During the 1960s in the United States the population was 179 million people, and there were only about 149,000 interracial marriages (Rubalcava, 2004, p. 127). The figure was so small because marrying somebody from a different race or culture was deemed a crime by over 12 states. In 1990, the number of interracial marriages increased to about 1.46 million (3% of population) and the overall population had also climbed to about 281 million people. (Wu, 2002). The numbers kept increasing and by about 2050, it is predicted nearly 1 out of every 5 marriages will be between spouses of different cultures (Rubalcava, 2004, p. 127). This means the chances of marrying somebody from another culture may be higher than one thinks, therefore, it is important
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An example that Frame (2005) refers to is of a Chinese woman who often gets short with her husband when he does not understand what she is trying to say, whether it be the sense of humor, explaining situations, etc, (pg. 225). This is fairly common because each language uses their own slang, dialect, and phrases. For example when Lia (the Chinese woman) tries to talk to Danny (her Caucasian husband) in English, it is sometimes hard for him to understand the point she is making because English is her second language. This is even sometimes difficult for people that speak the same language, but are from different cultures, like Australians and Americans. The sense of humor and how people use certain words can be completely different, but often times, each partner will explain what they are talking about in words their partner might understand better. This is known as the Communication Accommodation Theory. The theory states, “when people interact they adjust their speech, their vocal patterns and their gestures, to accommodate to others” (Turner, 2010). After looking at the meaning of the theory, it made me realize that I do this when trying to communicate with somebody from a different culture. If you are able to put the message in terms that they are more accustomed to, it will be more effective when trying to get your point across. The theory leads into what to and what not to talk
An example that Frame (2005) refers to is of a Chinese woman who often gets short with her husband when he does not understand what she is trying to say, whether it be the sense of humor, explaining situations, etc, (pg. 225). This is fairly common because each language uses their own slang, dialect, and phrases. For example when Lia (the Chinese woman) tries to talk to Danny (her Caucasian husband) in English, it is sometimes hard for him to understand the point she is making because English is her second language. This is even sometimes difficult for people that speak the same language, but are from different cultures, like Australians and Americans. The sense of humor and how people use certain words can be completely different, but often times, each partner will explain what they are talking about in words their partner might understand better. This is known as the Communication Accommodation Theory. The theory states, “when people interact they adjust their speech, their vocal patterns and their gestures, to accommodate to others” (Turner, 2010). After looking at the meaning of the theory, it made me realize that I do this when trying to communicate with somebody from a different culture. If you are able to put the message in terms that they are more accustomed to, it will be more effective when trying to get your point across. The theory leads into what to and what not to talk