Learning a New Language

311 Words2 Pages
1. When learning a new language, one must deal with accents, which will always reveal the nature of your native language. Besides, when dealing with stressful situations or affectionate feelings, one is more likely to think and express themselves in their native language. When learning a new culture, one has to learn things like reading body language and utilizing it. There is also the difficulty of learning behavior, the acceptable and unacceptable, and the values rooted to them. 2. The five dimensions of Hofstede’s Framework are: individualism, collectivism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity and femininity and time orientation. Distinguishing individualism and collectivism is significant when comparing cultural behaviors because cultural syndromes are explained. How individuals of a culture work together, socialize, their normal behavior and their values, all play a role in defining a culture. In the instance of power distance the acceptance of low or high levels gives an understanding of cultural values. By knowing the level, one can discern the importance in education, hierarchy and status. The uncertainty avoidance gauges the level of expressiveness and attitudes. The difference between feminine and masculine societies is tremendous and affects the everyday life of the people. Masculine societies focus more on money and success while feminine center on quality of life, time orientation and the value of time. 3. Cultural complexity, tightness versus looseness and two aspects of individualism versus collectivism. Vertical individualism emphasizes independence of action and the need to stand out from others, which is often ostentatious in the US, UK and France. Horizontal collectivism emphasizes interdependence of action and equality of others. While it is found in Israel, in kibbutzim it is not widely
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