1.4. Language Symbols in Communication

But also it varies from culture to culture this symbol, what is the meaning of this one for example, maybe in India, this is chota or thoda, it is very small amount, okay but look into other what other people in other countries they think. In Italy, it means that what exactly, do you mean. Or in Greece that is just perfect; that is just perfect, the same meaning, a same object but different meaning.

This chunk highlights how the meaning of symbols can differ significantly across cultures. For instance, a gesture that signifies 'small' in one country could mean something entirely different elsewhere, such as 'uncertainty' in Italy or 'perfection' in Greece. This emphasizes the importance of understanding cultural contexts when interpreting symbols.

Imagine a thumbs-up gesture. In the U.S., it often means 'good job' or 'great!' but in some countries like Greece, it can be seen as offensive. This shows how a common gesture can have vastly different interpretations based on location.

Some meanings, some gestures are very universal like smile, if I smile you understand I am happy, okay and it is almost universal but for example, the thumbs up, okay in United States, it is a kind of positive reinforcement, in Russia and Australia it could be an offensive curse for this one, what is the meaning of this one to you okay?

Here, the chunk discusses universal gestures, such as smiles, which generally convey happiness across various cultures. However, it contrasts this with the thumbs-up gesture, which while positive in the U.S., is offensive in Russia and Australia. This reinforces the idea that not all gestures are universally understood; context matters.

Consider smiling at a stranger; it's usually taken positively no matter where you are. But giving a thumbs-up could lead to misunderstandings and even conflicts if the person perceives it as a rude gesture, especially in certain cultures.

so, also like this colour; red colour, the colour is red but it has different meaning in different cultural or different context. In the left-hand side, it means there is a police, there we understand that okay this is the police, something is an emergency, in the right-hand side, it is the red light that means you have to stop and in the middle, it means actually a brothel; the prostitution.

This chunk focuses on the color red, showing how its meaning can vary dramatically based on context. For instance, a red traffic light universally means 'stop,' while it can also signify danger or alertness in other contexts, like police lights, and in some areas can represent adult services, such as prostitution.

Think about when you see a red light while driving; you automatically understand it means to stop. But if you see a red light in a different context, such as in a nightclub, it might mean something completely different, indicating a specific type of commerce. Such variations highlight the complexity of symbols.

Now, another important component of culture is the values and beliefs okay. What is that? Values are culture standard for what to do, what is good, what is not good to decide okay, so when somebody is gambling or somebody is very flamboyant or somebody is taking alcohol, we have some kind of values, somebody saying is good or bad, ugly or beautiful, right or wrong, it could be also kind of accepted or unaccepted, desirable and undesirable, ethical unethical.

This chunk introduces values as a crucial aspect of culture, shaping perceptions of right and wrong. It explains that our cultural standards influence how we interpret various behaviors, from gambling to flamboyance, and categorize them as acceptable or unacceptable based on societal norms.

Consider a family gathering where drinking alcohol may be seen as acceptable and even celebratory, while in another culture, it could be frowned upon, reflecting different values on alcohol consumption. Such differences are a reflection of the underlying cultural beliefs that guide behavior.

And culture create these values to give us some kind of mind, vision and lens so, what is good and bad, ugly and beautiful, right and wrong this is we see from cultural perspective, cultural lens and culture gives us this mind, this vision and this lens to see the objects, no object is right or wrong, no object is ugly and beautiful, it is that we which we give the meaning to them right.

This chunk explains that culture shapes our understanding of values, influencing how we categorize experiences and phenomena. Our perception of what is good or bad, or beautiful or ugly, is filtered through this cultural lens, indicating that these interpretations are not inherent but rather assigned based on societal norms.

Think about art: what one culture might celebrate as beautiful, another might see as mundane. For example, abstract expressionism might be adored in Western cultures but misunderstood in others. This illustrates how cultural contexts shape our views on art, morality, and aesthetics.

So we have this cultural perspective and these values then come into beliefs, okay and individuals in a society have different beliefs that translate this one. So, this is American society and they believe in individualistic culture, on the other hand, we have Japanese society which is more in collective culture.

The chunk discusses how various cultures develop distinct beliefs based on their values. For example, American culture typically emphasizes individualism, valuing personal achievements and independence, while Japanese culture leans toward collectivism, prioritizing group harmony and consensus.

Imagine a group project in school: American students might focus on showcasing individual contributions, while Japanese students could work towards a collective outcome, valuing teamwork and shared success, which showcases differing cultural beliefs.

In order to put those values and beliefs into practice, we have generally norms. So, what is good ugly, how to control that one these values okay. Then so, how to maintain that social interactions, we put social control that we called social norms okay.

This chunk states that norms serve as the practical application of values and beliefs within a society, guiding acceptable behavior. Social norms establish expectations for behavior to maintain order in social interactions, forming an invisible set of rules that individuals typically follow.

Consider the norm of saying 'thank you' after receiving help; it reflects a value of gratitude. This expectation helps maintain social harmony. When someone does not follow this norm, it can create discomfort or tension, illustrating the power of social norms in guiding behavior.

So cultural context of risk is saying that culture matters, how people define, what is right or wrong, what is risky or not risky and in so, there are many examples. But so risk is culturally constructed, how people perceive and act upon the world around them depends on the way of life and way of life; a combination of social relation and cultural bias.

In this chunk, the author explains how culture shapes our understanding of risk. It argues that what individuals perceive as risky varies widely among cultures, based on their social relationships and cultural biases. This reinforces the idea that perceptions of risk are not universal but culturally constructed.

For instance, a behavior like bungee jumping may be seen as a thrilling sport in one culture but could be viewed as reckless and dangerous in another. Such perceptions highlight how cultural context influences our view of risk and safety.

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