Name: Venus Rovie C.

Laque Subject: Purposive Communication

Course: BSHM 1

MODULE 3
TOPIC 4: EXPLORING TEXTS REFLECTING DIFFERENT CULTURES

LEARNING ACTIVITIES
Task 1: Comprehension Questions: Instruction: Check your understanding of the input by
answering the following questions:
1. It is inevitable for us to meet people coming from other cultures. Cite at least three
ways by which you can avoid miscommunication or misinterpretation of ideas when
talking to them.
Answer: No, it is not inevitable. Close, but not for sure. And since you don’t know the rules
of their culture, you can’t always avoid miscommunication. This is true whether they are
from a different culture or not, though. And it is handled the same way.

2. How non-verbal communication does in general or bodily gesture in particular pose

miscommunication between two persons coming from different cultures? Cite some
examples that you know.
Answer: Eye contact rules.

Downcast eyes are a sign of respect for an elder in many Polynesian cultures, but
Westerners interpret them as shame or guilt.

3. Give one situation when you should use formal language and another situation when
you should use informal language. What expressions will you use? How do they differ
from each other?
Answer: Formal language is used when politely ask directions to a policeman, such as “Sir,
could please tell me how I could get to the nearest railway station?”

Informal language is used when you see some children talking with some noise and you
want them to stop it. For example: “Boys and girls please lower your voices. It’s really
disturbing people here.”

In some points we should be as polite as possible, so that our audiences get our message
clearly. Select words is the key to effective communication.

Task 2: VARIETIES OF ENGLISH: PRONUNCIATION. Instruction. Below are two examples of

varieties of English that focus on pronunciation. Classify them accordingly and write them
under the correct column.
1. elementary vs. elementary
2. istreet vs. street (street)
3. brids vs. bridge (bridge)
4. ass vs. asks (asks)
5. thought vs. tot (thought)
6. closez vs. closes (closes)
7. dat vs. that (that)
8. tin vs. thin (thin)
9. measure vs. measure (measure)
 10. chip vs. cheap (cheap)
American English Philippine English
1.elementary 1. elementary
2. street 3. istreet
3.bridge 4. brids
4.asks 5. ass
5.thought 6. tot
6.closes 6.closez
7.that 7.dat
8.thin 8.tin
9.measure 9 measure
10.cheap 10.chip

Task 3: VARIETIES OF ENGLISH: VOCABULARY. Instruction. Below are examples of two

varieties of English that focus on expressions. Classify them accordingly and write them under
the correct column. Note that some terms from the list are used by both varieties.
1. Underground economy vs. black economy
2. Counterclockwise vs. anticlockwise
3. Current account vs. checking account
4. Housing development vs. housing estate
5. Elementary school vs. junior school
6. Labor union vs. trade union
7. Expiry date vs. expiration date
8. Rubbish vs. garbage
9. Parentheses vs. brackets
10. Drink driving vs. drunk driving
11. Driving license vs. driver’s license
12. Fortnight vs. two weeks
13. Raincoat vs. mackintosh
14. Third-party insurance vs. liability insurance
15. Whisky vs. whiskey
American English British English
1.Black economy 1.Underground economy

2.Anticlockwise 2.Counterclockwise

3.Checking account 3.Current account

4.Housing estate 4.Housing development

5.Junior school 5.Elementary school

6.Trade union 6.Labor union

7.Expiration date 7.Expiry date

8. Garbage 8.Rubbish
9.Brackets 9.Parentheses

10.Drunk driving 10. Drink driving

11.Driver’s license 11. Driving license

12.Two weeks 12. Fortnight

13.Raincoat 13. Mackintosh

14.Liability insurance 14. Third-party insurance

15.Whiskey 15. Whisky

Task 4. VARIETIES OF ENGLISH: IDIOMS. Instruction: Below are examples of two varieties of
English that focus on idioms. Classify them accordingly and write them under the correct
column.
1. A home from home vs. a home away from home
2. Knock on wood vs. touch wood
3. A drop in the bucket vs. a drop in the ocean
4. Take it with a pinch of salt vs. take it with a grain of salt
5. A new lease of life vs. a new lease on life
American English British English
1. A home from home 1.a home away from home

2. Knock on wood 2. touch wood

3. A drop in the bucket 4. a drop in the ocean

4.Take it with a pinch of salt 5. take it with a grain of salt

6. A new lease of life 7. a new lease on life

II. Find out if the idioms have counterparts in your mother tongue. How do the American
English and British English idioms differ from your mother tongue counterparts? What cultural
differences can be noted?
Answer: One great example for this is “Birds of a feather flock together” is a Filipino adage that
roughly translates to “people with similar tastes and interests stick together.” The statement is
frequently used on its own, as a response to anything stated to you, or simply to make an
observation. Sometimes people manipulate the words in this expression a little to fit a specific
context or situation, but the meaning of the expression remains the same.