Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Language

Understanding Cultural Differences in International Business

Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI)

The Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI) measures the tolerance of uncertainty and ambiguity among members of a society.

• High UAI Cultures: These cultures demonstrate a high intolerance of ambiguity, experience anxiety and stress, and accord a high level of authority to rules as a means of avoiding risk.
• Low UAI Cultures: These cultures are associated with a low level of anxiety and stress, a tolerance of deviance and dissent, and a willingness to take risks.

Differences in Authority and Decision Making

• In high-Power Distance Index (PDI) countries, subordinates are not likely to contradict bosses, but in low-PDI countries, they often do.

Differences in Management

- From: Ainhoa Centelles Sánchez

- To: AliExpress

- Dear Sir or Madam,

- I’m writing to inform you about the products I ordered from your company that have not been received properly, there was an error. Also, the order has arrived damaged and in poor conditions.

- I placed the order on 13 February, I bought from your website two pairs of sneakers. However, one pair has a different color that I ordered and the other pair came two sizes bigger and it didn't bring laces as it said in the photo of your website.

- Furthermore, according to your website, orders are transported in good conditions and are insured. As a result of your error, the packaging arrived destroyed and the contents of the package could be seen.

- I am very dissatisfied with the... Continue reading "Issue with Order: Incorrect Color and Size, Damaged Packaging" »

Political Parties and Voter Identification

Which of these can be about political parties since 1960?

B) People feel a stronger sense of identification with their political party.

Consumer-Like Voter Behavior

Which one of the following is not a characteristic of a voter thinking like a consumer?

A voter will not change his or her mind once they have chosen their candidate.

History of Political Polling in the US

We know that political polling in the US has been around since at least:

1824

Early Political Polling

Political polling in US began as:

Ballots printed in magazines.

Media and Polling

The "Dewey Defeats Truman" headline in the Chicago Daily Tribune is an example of what?

Media trusting in inaccurate polling data.

Effects of Polls on Electorate

When voters... Continue reading "American Political Communication and Polling: Key Concepts" »

Speech

• Transient
• Additive or 'rhapsodic'
• Aggregative
• Redundant or 'copious'
• Loosely structured grammatically
• People-centered
• Context dependent

Writing

• Permanent
• Hierarchically ordered within the clause structure
• Medium for logical reasoning
• Tends to avoid redundancy
• Structured grammatically, compact
• Topic-centered
• Context-reduced

Similarities

• Both depend on their culture
• Both change in different situations

Differences

• Speech is transient, writing is permanent
• Speech is loosely grammatically, writing is lexically and grammatically compact

Relationship between Language and Culture in Language Study

• Native speakers
• Cross-cultural

Key Linguistic Concepts

Footing

A term coined by sociologist Erving Goffman to denote the stance we take up to the others present in the way we... Continue reading "Speech vs. Writing: Key Differences and Similarities" »

In this essay, I am going to analyze performance to prove that the 'attacking mentality' of Abercrombie (Clarke Peters) changes the 'defensive mentality' of Dixon (Sam Rockwell). By being confident and decisive, Abercrombie will change Dixon's behavior from confrontational to submissive as he realizes his mistake and regrets his behavior. To demonstrate this, I will analyze the rhetorical strategies of film performance in both characters.

Universalism vs. Particularism in French Culture

This dimension explores what matters more to individuals: rules or relationships. In cultures leaning towards universalism, the emphasis is typically on applying rules consistently to all situations and individuals. Conversely, particularistic cultures prioritize relationships, often finding them more critical than strict adherence to rules. For instance, in some French contexts, the importance of personal relationships can influence decisions, potentially leading to cases being ruled in favor of individuals with significant connections, rather than solely based on universal regulations (Piispanen, 2019).

Individualism vs. Communitarianism in France

This dimension examines whether individuals primarily... Continue reading "Understanding French Cultural Dimensions for Global Success" »

Eliot's Early Style and French Symbolist Influence

T.S. Eliot attributed a great deal of his early style to the French Symbolists, whom he first encountered in college in a book by Arthur Symons called The Symbolist Movement in Literature. These influential figures included:

• Arthur Rimbaud
• Charles Baudelaire
• Stéphane Mallarmé
• Jules Laforgue

It is easy to understand why a young, aspiring poet would want to imitate these glamorous bohemian figures, but their ultimate effect on his poetry is perhaps less profound than he claimed. While he took from them their ability to infuse poetry with high intellectualism while maintaining a sensuousness of language, Eliot also developed a great deal that was new and original. His early works, like “The Love... Continue reading "The Evolution of T.S. Eliot's Poetic Style" »

Problems with the Term "Postcolonial"

1. Negative Connotation: The term "postcolonial" can be considered a second-class label. Salman Rushdie and Arundhati Roy are best-selling authors, but there seems to be a great deal of uncertainty as to what the term denotes.

2. Misleading Definition: "Postcolonial Studies" (PCS) would seem to label literature written by people living in countries formerly colonized by other nations, but there are many problems with this definition.

3. Misrepresentation: It's a sarcastic label for subjugated countries, ruled more by the influence of the United States than by their own indigenous governments.

4. Colonialism is Ongoing: The term "postcolonial" misleads by suggesting colonialism is over when most of the nations... Continue reading "Postcolonial Literature: Themes, Authors, and Challenges" »

Nowadays, traveling is easier than it was some years ago, and visiting a foreign country is as common as moving around your nation. For this reason, when people plan their holidays, they often have the dilemma of whether it is better to travel abroad or to stay in their own country. The aim of this essay is to compare and contrast these two possibilities in order to find similarities and differences between them.

Similarities Between Domestic and International Travel

First of all, both possibilities must be considered with the fact that no matter what you choose, you will get away from the daily workload. Although the landscapes may vary from one to another, you can relax while traveling. According to…

It is thought that traveling within Spain... Continue reading "Domestic vs. International Travel: A Detailed Comparison" »

The following actions and resolutions were agreed upon during the meeting:

1. Passenger Communication and Conflict Management

Proposal (Rafael García): Workers must clearly explain airline rules to passengers before the flight takes off, ensuring these rules are also printed on purchased tickets. If some passengers are aggressive and fail to calm down, security agents must be called.

• Resolution: Agreed unanimously.
• Responsible Party & Deadline: RG, January 28, Year X (RG to lead staff training).

2. Ancillary Fees: Blankets and Carry-on Luggage

Proposal (Chris Lee): Implement a $10 charge for airline blankets on short-haul flights. No blankets are to be provided on domestic flights lasting more than two hours. Furthermore, it was requested that... Continue reading "Airline Policy and Operational Decisions Meeting Summary" »