This course is designed for second-year university students in order to provide them with fundamental knowledge about Cultures in general and Vietnamese culture in particular, especially the original values through which our international fellows can distinguish between Vietnamese culture and those from East-Southern Asian regions and all over the world.
After this course, students can understand the basic characteristics along with the cores of traditional and modern Vietnamese cultures. Also, they can self-navigate in the recent multi-form and multi-direction information world as well as the time when globalization and internationalization are taking place progressively in various fields, including cultures. Subsequently, students would be able to selectively obtain the essences of humanity on the basis of integration, not fusion.
In addition, this course also focuses on helping students shape and consolidate several active learning skills such as researching, public speaking and teamwork.
Objectives
Goals
Goal descriptions
G1
Knowledge about cultures in general and tradition – modern Vietnamese cultures in particular.
G2
Ability to form and implement new knowledge based on analysis and critical thinking skills.
G3
Efficient communicative and teamwork skills for internal and external career environments.
Learning Outcomes
Course Outcome Standards
Descriptions
After this course, learners will be able to:
G1
G1.1
Explain the basic terms about Cultures.
G1.2
Describe the primary characteristics of traditional and contemporary Vietnamese cultures
G1.3
Illustrate the development history of the Vietnamese culture
G1.4
Understand the principles of “Culture Exchange and Acculturation”
G2
G2.1
Be proficient in designing and conducting presentations using Power Point
G2.2
Obtain skills of searching for materials and speaking in public confidently.
G2.3
Obtain abilities to cooperate, work in teams and groups when designing Power Point presentations, knowledge games, quizzes and tests.
G3
G3.1
Form positive, progressing and willingly cooperative attitudes in life.
G3.2
Self-navigate and selectively obtain the world cultural values in a positive and eager manner.
G3.3
Be conscious of, maintain and promote positive cultural values of our people.
Materials
Course Materials: + Trần Ngọc Thêm, 2000, Cơ sở Văn hóa Việt Nam, Nhà xuất bản Giáo dục
Reference Materials: + Chu Xuân Diên, 1999, Cơ sở Văn hóa Việt Nam, Đại học Quốc Gia Tp.HCM, Trường Đại học KHXHNV. + Phùng Quý Nhâm, 2002, Cơ sở Văn hóa Việt Nam, Đại học Sư phạm Tp. HCM [lưu hành nội bộ]. + Trần Ngọc Thêm, 2001, Tìm về bản sắc Văn hóa Việt Nam, Nhà xuất bản Tp. HCM. + Trần Quốc Vượng, [chủ biên], 1998, Cơ sở Văn hóa Việt Nam, Nhà xuất bản Giáo dục.
Assessment
Grading scale: 10
On-going assessment: 50%, includuding: + Class participation: 10% + Group Presentation: 20% + On-going test: 20%
Final-term assessment: 50% [Each student is required to submit a course essay instead of sitting for a final examination]
Triết học mác kt lần 1 - Which of the following might some students do to protect themselves from bullies?
- Thực trạng sự dụng tiếng Việt
- Bài văn ảo tưởng về 10 năm sau
- 4149 61 7931 2 10 2018 0618
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LESSON 2
VIETNAMESE CULTURAL VALUES
AND COMMUNICATION STYLE
1. BACKGROUND CONCEPTS
Collectivism – Vietnam is a collectivist society in which the needs of the group are often placed over the individual. Community concerns will almost always come before business or individual needs. Family in particular plays an important role in Vietnamese society. Close ties between extended families and communities can have a major influence on individual behavior and oftentimes there are multiple generations living under one roof. Confucianism –Based on the teachings of the early Chinese philosopher Confucius in the 6th century BC, Confucian teachings emphasize the importance of relationships, responsibility and obligation. This philosophy is still a vital component of Vietnamese society and is prevalent in Vietnamese business culture in conserving the harmony of the collective good. Face – “one’s public self-image”.The idea of saving face is an important concept in Vietnamese society. The Vietnamese will do anything to prevent loss of face, even if it means to avoid confrontation or telling others what they want to hear rather than dealing with immediate issues. Criticizing someone in public and not staying true to promises are possible ways that may cause a loss of face. High-context culture – Vietnam is a high-context culture where the primary purpose of communication is to form and develop relationships. Information lies in the context and need not be verbalized. The talk goes around the point
[Source: Munter, M. [1993].“Cross-cultural communication for managers”. Business Horizons]
2. TRADITIONAL CULTURAL VALUES
Vietnamese culture emphasizes the importance of family cohesiveness and social harmony. Its core values are harmony, allegiance to the family, yearning for a good reputation, love of learning, and respect for other people
- Harmony
The concept of harmony is based largely on the teachings of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. Total harmony is achieved by creating harmony within oneself and one's family, as well as in the outer world of humanity and nature. To produce harmony, an individual must observe moderation and avoid extremes. Moderation is practiced in verbal communication, daily life activities, consumption of food and drink and in social interaction. These measures are undertaken to ensure physical safety and to adhere to the moral imperative to keep one's dignity unimpaired.
- Allegiance to the family
The most important factor in the value system of the Vietnamese is, no doubt, the family. The family is the center of the Vietnamese common man's preoccupation and the backbone of Vietnamese society. By virtue of the principle of collective and mutual responsibility, each individual strives to be the pride of his family.
Misconduct of an individual is blamed not only on himself, but also on his parents, siblings, relatives, and ancestors. Likewise, any success or fame achieved by an individual brings honor and pride to all members of his family. The Vietnamese child is taught from early childhood to readily forget himself for the sake of his family's welfare and harmony. Central to the concept of family is the obligation of filial piety which is considered the most essential of all virtues in Vietnamese society. The child is expected to be grateful to his parents for the debt of birth, rearing and education. He is taught to think of his parents and ancestors first, even at his own expense, to make sacrifices for his parents' sake, to love and care for them in their old age. The Vietnamese man who lacks filial piety is looked down upon and ostracized not only by his own family but also by the community.
The profound love for and attachment to the family is extended to the physical setting in which the family is located: the native village. The dearest wish of the Vietnamese common man is, as a proverb puts it, to die in his own native village and amidst his own folk "as a leaf which leaves the branch to fall down on the ground at the foot of the tree" [lárụngvềcội]. The native village is not only the place where he was born and brought up and where his parents and family
People associated with knowledge and learning [scholars, writers and teachers] have always been highly respected, not only by the students but also by parents and people from all walks of life.
Learning is considered more valuable than wealth and material success. Rich people who are not educated are often looked down upon by other people and they themselves feel inferior to learned people who are poor. In the traditional social system, the scholar ranked first, before the farmer, artisan, and tradesman. Even nowadays, the learned man is held in high esteem and respect. The love of learning does not spring from purely disinterested motives. The lure of prestige and the prospect of improved social status are among the strongest incentives to the pursuit of knowledge. Education represents the essential stepping stones to the social ladder and to good job opportunities. It is the prime force of vertical mobility in Vietnamese society
- Concept of “respect”
The Vietnamese common man is expected to show respect to people who are senior to him in age, status, or position. At home, he should show respect to his parents, older siblings, and older relatives. This is expressed by obedience in words and action. Respect is part of the concept of filial piety.
Outside the family, respect should be paid to elderly people, teachers, clergymen, supervisors and employers, and people in high positions. Learned and virtuous people enjoy special respect and admiration. But respect is not a one-way behavior. The Vietnamese common man also expects other people who show respect to him, by virtue of his age, status, or position. Special respect is gained by leading a virtuous life, by accomplishing certain heroic deeds or by achieving a high degree of intellectuality.
Respect is expressed by specific behaviors and linguistic devices inherent in the Vietnamese language. It is one of the essential factors in the value system of the Vietnamese people
FURTHER READING
Vietnamese Traditional Family Values
Traditional values of Vietnamese lifestyle were deeply affected by Confucian ethics. During a thousand years the Chinese invaded and maintained control of Vietnam, Vietnamese culture was permeated by their Confucian philosophical beliefs. In order to achieve human perfection, one had to follow the established codes of behavior of Confucianism which included reverence for ancestors and respect for elders.. importance was not upon the individual's accomplishments but upon his duty to family and society.
The Vietnamese household traditionally followed the extended multi-generational pattern. The parents, their sons and their wives, their children, and unmarried siblings usually constituted a Vietnamese household. In this structure, frequent contacts were maintained, and this constant closeness to family was emphasized from childhood and continued to be important to Vietnamese throughout their lifetime.
Most Vietnamese placed more emphasis on their roles, privileges and obligations within this group than on their own individual desires. In this extended family, the most important expectation was respect for the elders. The family decisions were made by the parents and grandparents. The traditional Vietnamese worshipped ancestors as a source of their lives, fortunes, and civilization. The spirits were honored on various holidays and the anniversary of their death.
For centuries in Vietnam, traditional family values were accomplished by the fulfillment of traditional roles: the role of man and woman as parents. Vietnamese valued their traditional ideal of male superiority. Since the highest status in Vietnamese families was given to the man [father], he had absolute authority in the household. His position as provider for the family was unchallenged. Because he provided the main source of income for the household, he was never expected to work in the kitchen or to cook. After work he returned home and relaxed. As a head of household he had the final decision in all matters, although he might consult his wife or children. The father, however, had the duty to exercise restraint and wisdom in running his family in order to deserve his respected position. Having a boy in family was a "must" because the eldest son would assume the duties of his father when he died. A family which had no son to continue the process was superstitiously thought to have disappeared forever.
In a patriarchal society, Vietnamese woman had limited rights and took a secondary place in family. Women were brought up according to a strict discipline, and have been traditionally less educated than men. They usually did not enter the job market outside the home. "Girls from birth were at a disadvantage" [con gáisinhrađãthiệtthòi]. Daughter was not considered necessary in heritage. Vietnamese traditional viewpoint was "If you have a son, you can say you have a
score of kinship terms as personal pronouns. The choice of the appropriate word depends on the relative age, social status, gender, degree of acquaintance, respect, and affection between speakers and hearers who are not related to each other by blood or marriage.
In Vietnamese society, the predominant sentiment in the relation between members of a social group is respect. This is particularly evident in the attitude towards older people. Respect and consideration for old age no doubt derive from the obligation of filial piety that requires young people to respect and love their parents and parent-like members of the family. Vietnamese also recognize that a long life is a sign of kindness and regard on the part of the deity for virtuous people, and that the elders are the carriers of tradition and the embodiment of knowledge and wisdom. Old people enjoy high respect in Vietnamese society, irrespective of wealth, education, or social position. This respect is expressed in both attitude and behavior, particularly in the use of special terms of address and stylistic devices. Unlike Western societies that put a premium on youth, Vietnamese society is proud of its old members. Age is an asset, not a liability.
Teachers, even though they are young, enjoy great respect and prestige in Vietnamese society. In Vietnam the student-teacher relationship retains much of the quality of a son's respect for his father's wisdom and of father's concern for his son's welfare. The respect that students show to the teachers is also evident in linguistic behavior. The terms of address that students use in speaking to their teachers are the same as those they use in speaking to their parents.
Respect is expressed in the form of courtesy and in the effort to spare others from the humiliation of losing face. Face is extremely important for the Vietnamese. The individual who loses face will have to endure public ridicule and derision in the midst of his community. Furthermore, the family shares any social disgrace incurred by the individual.
Linguistic devices are one of the many ways that allow the Vietnamese speaker to save face and at the same time allow others to save face. Depreciatory terms are applied to oneself and complimentary terms are used for others. The practice of "beating about the bush" to avoid answering a request in the negative, and the tendency of the Vietnamese student to say yes to questions asked by his teacher stem from this preoccupation with saving face.
[Adapt from Vietnam Culture]
3. VIETNAMESE COMMUNICATION STYLE
- Language
The Vietnamese language is spoken throughout the country, although some of the ethnic minorities do not speak it widely. There are slight differences between the northern, central and southern dialects with regard to certain words and pronunciations. The differences are usually not of such magnitude as to make communication a problem. They just mean that it is easy to tell which part of the country a Vietnamese comes from.
Vietnamese is a tonal language and the meaning of the word alters depending on the inflection used when it is spoken. There are six distinctive tones, five of which are indicated by a diacritic placed over or under the vowel to show different ways of pronunciation even tone has no markings and is said in the middle range of the voice.
The changes in tones also create the changes in meaning. For example, the word “ma” with an even tone has the meaning of “ghost”; “ma” pronounced with a raising tone means “mother”; “ma” with its falling tone means “that” or “which”; “ma” with its questioning tone means “tomb”; “ma” with its falling then raising tone means “horse”, and “ma” with its weighing tone means “rice seedling”.
TONE VIETNAMESE
WORD
ACCENT MARK WORD MEANING
Even Ma Ghost
Raising Má ׳ Mother
Falling Mà ` That or Which
Questioning mả? Tomb
Falling then raising Mã ̃ Horse
Weighing mạ • Rice seedling
English Pronoun
Vietnamese Equivalence
Literary Meaning
I
Con Child: when speaking to an elderly or authority
Em Younger sibling: when speaking with an older peer
Tôi Self: when speaking to your peer
Tao Self: used to express superiority over another person in quarrels
You
Cô "Miss": used when speaking to a young lady in general
Em "Miss" or "Girl": when speaking to someone younger than you
Anh
"Mister" or "Brother": when speaking to a young man or a man older than you
Chị "Miss" or "Mrs.": in formal address
Ông
"Mister" or "gentleman" or "husband": when speaking to a man or older man
Bà "Miss" and "lady": when speaking to an older woman
Māy "You": informal use or to express contempt
Traditionally, Vietnamese people list their family name first, then their middle name, with their first [given] name listed as last. To address people formally and respectfully, they use Mr. or Ms. or a title like “Anh” or “Chị” plus the first name. Professional people may be called by their title, for instance, “Mr. Director”, “Mrs. Vice-Director” or “Doctor”.
"Thưa" [meaning please] is added in front of an address form to show respect.
- Nonverbal communication
Respect is also expressed by nonverbal behavior. A Vietnamese student who sits quietly and listens attentively to the teacher wants to express respect to his teacher. It is also out of respect that the Vietnamese student avoids eye contact with the teacher when speaking or being spoken to. In Vietnamese culture, looking into somebody’s eyes, especially when this person is of a higher status [in age or in social or family hierarchy] or of a different gender, usually means a challenge or an expression of deep passion. The proper respectful behavior is to avoid eye contact in talking to a person who is senior or the opposite sex.
It should be noted that for certain feelings, Vietnamese culture prefers non-verbal communicationwhile many Western cultures are more inclined to use verbal expressions. For casual and informal circumstances, feelings of thankfulness or apology are not expressed by verbal expression such as “Thank you” or “I’m sorry” but by silence or a smile. It is not customary for older persons, parents and authoritative figures to thank to subordinates for a small service, such as closing the window or passing the books around. A smile will suffice. When a person pays a compliment to another person, a "thank you" is not expected in return. In Vietnamese culture, a verbal expression of thanks in this case amounts to a lack of modesty from the person who receives the compliment. Instead, the recipient will acknowledge it with a smile. If a verbal response is necessary, one would deny the compliment, saying that one does not deserve it. A smile is also a proper response to scolding or harsh words that one does not harbor any ill feelings toward the interlocutor or that one sincerely acknowledges the mistake or fault committed. It is used as an expression of apology for a minor offense, for example for being tardy to class. It is an expression of embarrassment which follows blunders or a request to reveal personal information. For example, when asked about the death of a family member, it is not uncommon for a Vietnamese person to respond to the question with a smile as a sign of being embarrassed for having to reveal such personal information. The smile is used instead of a ready yes to avoid appearing over-enthusiastic. It seems that the Vietnamese smile can be used to show all sorts of emotions, from happiness to anger or even grief.
Strong emotions are shared only with family or close friends. Anger, for example,is believed to display one’sweakness. Allowing it to surface is considered poor manners and is not the hallmark of a well-educated person. Anger directed at someone is taken as a direct criticism and should be avoided at all costs. Humor, however, is freely expressed. Vietnamese are witty and enjoy using their language to make a play on words.
Traditionally, the Vietnamese do not shake hands but clasp their hands together above waist level and bow slightly as a sign of acknowledgement. It is still used in pagodas or by older people but business greetings are often done in the Western way now. A formal handshake between men may be exchanged, with a nod and slight bow of the head. If the person is a figure of authority, a high official or someone who deserves respect, two hands are used together when
index finger
Holding hands with or putting an arm over the shoulder of a person of the same sex
Friendly gesture, no sexual connotation
Crossing arms Sign of respect
Putting one or both hands in the pockets or on the hips while talking
Arrogance, lack of respect
Patting a person's back, especially those senior in age or status
Disrespectful
Pointing to other people while talking Disrespectful
Whistling at performers Displeasure
Putting one's feet on a table or sitting on a desk while talking Rude
Gift giving is important in Vietnam because of the significance of interpersonal relationships in Vietnamese culture is common for people to exchange small gifts on certain occasions such as anniversary, Tet holiday... to express their respect, appreciation or gratitude are not wrapped in black paper because this color is unlucky and associated with funerals in Vietnam. Gifts that symbolize cutting such as scissors, knives and other sharp objects are avoided because they mean the breakup of the relationship offering a gift, the Vietnamese will usually speak lightly about it. Even though it is an expensive gift, they may pretend it is of no great monetary value, since boasting is often criticized. Upon receipt of a gift, the Vietnamese often give profuse thanks but do not open the gift in front of the giver. They accept it, place it aside and open it later.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- How has Vietnamese traditional cultural values changed in recent years?
- How might those changes affect the Vietnamese families?
- What are the communication problems that may occur when Vietnamese interact with people from other cultures?
- What conversation tips would you give to someone who is visiting Vietnam?
- In Vietnamese conversations, what topics are rude to discuss? Why are they rude? What do people enjoy talking about?
CULTURAL PROJECT: EXPLORING VIETNAMESE CULTURE
This is a group project aimed at investigating the manifestation of Vietnamese traditional values in different aspects of life, especially incommunication style.
From what you have learnt and read about Vietnamese cultural values and communication style, each group compiles a material providing detailed information about Vietnamese communication in a particular setting. Give advice on how to avoid misunderstandings and to create positive impressions on Vietnamese communicating partners. Use your knowledge of Vietnamese culture to explain why you give such tips. This material is supposed to be used by foreign travelers, holiday makers, students, business people, new immigrants, ...
The following are suggested topics for group projects. Each group selects ONE topic from the list. If you are interested in a topic which is not provided in the list, you must consult the course instructor.
Report the results of your project to the class in a group presentation and submit the hard copy of the material after the day of presentation
REFERENCES
[1] Ellis, C. [1998]“Culture shock! Vietnam – A Guide to Customs and Etiquette”, Times Book International