ABSTRACT
The chapter opens by asking what culture is, and focusses on both nation-state and language. We discuss the various definitions and understandings of culture, such as behaviourist, functionalist, cognitive and dynamic, including recent developments such as ‘small cultures’ and ‘cultures on the go’. Various models of culture are introduced from intercultural theory, all of which are based on a hierarchical system of more or less hidden levels, such as the Iceberg Theory and Hall’s Triad. The implications of teaching culture at only some of these different levels highlight how ethnocentrism is easily fostered.
Hall’s three levels (technical, formal and informal) are explained in more detail, with examples demonstrating how language, discourse and meaning change according to level. These levels combine to produce a mental model or narrative.
The question is asked as to whether globalization is unifying cultures and, if so, at what levels. The theory of McDonaldization is introduced as an example of a global practice, both from the point of view of the food served and how it is served. It is clearly shown that while there are similarities worldwide, McDonaldization, like communication, might at the technical level appear global, but at all other levels varies locally.
