TEACHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

BACHELOR OF SECONDARY EDUCATION

MAJOR IN ENGLISH

WRITTEN REPORT FOR LANGUAGE, CULTURE AND SOCIETY

Components of Social Structure

1. Norms
2. Statuses
3. Roles
4. Groups
5. Social Institutions

Think about your group of friends. Have you noticed that one or two tend to be
informally in charge of the details? You might be the one who calls everyone and makes
reservations or buys the tickets for the others. If so, you would have the informal role of
"organizer." Or possibly, you are the one that seems to make all of the jokes, you might
have the informal role of "prankster." Ultimately, within every group, there are specific
"hats that people wear." Those hats are what we call "statuses."

A status is a specific position that an individual occupies in a group.

Anything that you can call yourself (sibling, employee, student, friend, etc.) are all
statuses. Ultimately, a person occupies a variety of statuses at the same time. If you
were to take out a sheet of paper and write down all of the statuses that you occupy,
this list would be your "status set."

A status set is all of the statuses that an individual might occupy at the same time; the
entire collection of social statuses occupied by an individual.

There are three basic types of statuses:

1. Ascribed Status is present at birth (race, sex, or class).

2. Achieved Status is attained through one's choices and efforts (college student,
movie star, teacher, or athlete).
3. Master Status is a status which stands out above our other statuses and which
distracts others from seeing who we really are.

Ethnocentrism in social science and anthropology—as well as in colloquial English

discourse—means to apply one's own culture or ethnicity as a frame of reference to
judge other cultures, practices, behaviors, beliefs, and people, instead of using the
standards of the particular culture involved.

Acculturation is a process of social, psychological, and cultural change that stems

from the balancing of two cultures while adapting to the prevailing culture of the society.

FEATURES OF CULTURE

Culture is learned- culture is a learned behavior. No one is born with an inherent

understanding of their culture; they must learn it as they grow.
Culture is social- The social dynamics between individuals plays a significant role in
forming group solidarity. Social unity reinforces a collective identity and shared thinking
among group members thereby constructing a common culture (Griswold 2013).

Culture is shared- Culture is shared because the members of a cultural group typically
understand a common set of symbols and practices. For example, in the United States,
approaching a stranger with an outstretched right hand is understood as an invitation to
shake hands.

Culture is transmissive- Culture is capable of being transmitted from one generation

to the other. Parents pass on culture traits to their children, and they in turn to their
children, and so on. Culture is transmitted not through genes but by means of language.
Language is the main vehicle of culture.

Culture is cumulative- Cumulative culture requires the high fidelity transmission of two
qualitatively different abilities: instrumental skills (e.g., how to keep warm during winter)
and social conventions (e.g., how to perform a ceremonial dance). Children acquire
these skills through high fidelity imitation and behavioral conformity

Culture is dynamic- Culture is dynamic and thus complex. Culture is fluid rather than
static, which means that culture changes all the time, every day, in subtle and tangible
ways. Because humans communicate and express their cultural systems in a variety of
ways, it can be hard to pinpoint exactly what cultural dynamics are at play.

Why is it important to understand your own culture?

To understand your history that can help build your personal growth and wellbeing, and
helps to connect us with each other

By understanding and appreciating the importance of culture, you can gain a better
understanding of your own identity as well as the identities of other cultures. You can
also learn to respect and appreciate different perspectives while developing a sense of
pride in your own culture

Gender stereotype- A gender stereotype is a generalized view or preconception about

attributes, or characteristics that are or ought to be possessed by women and men or
the roles that are or should be performed by men and women. Gender stereotypes can
be both positive and negative for example, “women are nurturing” or “women are weak”.

Age stereotype- Age stereotypes reflect beliefs individuals hold about different age
groups and the aging process. For example, young people may be perceived as
energetic but careless, whereas older adults may be perceived as wise but fragile.

Racial profiling- Racial profiling or ethnic profiling is the act of suspecting, targeting or
discriminating against a person on the basis of their ethnicity, religion, or nationality,
rather than on individual suspicion or available evidence.

Culture stereotype- Cultural stereotyping occurs when one assumes that all people
within a culture act, think, and behave the same way. While national cultures can
provide a lens to gain insights into a country, broad generalizations may not necessarily
be helpful.

What is the characteristic of an ethnic group?

A group of people who share a similar culture (beliefs, values, and behaviors),
language, religion, ancestry, or other characteristic that is often handed down from one
generation to the next. They may come from the same country or live together in the
same area.
Language death- is a process in which the level of a speech community's linguistic
competence in their language variety decreases, eventually resulting in no native or
fluent speakers of the variety. Language death can affect any language form, including
dialects.

Language shift- occurs when a community of users replaces one language by another,
or “shifts” to that other language. Although language shift can and does occur at the
level of the individual speaker, it is shift at the level of an entire community that is
associated with widespread language replacement and loss.
Language maintenance- denotes the continuing use of a language in the face of
competition from a regionally and socially more powerful language. Language shift is
the opposite of this: it denotes the replacement of one language by another as the
primary means of communication within a community.

What is the main cause of language loss?

The main causes of language loss are social factors, including pressure from dominant
languages that offer greater political and economic prestige . Language loss can also
occur when a speech community shifts away from one language to another as the
medium of daily usage .

Coptic, Sumerian and Akkadian are dead languages in the most literal sense: They
died out for good and no one knew them, was able to read them, or taught them, for
almost two millennia. Akkadian began to be understood again in the mid-19th century
and Sumerian really only in the 20th century.

Hokkien is a dialect originating from the Fu-Jian Province in China. Distinctly different
from Mandarin Chinese, it spread to Taiwan in the late Ming Dynasty following
development of the QuanZhou area and ports.
Norman Fairclough: language and power

In his book Language and Power (1989), Fairclough explored how language overlaps
with social structures of power, suggesting it can be used to create, change, and
maintain power relations in today's society.

1. A social position that an individual occupies in a society?

a. Ascribed status
b. Role
c. Master status
d. Status

The correct answer in number 1 is letter D because a status is a recognized

social position that an individual occupies. The collection of statuses held by an
individual is called a status set. An ascribed status is one you are born into or
enter involuntarily (e.g., sexuality). On the other hand, Role is a set of connected
behaviors, rights, obligations, beliefs, and norms as conceptualized by people in
a social situation. It is an expected or free or continuously changing behavior and
may have a given individual social status or social position. Examples include
roles based on family (e.g., parent, sibling), occupation (e.g., teacher, doctor), or
societal functions (e.g., leader, citizen). Social roles help structure interactions
within groups, providing a framework for understanding what is expected of
individuals in various contexts.

2. Which is an example of an achieved status?

a. Being a daughter
b. Old age
c. Race
d. Being honor student

The correct answer in number 2 is letter D. Achieved status is a concept

developed by the anthropologist Ralph Linton for a social position that a person
can acquire on the basis of merit and is earned or chosen through one's own
effort. It is the opposite of ascribed status and reflects personal skills, abilities,
 and efforts.So being an honor student was achieved through time compared to
being a daughter, old age and race which are ascribed status.

3. It is said that there could be a possible situations involves in developing the

language. Which situation could it be?

a. Their government
b. Their genetic heritage
c. Their surrounding culture
d. Their social class

Answer number three is letter C. It is really obvious that the surrounding culture
can develop the language compared to the government, genetic heritage and
social class. Specifically, children growing up in households with richer home
language environments have been shown to learn vocabulary faster, exhibit
increased processing speed, and develop overall stronger language and
cognitive skills

4. Human culture encompasses ideas, behaviors, and transmitted between

individuals and can change overtime. Which one below strengthens its claim?

a. It is partly inherited genetically

b. It can be entirely learned
c. Limited to relatively rich societies with sophisticated technologies
d. All of the above

The answer in number four is letter B. All of these can be entirely learned. It is
important to remember that culture is learned through language and modeling
others; it is not genetically transmitted. Culture is encoded in the structure,
vocabulary, and semantics of language.

5. Which of the following is true about culture?

a. Language are culture

b. Archaeologists dig up culture in their excavations
c. Culture is a powerful human tool for survival
d. All of the above

Answer in number five is letter D. All of the statements here is related and
relevant to culture. Culture is a powerful human tool for survival, but it is a fragile
 phenomenon. It is constantly changing and easily lost because it exists only in
our minds. Our written languages, governments, buildings, and other man-made
things are merely the products of culture.

6. A belief that one’s culture is superior to others. What is described?

a. Assuming similarity
b. Acculturation
c. Ethnocentrism
d. Prejudice

Ethnocentrism is indeed the answer in number 6.Ethnocentrism in social science

and anthropology as well as in colloquial English discourse means to apply one's
own culture or ethnicity as a frame of reference to judge other cultures, practices,
behaviors, beliefs, and people, instead of using the standards of the particular
culture involved.

7. Which of the following are not identified as defining features of culture?

a. Culture is symbolic
b. Culture is cumulative
c. Culture is transmitted
d. Culture is learned

8. Why is it important to understand your own culture?

a. To determine which clients are not appropriate for you to work with
b. To help you work out which days or times you should not be working, for example
religious days or proper times
c. To understand your history that can help build your personal growth and
wellbeing, and helps to connect us with each other
d. All of the above

So, answer number 8 is letter C. By taking some time to think about and
understand your own culture and where you come from you will be better able to
address difficult questions from people who might see you and the world
differently than you do. Compared to the two choices below, these are solely
based on their own welfare.
 9. Men are strong and do all the work, this is an example of __________.

a. Sexual stereotype
b. Gender stereotype
c. Age stereotype
d. Racial profiling

answer in number 9 is letter B. A gender stereotype is a generalized view or

preconception about attributes, or characteristics that are or ought to be
possessed by women and men or the roles that are or should be performed by
men and women. Gender stereotypes can be both positive and negative for
example, “women are nurturing” or “women are weak”. Because when we talk
about gender, it only covers men and women.

10. ‘All people who live in South Korea underwent plastic surgery’. This is an
example of __________.

a. Sexual stereotype
b. Racial profiling
c. Gender profiling
d. Culture stereotype

Answer in number 10 is letter D. Culture stereotype occurs when one assumes

that all people within a culture act, think, and behave the same way. Racial
profiling refers to the discriminatory practice by law enforcement officials of
targeting individuals for suspicion of crime based on the individual’s race,
ethnicity, religion or national origin.

11. The following are examples of stereotyping except __________.

a. Goths wear black clothes

b. All politicians are philanders
c. All blonde are intelligent
d. Women aren’t smart as men

As "women aren't smart as men" was never a stereotype previously, letter D is

the right answer to question number 11, unlike options a–b, which are
stereotypes that we frequently hear.
 12. Feminine man is gay and any masculine woman is a lesbian. This is an
example of __________.

a. Sexual stereotype
b. Culture stereotype
c. Racial profiling
d. Gender profiling

Number 12's answer is a sexual stereotype. The creation or propagation of a

rigid, predetermined notion or picture of how men and women should behave is
known as sexual stereotype. Given that the scenario revolves around appropriate
behavior for both men and women, it undoubtedly fits the definition of sexual
stereotype.

13. What is/are the characteristics of an ethnic group?

a. A form of organization
b. A focus of identity
c. An ascribed status
d. All of the above

Answer in number 13 is letter D since a form of organization, a focus of identity

and ascribed status are parts of an ethnic group. Ethnic group is a grouping of
people who identify with each other on the basis of perceived shared attributes
that distinguish them from other groups.

14. Which of the following is the process of exchanging messages between

people who have different cultural backgrounds?

a. Ethnocentrism
b. Intercultural communication
c. Cultural competency
d. Xenophobia

According to Chen, Intercultural communication refers to the communication

between people from two different cultures. Intercultural communication is a
symbolic, interpretive, transactional, contextual process, in which people from
different cultures create shared meanings. That what makes intercultural
communication the correct answer since it is the process of exchanging
messages between people who have different cultural backgrounds
 15. It denotes the replacement of one language by another as the primary means
of communication within a community.

a. Language death
b. Language maintenance
c. Language change
d. Language shift

Letter D is the correct answer in number 15. Language shift occurs when a
community of users replaces one language by another, or “shifts” to that other
language. Although language shift can and does occur at the level of the
individual speaker, it is shift at the level of an entire community that is associated
with widespread language replacement and loss. Language maintenance on the
other hand is the process by which languages continue to be spoken by a
speech community despite facing competition from dominant or global
language(s).

16. What is death language?

a. A language no longer used in everyday life

b. A language that no ones speak anymore
c. A language that is learned solely for ceremonial purposes
d. A language that has been lost history

Letter A is the correct answer in number 16 since a death language is used

when that community is the last one in the world to use that language.

17. Which of the following is NOT necessarily a characteristic of an endangered

language?

a. The language is regarded as socially inferior and/or has no monolingual

speakers
b. Only a few elderly speakers of the language remain alive
c. It is spoken by people who live in isolated areas
d. The language is no longer being taught to children
 Letter C is the answer to number 17. Although all the options aside from letter C
explain that the language is no longer in use and that, in contrast to letter C, very
few people actually speak it, some people such as those living in isolated places
continue to use it.

18. Which of the following is a major cause of language loss?

a. War and discrimination

b. Population movement, especially urbanization
c. Westernization and the rise of the global communication
d. All of the above

Letter D is the correct answer in number 18. Since War and discrimination,
Population movement, especially urbanization and
Westernization and the rise of the global communication can also contribute to
language loss.

19. Which of the following is not an example of dead language?

a. Sumerian
b. Coptic
c. Hokkien
d. Akkadian

The right answer to question number 19 is hokkien. As Sumerian, Akkadian, and

Coptic have already been lost to humankind, the Hokkien language, which is still
spoken in China and Taiwan, is still in use today.

20. The following shows the relationship of language and power according to
Fairclough except __________.

a. Powerful institutions and individuals use language as both a means to construct

their power as a way to maintain it
b. Language has become necessary for the maintenance of power
c. Individuals and groups in category of power relations use language are their
main tool in maintaining status
d. Language is use to dominate ethical rules and social boundaries
 Letter D is the correct answer in number 20 since Fairclough stated all of the
choices except letter D which states that 'Language is use to dominate ethical
rules and social boundaries'

REFERENCE: “Language, Culture and Society.” John Benjamins,

https://benjamins.com/catalog/lcs. Accessed 29 March 2024.

Prepared by:
Joshua R. Gusi