1. The Microcultural Context
CHAPTER 3
The Microcultural Context

2. Microculture vs. Minority Group vs. Subculture
Terminology
Microculture vs. Minority Group vs. Subculture

3. A Contextual Model of Intercultural Communication
Neuliep, Intercultural Communication, 6e. © SAGE Publications, 2015.

4. The Cultural Context

5. Characteristics of Microcultures
Physical or cultural trait
Membership is usually involuntary
Practice endogamy
Awareness of subordinate status
Experience unequal treatment

6. 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.

7. Examples of Microcultures
Hispanic/Latino
African American
Asian Americans
The Amish
Hmong
LGBT

9. 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

10. African Americans
Size: approximately 13.2% of the U.S. population. Stable
Language/Dialect: Ebonics, “call-and-response” communication pattern.
Cultural attitudes about Ebonics.

11. 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

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

13. 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

14. 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.

15. 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

16. 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

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

18. 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

19. Arab Diversity Many different national, ethnic, and religious origins.
Most Arab-Americans are Christian and not Muslim
Language of Islam is Arabic

20. 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