Third year 2°language
Modulo: English for intercultural communication
Pizzirusso Alfonsina
Group:f
4/12/’06
Comment about Video Littering
I think that what happened in the video is a normal thing because there are 2 people belonging to
different countries and cultures. When you have some cultural values since you were born you will
see some things like normal, so you have to pay attention to your behaviour.
Section 1
I wanted to find out if ordinary American conform to the stereotypes associated with “being
American”. So, in preparing this questionnaire , I begin by defining
of a “typical American”:
-He is always are in hurry. He eat in wrong way. (I will ask if he usually has breakfast at home
because I think that American people do not use so much time having breakfast . I will ask if he has
a rest during office hours because I know that American people just take a sandwich at lunch.);
-He just lives to work and make money;
-He is egocentric and thinks that He is the best in the world;
-He always wants to impose his authority;
-He is definite and punctual person. He always obeys to the rules.
Section 2
Do you speak English?
Are you American?
Do most American people consider you American when speaking with you?
May I ask you some questions?
1)Have you usually breakfast in the morning? Eat eggs and bacon , orange juice or drink just a
coffee? In the morning breakfast is an important meal or you don’t have time enough?
Do you usually stay at home or could you go to bar?
Do you have a rest during your office hours?
2)Are you working? what is your occupation? does your job fulfil you?
What would you do If you are not a willing worker because your wage is not satisfying? would
you :
-look for another job but in the meantime you do not leave your job
-wait for a more advantageous job
-leave your job anyway
Could you do any job you don’t like with an higher wage?
3)what town or city do you live in ?How long did you live in your country?
Are you delighted? are you satisfying of your country’s rules?
Have you lived for a long period outside your country?
If had to emigrate, what country in the European union would you like to live in, and why?
4)do you know deeply your country’ story? What do you think about people moving to your
country?
5) we have an expression to indicate a person strictly on time that is:” being punctual like a Swiss
watch . Do you have too?( I ask this question because I think that American people are always
punctual, so they can’t say that expression )
Thank you for your time!
In preparing these kind of questions I expected to receive some informations about a typical
American’s daily life.
Subgoal a: I want to note the facial expressions of my interviewees,
because I think body language is as important as oral
language. Although if you do not speak you can
communicate your feelings. I will take notes of his
gestures. I have learned from the body checklist created by a psychologist of
Isabella Poggi that a person in communicating could use 5kinds of signals, used
simultaneously.
Subgoal b: Thanks to my interview I can see how have I do when I do
not understand something. I think that if I do not understand a word or the
meaning of his sentence I have to stop him and request for some clarifications.
Subgoal c: I think that this experience will be useful to me to understand better a different
culture, maybe could help me to change idea about certain topics.
Section 3
Predictions
Answers I think I will get from my interviewees.
1)yes, I have.
I don’t have too much time , so I just go to bar and take away something, I can not stay at the bar.
I just have a sandwich that I took away.
2)yes, I ‘m .i am very pleased.
No, certainly. I looked for this job for long time, just because some others jobs gave me a lower
wage. I could never do it!
3)i live in New York for 23 years.
Yes I’m really delighted. I think that they are the most right.
4)yes, I know it.
I think that you would do a good thing, because America is a country to go on, you could have
many realization possibility overthere.
5)no, because we are just on time. You should say: “you are punctual like an American!”
It must be very interesting but I could not see it, because I can’t stand people are late.
I hypothesize their answers tell me that they always in hurry and don’t spend a lot of time in eating
theirs meals. I think that they are very pleased to live in their country and they seldom leave to
another one.
Section 4
I ask that kind of questions because I expect to learn more about American culture . I think that in
general American people are egocentric. My idea is that they ever could move from their country,
or they are too selves-important to want move.
My idea is that they don’t spend so much time with family in eating their meals, because they spend
most of their days in working.
I think that America is an advanced country in economy and in some society aspects, so most of
people are interested just in working, doesn’t matter what kind of job.
In my opinion they always tend to obey the rules, could not do anything wrong.
If I have to ask these kind of questions to some of Italian people certainly I will get different report,
because of my idea about Italian people is different. People belonging my world see thing like I do,
i see. So they are not so punctual ,but they spend more time staying altogether eating.
Even if in Italy there are many wonderful places Italian people accept that so many other things are
not so good, so they recognise there are other country are better than Italy in some fields.
Where to find native speakers in my town?
In my town there are so many places where you could meet foreigners. So you just have to choose!
There are some pubs, disco, or places like squares where you can find them. In these places you
will find people strolling , you can talk with foreign people and ask your questions freely, and your
interviewees will not understand you have prepared your questionnaire.
Comment about workbook
This workbook was useful to me for certain aspects, it was a sort of guide, that follow me step by
step. In some ways helped me to form my questionnaire.
3° year 2°language
Module: English for intercultural communication
Pizzirusso Alfonsina
Group :f
4/12/’06
Translation of sociometric questions
1)fai normalmente colazione la mattina?fai una colazione all’inglese , succo o semplicemente
prendi un caffé?la colazione al mattino è importante o non hai tempo sufficiente?resti a casa a fare
colazione o ti fermi al bar?hai la pausa pranzo?
2)lavori?qual è la tua occupazione?il tuo lavoro è gratificante?
se non sei soddisfatto del tuo lavoro perché la paga non è abbastanza soddisfacente, cosa fai?
-cerchi un altro lavoro ma nel frattempo non lasci il tuo;
-aspetti un’offerta più vantaggiosa;
-lasci il tuo lavoro comunque
riusciresti ad impiegare un lavoro che non è soddisfacente ma offre una paga alta?
3)dove vivi?da quanto tempo?sei felice di viverci?
Sei soddisfatto delle regole che vigono nel tuo paese?hai mai vissuto lontano dal tuo paese per un
periodo più o meno lungo?
Se dovessi trasferirti, andresti a vivere in un paese europeo?se si,quale e perché?
4)conosci bene la storia del tuo paese?
Cosa pensi delle persone che si trasferiscono dal tuo paese per andare in un altro?
5)noi abbiamo un’espressione per indicare una persona costantemente puntuale:”sei puntuale come
un orologio svizzero”. L’avete anche voi?
Predictions about Italians’ answers
1) Si, mi alzo mezz’ora in anticipo per poter fare colazione insieme alla mia famiglia.di solito
prendo il latte con cornetto. Qualche volta mi capita di darmi appuntamento al bar con una
delle mie amiche e fare colazione li insieme. Credo che la colazione sia importante, per
questo a volte preferisco mangiare piuttosto che fare qualche altra cosa. Il piu delle volte ho
il tempo sufficiente per tornare a casa, anche se capita spesso anche che mi fermi al bar per
un panino veloce.
2) Si, lavoro. Il mio lavoro è abbastanza gratificante , anche se non sono molto soddisfatta
della paga. L’ho cercato tanto e faccio qualcosa che mi piace, quindi non penso di
rinunciarci, anche perchè non riuscirei a resistere con un lavoro che non mi da stimoli, anche
se offrisse una paga alta.
3) Vivo in Italia, da quando sono nata. Si, mi piace molto. Diciamo che per quanto riguarda il
sistema in Italia, andrebbero cambiate un po’ di cose, ma sono consapevole che ci sono
altrettante cose belle, per cui vale la pena di viverci. Ho solo fatto viaggi medio-lunghi.
Andrei in Olanda , perché è un paese molto libero per certi punti di vista credo sia il modo
migliore di gestire alcuni problemi.
4) Non conosco in modo approfondito la storia del mio paese ma diciamo pure abbastanza.
Penso che non apprezzino molto la loro cultura, mentre penso che nel mio paese ci siano
molte cose da apprezzare e che fanno invidia ad altri paesi, e che anche se ci sono un po di
cose che non vanno, possiamo comunque cercare di migliorarle.
5) Si ce l’abbiamo. La maggior parte degli italiani sono ritardatari, quindi diciamo che questa
espressione la usiamo spesso.
Ethnographic questions
Goal: what about accuracy and punctuality obeying of rules.
1)If you have class at 8. 30 what time do you stay in classroom?
2)If you have to deliver a task but you don’t have time enough, how do you do? Could you abandon
some other thing or could you deliver your task a day late?
4)when you have a test how many days do you need to prepare it? could you go to do it although if
you did not prepare it completely?
5)During an exams if you see a friend of yours copying from you would you ignore it or say that to
the teacher?
6)Once ago I saw a very amusing film, there was an Italian student was strictly late and this
finishes to get him in trouble every time. did you see?what do you think about people late?
7)so be punctual means arrive too soon? could you make an example of situation in which you
could not be late?
8)so let me recap…tell me are you usually on time?
Translation of ethnographic questionnaire
1) Se devi essere a lezione alle 8.30 per che ora ti trovi in classe?
2) Se devi consegnare un lavoro ma non hai tanto tempo come fai? rinunci a qualcos’altro o
consegni il lavoro in ritardo?
3) Se hai un esame quanti giorni impieghi per prepararlo?
4) potresti andare a farlo anche se non parato perfettamente?
5) Se durante un esame vedi qualcuno copiare da telo ignori o lo dici all’insegnante?
6)Una volta ho visto un film su un ragazzo che era costantemente in ritardo e questo finiva per
creargli dei problemi. l’hai visto?che ne pensi delle persone che sono sempre in ritardo?
7)Quale significato dai alla puntualità?per te Arrivare puntuale significa anche arrivare in
anticipo?mi fai un esempio di una situazione in cui assolutamente non potresti arrivare in ritardo?
Allora ricapitoliamo…di solito sei puntuale?
PREDICTIONS
1) Può anche capitare che arrivo con dieci minuti di ritardo, anzi diciamo che capita spesso.
2) Se è qualcosa che ho programmato da tanto tempo mi scuso con il capo e consegno il lavoro
in ritardo; se poi è qualcosa che mi farebbe perdere il lavoro cerco di concluderlo in ogni
caso.
3) Dipende dall’esame, pero se non è troppo difficile comincio a studiarlo anche una settimana
prima. Si , il più delle volte non sono preparato al massimo.
4) Lo ignoro. Non posso dirlo all’insegnante, anche perché è capitato anche a me di dover
collaborare con qualcun altro
5) No, non l’ho visto. Diciamo che sono abbastanza abituato a vedere persone in ritardo, io
stesso sono un ritardatario cronico!
6) Non do molta importanza, cioè quando sono io ad essere in ritardo. Ma mi da
tremendamente fastidio se devo essere io ad aspettare. Detesto chi è sempre in anticipo, per
me è un difetto, è peggio che essere ritardatari.
7) No, assolutamente no!
REPORT
Sociometric questions
1) all my interviewees say that they usually have breakfast in the morning, they stay at home
drinking coffee. They all think that breakfast is an important meal, could never not eat in the
morning. They usually have time enough to have lunch at home.
2) 2/3 say that they change their job if they could having an higher wage.(I was wrong because
my idea was :“American people live to work, while Italian people work to live”)
3) 2/3 would leave their country for another having better opportunities.( I was wrong)
4) They all love their country but recognize that in Italy there is something does not work,
therefore they could move.
5) They know that expression.
By interviewing some friends of mine and my mother I have understood things I did not expect. I
expected to received answers like I would answer. I thought that people having the same culture and
values as me, could find certain attitude or behaviour as normal, for example if I have class at 8.30
and I need 10 minutes to reach university I leave home at best at 8.20.
I expect that :
they deliver their task a day late without any problem;
They could go to do an exams even if they are not so ready, just because they thing copying is
normal. I was right about it.
They don’t say anything if they see someone copying from their work, as a matter of fact they could
copy; it’s a normal thing I see;
They are not punctual, as a matter of fact I think that just few people respect dates time. All They
can’t stand people too soon.
My hypothesis were right about punctuality. All the 3 interviewees tell me that they are not
punctual, they arrive at an appointment at least 10 minutes late. I thought right also about topic
“exams”:
If they saw anyone copying from another one they do not say anything, just because they could do
it!
I was wrong concerning delivering a task, because all 3 interviewees say that they would deliver
their work anyway.
In certain cases I did not receive the answers I expected. I knew that all my 3 interviewees are late
people but I have learned that they can’t stand people late. When they have class at 8.30 they could
arrive late, but if they work could not never deliver a task late. I was right that they could go to do
an exams although if they are nor ready, because they hope to copy from any others.
My questions were useful in certain cases to deep some topic, I believed were considered in
different way from those people.