Tag Archives: Personal

9. CLOTHING

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Describe the types of clothing worn by men, women, children, and infants. At what ages do boys and girls begin to wear “adult” clothing? How much of the body needs to be covered? When? Are expectations different for women than for men? What articles are gender specific?

Is clothing distinctive to the ethnic group? If not, is there a time when traditional ethnic clothing is worn? Is it worn with pride?

What is considered “essential” to every person’s wardrobe and how much money would be spent on some of these “essentials”?

Is clothing ready-made? If not, who makes them? Are they hand-sewn or machine-sewn? What kind of material is used in clothing for every-day wear? for special occasions?

Do articles of clothing indicate rank, status, or marital condition?

Do people have many changes of clothes?

  • Are different sets worn to work, on special occasions, for sleeping, for trips to town, etc.?
  • Does the type of clothing change seasonally?
  • What is considered appropriate or inappropriate dress for different occasions?
  • How important is it to dress nicely?

What types of ornaments are worn on the clothes (buttons, clasps, fringes, coins, seeds, embroidery, etc.)?

How is clothing kept clean and how frequently is this done?

10. PERSONAL CARE AND ADORNMENT

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Note comments made concerning the appearance of various people. What are the criteria for being considered well-groomed?

How often do they bathe?

  • Wash their hands and face?
  • Brush their teeth?
  • What is used as the cleaning agent–soap, toothpaste, bark from trees, dental floss?
  • How is body waste cleaned off and disposed of?

How do they care for their skin?

  • What is considered beautiful skin and how is it attained?
  • Do people scarify, mutilate or tattoo parts of the body? At what age? Who does the procedure?
  • What body parts are affected?
  • Why is it done?

How are the teeth cared for?

  • What is thought to be attractive (stained teeth, filed teeth, white teeth)? By young people as well?
  • Is gold put on or in teeth? Why and how?
  • Is betel chewed?
  • Are there dentists? Are they patronized? When? Can someone with a toothache just walk into an office, or do appointments have to be made? How?
  • What is considered the reason for tooth decay and how can it be prevented?

What is the attitude toward body odors?

  • Which odors are unpleasant?
  • Which are pleasant?
  • How do foreigners or other outsiders smell?
  • What is used as a deodorant?
  • Are perfumes or other ointments used ordinarily, at festivities, or to enhance sexuality?

How do they care for their hair (shampooing, cutting, arranging, etc.)?

  • What is the traditional hair style? Is this changing with the young people
  • What is available for shampoo?
  • What other ointments, oils, etc. are used?
  • How do they care for their nails?
  • Must nail and hair clippings be disposed of carefully? How?
  • Are certain times more auspicious for clipping?

What types of ornaments do women wear on their bodies and clothing?

  • What type do men wear?
  • How does festive attire differ from ordinary clothing in terms of fabric, ornamentation or adornment?
  • What jewelry is worn and when?
  • Does this indicate relative status?
  • At what age are ears, noses, or other parts pierced? Who does this?
  • How are festive clothes and valuables cared for?

22. BODY LANGUAGE IN ONE-ON-ONE COMMUNICATION SITUATIONS

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Note how people act when they talk to each other.

  • How far apart do they generally place themselves?
  • When people talk to you, how comfortable are you with the distance they keep?

Note the range of facial features used: raising the eyebrows, frowning, smiling, gesturing, etc.

Note head movements and how assent and dissent is conveyed through these movements.

Note body position and posture during conversations.

  • What position is taken for a relaxed conversation?
  • For a mother scolding her child?
  • For an argument between adults?
  • Are people seated comfortably? on the edge of their seats? leaning forward? looking down, or up, to the person being addressed?
  • What do these convey?

Note various positions of arms or legs during conversations. Do the gestures give an idea of what the conversation is about?

How are the eyes directed: where is the gaze directed while speaking? while listening?

Note differences there may be when:

  • Men are conversing with men
  • Women with women
  • Men and women conversing together
  • A child is addressed.

How does the listener communicate that he/she is listening?

Are there certain motions that convey a message without saying anything (like “come,” “go away,” “that’s enough,” “forgive me,” “thank you”)?

Compare the gestures and distance in informal situations with more formal situations, such as at a town meeting, a church service, or negotiations for a wedding, ceremony, purchase, etc. In public situations does everyone listen attentively or is there a certain amount of “murmuring” allowed?

After noting these, look at your own communication habits and evaluate whether any need to be changed so as to not offend unnecessarily.

23. ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION

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How do the local people communicate with one another? How common is the use of iPods, tablets, smart phones? How up-to-date with modern technology is the common person? the younger generation?

How proficient are they with texting? Are there prohibitions on texting as to where it can be done or can’t be done?

How many people own personal computers?

  • In what way do they use them (educational use, research, e-mail, business, buying tickets to events, etc.)?
  • How expensive is it to buy a computer?
  • What brands are available?
  • How can it be repaired? Is there a high incidence of “crashing?”

How widely used are social media (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube)?

  • By all, or mostly by the younger generation?
  • What local or national social media is available?
  • What purposes does social media fulfill in society?

Do people use Internet Cafes? How “safe” are they? How crowded are they? Can they use a computer any time or is there a waiting list? a sign-up sheet?

For e-mail and the Internet, what service providers operate in the country? Is one preferred over another? Why? How does one open an account? How expensive is it and how is it paid for?

27. RECREATION & LEISURE ACTIVITIES

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During which times of the day do people have more leisure? During which times of the year? What do people do in their leisure time? Do they sing, carve, sew, visit, tell stories, travel, go to a movie, watch TV, gamble, etc.? How much time is taken up with these activities? Are they done individually or as a group?

What do people do when they go to town or to the main shopping or recreation areas? Do people eat out, and if so, how often would they do this? Are there places to just sit and talk? Are there parks and do many people enjoy them? What kind of facilities are available in public places (entertainment, rest rooms, eating)?

What games do children play? Are any similar to ones played in your own country? What toys do children have? Who makes the toys? Or are they bought commercially? Sketch and describe the production and use of one or more local toys.

Do adults play games? If so, what and when? What kind of clothing is worn? by men? by women? Is this only appropriate for games and sports? Are any sports gender specific? Is this changing?

Do any games have a ritualistic significance? Are any used in courting? during the wedding activities? What games do adults play with children? Are these just for amusement, or for teaching?

What sports are played? By whom? Are these played by people in the neighborhood or only by professionals? Are uniforms worn? Are certain sports played at particular times of the year? What is the general interest level for participation? for cheering?

What amusements have been introduced as a result of contact with outsiders? Do people enjoy learning a new game? Describe the rules for playing one or more games.

In which recreational activities would it be appropriate for you to participate? What linguistic or physical skills do you need to develop in order to participate acceptably? How do people try to teach you the rules for participating?

31. DOMESTICATED ANIMALS

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What animals do you see in your neighborhood? Are they free-roaming or tied to a hitching post in front of the owner’s home? Are they confined to a fenced-in pasture or a front yard? How do the people treat these animals (if they appear to own them, if they see them on the street, if they feel threatened by them?)

Are any animals kept as pets? Is this a wide-spread practice? What kind of animals are kept and for what purpose? How are they cared for? Are they shown warmth or affection? Are they given names? How are pet animals obtained? Are wild animals or birds ever tamed for pets?

If animals are kept as pets, are there any codes which owners should observe, as picking up after the pet, keeping them quiet, keeping them confined to certain locations, etc.?

Are dogs kept as pets or for some other purpose? Would every household have at least one dog?

Are certain animals or fowl status symbols? Are any of the animals involved in any kind of religious, local or national ceremonies? Are any of them used as icons for tribes, sports, or institutions?

What domestic animals are raised and for what purpose? How much do people pay for them? sell them for? Are any animals put out for hire? For what purpose? At what price? Whose job is it to care for the domestic animals? At what time of the day?

34. AGRICULTURE AND LAND USE IN RURAL AREAS

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Do people own their homes? or are they renters? What is their responsibility to the owner? and the owner’s responsibility to them? How is the rent paid (by a portion of the crop harvested, or by a monetary payment)? Where is the residence located in relation to the fields?

What crops are planted? Draw up a calendar showing the events in the yearly agricultural cycle, noting time of field preparation, planting, weeding, and harvest for the various crops. How are crops stored? Which are grown for family consumption? which for cash crops?

Observe, participate (as possible) in and record how field work is done, tools used, labor patterns, etc. Take pictures if appropriate.

What kind of buildings are constructed in the fields? Do members of the family stay in their fields for part of the year? Who stays and for how long and why? How often are crops planted on the same piece of ground? Is there a rotation of crops? How do people decide where they will make their fields? How are boundary lines marked?

How valuable is land ownership? Is land passed from one generation to another? How can more land be acquired? Who holds the records of land ownership for the area? Who holds the title to land, and what do the title “papers” look like? How are infringements challenged and decided?

Can land be rented or leased? What portion of any produce must be given to the owner? Can land be purchased? Can the purchaser obtain a clear and permanent deed?

35. OWNERSHIP AND RENTAL IN URBAN AREAS

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Do people own their homes or apartments? or are they renters? What is their responsibility to the owner? and the owner’s responsibility to them? How and when is the rent paid? What type of rental contract is drawn up? Does this need to be renewed after a certain period of time?

When a person moves into a house or apartment, what is furnished in the line of appliances or furniture? Where are such items available, and do they remain the property of the buyer when the property is vacated?

How are breach of contracts settled? How much notice needs to be given for an owner to ask a renter to move? or for the renter to tell the owner he is vacating? Is this always followed? What are the obligations of the one vacating and returning the property to the owner, as cleaning, repairing, etc.

How do people use the land around their dwelling? Is there room for a garden? If so, are flowers or vegetables planted? Is some of the space occupied by animals or chickens?

Are there restrictions as to how the space can be used? or how the dwelling can be decorated (paint, flower boxes, etc.) Is there a patio? What activities happen there?

Is there a space for storage of items like bicycles, children’s toys, lawn mowers, etc.? What arrangement is there for hanging laundry out to dry?

36. RULES OF HOSPITALITY AND VISITING

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What patterns of visiting do you observe in the village or around your neighborhood? When do people generally visit each other (time of day, slack times in the year, special occasions, etc.)? Which people tend to visit each other often? Are they friends, neighbors, relatives? Do they give prior notice before visiting?

Do people visit from out-of-town? Are they friends, relatives, strangers? Are they people of the same ethnic group? Do they give prior notice of their arrival? How often do they come? What do they come for (business, social call, visit a sick person, attend a ceremony, etc.)? How long do they stay? Do they bring their own bedding or food, or is it the duty of the host to provide those?

What is the host’s responsibility to visitors? Is there a difference if the visitor is a close friend or relative in the same village, a friend or relative from another village, a stranger of the same ethnic group, a stranger from a different ethnic group, a person with status no matter where he is from, a woman, etc.?

Looking at these same categories, what is expected of each type of visitor? Should he/she bring a hostess gift? If so, what kind is acceptable? Are these gifts given in kind (same kind of gift you received)?

What words of welcome are used? What are the first topics talked about with visitors? Is this dependent on the reason for the visit (funeral, illness, etc.)? How does a host indicate to a visitor that he is not welcome or that it is time for him to leave? How does the visitor indicate that he/she is ready to leave? Are there certain actions that indicate the termination of a visit?

How soon after arrival is something to eat or drink served? Are visitors ever left alone, or is there always a family member present?

37. KINSHIP AND WHAT IT MEANS

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Make a chart of your own family tree and ask your language helper to help you put the kinship terms for each in your new language. Ask your helper to do the same for his/her family. Compare the charts. Make a combined chart, filling in the spaces from your two charts. Are there still relationships you do not have a kinship term for? Have your helper assist you to name those.

Ask three separate families or households near where you live about their families. Do some of their close relations live in the immediate neighborhood? How far do members of their families live? Are some still in a rural situation and supply milk, grain, vegetables to the family in town? Why have some chosen to live close together and others further away? How often and under what conditions do relatives come to visit? Are some of these visits obligatory?

What obligations do family members have toward the benefit of the whole? Which relatives help with work projects? Which family members borrow from and lend to each other? Who is called on to assist in raising orphans or caring for the elderly? Which are expected to help in case of illness? Who is responsible for making wedding and funeral arrangements? Who carries out ritual obligations for the family?

Who is considered the head (patriarch, primary decision maker, etc.) of the family. Does the oldest son automatically step into this position? At what point in time does this transfer occur (at the death of the patriarch, when the son reaches a certain age, etc.)? To whom and in what proportions does property pass as inheritance? Who controls the money in the family? How is it distributed? In any of the above, what part do women play?

Under what circumstances would a family member be avoided or thought ill of?

What is the status of daughters-in-law? the mother-in-law? girls over boys?

What is the cultural attitude toward adoption? Is it widely practiced within the culture? If so, who holds priority for adopting a child, as an orphan? Do adopted children have the same rights as children born into the family? What is the attitude toward foreigners adopting out of the culture?

Look further in your neighborhood and check if the three families you have studied are typical of the area. How are the households in the neighborhood related? Is there any pattern to the location of related households in the village or town? In what other villages do households have relatives?