Lecture 5 "Foreignness" of cultures and ethnocentrism

Plan:

1. Nature and essence of the notions "home" and "foreign"

2. The essence of ethnocentrism and its role in Intercultural Communication (IC)

3. Stereotyping

1. Nature and essence of the notions "home" and "foreign"

The modern types of the transport and communication facilities allow many people to realize the peculiarities and values of other cultures. From the very first contact with these cultures, people quickly perceive that representatives of these cultures react differently on the outside world. They have their own standpoint, system of values and rates of behavior, which greatly differ from the ones accepted in another culture. Thus, in situations of the divergence or mismatch of some cultural phenomena among the cultures, the notions of "home" and "foreign" appear.

The one who faces foreign culture, experiences new feelings and sensations at interacting with unknown and incomprehensible cultural phenomena. Their gamma is rather broad - from simple surprise to active resentment and protest. As the studies display, it is not enough to use only one’s own cultural knowledge and observe the behavior of foreigners. It is much more important to understand “foreign” culture, i.e. to comprehend the place and importance of the new unusual phenomena of the culture, and include the new knowledge in one’s cultural arsenal, in structure of one’s behavior and lifestyle.

Thereby, the notion “foreign” gains the key importance in IC. But problem is that, to these days the scientific determination of this notion is not worded yet. In all variants of the usage the notion “foreign” is understood on ordinary level, that is to say by separations and descriptions of the most typical signs and characteristics of this term.

Under such approach notion "foreign" has several meanings:

• "foreign" as not belonging to this place, residing out of the border of his/her native culture;

• "foreign" as strange, unusual, forming a contrast to usual and accustomed encirclement;

• "foreign" as unacquainted, unknown and inaccessible for cognition;

• "foreign" as something supernatural, omnipotent, in front of which a person is week;

• "foreign" as sinister, alien, carrying threat for life.

In the process of contacts between representatives of the different cultures various cultural-specific conceptions clash, under which each of communicants originally do not realize the differences from the first glance, each side considers their own ideas and conceptions normal. First, as this can be most often, incomprehension (something is not right) comes under which opinion and understanding do not coincide. As a rule, both sides do not call their own cultural-specific conceptions in question, but occupy ethnocentric position and ascribe foolishness, illiteracy or cruel intent to the other culture.

Figuratively, within the contact with the other culture the person feels like being abroad. He/she oversteps the accustomed situation, notions and find himself/herself in unacquainted, but attractive other world. The foreign country, on the one hand, seems to be unacquainted and even dangerous, but on the other hand, all new attracts, promises the new knowledge, and increases the outlook and life experience.