I found the article Figuring Foreigners Out to be really interesting. Some of the topics that were raised about the customs and cultural dimensions of places where foreign languages are spoken seemed to be really difficult to learn just by learning the vocabulary, grammar, and usage of that language. Luckily, I have had the experience of not just visiting in Israel, but getting a true cultural immersion of living there for four years and continually visiting and getting new insights at different ages of my visits.
I think it is extremely interesting to think about the cultural assumptions of different contexts within a place and language. These would include differing formalities and informalities, differing vocabulary and interactive social customs, etc. When comparing the individualist versus collective society, I think in the case of Israel, society is seen as collectivist in terms of being a young minority small Jewish state in the world, having a collective experience of serving the state through the IDF, etc. However, once you view Israeli society in terms of business, it is very much an individualist mind set. Israel is a capitalist competitive nation where entrepreneurism, research and development, and technology are highly valued. I find that this aspect of society is highly monochronic, while the lifestyle expended on a daily basis values the polychronic view of people lounging at cafes, socializing for hours, and staying out late through the night despite what the next day brings.
I find that when it comes to the nonverbal norms in Israel are very similar to those of the Western societies of the U.S. and Europe. However, when it comes to following the softer laws of daily life, they are taken much less seriously. This may become clear when it comes to waiting in lines at the grocery store, or giving others just enough personal space.These are some of the things that come across as Israeli culture being informal to those who are foreign to the nation. There are things within the language that denote this informality as well. One of the ways this comes through is that the word for a male friend and a boy friend can be one and the same. One has to go out of their way to call someone just a male friend, but the context of the sentence and knowledge of the speaker allows the audience to distinguish between the two.
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