Kioto and the last one in which USA was positively committed too. If I think it through the cultural aspect and dimension, It is easier to understand why it is so difficult and propably to find solutions slowly.
Hi! Isn´t it the common problem in using preposition? 1)..consist of 210 units...are divided in to seven parts, 2)...we arrange free time activities for the students, 3)We left the campus and walked through the city and arrived to the harbor on/at the Kemijoki River., 4) He laughed at it. But maybe I am entirely wrong. I loved to listen to the Who on Earth are We? programme any time last year on my walks. I don´t do that now. I walk much further and it became a bit dangerous to walk so in a forest. Hope we survive these lessons having such a relaxed teacher! See you!
Hi, Jim. I like a lot this site because here we can share and to know different points of view. There are people from all around the world. I still remember the download series of ‘who on earth are we?’ I had a whale of a time listening the different ways from face the life in its little details. In fact I belong to a multicultural group on facebook and I can notice it everyday. It’s really amazing. Here you are my chances for improving a little Taru’s writing. (please Taru forgive me, I’m not better than you and surely I’ll make another mistakes). - The program of study consists on 210 units divided in seven terms. - We have a small group and we arrange free time activities for the students. - We left the campus and walked through the city, arriving to the Harbour of Kemijoki River. - ¿?? Well, dices are gone. Now is your turn for correcting our mistakes. Thanks for all. Toni
Hello Jim! You gave the clue, which let me guess the answer to the question about mistakes in certain grammatical area. I recon it’s all about prepositions. Therefore I’d put it this way: 1) The studies include 210 units which are divided in seven parts. 2) We arrange free time actives for each small group of students. 3) We left campus, walked through the city and then arrived to the Kemijoki River’s harbor. 4) He laughed at it.
Hello Jim, I’ve read all the blogger’s answers and I noticed that one mistake hadn’t been corrected by anyone: “we arrived AT/IN the harbour”. I’m not sure whether a harbour is a point or a place of the destination. I’ve been looking for the answer in my dictionaries and grammar books but I haven’t found the answer. I would be grateful if you were so kind and dispel my doubts. Thanks so much. Best wishes!
Hi Jim Thanks so much for your beautiful first entries, I hope to learn more and more from you. Last Summer while traveling; I'd been listening to the "Who On Earth are We?" and I really find it very informative. I wasn't that interested in such topics but then I realized its value. I suggest that you dedicate a full entry to discuss the topic of Culture as described in these series and share with us what you and your students think about it. Thanks so much in advance. Yours.
Hi Jim! You hit the nail on the head. I have watched the apprentice and I’ve found that the program is absorbing and quite entertaining because participants in the episodes were not given any script but only a task after a task. I am impressed by the job interviewees’ way of how to take a challenge, handle the pressure, carry the can for somebody and get out of the responses. The program looks one of tedious reality shows but in my opinion, it’s diverting because the job seekers are from all different background and they have a diversity of skills, opinions and attitude. I reckon it’s high time I handed out the homework, and the answers are… 1) The studies consist of 210 units and they are divided into seven parts. 2) We have a small group and we arrange free time activities for the students. 3) We left the campus, walked though the city, and arrived at the harbour of the Kemijoki River. 4) He laughed about it. I am not good enough cultured giving you the definition of culture, but I don’t take issue with you that working or living abroad helps us to get a handle on our own culture. In addition, learning a new language assists me in more understanding different culture. Many thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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