Culture And Anthropology Cultural Variation Ethnocentrism Cultural Relativity

Culture And Anthropology • Cultural Variation • Ethnocentrism • Cultural Relativity

Defining Culture • Many Ways to Define Culture Depending on • • Research Orientation. Culture is Learned Culture is Shared within a Community

Elements of Human Culture • • Technology Economic Organization Social Organization Political Organization Ideology (Belief System) Aesthetics (Artistic Expression) Culture is not possible without Language

The Influence of Culture on Language • Cultural Emphasis – Boas: Language a window into culture • Language reflects culture – Finer distinctions – More elaborate vocabulary v Inuit snow, seals Interactive Iñupia. Q Dictionary v Nuer cattle v U. S. sports v Hanunóo colors v Marshallese birthing vocabulary

How Language Reflects Culture • • Cultural emphasis… Cognitive Anthropology… Ethnoscience as method… Linguistic Relativity….

Ethnosemantics • 1950 s and 60 s • Frake, Goodenough, Conklin • Alternate names: – Ethnoscience, Cognitive Anthropology • Vocabulary indicates – “native” categories – Culturally important distinctions • Psychological reality or formal account?

Ethnosemantics as Method • Identify a semantic domain – Grand Tour questions • • • Collect words Construct a taxonomy Develop a componential analysis – (i. e. , feature analysis, contrast analysis) • (See W/R pp. 22 -25).

Linguistic Relativity • Languages are – Differently structured – Arbitrary systems • Cultural emphases are – Differently structured – Arbitrary systems • Body parts • Kin terms • Color terms

Searching for Universals • Berlin & Kay: Basic Color Terms – Focal points vs boundaries – Sequence • Black and white • Add red • Add green or yellow • Add yellow or green • Add blue • Add brown • Add purple, pink, orange, and/or gray – Problems • Defining basic • Establishing a “standard” for colors

Hanunóo Color Terms • • • Dark Light Fresh Dry Reflecting an agricultural focus.

Linguistic Relativity • Languages are different • Languages are arbitrary systems • Differences are not predictable - body parts - kin - colors.

The Influence of Language on Culture • Linguistic determinism – Sapir and Whorf • Strong Whorf – Language determines thought v Language as a prison (Agar) • Weaker Whorf – Language influences thought v Language as a room (Agar) • Stumbling (English) v. hobbling along (Hopi) – An event v. a continuum

Experiments in Linguistic Determinism: Yucatec • Grammar stresses material – Connects related words for wood, tree, table • Individuals group cardboard items together.

Experiments in Linguistic Determinism: English • Grammar stresses shape – Different words for wood, tree, table • Individuals group boxes together.

New Evidence for Linguistic Determinism • Relative space v. absolute space – Guugu-Yimidhirr (an Australian Aborigine Language) • NORTH-SOUTH-EAST-WEST (absolute) – Tzeltal (A Mayan language spoken in Chiapas) • UPHILL-DOWNHILL (relative).

Experiencing Linguistic Determinism • • • Shinzwani: mezajuu = at/on the table Shinzwani lending and borrowing Ukrainian liubov v. kokhannia Clock time in Czech and English Hijri v. Gregorian calendars.

Language, Culture, and Thought • Categories and Metaphors – Hopi and English ways of talking about time • Time in cycles – Life is a journey – Arriving at a stopping place • Time in units – Time is money – Running out of time.

Examples of Linguistic Determinism: SAE • time = matter Units of time = objects Passage of time = endless line of identical objects

Examples of Linguistic Determinism: Hopi • time = a process • units of time = cycles • passage of time = endless repetition of same cycle.

Metaphors and Frames • Using words within frames – Viewing the world through frames • Founding Fathers v. Founding Mothers • Tax relief v. community support • Looting v. finding • Job creators v. The 1% The ACA Supreme Court decision was based on framing – Tax v. Mandate

Summary • • • Language is a window into culture (Boas) Language is a cultural map (Conklin, Frake…) Language is a guide to social reality (Sapir/Whorf) – Linguistic relativity: grammar influences thought • A well-accepted idea – Linguistic determinism: grammar determines world view • Still controversial • Language is a framing device (Lakoff) – Helps us to organize and frame our experience of the world – And to express our experience of the world