CHAPTER 3

The Microcultural Context

Terminology

Microculturevs.

Minority Groupvs.

Subculture

Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 6e. © SAGE Publications, 2015.

A Contextual Model of Intercultural Communication

The Cultural Context

Characteristics of Microcultures

• Physical or cultural trait• Membership is usually involuntary• Practice endogamy• Awareness of subordinate status• Experience unequal treatment

Muted Group Theory• Suggests that the speech and writing of

microcultural groups are not valued by the dominant cultural group.

• Not free to communicate like dominant group• Sometimes result of immigration or

colonization• In response, microcultural group members:

– Attempt to change the dominant mode of expression.– Create their own “private” language.

Examples of Microcultures

• Hispanic/Latino• African American• Asian Americans• The Amish• Hmong• LGBT

Hispanic/Latino

• About 17.4% of the U.S. population. Growing rapidly

• Values: collectivism, la familia, faith.• Communication:—Spanish, Spanglish,

Cubonics, Chicano English, nonverbally demonstrative

• Stereotype: Machismo. • Concentrated in Texas and California

African Americans

• Size: approximately 13.2% of the U.S. population. Stable

• Language/Dialect: Ebonics, “call-and-response” communication pattern.

• Cultural attitudes about Ebonics.

Ebonics or “Black” Dialect• 80-90% use it• Acceptance is societal dilemma• Pronunciation and syntax follow systematic

rules• Emotionally intense compared to Euro-

American English

Value of Black English• Sense of community• Expresses unique history• Bridges social and economic gaps

Asian Americans

• Size: nearly 5.4% of the U.S. population• Diversity as a microcultural group• Six dominant values held by most Asian

Americans include:– collectivism– conforming to norms– emotional self-control– family recognition through achievement– filial piety– humility

The Hmong• Size—approximately 150,000 in the U. S. • History of the “free people” or “mountain people”• Family—grouped into clans. – Patrilineal.– Value arranged marriages.

• Dialects—Hmoob Dawb (White Hmong), Hmoob Ntsuab (Blue Hmong).

• Nonverbal characteristics: paj ntaub, eye twitching.

Hmong• First-generation immigrants• Chinese who settled in Vietnam and Laos– After Viet Nam war emigrated to U.S., Australia,

France• Culture in conflict with mainstream• Clearly defined sex roles• Arranged marriages

The Amish • Size—approximately 150,000 in the U.S. – Average of 7 children per family

• Religion—Anabaptist • Isolation—do not serve in the military, pay Social

Security taxes or serve on juries. – Do not receive social security, welfare or collect

settlements. • Language—high German and low German (i.e.

Pennsylvania Dutch) – “He went English”• Nonverbal communication through dress

Amish Isolation• Separate from mainstream America• Simple, quiet, austere living• Familistic entrepreneuring system• Collectivistic

Arab-Americans• 1.2 million Americans with Arab ancestry and

growing• Focus on racial, ethnic, and religious hostility

since 9/11• Very diverse compared to other microcultural

groups

Arab Diversity• Many different national, ethnic, and religious

origins.• Most Arab-Americans are Christian and not

Muslim• Language of Islam is Arabic

LGBT• Most difficult of the microculture examples to

characterize and define. • Gayspeak—serves three functions:–Protects against detection of sexual status– Facilitates expression of roles within gay

culture–Vehicle for political identity and activism