Group foreign-origin acculturation

Massive intake of another culture's traits is the most classical and narrow definition of "acculturation". Such acculturation may be adequately adapted into another's, modernizing and advancing it through the inflow of technology or the enrichment of literature. For example,

• Hanzi, the written language of Chinese language, has been adapted and modified by other Asian cultures, including: Japan (as Kanji), Korea (as Hanja), and Vietnam (as Chữ-nôm). Traditional Chinese characters and meanings can be seen in many examples of the vernacular dialects of these countries, and most of them still use (Hanzi) for formal and official correspondence

But sometimes, the acculturation has irreversible impact of damaging the recipient culture, as in the cases of:

• Many indigenous peoples, such as First Nations of Canada, Native Americans of the US, Taiwanese aborigines, and Australian Aborigines -- have mostly lost their traditional culture (most evidently language) and replaced by that of the dominant new culture.

The term has most often described as Westernization, Natives having adopted Western cultures.

• The founders of Liberia were the descendants, just a few generations removed, of African ancestors who had a completely African culture; yet they have fully taken up the white-dominated cultural values of the early 19th Century United States (specifically, of the then dominant Whig Party), to the extent that their settlement in Africa and rule over the native population there were clearly in the manner of foreign colonizers rather than of "Africans returning home".

Pidgin is a mixed language that has developed to help communication between members of different cultures in contact. This usually occurs in situations of trade or colonialism. Pidgin English is a simplified form of English mixed with some of the other language of the other culture. It blends English grammar with that of a native language. This was first used in Chinese ports and similar have developed in Papua New Guinea and West Africa.

In situations of continuous contact, cultures have exchanged and blended foods, recipes, music, dances, clothing, tools, and technologies.

Transculturation

Main article: Transculturation

Transculturation, or individual foreign-origin acculturation, is on a smaller scale with less visible impact.

This most often occurs to first-generation immigrants, for whom transculturation is most difficult, due to the lack of precedents in the family. The speed of transculturation varies, depending on the recipient's interest and the presence of a motivation.

Another common, but less lasting, acculturation effects occur after a traveler spent a while in a foreign place. The traveler may pick up some regional vocabulary, especially if the languages are in the same family.

Native-origin acculturation

A child may learn one or more traditions (multicultural family of immigrants) from birth, usually from the family (blood or adopted), particularly the parents.

Inevitably, with each generation, the dominant culture becomes more and more the dominantly accultured one for the immigrants' descendants. A good example of native origin acculturation would be the Inuit, these people started to share their traditions when the Canadian Government went to the Arctic.