Michael Agar
A Linguistics for Ethnography Why Not Second Languaculture Learning and Translation?Abstract
Language and ethnography have always gone hand in hand. In this article two kinds of linguistics are explored that seem to have a close relationship to ethnography, namely, second languaculture learning and translation theory. The article shows how the former resembles the ethnographic research process while the latter is similar to the usual ethnographic product. The irony is that neither of these two kinds of linguistics have played much of a role in ethnographic research in the past. By applying them to the author’s past work on ethnographic logic and exemplifying them with samples of applied ethnographic work, languaculture learning and translation help re-think the notion of "method" beyond the usual social science conversations while highlighting features of intercultural communication as it happens on the ground.
Keywords: Ethnography, Linguistics, Second Language Learning, Translation Theory, Applied Research
Alexander Bischoff and Janine Dahinden
Dolmetschen, Vermitteln und Schlichten im vielsprachigen Basel. Umgang mit Diversität und Fremdsprachigkeit – Umfrage unter Leitungspersonen öffentlicher InstitutionenAbstract
Survey among senior staff persons of public institutions in the city of Basel, Switzerland on coping with diversity and foreign languages
As European countries become more diverse, so do the client populations in public institutions. Switzerland has, like all modern societies, been affected by major cultural and social changes, characterised by a pluralisation of lifestyles, ways of life, languages and value systems. For Swiss society as a whole and for its public institutions, this raises questions about how this pluralistic society can be held together and, more specifically, how the integration of members of immigrant groups can be supported. Integration is to be understood here as the creation of an institutional framework for social pluralism and the establishment of equal rights and non-discrimination. In practical terms, this means that everyone living in Switzerland should have equal access to the services of public institutions and that the services that these institutions offer should take into account the needs of different communities. One instrument that can contribute effectively to the inclusion of immigrant communities is intercultural mediation. By this we include three forms of mediation: linguistic mediation (interpreting), cultural mediation and conflict mediation. How do public institutions deal with diversity characterised by migration and foreign languages? Basel, one of the larger Swiss cities, is a case in point. With a high proportion of foreigners among the resident population (31%), Basel’s public institutions have been dealing with the increasing diversity of their clientele in different ways. One of them is the use of interpreters, cultural mediators and conflict mediators.
Keywords: integration of migrant communities, interpreting, intercultural mediation, conflict mediation, public institutions’senior staff
Nittaya Campbell
You’ve got mail! Using email technology to enhance intercultural communication learningAbstract
As organizations become increasingly globalized and workforces increasingly culturally diverse, the use of "global virtual teams" is becoming more and more common. To be prepared to work in such a team, students need to develop skills in both intercultural communication and the use of modern computer technologies. This paper reports on a project that involved intercultural communication students in the U.S.A. and New Zealand corresponding through email. The aim was to enhance their intercultural communication learning with an experience of actually crossing cultural borders and of handling a popular computer technology to communicate in a virtual environment. Results and implications of the study are discussed.
Keywords: global virtual teams, email correspondence, intercultural communication project, experiential learning
Back to startJelena Durovic
Intercultural Communication and Ethnic IdentityAbstract
This study’s main objective was to identify reactions triggered when individuals partaking in an intercultural communication interaction believe that there is a discrepancy between the way they identify themselves ethnically and the way they are perceived. In addition, I examined how their reactions can influence the interactions in question.
The study showed that reactions caused by perceived misconceptions of one’s ethnic identity are context-dependent. While evaluations of the counterpart’s attitude are of importance (whether it’s positive, neutral, or negative) the reactions are also influenced by circumstances such as one’s former experiences with the problem, language skills, and the nature of the relationship with the other party involved. The course of the interaction is, among other things, affected by the counterparts’ personality and their response to being reprimanded.
Keywords: perceived ethnic identity, stereotypes, prejudice
Back to startLai Siew Hoon and Kato Tomiko
Intercultural Communication in the Japanese Language Classroom in Singapore: A Comparison of Students’ and Teachers’ PerceptionsAbstract
Exploring the communicative behavior of teachers and students in the Japanese language classroom in Singapore is one important way of looking at intercultural communication between Japanese and Singaporeans. Ease in effective communication is often hindered by differences in expectations resulting in communication gaps. In this study, attempts were made to explore the differences in perceptions held by students and Japanese teachers of (i) a good teacher versus a Japanese teacher; and (ii) a good student versus a university student. A questionnaire based on previous findings was constructed using a 5-point semantic differential scale for this purpose. A comparison of results showed that there were significant differences in students’ and teachers’ perception of a good teacher/student versus the teacher/student in reality.
Keywords: Intercultural, Communication, Japanese Language, Classroom, Perceptions
Elza Ibroscheva & Jyotika Ramaprasad
Do media matter? A social construction model of stereotypes of foreignersAbstract
In an attempt to build on and make more complete existing models of stereotype formation, which have largely been cognitive in nature, this paper proposes a social construction model of stereotypes of foreigners, which includes a number of social factors, and in particular, the media, where media is defined as a complex variable composed of several exposure, nature of sources, content, and perceived effect.
Keywords: stereotypes, foreigners, social construction of reality, mass media
Back to startHilda Llanqinao Trabol, Olga Rebolledo Piña & Claudio Briceño Olivera
Traditional Mapuche education. Contribution for an Intercultural EducationAbstract
The intercultural education is presented as an initiative of our society to incorporate ethnic groups in the vision of the world, which is constructed through education. Unfortunately, the main contribution that the ancestral cultures make to the curriculum is based on some idiomatic aspects and cultural manifestations (rites and ceremonies). According to our point of view, this vision is rather restricted, because it ignores or does not know the ways of traditional education of ethnic groups. This assay shows, in a summarized way, the experience of the Mapuche people in their way of developing the teaching–learning process, which is explicitly based on the communication form that was established among the family members. It is necessary to emphasize that three methods were used, and they were based on oral communication (pentukum, nütram and gülam), these not only allowed the internalization of the contents, but also their evaluation. Another important element is constituted by three central subject areas of the Mapuche education: social, nature and divinity relationship and how each one of them become, in practice, communication forms with superior entities. In this way, it is constituted the general training system and education in Mapuche culture, which is able to evaluate coherent subjects and content connection, to constitute a real contribution to formal education of any country or culture, which must be understood as the modification of primary education’s curriculum.
Keywords: Intercultural communication, Mapuche culture, Education
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