INTERPLAY BETWEEN CULTURE AND COMMUNICATION

ST. PAULS UNIVERSITY

BACS/NRB/2076/17

BACS/NRB/4495/17

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

LEC: LOICE MACHARIA

DUE 20th JUNE 2017

INTERPLAY BETWEEN CULTURE AND COMMUNICATION

Introduction

In this paper we get to understand how culture and communication is related. We all come from different cultures which in my opinion also affect our languages directly or indirectly. The idea of culture as something that has to be shared means that it is vital to understand culture and communication is in relation to one another. So the relationship of this two is tightly interwoven and interlinked. It is clear that communication enables the spread and reiteration of culture. Both communications and the media propagate the values and schemes of a culture through the repeated interaction and exchange enabled by the communication process.

Communication: this is simply the act of transferring or exchanging information from one place to another either verbally or non-verbally.

According to Webster, he defines communication as a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs or behaviors.

Culture: culture is the way of life of a group of people the behaviors, beliefs, values and symbols that they accept, generally without thinking about them and that they are passed from generation to generation through communication and imitation.

According to Kroeber and Kluckhohn (1952) culture consists of patterns, explicit and implicit of and for behavior acquired and transmitted by symbols constituting the distinctive achievement of human groups, including their embodiment in artifacts; the essential core of culture consists of traditional ideas and especially their attached values.

All social units develop a culture, in two person relationships, a culture develops over time. For example, partners develop their own history, shared experiences, language patterns, habits and customs that give that relationship a special character that differentiates it from other relationships

The richest and complex cultures are those that are associated with a society or a nation and the term “culture” is most commonly used to refer to these characteristics including language and language patterns, rituals, rules and customs. A societal or national culture also includes such elements as significant historical events and characters, philosophies of government, social customs, family practices, religion, economic practices, beliefs and value systems and systems of law.

The relationship between culture and communication is very complex and intimate. First cultures are created through communication that is communication is the means of human interaction through which cultural characteristics are created and shared. It is not so much that individuals set out to create a culture when they interact in relationships, organizations, societies but rather that cultures are a natural by-product of social interaction.

In a sense, cultures are the “residue” of social communication. Without communication and communication media it would be impossible to preserve and pass along cultural characteristics from one place and time to another. Therefore, we can say that culture is created shaped, transmitted and learned through communication and vice-versa.

Culture and society though similar, are different things. Cultures are defined by these learned behaviors. Society can simply be defined as groups of interacting individuals. However, it is through the interaction that individuals develop and communicate the markers of culture and so making it difficult to separate out “culture and “society.”

Coming back to the role of communication within culture, the idea of culture as something that is shared means that it is vital to understand culture and communication, in all its forms, is tightly interlinked. We can see that communication enables the spread and reiteration of culture. Both communications and the media propagate the values and schemas of a culture through the repeated interaction and exchange enabled by the communication process.

To understand the implications of this communication culture relationship, it is necessary to think in terms of ongoing communication process rather than a single communication event. An example, when a three-person group first meets, the members bring with them different behavioral patterns and individual thoughts from previous communication experiences and from other cultures of which they are or have been, a part. As individuals begin engaging themselves in communication with the rest of the members they begin to create a set of shared experiences and ways of talking about them.

As the group continues to interact, a set of distinguishing history, patterns, customs, and rituals will evolve. Some of these cultural characteristics would be quite obvious and tangible such that a new person joining the group would encounter ongoing cultural “rules” to which they would learn to conform through communication. New members would in turn influence the group culture in small, and at times large ways as they become part of it.

In a reciprocal fashion, this reshaped culture shapes the communication practices of current and future group members. This is true with any culture; communication shapes culture and culture shapes communication.

 CHARACTERISTICS OF CULTURE

As it is apparent from the above discussion, culture is complex structure that consists of a wide array of characteristics. Hall Edward (1979) is one of the most significant contributors to the general understanding of the complexity of culture

and the importance of communication to understanding and dealing with cultural differences at the society level.

Cultures are subjective: there is a tendency to assume that the element of one’s own cultures are logical and make good sense. It follows that if other cultures whether of relationships, groups, organizations, or societies- look different, those differences are often considered to be negative, illogical and nonsensical. For example, if an individual happens to be in a romantic relationship that is characterized by public display of affection, that person might think that the behaviors of other people who have more reserved relational cultures may seem strange, or even inappropriate. The person may wonder why a romantic couple would not be often displaying affection to one another in public. This may lead to the individual concluding that the “reserved’ relationship lacks depth and intensity.

Cultures are largely invisible: much of what characterizes cultures of relationships, groups or societies is invisible to those who breathe it. Language, of course is visible, as are greeting conventions special symbols places and spaces. However, the special and defining meanings that these symbols, greetings etc. have for individuals in a culture are far less visible. An example, one can observe individuals kissing when they greet but unless one has a good ideal more cultural knowledge, it is difficult to determine what the behavior means in the context of the culture of their relationship. In simple terms, it is difficult to tell, without more cultural knowledge, if “the kiss” is a customary greeting among casual acquaintances or if such a greeting would be reserved for family members or lovers.

For the reasons noted above, opportunities to see culture and the dynamic relationship that exists between culture and communication are few. Two such opportunities do occur when there are violations of cultural conventions or when there is cross cultural contact.

When someone violates an accepted cultural convention or custom maybe by standing closer than usual while conversing, or discussing topics that are typically not discussed openly- the other members of the culture become aware that something inappropriate is happening, members of the culture think little of it, but when violations occur, the members are reminded if only momentarily of the pervasive role that culture has on a daily life.

Understanding the nature of culture in relationship to communication is helpful in a number of ways. First, it helps to explain the origin of differences between the practices, beliefs, values and customs of various groups and societies and it provides a reminder of the communication process by which these differences came into being. This knowledge should heighten people’s tolerance for cultural differences.

Second, it helps to explains the process that individuals go through in adapting to new relationships, groups societies and the cultures of each. Thirdly, it underscores the importance of communication as a bridge between cultures and as a force behind cultural change.

In conclusion, culture includes a basic set of shared values and beliefs. When people have experiences in common this contributes to understanding on a deeper level than what can be interpreted by an outsider. Gestures and idiomatic phrases are often misunderstood by those outside the culture. Although people can communicate effectively with other cultures, they must make an effort to understand the culture as well as the language of the people they communicate with. Culture enhances communication, and this is why people usually understand those of similar background best.

REFFERENCES.

http://www.reference.com

Du Gay et al. (1997) Doing cultural studies: The Story of The Sony Walkman

http://encyclopedia.jrank.org/articles/pages/6491/culture and communication.