The reading from "Figuring Foreigners out" gives good explanations and examples of Individualist vs. collectivist, monochronic vs polychronic, internal vs external, direct vs. indirect communication, and nonverbal communication. As an individual who lived in three countries and met people from many more, I can only say that the reading is completely right. Most people you meet from the same culture will act very similarly, whether it is about speaking loudly or believing that they can achieve anything they set for. However, there is always one individual that breaks those stereotypes of the culture.
Languages are tools we use to communicate with each other. It is not surprising that each language is strongly related to the culture where it is spoken. However, it is difficult to say whether culture affects language or vice versa. Nevertheless, cultural dimensions are very important when learning a language. Idioms represent one of the most suitable examples were culture and language cross. Idioms are usually based on a historical event, a legend, or a song or movie that is famous in a specific culture. It is rare to find idioms that are shared globally.
Many people find language an culture directly related. That's the reason when immigrants try to reserve their culture in a foreign country, language is one of the most important aspects they reserve. It is no surprise that one would need to immerse into the culture of the target language in order to become fully aware of the language and to be comprehensive when speaking to a native speaker.
Therefore, it is necessary to learn more than vocabulary and grammar when learning a language. It is important to learn what is acceptable in the culture of the target language, what different gestures are good and which ones are considered disrespectful. After all, language is more than just spoken words; it is every gesture we make in order to communicate.
Comments
I think you are right about culture: for instance body language is different in different cultures.