TASK 2 : HOW TO INTERVIEW USING A QUESTIONNAIRE
THIRD YEAR ENGLISH
Antonella Landolfi
MODULE: “English for intercultural communication”
GROUP: f
04/12/2006
SECTION 1
-COMMENTS ABOUT THE VIDEO “LITTERING”The French girl has no respect for environment, even if it isn’t her country. So she thinks is
unnecessary to put her cigarette’s pack into the dustbin. When the boy shows her how it should has
be done, looking at her face I can see that she has a strange expression of superficiality and is very
perplexed, maybe because in her society it is considered really fussy to do like this.
On the other hand, this situation is very unusual for the Dutch boy, and when it happens, he feels
the duty to teach others, especially foreigners, how to do. So he thinks it is a very important
problem: he does not smile at her.
This kind of incident will not happen if when we go to another country we do as the people of that
country does. Also we have to consider that our way of see things is not universal or absolutely
right: in the other States there are also other people and other societies, surely different from ours.
For these reasons we have to know and to respect it.
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SECTION 2
-SOCIOMETRIC QUESTIONNAIRETOPIC: “Canadian People’s attitudes in observing traffic rules”
-Excuse me, do you speak English?
-I’m doing an interview for a university project. Are you Canadian?
-May I ask you some questions about your life in your country?
1. Do you usually use a car there in your hometown? Even if you prefer public transportation, please
answer my little questionnaire thinking to the general way of doing of your parents or of your
friends.
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2.
You are driving a car when you see some people on the zebra crossing, what do you do?
 You stop and let them cross the road.
 You does not stop, especially if you are in a hurry.
3.
At a cross-roads there is the red light, but there are no other cars except yours on the road.
 You always have to wait the green light.
 You can cross the road, but quickly, especially if you are in a hurry.
4.
When somebody is driving a motor-cycle, it is always necessary to wear a crash-helmet.
 AGREE
 DON’T AGREE.
 Partial agree. Why________________________________________
5.
Distance and speed limits posted are important to the safe of drivers and passengers.
Not very important 1
6.
2
3
4
5
Very important
The use of seat belts is compulsory for the driver and all passengers.
 AGREE
 DON’T AGREE.
 Partial agree. Why________________________________________
7.
Very expensive fine for not respect the national traffic rules are useful.
 AGREE
 DON’T AGREE.
 Partial agree. Why________________________________________
SUBGOAL 1: I will take notes on the body language of my interviewees while asking questions:
gestures, facial expressions. In this way I can understand their feelings and I can discover if
they are really saying what they think or what their cultural value are.
SUBGOAL 2: I try to adapt my way of speaking and may way of do, to those of my
interviewees, to put them more at their ease. In fact, for example accommodating my language
to that of my interlocutors, I can also establish a better relationship.
SUBGOAL 3: I want to enjoy this experience conducting the interview. This is an occasions to
learn the language I am studying through real life experience.
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SECTION 3
-HYPOTHESES AND PREDICTED RESULTSPredict of my interviewees will answer
2. You are driving a car when you see some people on the zebra crossing, what do you do?
 You stop and let them cross the road.
 You does not stop, especially if you are in a hurry.
3. At a cross-roads there is the red light, but there are no other cars except yours on the road.
 You always have to wait the green light.
 You can cross the road, but quickly, especially if you are in a hurry.
4. When somebody is driving a motor-cycle, it is always necessary to wear a crash-helmet.
 AGREE
 DON’T AGREE.
 Partial agree. Why________________________________________
5. Distance and speed limits posted are important to the safe of drivers and passengers.
Not very important 1
2
3
4
5
Very important
6. The use of seat belts is compulsory for the driver and all passengers.
 AGREE
 DON’T AGREE.
 Partial agree. Why________________________________________
7. Very expensive fine for not respect the national traffic rules are useful.
 AGREE
 DON’T AGREE.
 Partial agree. Why________________________________________
Hypotheses about their culture
I hypothesize that people in Canada are universalistic, in other words, that there is a rules-observant
culture and, more specifically, that Canadian people observe the traffic rules. The meaning of
“rules-observant culture” is that they think that to live in the better way is very important to follow
laws. So if everyone observes the traffic signs he will help all the community to live better because
he spares road accidents, car crashes and he reduces traffic, so the road is more practicable.
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Prediction on how Italians will answer each question
2. You are driving a car when you see some people on the zebra crossing, what do you do?
 You stop and let them cross the road.
 You does not stop, especially if you are in a hurry.
3. At a cross-roads there is the red light, but there are no other cars except yours on the road.
 You always have to wait the green light.
 You can cross the road, but quickly, especially if you are in a hurry.
4. When somebody is driving a motor-cycle, it is always necessary to wear a crash-helmet.
 AGREE
 DON’T AGREE.
 Partial agree. Why________________________________________
5. Distance and speed limits posted are important to the safe of drivers and passengers.
Not very important 1
2
3
4
5
Very important
6. The use of seat belts is compulsory for the driver and all passengers.
 AGREE
 DON’T AGREE.
 Partial agree. Why: It can be useful for children but not for adult passengers.
7. Very expensive fine for not respect the national traffic rules are useful.
 AGREE
 DON’T AGREE.
 Partial agree. Why________________________________________
SECTION 4
MY INTERVIEWEES WILL BE SOME CANADIAN STUDENTS I MET IN A PUB A MONTH
AGO.
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TASK 3 : HOW TO INTERVIEW USING A QUESTIONNAIRE
THIRD YEAR ENGLISH
MODULE: “English for intercultural communication”
Antonella Landolfi
GROUP: f
04/12/2006
SECTION 5
-TRANSLATION OF THE SOCIOMETRIC QUESTIONNAIRE IN ITALIANORIGINAL QUESTIONNAIRE IN ENGLISH
TRANSLATED QUESTIONNAIRE IN ITALIAN
1. Do you usually use a car there in your hometown?
Even if you prefer public transportation, please answer my
little questionnaire thinking to the general way of doing of your
parents or of your friends.
1. Usa spesso l’auto per spostarsi?
Se preferisce usare autobus o metro, risponda al mio
questionario pensando al generale modo di fare di genitori o amici.
2.You are driving a car when you see some people on the zebra
crossing, what do you do?
 You stop and let them cross the road.
 You does not stop, especially if you are in a hurry.
2.Mentre sta guidando, nota delle persone all’attraversamento
pedonale, cosa fa di solito?
 Si ferma sempre e permette loro di attraversare la strada.
 Di solito non si ferma, soprattutto se ha fretta.
3.
3.At a cross-roads there is the red light, but there are no other cars 8.
except yours on the road.
 You always have to wait the green light.
 You can cross the road, but quickly, especially if you are in a
hurry.
3.Ad un incrocio il semaforo è rosso, ma non passano altre macchine
sulle corsie opposte, cosa fa?
 Aspetta il verde.
 Velocemente può attraversare l’incrocio, soprattutto se ha fretta
.
4.
4.When somebody is driving a motor-cycle, it is always necessary to9.
wear a crash-helmet.
10.
 AGREE
11.
 DON’T AGREE.
 Partial agree.
Why________________________________________
4. A volte si può fare a meno del casco?
5.
6.
7.
5.Distance and speed limits posted are important to the safe of drivers
and passengers.
12.
Not very important 1 2 3 4 5 Very important
13.
6.The use of seat belts is compulsory for the driver and all passengers.
14.
 AGREE
15.
 DON’T AGREE.
 Partial agree.
Why________________________________________
7.Very expensive fine for not respect the national traffic rules are 16.
useful.
17.
 AGREE
 DON’T AGREE.
Partial agree.
Why________________________________________
 si
 no
 ALTRO. ________________________________________
5.La distanza di sicurezza e I limiti di velocità sono importanti per la
sicurezza sulla strada?
Non molto 1 2 3 4 5 Molto
6.E’ obbligatorio allacciare la cintura di sicurezza sia per chi guida che
per i passeggeri.
 Vero
 Falso.
 Altro. ________________________________________
7. Sono davvero utili le multe salate per chi non rispetta il codice
stradale?
 si
 no
 ALTRO. ________________________________________
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-PREDICTION ON HOW ITALIANS WILL ANSWER EACH QUESTION2 .Mentre sta guidando, nota delle persone all’attraversamento pedonale, cosa fa di solito?
 Si ferma sempre e permette loro di attraversare la strada.
 Di solito non si ferma, soprattutto se ha fretta.
3.Ad un incrocio il semaforo è rosso, ma non passano altre macchine sulle corsie opposte, cosa
fa?
 Aspetta il verde.
 Velocemente può attraversare l’incrocio, soprattutto se ha fretta
.
4. A volte si può fare a meno del casco?
 si
 no
 ALTRO. ________________________________________
5.La distanza di sicurezza e I limiti di velocità sono importanti per la sicurezza sulla strada?
Non molto 1 2 3 4 5 Molto
6.E’ obbligatorio allacciare la cintura di sicurezza sia per chi guida che per i passeggeri.
 Vero
 Falso.
 Altro. ________________________________________
7. Sono davvero utili le multe salate per chi non rispetta il codice stradale?
 si
 no
 ALTRO. ________________________________________
ETHNOGRAPHIC QUESTIONNAIRE
1) How do you feel here in Italy?
2) Do you miss home?
3) Do you enjoy your time visiting Rome?
4) Do you prefer public transportation or do you like driving here in Italy?
5) And in Canada it’s the same?
6) Same days ago I heard a noise about a policeman in Canada that gives out fines to people
who does not stopped their car before zebra crossing when there were some pedestrian
waiting to cross the road. It can be true?
7) It’s absolutely important to observe traffic signs there in Canada?
I think these questions will be useful to my research because they seems natural and spontaneous
but at the same time they permit me to understand this particular aspect of Canadian culture
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-TRANSLATION OF THE ETHNOGRAPHIC QUESTIONNAIRE IN ITALIANORIGINAL QUESTIONNAIRE IN ENGLISH
1) How do you feel here in Italy?
2) Do you miss home?
3) Do you enjoy your time visiting Rome?
4) Do you prefer public transportation or do you like
TRANSLATED QUESTIONNAIRE IN ITALIAN
1) Come ti va la vita?
2) Ti piace il tuo Paese?
3) Di solito ti piace uscire in giro per Roma?
4) In genere preferisci utilizzare bus e metro o ti
muovi in auto?
driving here in Italy?
5) And in Canada it’s the same?
6) Same days ago I heard a noise about a policeman
5) Pensi che sia lo stesso in altri Paesi?
6) Non molto tempo fa ho sentito parlare di vigile
che multava gli automobilisti che non si
in Canada that gives out fines to people who does
fermavano agli attraversamenti pedonali quando
not stopped their car before zebra crossing when
c’erano persone in attesa di attraversare. L’hai
there were some pedestrian waiting to cross the
sentito anche tu? Pensi sia vero?
road. It can be true?
7) It’s absolutely important to observe traffic rules
and signs there in Canada?
7)
Pensi sia davvero importante rispettare il codice
stradale e i segnali in Italia?
-PREDICTION ON HOW ITALIANS WILL ANSWER EACH QUESTION1) Come ti va la vita?
-Abbastanza bene.
2) Ti piace il tuo Paese?
-…Diciamo di sì…non sarà perfetto e ci sarebbero da migliorare tante cose, ma…è sempre la
mia Italia
3) Di solito ti piace uscire in giro per Roma?
-Certo è la mia città, la amo.
4) In genere preferisci utilizzare bus e metro o ti muovi in auto?
-In genere uso l’auto, ma ci sono giorni in cui le strade a Roma sono davvero impraticabili. E
poi la gente è imprevedibile…devi stare sempre con gli occhi aperti…altrimenti…puoi
facilmente ritrovarti in un tamponamento!
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5) Pensi che sia lo stesso in altri Paesi?
-Bè..non in tutti, immagino. A volte gli altri popoli sono molto più severi di noi su certe cose.
6) Non molto tempo fa ho sentito parlare di vigile che multava gli automobilisti che non si
fermavano agli attraversamenti pedonali quando c’erano persone in attesa di attraversare.
L’hai sentito anche tu? Pensi sia vero?
-Non di certo, credo sia una di quelle solite leggende metropolitane!
7) Pensi sia davvero importante rispettare il codice stradale e i segnali in Italia?
-Certo, ma non sempre ci si riesce. Abbiamo un codice troppo pignolo.
AFTER THE INTERVIEW
Yesterday morning I interviewed some Italian boys and girls who live next to my house. They
were 20-22 years old. I asked them both sociometric and ethnographic questions and I have
tested my hypothesis. My predictions were almost all confirmed.
At the ethnographic questions, that seemed natural and spontaneous but that permitted me to
understand better this particular aspect of Italian people, for example, they said that Italy is the
best place of the world for many aspects, but the worst for others. So, for example they talk
about what happens on the streets when they are driving their car, but at the same time admitted
that not all the Italian traffic rules are respected by them. I can confirm my predictions, because
thanks to this ethnographic interview I tasted that Italian people aren’t universalistic, in other
words, not always they respect the rules.
The sociometric questionnaire was more specific on this subject and so my interviewee were
more direct to answer me. Thanks to the fact I am 21 years old and Italian too, they seemed to
me sincere and spontaneous in answering my questions. And also in this case I can confirm my
hypothesis and predictions about Italian’s culture. For example to question number 4 (A volte si può
fare a meno del casco?)
2 out of 3 boys answered affirmatively. A boy said: <<Certo, quando ho
appena messo il gel e devo uscire con la ragazza, non posso mettere il casco, lo allaccio soltanto
al collo...>> ; another said: <<Se devo percorrere una stradina interna, dove non corro rischi, e
per un breve tratto, non metto il casco>>. To question number 2 (Mentre sta guidando, nota delle persone
all’attraversamento pedonale, cosa fa di solito?) they
all said that they never stop their car at the zebra-crossing
when they see pedestrian on it. They also said that very expensive fine for not respect traffic
rules are not very useful to solve this problem.
In conclusion I have to say that Italian girls seems quite different, in fact they are more
universalistic than boys.
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