TABLE OF CONTENT

CROSS CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING

MODUL 1 -3
Page
1. What is Culture ? 1
2. The Relationship Between Language And Culture 2
3. The Importance Of Understanding Culture 3
In Studying A Foreign Language
4. Educational Attitudes 4
5. Woman In America 6
6. Personal Relationship 7
7. Family Values 8
8. Everyday Manners 9

CROSS CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING

MODUL 4 -6
1. Work Values 10
2. Time And Space Patterns 12
3. Cultural Conflict 13
4. Cultural Adjustments 14
5. Invitations & The Welcome Guest 14
6. Introductions 15
7. Speaking 15
8. Non-Verbal Communication 15

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CROSS CULTURAL UNDERSATANDING
MODUL 1 – 3
WHAT IS CULTURE ?
Culture is the every day life style of ordinary citizens and the values belief and prejudices they
share with their fellow within their linguistic and social groups with due attentions to the
intragroup differences. It means culture is a way of life and makes our life better. Some
definitions from culture :
a. According to Edward Sapir, culture is “patterned behavior”.
b. Goodenough defines culture as whatever it is one has to know or believe in order to
operate in a manner acceptable to its members.
c. John Donne says that culture is our continent, the collective identity of which each of us is
a part.
d. Larson and Smalley defines culture as a blue print that guides the behavior of people in a
community and is develop in family life.
e. Condon says that culture is more than the sum of its parts. It’s a system of integrated
patterns, most of which unconsciously govern human behavior like strings of a puppet.

George Peter Murdock mentions seven cultural patterns of behavior :

1. they originate in the human mind
2. they facilitate human and environmental interactions.
3. they satisfy basic human needs.
4. they are cumulative and adjust to changes in external and internal conditions.
5. they tend to form a consistent structure.
6. they are learned and shared by all the members of the society.
7. they are transmitted to new generations.

Explicit culture is meant observable regularities in the verbal and non-verbal behavior of
the members of the society. It’s the typical behavior of the people. And implicit culture is meant
the modal cognitions, wants, interpersonal response traits and attitudes in a society. By cultural
beliefs is means all the cognitions, ideas, knowledge, lore, superstitions, myths and legends –
shared by most members of the society and by the typical occupants of the various position in the
society. Cultural values is meant important classes of beliefs shared by the members of a society

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or by typical occupants of all the various positions in the society, concerning what is good or
what ought to be. By cultural norms is meant the rules or standards, accepted by the members of
a society. Mores are norms which specify behavior of vital importance to the society and which
embody its basic moral values.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

According to J.R Gladstone, language and culture are intertwined means that language is
an outcome or result of a culture as a whole and also a vehicle by which the other aspects of
culture are shoped and communicated. Since language and culture are bond together, it is not
surprising that there are also cultural blind spots, developed as response to our and environment.
A culture and the language used by it are inseparable. Most of the cultural attitudes when a native
speaker has build into him are reflected in his speech patterns. The language is a product of
cultural. And the culture is simultaneously shaped by how the language allows us to view it. The
language and cultural reinforce each other.
The culture begans by giving a view point. Language gives this idea oral expression
which in turn gives response to the view point. As we have seen culture maybe defined as the
kind of knowledge which we learn from other people, either by direct instruction or by watching
their behavior. However we distinguish to other kinds of knowledge, shared non cultural
knowledge and non share non cultural knowledge. As for the relation between language and
culture, most of language is contained within culture. It would not be far from the truth to say.
That a society’s language is an aspect of culture. The relation of language to culture is that of
part to whole. The area of overlap between language and culture consist of all those part of
language which are learned from other people.
Culture is really an integral part of the interactions between language and thought. Culture
patterns custom, ways of life are expressed in language ; specific cultured world views are
reflected in language.

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 THE IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING CULTURE IN STUDYING
FOREIGN LANGUAGE

According to W.M. Rivers the foreign language should be learn in a close association as
practicable with the culture of the country where it is spoken, if its full meaning it to be plumb to
any depth. Culture is the ways of the people. This ways might be highly commended by several
people who share that culture. Culture problems in language learning sometimes arise because of
this infrastructure of preconceived and hidebound nations. You can not learn a new language
unless you have sympathetic understanding of the cultural setting of that language.
Misunderstanding of the culturally – determined bases for the reaction and behavior of the
foreign people can develop in the students contempt for and hostility towards the speakers of the
language. Look at the following examples :
1. Informality and equality
The visitor to American is often surprised by the easy relationship between parents and
children. By some it is regarded as a weakness, locking firm, authoritarian lives of controls. But
to those who understand the history of the country and how its entire social system developed,
the informality is right understood as a idealism in practice, or it is democracy in action, the right
of the individual balanced by his responsibilities, in the basic of society, which is the family.
2. Family Life
The American family is a small unit – two parents and their children. In other countries
including Indonesia the family include may others under one roof : the grandparents, their sons
and daughter and their families as well. But in America when two persons marry, they form a
new unit or family which is socially an economically independent. Of course there are strong ties
that remind but the strongest future obligation belong not to the old unit but to the new. State in
another way, the individual becomes more important that the clan. He has the right to make his
own choices and doesn’t have to be subservient to the wishes of the family hierarchy. As a
conclusion we may say that by cross culture understanding we mean understanding the culture of
the target people so we can reconstruct our attitudes and world view; consequently we become
more tolerable and more generous towards strength ways that may be shown by the target
language people.

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 EDUCATIONAL ATTITUDES
Diversity in Education
Not two courses are alike in America because of the diverse methods of teaching and non
standards curricula. Stale – funded universities have different requirements and expectation than
parochial college.
Participation in the classroom
Participation in the classroom is not only acceptable but also expected of the students in
many courses. Although there are formal lectures during which the students are passive, many
courses are organized around discussion, students question an informal lectures.
The teacher – students relationship
Many teacher believe that an informal, relaxed class room environment is conducive to
learning and innovation. Students may have an easy going and friendly relationship with their
teacher and professor. The teacher and professor may established social relationship with the
student outside the class room but in the class room they are the teacher and professor.
Independent learning
Many teacher believe that the responsibility for learning lies with the students. The ideal
students is considered to be one who is motivated to learn for the sake learning. Home work is
sometimes return with brief comments but with no grades.
The honor system / respect
Ideally the teacher – students relationship at universities is characterized by trust. The
honor system imposed by the teacher and the university demands that the students be honest in all
areas of school work. Thus cheating in class, violating of the honor system may result in the
student’s failing the test or a course.
Competition
Relationship between students in the class room can be competitive or cooperative. There
are course where grades are calculated in relation to other students score. There are other reason
for competition among students, as high grade is needed for entrance to superior high school.
Competition is one of the cultural values. Educational practice as such as the honor system and
the students participation indicate respect for individual responsibility and independence.

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The right Attitudes
A good physical settings and a balance physiological frame of mine are necessary, but the
most important things is the attitudes towards the study which stamps from motivation don’t play
around and they dream “hit the books” as soon as you sit down to your desk. Concentration is a
human skill which can be learned and you have to work at it. Learning is not automatic. One can
get the skill for success only by conscious effort based it upon proven experience. Students fail
because they don’t know how to study. Three factors are necessary for success in school are
ability. Interest in school work or motivation and understanding of goal and efficient methods of
study.
Career Goals
Career goals are the base for the success college experience in addition to this students
need to understand their own strengths and weakness, their likes and dislikes, their basic abilities
before they make any final decisions about their career. Any career demand special attitudes
roughly classifiable into the following :
1. required intelligence level
2. aptitudes for the kind of work
3. personal qualities needed for the kind of work
The student who knows what his aim is in college and how he plans to achieve its continuance in
his life’s work is known as ‘goal oriented’. He is the one who is on the road to success.
American Education
The goal of America is two carry democracy forward into the future. There are five
characteristics that set American education a part from other countries. They are:
1. Education for all
The Americans believe that the important task of society cannot be performed by an elite
train from an early age and drawn from a special class. Society as a whole must have the
opportunity, because human potential is found not just in one class but throughout a population.
School turn the spotlight on talent which might be hidden and allows the bright one to rise in the
economic and social scale.
2. The centralized control
There are fifty independent school system in operation. Schools are run locally, financed
by local taxes and locally supervised. American distrust the growth of monopoly in any area.

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3. Opportunity open support to both sexes
Education should be open to both sexes. Although American woman do not take as full
advantage of their opportunities beyond high school as man do, it is not because this
opportunities are denied to them.
4. A Secular, non – religion base
Church and state are separated. This is stated in the bill of rights “Congress shall no law
respecting and establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise there of “. This doctrine
remains unaltered and there is no national religion to influence the school.
5. A Methodology based upon the philosophy of pragmatism
Pragmatism holds that purpose of thought is to guide action and that truth is to be tested
by practical results. Pragmatism is also related to the first four point and it is difficult for overseas
students to understand how it applies to education.
The American Dream
Teenage American are friendly and inhibited with visitors. There seem to be no
generation gap. This is because of the way they have been brought up at home and at school. Self
Discipline is important in American school and homes. Americans of all ages tend two question
orders, if they are doubtful about them. They will not obey blindly and if there is a crises and
there is no one to tell them, they will used their initiative. American believes that a good
education will enable a child to achieve a higher standard of living than his or her parents.

WOMAN AMERICA
American woman have made great strides in achieving political equality. They believe that
women can do just as well as man. They also expect to get the same respect and social rights as
man. The American woman makes the most of her free time, she helps with the political,
campaigns, sits on committees, she goes to classes of all kinds, from environmental studies to
karate, takes parts in sports, and takes an interest in children activities and education.
Women’s Liberation
There are many aspect of the woman liberation movement. Some women agree with all
the goals of women’s liberation. The women’s liberation movement is also concern with attitudes
and beliefs. Many people agree with the goals of the women’s liberation movement, because they
fill that woman should be considered equal to men in every day. Other people do not agree with

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the women liberation movement. They think that women should not have the same jobs as man.
People who agree with this women’s liberation do not fill that is bad for a woman to remind at
home if she wants to. They fill that the work in the home is important and should be respected.
They also want to be sure that a woman stays at home, because she wants to and not because she
can not get a job outside the home.

PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP
Circle of friends
Its common for the Americans to have different circle of friends. He may have church friends,
works friends or sports friends. We may have different kinds of friends, good friends but only
one best friends.
Mobility and friendship
Americans are mobile and makes friends easily and quickly. They move or relocate because they
starts a new jobs, attend distant college or universities, get married, have children. Relationships
based on a common activity may fade or end when the activity ends. They may change the circle
of friends for several times.
Instant Friendships
Friendships and friendliness are not the same. They are not synonym. Friendliness is a
characteristic of Americans daily interaction but is not always an indication of friendships.
People frequently smile or even extern an invitation as part of cultural politeness, but this doesn’t
mean an offer of continue friendship.
Male – Female Relationships
In America men and women socialize relatively freely and develop a variety of relationships.
Single people of opposite sex maybe close friends and share personal problems with each other
without romantically involved. They may that with or without the intension to get married.
Intercultural friendships
A characteristic of Americans personal relation is the absent if fixed rules governing them. When
one is living in foreign country, one is faced with unfamiliar friendship patterns which add to the
challenge of initiating and maintaining meaningful relationships.

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 FAMILY VALUES
Child Raising
In America it is common for parents to put the baby in a separate room that belongs only
to the child. Many children are taught at a very early age to make decisions and be responsible for
their activity. Often children work for money outside the home as a first step to establishing
autonomy, preparing their to budget their money, preparing them for future financial
independence.
Young Adulthood
In many families, parents feel that children should make decisions by themselves. Parents
try to influence their children to follow a practice profession, but the child is free to choose
another career. This indication from parents is not an indication that parents and children do not
low each other.
The Elderly
Societal and familial treatment of the elderly reflects this independence and
individualism. Some families send their older relatives to move homes rather than keep them in
the homes of child and grandchildren.
The Nuclear and the Extended Family
The American nuclear family has its own home and are economically independent of
other family members. Relatives are still considered their family but are outside the basic
obligations. When couples marry, they become financially independent of their family and
become heads of households when they have children. When they have financial problems, they
will borrow money from the bank instead of going to their family. Their family members are not
directly involved as in an extended family. In both nuclear and extended families, the culture
imposes se roles upon parents.
Stability and Chang in the Family
Many families have strong religious or ethnic backgrounds which continue to contribute
to the preservating of the close-knit extended family.

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 EVERYDAY MANNERS
Discussion and Examples : Webster’s dictionary defines manners as “good or polite deportment”.
Mark Twain said, “Always do right; you will please some people and astonish the rest. The
problem for foreigners is that in trying to follow these maxims, the details of considerate
behavior so often very from one country to another.
Appointments and Punctuality : Business and social calls are made by appointment in advance.
Only close personal friends of long standing have the privilege of “dropping in” without notice.
Professional people usually have secretaries who will set the date and time in advance when you
contact them.
Meeting New People : Introductions are less formal than they used to be. On being introduced to
someone you have not met before, the usual greeting is, “How do you do.” It is spoken as a
statement rather than as a question, with the voice in a downward intonation at the end.
Other Courtesies : Whenever a woman enters a room where a man is sitting, he rises and remains
standing until she either sits down or leaves. Men stand up for other men, too, if introductions are
to be made. This is natural, for it is awkward to shake hands from a sitting position. It is
courteous also to stand when other men are leaving.
Walking in Public : When a man and woman walk together, the man always walks on the street
side of the sidewalk. The custom originated in mediaeval England when people threw their
garbage down from upstairs windows and fast horses were likely to splash mud on ladies’ dresses
and maybe even knock them down.
“Ladies First” : Women have the right of precedence in most cases. When entering a room, the
woman goes through the door first, before her male escort.
Hours for Meals : Many countries have the habit of eating a heavy meal at noon followed by a
siesta as an adaptation to climate. They return to work for the late afternoon and early evening
hours, having a late diner around nine o’clock at night.
Table Manners : The Americans style of eating is quite different from that practiced in oriental
and even in continental countries.
Bathroom manners : Some wit once remarked that America is as famous for her plumbing as for
her liberty. It is surely true that Americans abroad are sometimes dismissed to find different
standards sanitations.

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Telephone Manners :
1. When you telephone someone and the person at the other end of the line picks up the
receiver always identify yourself before anything else.
2. When someone telephones you say “Hello” and identify yourself. If the call is for your
roommate and the caller has not been identified himself a polite ‘Who is calling, please?’
will be a courtesy to both your roommate and the caller.
3. If you try to call someone and it seems you have got a wrong number, don’t say, ‘What
number is this?’ Instead, say ‘I’m sorry’ and then hang up, gently.
4. If you telephone someone and want to talk longer than just a minute or two, ask first if it
is a convenient time to talk.
5. Don’t wake people up in the middle of the night or early in the morning. Unless you are
sure the other person is in the habit of keeping odd hours, never make any social
telephone calls before nine in the morning or after nine-thirty at night.
6. When a call is finished and you have said everything necessary, always say ‘Goodbye’
after some concluding remarks.

CROSS CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING

MODUL 4 -6
WORK VALUES
The work ethic
Work ethic is also call the “Protestant ethic” it motivates people to work hard so that they become
successful. This ethic was the result of the religious belief that success was a sign of God’s favor
and those who were successful were among God’s “chosen” and would go to heaven. Whether
one was successful or not work hard religious and moral value. The outcome of American work
value is materialism and has the tendency to be concerned with wealth and possessions.
Reward and satisfaction
In America people believe that they are rewarded for working, producing, and achieving. They
believe that there is equality of opportunity that allows anyone to become successful. An
employee in America is expected to be loyal to his employer while on the job but he is free to
change jobs whenever he wishes to scientists, engineers, highly educated professionals,
technicians and manager have high rates of job mobility.

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Workaholics
The word “workaholic” describes a person who is addicted to work as an alcoholic to liquor.
Those people who are concerned with problems of mental stress believe that workaholics abuse
themselves physically and mentally. Other say that workaholic are valuable members of society
because they are very productive.
Leisure and socializing
Despite the presence of workaholic, people in America realize that excessive work demands can
be physically and mentally harmful. Many people have protested and rebelled against to work
ethic, because when work is considered important, personal relationships suffer and relaxation
becomes secondary. Increased leisure time in America has not changed the idea that work and
play are two different activities. In many offices, stores and factories socializing among
employees is discouraged. An employee under pressure of work often cannot afford to respond to
special calls and visits. But the amount of personal contact on the job depends on the nature of
work. They are maybe more social interactions between teachers in a school than between
scientist doing independent research. Nevertheless, work and play are usually taken and
maintained as separate activities.
American attitude toward manual labor
A characteristic of American culture that has become almost a tradition is the glorification of the
self – made man, who has risen to the top through his effort, usually beginning by working with
his hands. Those who earn their living through manual labors get good salaries. The standard
living for the manual labors are high. It has been an American ideal to rise from a humble
beginning to a better position. The expense of maid service and of skilled labor and the tradition
of working with one’s hand have contributed to keeping alive the spirit of “do – it – yourself”.
Yet they do not always realize that the American has these things only because he has mode them
himself.

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 TIME AND SPACE PATTERNS
Time
Since most people take time for granted, the effects of values, customs and social equate on the
use of time are seldom examined. A culture that values achievement and progress will discourage
people from wasting time.
Promptness
Promptness is important in American business academic and social setting. Punctuality is
important and is taught to children in school. The children in school are taught to respect
Punctuality and time. Respecting deadlines is also important in academic and professional circles.
It is expected from the students that deadlines for class assignments be met. American are taught
to do one thing at a time and maybe uncomfortable when activity is interrupt. In business the
careful scheduling of time is very common. The idea that “ there is a time and place for
everything “ extend to American social life.
Future Time
A future orientations is a characteristic of American culture. American look to the future rather
than to the past as technological, social and artistic trends change rapidly and affect their life
styles and their relationships. High rates of change have contributed to a focus on the future
rather than on the present or past. To be able to have a high standard of living some Americans
think that they should be future oriented. Knowing how time is regulated , divided and perceived
can provide valuable insights into individuals and their cultures.
Space
When we travel abroad we are impressed by the ways buildings, houses and cities are designed.
The division and organization of space show us the character and uniqueness of villages, towns
and cities. These architectural differences may cause confusion or discomfort to the traveler. The
separation of space inside homes also very from culture.
Privacy and use space
Americans tend to achieve privacy by physically separating themselves from others. The
expression “Good fences make good neighbors” indicate a privacy from neighbor’s homes. The
way space is used enable the individual to achieve privacy, to build homes or to design cities is
culturally influenced. The way space is used also influences people’s attitudes and relationships.

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The use of space in designing a home varies among. The following is a floor plan of a standard
home in American.

CULTURAL CONFLICT
Intercultural communication is communication between members of different cultures.
The definition is simple, but the process is complex. In cultural communication people will meet
with different perceptions, attitudes and interpretations. Two people from the same culture can
also have communications problems. People can hurt each other by something say or do.
Miscommunication can happen among people having the same experiences. Problems and
Miscommunications do not result every time members from two cultures communicate when
cultural conflict arise, these conflict maybe seen as personal rather than cultural. A cultural
misunderstanding can create negative feeling and confusion are due to failure to understand noun
verbal signals. Difficulties or problems in intercultural communication arise when there is no
awareness of different cultural values and beliefs. Speaker from different cultures assume that
what they believe is right, because they have grown up thinking their way is the best and this may
result in negative attitudes and judgments toward other cultures. These ethnocentric attitudes
cause people become critical of individuals from different cultures.
Sometimes misunderstanding arise from the fixed preconceived belief we have about
other people. These over generalized belief or stereotypes frequently shape people’s perceptions
each other. The stereotypes develop from jokes, textbooks, movies and television, stereotypical
belief prevent us from seeing peoples as individuals with unique characteristic. Negative
stereotypes may lead to prejudice, suspicion intolerance or hatred toward members of other
cultural groups.
Establishing personal relationship with individual from different religion cultures, or
races maybe the best way to break down stereotypes and prejudice. Cultural conflicts occur as a
result of misinterpretation, ethnocentrism, stereotypes and prejudice. These conflicts can be
prevented by increasing awareness of our own attitude as well as sensitivity to cross cultural
differences. Developing intercultural sensitivity does not mean that we need to lose our cultural
identities. We should recognize influences within ourselves and within others.

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 CULTURAL ADJUSMENTS
“Culture Shock” occur as a result of total immersion in a new cultures. It happens to
people who come to study or work in America. They maybe anxious because they do not speak
the language, know the customs or understand people’s behavior in daily life. They do not
recognize that the problems, feelings and more changes that are related to living in another
cultures are not unique. They may find that signs and signals of cultural life are non verbal such
as gestures or facial expressions or they may accompany language such as the lifting of the head,
when saying yes or no. They may not be sure when they should start a conversation or how they
should should approach a stranger Culture Shock causes feelings of bewilderment and
disorientation. The newness and strangeness of a foreign culture affect their emotions.

INVITATIONS & THE WELCOME GUEST

Discussions and Examples
Most social life is informal outside of official circles and centers around someone home,
yet the informality follows a certain etiquette. It is considered not polite and in considerate to
arrive late and to take a friend who is not invited. If you are not truly a bilingual, you may feel
hesitant to talk as much as you would like, but what you talk about is more important than perfect
grammar. Taking your turn is also important because it means, not interrupting while others are
talking. You also should not be talking for three minutes straight without any question from the
others (listeners). If a friend ask to “take you to dinner”, it means that be plans to pay for both of
you. But when he says “Let’s go out to dinner” it means that each will pay his own way. You
have to watch for the distinct carefully. When students go out together they usually go Dutch.
This comes from the phrase the “Dutch treat” which means each person pays his own check. Do
not even offer to pay the check for the entire crowd unless you have the money to do. After you
have enjoyed someone’s hospitality either in the home or at a public place, it is proper to write a
note thinking your host or hostages and expressing your appreciation for their hospitality.

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 CROSS CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING

INTRODUCING
Introducing someone and being introduce are both important and useful because these are
the first things to happen when we meet someone for the first time. There are different levels and
types of greetings determined by the relationship of those greeting each other and by the situation
involved.
SPEAKING
For Americans this expression is used as a polite response to different kinds of favors and
complements and is of favors and complements and is often automatic. Some important rules
include permissible degrees of directness in speech and forms of politeness used in daily
conversation. Many Americans interpret silence in a conversation as disapproval, disagreement,
or unsuccessful communication.
NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION
Non verbal communication expresses meaning or feeling without words universal emotions such
as happiness fear and sadness are expressed in the same non verbal way throughout the world. In
a conversation too little eye contact may mean lack of interest inattention or mistrust and the
smile has many functions. The smile can show affection, politeness or disguise true feeling. Non-
verbal communication “can’t” be completely separated from culture.

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