American Culture

American Culture: Adapting to a New Way of Life. 7th Annual Academic Week May 26, 2006 UAA

Cultural Perspective Today’s presentation looks at American culture considering two general perspectives: 1. United States ideology (e.g., beliefs, values, and hopes), that share a common cultural perspective 2. Language, and social etiquette that are influenced by both the American and native cultures

Ethnic Groups in the United States white 81.7%, black 12.9%, Asian 4.2%, Amerindian and Alaska native 1%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.2% (2003) note: “…US Census Bureau considers Hispanic to mean a person of Latin American descent (including persons of Cuban, Mexican, or Puerto Rican origin) living in the US who may be of any race or ethnic group (white, black, Asian, etc.)

(The World Factbook, 2006)

The Stages of Cultural Shock Shock Stage Acceptance Stage Re-entry Stage Honeymoon Stage Adjustment Stage

The Stages of Cultural Shock • • • • •

Honeymoon Stage Shock Stage Adjustment Stage Acceptance Stage Re-entry Stage

(Clandfield, 2004)

What is the American Dream? • When people speak of the American Dream, what are they referring to? • The American Dream is the faith held by many in the United States of America that through hard work, courage, and determination one can achieve a better life for oneself, usually through financial prosperity. (American Dream, 2006)

American Stereotypes

Stereotype – Defined •

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“A conventional, formulaic, and oversimplified conception, opinion, or image” (The American Heritage,2006). What are some American stereotypes and how do we form them?

American Stereotypes • Americans don’t learn foreign languages • Maintenance of ancestral immigrant languages • The status of English as an official language • Ethnic stereotypes • Regional stereotypes (Ronowicz & Yallop, 1999, p. 248-255)

If you’re American… o You believe deep down in the First Amendment (Freedom of Speech), guaranteed by the government and perhaps by God. o You’re familiar with David Letterman, Saturday Night Live, Sesame Street, Star Trek, and the Three Stooges. o You know how baseball, basketball, and American football are played. On the other hand, (and unless you’re under 20), you don’t care that much for soccer. o You count yourself fortunate if you get three weeks of vacation a year. (Rosenfelder, 2006)

Star-Spangled Banner (also called The Stars and Stripes or Old Glory) 1795 1813 1818

1960

(Smithsonian, 2006)

Star-Spangled Banner • "This Star-Spangled Banner and all its successors have come to embody our country, what we think of as America. It may not be quite the same for every one of us who looks at it, but in the end we all pretty much come out where the framers did.

We know that we have a country founded on the then revolutionary idea that all of us are created equal, and equally entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." --Pres.

William Jefferson Clinton, speaking before the Star-Spangled Banner at the National Museum of American History, July 13, 1998.

Star Spangled Banner Song By: Frances Scott Key 1814 Tune: To Anacreon in Heaven • Oh! say, can you see, by the dawn's early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming? And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Oh! say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

First 10 amendments of the oldest Constitution in the world – signed Sept. 17, 1787!

Bill of Rights

• 1st: First Amendment: Freedom of worship, speech, press, assembly, and petition the government for redress of grievances. • 2nd: Second Amendment: right to bear arms • 3-10th: search and seizure, speedy trial, reason bails, trial-by-jury, etc.

Language, Etiquette, and the Arts • Cultural aspects that are representative of both American and native cultures.

Culture and Language

Arthur the Rat

Regional Dialects

as read in the AUE Audio Archive Once there was a young rat named Arthur, who could never make up his mind. Whenever his friends asked him if he would like to go out with them, he would only answer, "I don't know." He wouldn't say "yes" or "no" either. He would always shirk making a choice.

NY

His aunt Helen said to him, "Now look here. No one is going to care for you if you carry on like this. You have no more mind than a blade of grass." One rainy day, the rats heard a great noise in the loft. The pine rafters were all rotten, so that the barn was rather unsafe. At last the joists gave way and fell to the ground. The walls shook and all

Chicago

the rats' hair stood on end with fear and horror. "This won't do," said the captain. "I'll send out scouts to search for a new home." Within five hours the ten scouts came back and said, "We found a stone house where there is room and board for us all. There is a kindly horse named Nelly, a cow, a calf, and a garden with an elm tree." The rats crawled out of their little houses and stood on the floor in a long line. Just then the old one saw Arthur. "Stop," he ordered coarsely. "You are coming, of course?" "I'm not certain," said Arthur, undaunted. "The roof may not come down yet." "Well," said the angry old rat, "we can't wait for you to join us. Right about face. March!"

Western

Afro-American Venacular English •

Also called Ebonics or Black English (Spolsky, 1998, p. 63)

• Skrilla

• An old car

• On the reezie

• I’m not lying

• On the strength

• Disagreements

• Hooptie

• A junkie car

• Bucket

• To show off • Money • When a song has a good beat. • Something true

• Bumpin’ • Flawsin’ • Issues

Afro-American Venacular English • Skrilla • On the reezie

Answers

• Money • Something true

• On the strength

• I’m not lying

• Hooptie

• A junkie car

• Bucket

• An old car

• Bumpin’

• When a song has a good beat.

• Flawsin’ • Issues

• To show off • Disagreements (Vox Slang, n.d.)

Social Etiquette

TAKE THE SOCIAL ETIQUETTE QUIZ

Social Etiquette •

Q: What are the proper forms of address when the lady is higher ranked than the man?

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A: When a lady is higher ranked than a gentleman... Dr.Susan Smith and Mr. Mark Smith (when married) Dr. Susan Johnson Mr. Mark Smith (Place on separate lines and omit the "and" when not married)

(Brown, 2006)

Social Etiquette •

Q. What is the proper distance to stand from someone when introducing yourself?

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A. In the United States, stand at an approximate distance of one arm's length from an individual when introducing yourself

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Q. Who gets on/off an elevator first, men or women?

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A. The person who reaches the elevator first or is closest to the door, regardless of gender, enters or exits an elevator first.

(Brown, 2006)

Social Etiquette •

Q. What are some examples of changing gender roles in today’s society?

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A. The person who reaches a doorway first, regardless of gender, opens the door for others approaching. The person who extends an invitation for cocktails or dinner, regardless of gender, is responsible for paying the bill.

(Brown, 2006)

Social Etiquette •

Q. What is the correct way to sneeze or cough in public?

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A. If you sense a sneeze or cough coming on, cover your nose and mouth with your left hand (if you are right-handed) thus leaving your right hand clean for shaking hands, opening doors, etc. (Note: When you have a cold/flu you should also wash your hands often.)

(Brown, 2006)

Social Etiquette •

Q: Your father is turning 70 years old and you want to throw him a party. When do you offer a toast to him (before the meal and before or after grace; during the meal; or after the meal?)

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A: Welcoming toast happens after grace and before the meal (made by the guest of honor). Toast the guest of honor after the meal and before the dessert. Then all the guests toast the host for having the reception or party.

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Social Etiquette •

Q: Should I send a gift to the host of a dinner party?

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A: If attending a party in a private home and you are the guest of honor, it is appropriate to send flowers to the host's home earlier in the day.

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Q: When should a gentleman remove his hat?

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A: A gentlemen always removes his hat when entering a home, restaurant, theater or church.

Social Etiquette •

Q: When a man calls off a wedding, should the man return the wedding ring?

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A: Yes, it is polite and customary for the woman to return the engagement ring.

How did you do?

Social Issues • • • • • • • • •

Homosexuality AIDS Women’s rights Abortion Sexual harassment Gun Control Preservation of the environment Drugs Health Care

US Holidays • • • • • • • • • • • •

New Year’s Day Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. Washington’s Birthday (President’s Day) Memorial Day Easter Independence Day Labor Day Columbus Day Which are federal holidays? Veteran’s Day Halloween When are these holidays? Thanksgiving Christmas

US Holidays • New Year’s Day (Jan. 1st) • Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. (3rd Monday in Jan.) • Washington’s Birthday (President’s Day) (3rd Monday in Feb.) • Memorial Day (last Monday in May) • Good Friday (Easter Holiday) • Independence Day (July 4th) • Labor Day (first Monday in September) • Columbus Day (second Monday in October) • Veteran’s Day (November 11th) • Thanksgiving (4th Thursday in November) • Christmas (Dec 25th)

Jazz Music • • • • •

Bebop Blues Cool Dixieland Ragtime

Song 1

Song 2

Song 4 Song 3 Song 5

America’s True Art Form – Jazz Music • Ragtime - Scott Joplin (1868-1917): The

Entertainer • Blues - Bessie Smith (1894-1937): I Ain’t Got

Nobody • Dixieland – Louis Armstrong (1901-1971): • Bebop & Cool Jazz – Charlie Parker (1920-1955) & Miles Davis (1926-1991)

Conclusion American culture • values achievement and success. • values efficiency and practicality. • values progress and advancement. • values freedom and equality. • places value in the individual. • values effort and optimism.

(Borchers, 2004)

Conclusion • The first cultural force is insistence on choice. • Americans like to dream impossible dreams. • Americans are obsessed with being big and desiring more. • Americans are driven by a “now imperative.” • Americans are accepting of mistakes. • Americans like to invent new ways of doing things.

(Borchers, 2004)

References • • • •

• • •

American Dream-Wikipedia. (2006). Retrieved on April 27, 2006,

from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Dream Borchers, T. (2004). Retrieved on May 25, 2006, from http://www.mnstate.edu/borchers/Teaching/PersuasionF04/chapte r8.pdf#search='chapter%208%20outline%20culture‘ Brown, K. (2006). Etiquette Site. Retrieved on May 10, 2006 from http://www.bellaonline.com/subjects/6328.asp Clandfield, L., (2004). Culture Shock. Retrieved on May 6, 2006 from http://www.onestopenglish.com/skills/speaking/speaking_archive/c ulture_shock.pdf Etherington, M. (n.d.). The Very Best of British. Retrieved on March 20, 2006, from http://www.effingpot.com/index.shtml Flag of the United States-Wikipedia. (2006). Retrieved on April 27, 2006 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_flag Hyper Music: History of Jazz. (2004). Retrieved on May 23, 2006, from http://www.hypermusic.ca/jazz/mainmenu.html

References • • •

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Ronowicz, E., & Yallop, C. (1999). English: one language, different cultures. Cassell: London and New York. Rosenfelder, M. (2006). How to Tell if You’re American. Retrieved on April 27, 2006, from http://www.zompist.com/amercult.html Smithsonian: Stars and Stripes (2006). Retrieved on May 3, 2006 from http://americanhistory.si.edu/ssb/6_thestory/6c_stars/fs6c.html Smithsonian: Story of the Flag. (2006). Retrieved on April 28, 2006 from http://americanhistory.si.edu/ssb/6_thestory/fs6.html Spolsky, B. (1998). Sociolinguistics. New York: Oxford University Press

References •

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. (2006). Retrieved on May 3, 2006 from http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/stereotyp e

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The First Brigade Band: A division of Heritage Military Music Foundation, Inc.(n.d.). Retrieved on April 27, 2006 from

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http://www.1stbrigadeband.org/SSB.html The World Factbook: The United States. (2006). Retrieved on May 3, 2006 from http://education.yahoo.com/reference/factbook/us/popula.html;_y lt=AhiyZNvswgnCExmOwgZHID24ecYF Vox Slang. (n.d.). Retrieved on April 27, 2006, from http://www.voxcommunications.com/slang15.htm