CHAPTER 3

Varieties of Language
1. Spoken – is a language provided by the articulation of sounds,
spontaneous and momentary, mostly maintained in the form of a dialogue

2. Written - is a language that is carefully organized, more explanatory and

deliberate in its word choice

Language Varieties

- is a specific set of linguistic items or human speech patterns (sounds,

words, grammatical features) which can be associated with some external
factor such as geographical area, social background, gender, age, etc.) -
Wardhaugh, 1986, as cited in Mu’in, 2008

1. Pidgin – a new language which develops in situations where speakers of

different languages need to communicate but do not share a common
language. Once, a stable pidgin has emerged, it is generally learned as a
second language and used for communication among people who speak
different languages. (e.g. bueno, señor, amiga, etc.)

2. Creole – this is a language when children start learning a pidgin as their

first language and it becomes the mother tongue of a community (e.g.
Mindanao Chabacano)

3. Regional Dialect – is not a distinct language but a variety of language

spoken in a particular area of a country

4. Minority Dialect – sometimes members of a particular minority ethnic

group have their own variety which they use as a marker of identity, usually
alongside a standard variety (e.g. Negritos)

5. Indigenized Variety – are spoken mainly as second languages in ex-

colonies with multilingual populations

Varieties of English

English as a Specific Language

1. American English (AmE) – a variant of English language spoken mainly in

the US, introduced to North America by British settlers in the 17 th century
2. Australian English (AuE) – a variant of English language spoken mainly in
Australia, began to diverge from British English shortly after Australia was
settled in the late 18th century; bears semblances to New Zealand English
and certain dialects of South East England

3. Black English – refers to British and American English spoken by black

communities in the US and the UK; also refers to a variant of English spoken
widely in the Carribean and Africa

4. British English (BrE) – is a variant of English spoken mainly in the UK; am

English variant, together with AmE, are taught in most English as a Second
Language (ESL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL) programs.

5. Philippine English – originated in the US intervention of 1898 by the

American teachers who arrived in the Philippines; legitimate nativized variety
of English used by the Filipinos in controlling domains such as science and
technology, the judiciary, bureaucracy, higher education and scholarly
discourse; it has linguistic properties ascribed to other varieties of English,
especially those used in Asia.

LIST OF BRITISH ENGLISH TERMS AND THEIR EQUIVALENCE IN AMERICAN

ENGLISH

British American British American British American

trousers pants moisturise moisturize tram streetcar
lift elevator licence license travelled traveled
aubergine eggplant practise practice tyre tire
billfold wallet analyse analyze underlay carpet pad
garden yard humour humor undertaker mortician
year grade colour color vest undershirt
loo comfort room labour labor wardrobe closet
tap faucet clamour clamor to wash wash up
lorry truck favour favor wing fender
candy floss cotton candy neighbour neighbor zebra crossing crosswalk
sweet candy biro ball-point pen metre meter
oven mitt oven glove bonnet hood flat apartment
cooker stove braces suspenders diversion detour
biscuit cookie car park parking lot duvet comforter
nappy diapers caravan trailer engaged busy
pavement sidewalk caretaker janitor enquiry inquiry
zip zipper catalogue catalog fancy dress costumes
post mail centre center football soccer
post code zip code chips French fries full stop period
taxi cab notice board bulletin board to hire to rent
 underground subway number plate license plate indicator blinker
chemist’s shop drug store, petrol gas icing sugar powdered sugar
pharmacy
shop store polo neck turtle neck ladybird ladybug
head master principal quid buck match game
solicitor, lawyer, roundabout traffic circle, motorbike motorcycle
barrister rotary
attorney
airplane plane rucksack backpack mum mom
a pack of cards a deck of cards rubber eraser trolley cart
pants underpants rubbish garbage boot trunk
phone box phone booth share stock cosy cozy
pepper bell pepper shop assistant sales clerk double cream heavy cream
postman mailman sick nauseated draughts checkers
prawn shrimp single ticket one-way ticket dummy pacifier
programme program Sorry. Excuse me. earth wire ground wire
primary school elementary sports day fields day expiry date expiration date
school

grade school
to queue to line up sultana raisin fortnight two weeks
anorak jacket, parka sweet shop candy store mackintosh raincoat
at the weekend on the term semester mashed potato mashed
weekend potatoes
bank holiday national theatre theater motorway freeway,
holiday, highway,
expressway,
federal holiday interstate
base rate prime rate timetable schedule litre liter
to bath to bathe tin can lost property lost and found
beetroot beet town centre downtown maths math
bill check torch flashlight jewellery jewelry
bin, dustbin
garbage can, trainers sneakers Jumble sale yard sale
trash can
Source: www.englisch-hilfen.de

Have you encountered the term World Englishes (WE) or varieties of

English? WE actually stands for the localized varieties of English as they are
used or spoken in certain areas. In the Asian context, the concept was
introduced by Braj Kachru. The famous “Three Concentric Circles of Asian
Englishes” attributed to Kachru presents the three circles: Inner Circle with
ENL (English as a Native Language) member countries; the Outer Circle with
ESL (English as a Second Language) member countries; and the Expanding
Circle with EFL (English as a Foreign Language) member countries.
Aside from the fact that the Outer and Expanding Circles are ESL- and EFL-
speaking, respectively, they have been colonized by some member countries
in the Inner Circle making the varieties they speak as post-colonial. It is then
to be understood that people have different linguistic and cultural
backgrounds making intercultural communication a significant variable in
communication.

According to Bautista and Gonzales (2006), the structural characteristics of

these new varieties differ. This is brought about by the mother tongue or
home languages of those who learn or acquire English. And even in terms of
social features, differences can also be highlighted in that there is a
continuum of basilectal, mesolectal, and acrolectal varieties of English within
the speech community. The acrolect then comes closest to the standard
while the basilect digresses thoroughly from it and comes closest to the
pidgin. Mesolect or the middle variety is the midway between the acrolect
and basilect. Bautista and Gonzales use the term edulects for these
varieties resulting from certain types of education ascertained by social class
but are conveyed or transferred by the kind of instruction of the school
system especially for those coming from higher-income families and/or
better educated classes.
As regards structural variation, Kachru & Nelson (2006) claim that these
varieties of English are influenced by the local language(s) in various areas
of their grammars and exhibit specific phonological, lexical, syntactic, and
discoursal characteristics (p. 35). For instance, in terms of stress and rhythm,
Outer and Expanding Circle varieties observe syllable-timed rhythm rather
than stress-timed rhythm. Nigerian say ‘success for suc`cess and Indians
and Nigerians say recog`nize for ‘recognize. Moreover, speakers from the
Outer and Expanding Circles do not make any changes in their pronunciation
to make a distinction between nouns and verbs in pairs which Inner Circle
countries observe as in the case of `import and im`port and do not utilize
contrastive stress for focusing (Bamgbose, 1992 & Gumperz, 1982a, 1982b,
as cited in Kachru & Nelson, 2006). As regards sounds, Outer and Expanding
Circles do not observe initial aspiration of voiceless plosives such as p, t,
k and these are often perceived by Inner Circle countries as b, d, g. Some
speakers of expanding Circle varieties, as in the case of Japanese speakers,
do not properly distinguish between r and l.

According to Pope (1976, as cited Kachru & Nelson, 2006), in the case of
syntactic features, question-answering systems differ between Inner and
Outer-Expanding Circles. While the former observes positive-negative system
where the answer follows the polarity of the question (i.e. If the question is in
the positive the answer confirming the assumption of the questioner is in the
positive, and the answer disconfirming the assumption is in the negative. If,
however, the question is in the negative, the answer confirming the
assumption of the questioner is in the negative as well, while the answer
disconfirming the assumption of the questioner is in the positive), the latter
observes the agreement-disagreement system which poses difficulty to
speakers who follow the positive-negative system particularly in interpreting
the yes or no of the response unless it is followed by a clarification (i.e., Yes,
I think you’re right: No, that’s not so) (p.45).

With respect to lexicon, vocabulary words peculiar only to some English

varieties in Southeast Asia can be noted as seen in the following examples
(pp. 189-190):

1. Singapore English: actsy ‘showoff,’ missy ‘nurse,’ chop ‘rubber

stamp,’ Marina kids ‘youngsters who spend their leisure time at/or around
Marina Square, a shopping center,’ graduate mothers ‘graduate (well-
educated) married women, encouraged to have more children and accorded
certain privileges in Singapore,’ as compared to non-graduate
mothers (Pakir, 1992, as cited in Kachru & Nelson, 2006).

2. Philippine English: deep ‘puristic or hard to understand’ as an

attribute of language, stick ‘cigarette,’ high blood ‘tense or upset,’ blow
out ‘treating someone with a snack or meal,’ motel ‘a hotel used for pre-
marital or extra-marital affairs,’ manualize ‘to prepare manuals,’ go
ahead ‘leave before others with host’s permission,’ studentry ‘student
body,’ Amboy ‘a Filipino perceived to be too pro-American,’ promdi ‘from the
province,’ behest loan ‘unguaranteed bank loan given to presidential
cronies,’ pulot boy ‘boy who picks up tennis balls in a game,’ and balikbayan
box ‘box where Filipnos returning from abroad put all their shopping,’ among
others (Bautista, 1997 as cited in Kachru & Nelson 2006).

In other sources, these are the additional information about Philippine

English:

Varieties of Philippine English

a. Acrolectal – is associated with academics, bilinguals from English

speaking homes and English majors at university level.

b. Mesolectal – is spoken by professionals who are non-English majors and

who mostly use English in the workplace, and who display a noticeably
Philippine accent.

c. Basilectal- typically differs from the standard language in

pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar, and can often develop into
different languages; it is also characterized by the use of words that are
typically considered slang or colloquialisms, which are usually spoken by
factory workers, janitors, drivers, etc.

(Note: The three varieties of Philippine English are what Bautista and
Gonzales (2006), term as edulects.)

Linguistic Features of Philippine English

a. Phonological features - include devoicing of sibilant consonants in words

like beige, pleasure, seize, bees and cities which are articulated as [s]and the
rendering of “th”sounds as [t], [d], in words such as this [dis], thin [tin]. With
vowels, other features may occur including a loss of distinction between long
and short vowels in such pairs as sheep/ship, full/fool’ bought/boat, etc.

b. Lexical features – borrowed extensively from Spanish

(despedida ‘farewell’, estafa ‘faud’ ‘scandal’, querida ‘mistress’, and
Tagalog. Loan translations are also widely used including open/close the
light/radio for “turn on/off the light/radio”, joke only for “I’m teasing you”,
and you don’t only know for “you just don’t realize”; local coinages include
such items as to carnap, highblood, hold-upper, and topnotcher, while
archaic items derived from late 19th century American English include
comfort room (CR), solon, and viand.
3. Malaysian English: antilog ‘a male hated by a girl,’ popcorn ‘a
loquacious person,’ kachang ‘peanuts, easy,’ slambar ‘relax,’ red spot, open
shelf ‘girls who are popular and those who are not,’ day bugs ‘those who
come to attend school but do not live in residence halls’ (Said & Ng, 2000, as
cited in Kachru & Nelson, 2006).

When Bautista’s monograph on Defining Standard Philippine English: Its

Status and Grammatical Features came out in 2000, she answered the usual
questions asked about Philippine English: Is there a Standard Philippine
English? and When does an error become a feature of Philippine English? She
stressed that just like any other new variety of English (Indian English,
Singaporean English and Nigerian English), Philippine English is legitimate,
having its own grammatical, lexical, and syntactic features. Gonzalez (1985,
as cited in Bautista, 2000) identified the following lexical features in
Philippine English (p. 76):

1. Preference for specific words and collocations specifically shall, could,

such, wherein, of (to signal possession);

2. Unusual words and collocations, specific terms, and word combinations

which may have been originally confused with other collocations but which,
because of frequent use, have become fixed combinations in their own right
(e.g., results to instead of results in); and

3. Unusual prepositional usage, including omission of prepositions in two-

word verbs, addition of prepositions to verb-phrases, local use of different
prepositions in noun phrases following certain verbs or adjectives.

The syntactic features identified include the following (pp. 76-77):

1. Word-order features, consisting of the placement of the time adverb

before the place adverb, placement of the adverb between verb and object,
placement of the adverb between noun and prepositional phrase, placement
of the indirect object introduced by to between verb and direct object, other
unusual adverb placements;

2. Use of articles, including absence of the definite article, unusual use of the
definite articles, absence of indefinite article;

3. Noun sub-categorization, consisting of the non-pluralization of count

nouns, the reclassification of General American English (GAE), mass nouns as
count nouns, mass noun pluralization, pluralization of the adjectival nouns in
compounds;

4. Pronoun-antecedent incongruence;

5. Subject-predicate incongruence;

6. Reclassification of GAE transitive verbs as intransitive verbs; and

7. Tense-aspect usage consisting of unusual use of verb forms and tenses,

use of the perfect tense where the simple past tense or even present perfect
is called for in GAE, lack of tense sequence.

As for the question “When does an error become a feature of Philippine

English?”, Gonzalez (1958) has this to say:

When do these errors cease to be errors and become part of the standard? If
enough educated elites in the society ‘commit’ these errors, then these
errors in effect have been accepted by society as the standard (p. 189).

The foregoing discussion only shows how dynamic English is. These are only
some of the essential features of some varieties of English which should be
given full attention by users coming from different cultures. From the variety
of English used by the native speakers such as British, Americans,
Canadians, Australians, and New Zealanders, English has evolved into post-
colonial varieties and should not be mistaken as errors most especially if
they have become the standard in the speech community and have been
codified. As the poet Gemino Abad (1997, p. 8) aptly put it: “English is ours.
We have colonized it too.”

You have to be aware of and recognize intercultural communication as you

need to be sensitive to the people around who belong to different cultural
heritages and have their own linguistic identity. When you encounter them,
you will be able to avoid misunderstanding, avoid communication
breakdown, and overcome language barriers with less difficulty since you are
exposed to their own language features. This way, you will be able to
enhance your personal and social interaction.
CHAPTER 4
Register of English or Language Register
When it comes to language variation, the terms genre, register,
and style are often encountered. David Crystal (2008) defines register as “a
variety of language defined according to its use in social situations e.g. a
register, scientific, religious, formal English. (p. 409).” “He added: “In
Hallidayan linguistics, the term is seen as specifically opposed to varieties
of language according to the characteristics of the users (viz. their regional
or class dialect), and is given a sub-classification into field, mode and
manner of discourse (p. 409).

Crystal (1964) further discusses style and register:

Language, being the product of interaction among the members of society,

must ultimately be studied according to the social context in which it is
found. Within a language, there are variations in style and register, which
differentiate and formally characterize distinct social situations. Style refers
to the degree of formality attached to particular interpersonal social
situation, which is reflected by differences in language – for example the kind
of language used while talking to friend will differ noticeably from that used
in addressing a superior, in otherwise the same situation. Register refers to a
kind of language whose forms are of a definable social institution, regardless
of the status of the participants – thus one finds the register of legal
language, liturgical language, and so on (p. 149).

It is to be noted that genre and register overlap and are sometimes used
interchangeably. According to Lee (2001), whereas genre is associated more
with the organization of culture, register is associated with the organization
of the situation. To this end, register is understood as the context-specific
variety of language to which the field-mode-tenor framework is important.

To give a concrete example, with the genre of recipe, field may be analyzed
in terms of the social setting and the communicative purpose in which the
text is produced. Tenor may be described in terms of the role/s required of
the writers and readers including the cultural values shared by
both. Mode could be explained in light of the knowledge of other texts
required of speakers/listeners and writers/readers as regards the genre
including the formal text features.

Language register then refers to the formality of language which one speaks.
Different registers are used in different situations. It is through register that
you are able to determine the kind of lexicon or vocabulary to use as well as
the kind of structure to be used. Even in writing, you may use a formal or an
informal register. In some instances, even a neutral language register is
identified.

The formal register then is used in formal speaking and writing situations. In
a state of the nation address classified as a formal communicative situation,
the speech is usually delivered using a highly-polished language, read from
the manuscript. This is certainly allowed since the President occupying the
highest position in the country could not afford to make mistakes. On the
contrary, a priest delivering his homily, more often than not, speaks
extemporaneously and uses ordinary language. This is so since the audience
is composed of various audiences coming from different walks of life. The
priest should be able to convey his spiritual message to the listeners without
difficulty of comprehension on their part. The priest should also be able to
touch the very core of the listener’s hearts so that they live the preaching
they hear.

The formal register is likewise appropriate for use in professional writing like
project proposals, position papers, and business letters as in the case of
writing to superior or to a head of a certain organization. It is more
impersonal, objective and factual. Informal register, which is more casual in
tone, is appropriate for people with whom you have established a more
personal relationship as in the case of friends and relatives. This type of
writing may sometimes be emotional, as an intimate relationship exists
between the speaker and listeners or writer and reader.

Earlier in the discussion, it was mentioned that register refers to the kind of
language whereby the forms used to define the social situation,
notwithstanding the status of the interlocutors. Thus, legalese or legal
language is highly characterized by archaic expressions, technical jargon
intrinsic only to the community of legal professionals, embedded structures,
nominalizations, passive voice, as well as long, kilometric sentences, which
are not the features of textese, or language of texts. Conversely, the
features of SMS language or textese language are exactly the opposite – use
of abbreviations, acronyms, slang words, and expressions. This is so since
messages used to be limited to a certain number of characters/spaces that
made texting much easier and quicker. However, misinterpretation and/or
miscommunication in text messaging may arise if vocabulary and knowledge
of context are limited. Hence, extra care should be practiced when
comprehending text messages.
You Say More than You Think
We have already established in the previous chapters the fact that there is
more to what you say than meets the eye. With culture, business, and
language interplaying with one another, the extent by which we can stretch
the impact of language points us to differing directions. In this chapter, we
are going to focus on the specificity, or at least, what we perceive to be
specific in the messages we put out there for everyone to understand and
interpret. Like the discussion in the previous chapters, the context in which
you become embroiled in the world of work, professional world will be the
focus of this chapter.

Figure 1

This print advertisement features a “better” groomed black man about to

throw into the air an image of his old self across football field. This image
elicited a deluge of negative comments mainly focused on how the ad
promises users of Nivea to be re-civilized version of a black man who
shouldn’t sport the Afro hairstyle. If you do not have an Afro, this ad means
differently to you, but the fact remains that a large population of black men
have naturally curly or Afro hair and that this ad undermines them. This add
was pulled out in no time after generating wild negative buzz.

Figure 2

What was thought of as a simple message of making dark chocolate relevant

to the times has been dubbed to be condescending by no less than the
supermodel alluded to in this ad, Naomi Campbell. Campbell added by
saying ”It’s upsetting to be described as chocolate, not just for me but for all
black women and black people. I do not find any humor in this. It is insulting
and hurtful.” Cadbury pulled out the advertisement and apologized profusely
to the black community and to Ms. Campbell for having inadvertently
undermining them with this ad.

Figure 3

Earlier this year, Summer's Eve launched a completely bizarre ad campaign

that featured -- we kid you not -- an ethnically diverse array of talking hands
that represented an ethnically diverse array of talking vaginas.

Said hand-ginas also spoke in racially stereotypic cliches.

After being parodied on The Colbert Report, the commercials were

eventually pulled. Still, those responsible refused to apologize.
The Richard's Group told Adweek, "We are surprised that some have found
the online videos racially stereotypical."

Figure 4

This is a picture of Lakshmi, an Indian Goddess of Wealth, who appears, to

fancy eating beef burgers. This is, for obvious reasons, forbidden under
Hindu religion. This depiction provoked widespread displeasure to the point
of anger with its suggestion that the deity eats beef.

Figure 5

This is a Chapstick advertisement entitled “Where do lost Chapsticks go? This ad was posted by
its manufacturer Pfizer to Facebook to which users are allowed to comment “however” way they
can. In the end, Pfizer was compelled to apologize to Facebook for having attracted
comments like, “after looking at this pic. I know where I wanna hide my chapstick.”

Pfizer ended up discontinuing the offensive advertisement and promised to

“comply with Facebook guidelines and remove posts that use foul language
and are menacing to fans and employees.”

Figures 1-5 clearly demonstrate the emergence of “global” village

emphasized by the “smart” technology. Now, it can be argued that in order
to succeed in a highly globalized world, businessmen must make it their
business not to undermine the cultures of the world in the areas of
marketing, management strategies, relationships, and communication
among other business affairs. This was explained well in (Peretemode, 2012).

The above cases specifically point out that international business

organizations must have an in-depth knowledge and understanding of
national culture differences to be able to maintain a certain level of
acceptance, and more importantly, belief in their product. UNPFA (2013)
clarifies that indeed there exist:

ü The realities and social cultural assets of societies;

ü The influential power structures and pressure groups that can be potential
allies or adversaries to management and; and

ü The internal cultural tensions and aspirations of the subcultures.

Moreover, to achieve the above statements, cultural knowledge and

backgrounds, their similarities and differences, and having the sensitivity to
consider them before making any bold business moves will always be an
advantage to a business organization wanting of continued relevance.
How do you then, as a would-be professional, deal with diverse culture in the
business world?

Trompenaars and Hampden (1997) reiterate that there are dimensions to

recognizing cultural diversity in national cultures and that the manner by
which people respond to certain questions about culture are attributed to the
uniqueness of their culture. In (2009), Duanmu and Geppert underscored
changes in these dimensions and listed them below:

1. Universalism vs. Particularism. Universalistic culture people adhere to

general rules, codes, values, obligations; that regardless of circumstance,
same rules apply to different situations. Standards in universalism take
precedence over the needs and claims of friends and other relationships.
Particularistic people on the other hand make judgments according to their
relationships. This culture of particularism is based on friendships and
intimate relationships affecting situations on a case-to-case basis. Therefore,
what is appropriate in one situation may not be right in another.

In matters of international business, particularistic culture values

relationships and that these relationships can be basis of bending rules and
regulations of a business organization. The companies of the figures given
previously certainly valued the friendship they wanted to build or they
already had built in countries where they sell their products. For example,
when Pfizer or Burger King decided to apologize to the cultures they
offended, they must have realized that maintaining friendship was more
important than creating a media campaign to boost their sales.

The same companies obviously turned against the universalistic culture

which dictates that laws supersede culture. This culture puts less emphasis
on personalities and of course, the culture to which they submit. If the
advertisements did not violate any existing laws of the society in which the
advertisements were used, then a universalistic company would not have
problems with the continuing use of marketing figures and would argue that
no laws were violated.

2. Individualism vs. Collectivism. The individualistic culture puts

emphasis on the individual’s wants, happiness, fulfillment, initiative, and
welfare above those of the community’s. Collectivism in turn decides for the
greater good and values what works for the community undermining
personal wants and desires. The manufactures of the products shown in
figures 1-5 are by no means collectivistic for having taken the route of
discontinuing advertisements that offended certain communities.

3. Specific vs. Diffused. The specific culture is about a man who considers
his work a place where he functions as an individual. For this man, he can
work effectively and achieve his career goals even without maintaining real
relationships with his co-workers. The diffused culture is opposite of the
specific as it encourages relationships and camaraderie among co-workers.
For a man in diffused culture, he thrives on the collective desires of the
people around him irrespective of his own desires.

As a future professional, you will be subjected to experiencing having to deal

with colleagues who subscribe to either the specific or diffused culture. It is
then up to you to determine whether to choose one, or to balance your way
through two culture dimensions interplaying with one another.

4. Achievement vs. Ascription. This dimension is about the attainment of

one’s status. For those who value achievement, they regard others on
account of their education, ability, success, in chosen career, competition,
and so on. In ascription, people value you according to your social
connections, age, or gender, your origin, or your religion.

In the business context, the achievement dimension gives value to you as

compared with your co-workers in the organization based on your work
performance. On the other hand, the ascription dimension evaluates you
according to natural admiration and to the loyalties you have established in
a company over time.

The challenge for a college student is again to strike a balance between

achievement and ascription. On one hand, you have to show that you are
competitive when the situation or your boss calls for it; on another hand, aim
to show admirable qualities to your co-workers in order to enjoy the benefits
of both dimensions.

5. Neutral vs. Affective. In a neutral culture, people make an effort to

conceal their feelings because they have been taught that way. They are
often perceived to be guarded and controlled. For the affective, they “wear
their heart on their sleeves” and spend their time at work with laughter,
expressions of displeasure or happiness, bold gestures, and dramatic non-
verbal expressions.

At best, hide your emotions if it means sparing your co-workers from feeling
worse than they already do during challenging times in the workplace. But, if
there are enough reasons for you to express happiness over something
worth celebrating, it would not hurt to do bold gestures to show how you
feel.

6. Time Orientation: Sequential vs. Synchronic. If you think that there is

a time and place for everything to be done, then you are the sequential type.
Furthermore, you follow a strict and particular order in doing things and a
change in this order will cause uncertainty for you. If you are synchronic, you
connect the past and the future but you do not focus on one or the order
with which the two take place. You deal with things as they come and you
think of different ways of achieving your set objectives in numerous and
possible combinations of time and order.

Ideally, we should be fluid in achieving our goals. There will be times that we
ought to acknowledge that we need to follow a process in order to produce
desired results at work. However, when things dictate that we do not time
and sequence our activities to be able to arrive at a surprisingly successful
ending, we should also take the time to be unpredictable and “full of
surprises” around our co-workers.

7. Inner – Directed vs. Outer – Directed Orientation. The inner-directed

culture thrives on people making a conscious effort of controlling the
environment where they are in. While nature is complex, the inner - directed
culture allows its people to have a mechanistic view of nature and control it
with skill and precision. The outer - directed culture for its part believes in
the domination of nature over mankind. People, therefore, should always
look into the challenges of nature, to what the outside world presents, and
then use them in making decisions.

In business, they are those who think that they dictate what consumers need
and play up those needs in order to bolster sales for the company. If you will
be an employee of an inner - directed company, the ability to innovate is the
qualification you should be developing. On the other hand, there are
companies that respond to trends set by the outside world, abide by them,
and then operate the business around what is perceived to be popular.

As a nation, the US remains to provide a distinct manifestation of the

interplay of the different cultural dimensions discussed above so much so
that they introduced the term “melting pot”. This term encourages
assimilation, and “being American” as the mainstream culture. In the
process, a differing culture loses itself to what is considered “American”.
Immigrants coming to the United States were expected to set aside their
language and culture in favor of the “American way”. Schools over the US
were also compelled to order their immigrant students to submit to American
customs, beliefs, and ideas in order to truly assimilate with the dominant
American culture.

The term “melting pot” however did not last very long in the mainstream
psyche of the Americans ever since “cultural pluralism” came into the
scene. This term focuses on a diverse population of cultures
interacting with one another to form a society. Cultural Pluralism is
likened to a salad bowl with a variety of ingredients each one contributing to
the final taste of the salad. Not one ingredient is taken for granted, each one
makes up the whole.
Indeed, the concept of cultural pluralism has been with us for more or less
sixty years. Among the many writers who pushed for recognition of the
concept are Horace M. Kallen, Gunnar Myrdal, Tamotse Shibutani, Kian M.
Kwan, Milton M. Gordon, Robert Blauner, and Albert Memmi.

Anthropologist Peggy R. Sanday underscores the concept od cultural

pluralism this way:

. . . defined as existing in any society where there is more than one style
dimension, where there is more than one set of cultural themes, information
components, and behavior styles sanctioned in a society. Sub-cultural
systems are open systems. Because of the mechanism of intra-cultural
diffusion if the members of these systems are in differing degrees articulated
in the mainstream culture and hence can share elements in the culture.
Depending on the barriers to diffusion, sub-cultural systems definable at one
point in time on the basis of certain characteristics may over time become
assumed into the mainstream culture.

With the foregoing definition, we can surmise that cultural pluralism is a

condition in which people are able to organize communities regardless of
differences of race, age, sex, religion, language and cultural lifestyles.
Furthermore, this condition is attained in a society where culturally diverse
communities interact with one another on the basis of a healthy functioning
of the society that are a part of. Cultural pluralism then will not thrive when
culturally different communities do not get along.

Also noteworthy are what Stent, Hazard, and Rivlin (1973) said about cultural
pluralism, that it is: “a state of equal co-existence in a mutually supportive
relationship within the boundaries of framework of one nation of people of
diverse cultures with significantly differing patterns of beliefs, behavior,
color, and in many cases with different languages. To achieve cultural
pluralism, there must be unity in diversity. Each person must be aware of
and secure in his own identity, and be willing to extend to others some
respect and rights that he enjoy himself.”

Therefore, we may assume that cultural pluralism is an issue that will remain
relevant in the years to come as there are stronger demands now more than
ever for nations of differing cultures to interact with one another. When the
Chinese government recently announced its intention of drafting the “code
of conduct” with all the neighboring nations, staking claims of ownership of
certain parts of the South China Sea, it is an indicator of the willingness of a
dominant nation like China to participate in a system of culturally diverse
countries coming together for a common goal of order in the Asian region.

The Power of Texts and Images

Multimodal Literacy (O’Halloran & Lim, 2011) - is about understanding the
different ways of knowledge representations and meaning-making.

It focuses on the design of discourse by investigating the contributions of

specific semiotic resources (e.g. language, gesture, images) co-deployed
across various modalities (e.g. visual, aural, somatic).

Also, this focuses on interaction and integration in constructing a coherent

multimodal text (such as advertisements, posters, news report, websites,
films).

Editorial Cartoons

- graphic expression of the creator's ideas and opinions

- usually, but not always, reflects the publication's viewpoint

- based on current events

- have an educational purpose

- to make readers think about current political issues

CHAPTER 5
Tools of Technology for Communication
Creating multimodal texts means the production of spoken, written, or
text in print or digital forms. It is the business of making meanings with the
use of technology. This means that the ways by which students
communicate has extended to the utilization of images, animations, gesture,
music, and spoken and written language. Gone are the days where the only
place to go is a shop or a bookstore to buy what you need to finish a project.
Now, in the confines of a room, or a corner, with internet helping, you can
finish a project and share it to the world if it is good enough for it. Indeed,
digital communication technologies and the choice of mode with which to
create a course output have changed by leaps and bounds.
A multimodal text can be paper. Examples of these are books, comics,
posters, and the like meant to be read and understood while holding or
looking at them. It can also be digital such as slide presentations, blogs or
vlogs, web pages, short films, videos, media campaigns, or anything that
capitalizes on digital technology. A multimodal text can be
performed live through interpretative dance, a monologue, or a role play,
among other ways that are executed in front of an audience. Lastly, a
multimodal text can be transmedia where messages are conveyed through
a combination of multimedia platforms. A media campaign for example can
be performed live on stage, uploaded to social media, broadcasted live over
the radio, and printed on the school paper as well. These media extensions
are now possible if your intention is to reach out a bigger audience and make
an impact to your immediate community, or to the much bigger online online
citizens of the world. Transmedia just have that capacity to make simple
stories be understood and interpreted differently, and ultimately, if your
message is truly compelling, inspire audiences.

The manner by which you will use technology depends on your level of
proficiency with it. As a college student, it is safe to assume that you are
already beyond slide presentations. By this time, you will already have done
videos, must have uploaded and shared projects with the online community,
must have communicated your take on a subject matter with a role play, or
must have created an online store for business. At the very least, at this
point in your life, you must have given in to the challenge that the only way
to thrive in school is to be technology savvy.

To successfully create a multimodal text, you are required to consider a few

things – your purpose, message, reader, viewer and listener. Purpose
means what you want to achieve with your text such as to inform, to inspire,
or to elicit action. Your message is contained in the actual text you compose.
Readers may mean fellow students, parents, teachers or whoever you think
will appreciate your message. If your work is in a form of a video or live
presentation, then you will have to think of who to appeal to for your
viewer/s. When you have a song or a jingle project, who are your target
listeners?

To put things in perspective, the following will help you in producing your
output (multimodal text):

1. Written/Linguistic – refers to spoken and written language through

vocabulary, structure and grammar.

The following are examples of advertisement titles that got consumer

attention because of their catchy titles:

a. THE SECRET OF MAKING PEOPLE LIKE YOU

Almost $500,000 was spent profitably to run keyed ads displaying this
headline. It drew many hundreds of thousands of readers into the body
matter of a “people-mover” advertisement – which one, by itself, built in a
big business. Pretty irresistible, isn’t it?

b. A LIITLE MISTAKE THAT COST A FARMER $3,000 A YEAR

A sizable appropriation was spent successfully in farm magazines on this ad.

Sometimes the negative idea of offsetting, reducing, or eliminating the “risk
of loss” is even more attractive to the reader than the “prospect of gain.”

As the great business executive Chauncey Depew once said, “I would not
stay up all of one night to make $100; but I would stay up all of seven nights
to keep from losing it.” As Walter Norvath says in Six Successful Selling
Techniques, “People will fight much harder to avoid losing something they
already own than to gain something of greater value that they do not own.”
It is also true that they have the feeling that losses and waste can often be
more easily retrieved than new profits can be gained.

What farmer could pass up reading the copy under such headline – to find
out: “What was the mistake? What was it ‘little’? Am I making it? If it cost a
farmer a loss of $3,000 a year, maybe it’s costing me a lot more? Perhaps
the copy will also tell me about other mistakes I might be making.”

c. ADVICE TO WIVES WHOSE HUSBANDS DON’T SAVE MONEY – BY A WIFE

The headline strength of the word “advice” has often been proven. Most
people want it, regardless of whether or not they follow it. And the particular
“ailment” referred to is comment enough to interest a lot of readers. The “it
happened to me” tagline, “by a wife,” increases the desire to read the copy.
(This ad far outpulled the advertiser’s previous best ad, Get Rid of Money
Worries.)

d. THE CHILD WHO WON THE HEARTS OF ALL

This was a key-result ad which proved spectacularly profitable. It appeared in

women’s magazines. The emotional-type copy described (and the
photograph portrayed) the kind of little girl any parent would want their
daughter to be. Laughing, rollicking, running forward with arms outstretched,
right out of the ad and into the arms and the heart of the reader.

e. ARE YOU EVER TONGUE-TIED AT A PARTY?

Pinpoints the myriads of self-conscious, inferiority-complexed wallflowers.

“That’s me!” I want to read this ad; maybe it tells me exactly what to do
about it.”
As you go along, you will notice how many of these headlines are
interrogative ones. They ask a question to which people want to read the
answer. They excite curiosity and interest in the body matter which follows.
They hit home – cut through verbose indirectness. The best ones are
challenges, which are difficult to ignore, cannot be dismissed with a quick no
or yes and without further reading, are pertinent and relevant to the reader.
Note how many of the ones included there measure up to these
specifications.

f. HOW A NEW DISCOVERY MADE A PLAIN GIRL BEAUTIFUL

Wide appeal; there are more plain girls than beautiful ones – and just about
all of them want to be better looking.

g. HOW TO WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE

This helped to sell millions of copies of the book of the same title. Strong
basic appeal; we will all want to do it. But without the words “how to” the
headline would simply become simply a trite wall motto.

h. THE LAST 2 HOURS ARE THE LONGEST – AND THOSE ARE THE 2 HOURS
YOU SAVE

An airline ad featured a faster jet-powered flight. Headline is a bull’s-eye for

air-experienced travelers who know what those last two interminable hours
can do to their nerves and patience. Like many fine headlines, it doubtless
came right out of the personal experience of its writer. This headline (and all
the others discussed here) would have been good even if it had not been
supported by any picture at all. But its effect was heightened by a photo of a
wristwatch with the hour marks indicating 1 to 10 bunched together – and
10, 11, and 12 stretched wide apart.

i. WHO ELSE WANT A SCREEN STAR FIGURE?

Who doesn’t? Except men – and this successful and much-fun ad is not
addressed to them. “Who else” also has a “get on the bandwagon”
connotation: not “Can it be done?” but “Who else wants to have it?”

j. DO YOU MAKE THESE MISTAKES IN ENGLISH?

A direct challenge. Now read the headline back, eliminating the vital word
“these.” This word is the “hook” that almost forces you into the copy. “What
are these particular mistakes? Do I make them?” Also notice as with many of
the other headline reviewed) that this one promised to provide helpful
personal information in its own context, not merely “advertising talk.”
The attraction of the Specific: In this first breather let us stop to impress
upon your mind how significant a part the “specific” plays in so many good
headlines. It appears in many of our first ten. And it will appear in a
surprising number of the next ninety. You will see how magnetically it helps
to draw the reader into the body matter of an advertisement. So notice, as
you continue reading, how many of these headlines contain specific words or
phrases that make the ad promise to tell you: How, Here’s Which of these,
Who Else, Where, When, What, Why. Also, note frequently exact amounts are
used: number of days, evenings, hours, minutes, dollars, ways, types of. This
“attraction of the specific” is worth your special attention – not only as
relating to words and phrases, but also concerning headline ideas
themselves. Foe example, compare the appeal of ”We’’ll Help You Make
More Money with “We’ll Help you Pay the Rent.”

k. WHY SOME FOODS “EXPLODE” IN YOUR STOMACH

A provocative “why” headline. Based upon the completely understandable

fact that some food combinations virtually “explode” in the stomach. Broad
appeal. (Relevant picture of a chemical retort shaped like a stomach, starting
to explode.)

l. HANDS THAT LOOK LOVELIER IN 24 HOURS – OR YOUR MONEY BACK

Universal appeal to women. Result guaranteed: “Or Your Money Back.”

m. YOU CAN LAUGH AT MONEY WORRIES – IF YOU FOLLOW THIS SIMPLE

PLAN

Something everybody wants to be able to do. A successful keyed ad upon

which many thousands have been spent.

n. WHY SOME PEOPLE ALMOST ALWAYS MAKE MONEY IN THE STOCK

MARKET

A profitable check-results ad selling a book written by a partner in a well-

known and highly regarded brokerage house. Important key words: “some”
and “almost” – which make the headline credible.

o. WHEN DOCTORS “FEEL ROTTEN” THIS IS WHAT THEY DO

What’s the secret of the success of this well-known ad? First: the suggestion
of a paradox. We seldom think of doctors as being in poor health themselves.
And when they are, what they do about it is information “right from the
horse’s mouth”; carries a note of authority and greater assurance of “reward
for reading the ad.” Note the positive promise of reward in “This Is What
They Do.”
Also, the use of the unabashed colloquialism “feel rotten” gets attention,
sounds human, natural. Besides, it has surprise value – since the vocabulary
of the advertising pages has a certain sameness and stitled quality. Many a
headline fails to stop readers because its vocabulary is so hackneyed. No
word or phrase in it has any attention-arresting element of surprise, no
words, expressions, or ideas not commonly used or expected in the headline
of an advertisement. This ad pulled only half the number of responses when
a test was made changing “When Doctors Feel Rotten” to “When Doctors
Don’t Feel Up To Par.” (Other examples of the use of common colloquialisms
and words are given and commented upon, in many of these good
headlines.)

Since the idea of using headline words not commonly utilized in the lexicon
of advertising is worth such serious consideration, let us cite a few more
examples. For a book on scientific weight control: the one word “Pot Belly”!
(Not very elegant, but it proved an effective stopper.) For a dictionary: a
single word (onion, hog, shad, pelican, skunk, kangaroo, etc.) as the boldface
headline of each in a series of small-space advertisements. You couldn’t miss
it on the page and you wanted to know what was all about. The copy
followed through by illustrating how simple and clear the definitions were in
that particular dictionary. For a book of golf instruction: “Don’t Belly – Ache
About About Your Golf This Year!”

p. IT SEEMS INCREDIBLE THAT YOU CAN OFFER THESE SIGNED ORIGINAL

ETCHINGS – FOR ONLY $5 EACH

Anticipates the reader’s natural incredulity concerning such an exceptional

bargain. Thus helping to overcome his doubt in advance, by acknowledging
the likelihood of it.

q. FIVE FAMILIAR SKIN TROUBLES – WHICH DO YOU WANT TO OVERCOME?

“Let me keep reading – to see if I have one of the five.” The old “which of
these “selling technique; not “do you want?” (Interrogative headline helps
entice readers into the copy. Note how many of these hundred are
interrogative headlines.)

r. WHICH OF THESE $2.50 TO $5 BEST SELLERS DO YOU WANT – FOR ONLY

$1 EACH?

This keyed ad sold hundreds of thousands of books. Strong comparative-

price bargain appeal.

s. WHO EVER HEARD OF A WOMAN LOSING WEIGHT – AND ENJOYING 3

DELICIOUS MEALS AT THE SAME TIME?
Another example of a headline which anticipates incredulity in order to help
overcome it.

t. HOW I IMPROVED MY MEMORY IN ONE EVENING

This is the famous “Addison Sims of Seattle” ad which coined that household
phrase. Could you escape wanting to read it?

Source: http://www.infomarketingblog.com/100-god-advertising-
headlines-victor-schwab/

2. Audio – refers to music, sound effects, noises or silences, and the

elements of volume, pitch and rhythm

The following are tracks that are recommended for advertisement use. Try
listening to them.

Commercial Corporate and Advert Music

a. Sleep Bank – Wolftooth

b. Upscotch – Jean-Thomas Cloutier

c. Nothing Stopping Us Now – Dan Phillipson

d. Back Where I Belong – Adrian Haene

e. Feeling Happy – Nicholas Pesci

f. Motivational Moment – Chris Hodges

g. Black and White – Nicola Donchev

h. Beautiful Life – BeepCode

i. Exotic Arabian Belly Dancer – Mirza Sounds

j. Edge – Denis Woods

k. Elements of Love – Chillout Tunes

l. Happy Uke – Kevin M. Baumgard

m. Working Overtime – Richard Freitas

n. Katy – JaccoWillems

o. Carefree Tenderness – Carlos Estella

p. Visualization – Marc Filmer

60-Second Edits (Various Genres)

a. Uplifting Sunlight – 60s – Krisztian Vass

b. Santa Monica 85bpm A – Loock Sounds

c. In Our Hearts (6o sec) – DJ Myde

d. Work Hard. Feel Good – Brenda Elthon

e. Piano Score – Waiting Game (Soundtrack) – DJ Purple Rabbit

f. Inspirational Moments A – Diamond City

g. A Beat Rockin’ 60sec. A – Arpad-ZsoltDornahidi

h. Proud – Tom Rae

i. Force Field – (60sec) – Art Munson

j. Bar Tales 45 Seconds – NtinosTselis

k. Morning Sun 60 Sec – Ben Harris

l. Cahnging Course (60-Secs Version 1) Dan Phillipson

m. My Dog Can Surf – Jeff Beers

n. Chilled Zebra (60 Second Edit) – Owen Phillips

o. Go Forward (Club Mix) 60 sec loop – Tosch

p. Overcoming thr Odds – Chrsi Hodoes

Source: https://www.audiosparx.com/sa/links/commercial-music.cfm

3. Visual – refers to moving or still images with the utilization of colors,

layouts, screen formats, symbols, shot framing, distance, angle, camera
movement and subject movement.

The following are examples of the “most powerful images of all time”.

Oscar Selfie, 2014

Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston, 1965

Guerillero Herioco, 1960

4. Gestural – refers to the body movement, hands and eyes, facial

expressions, demeanors, speed, stillness, and angles.

The following are examples of hand gestures that may mean differently to
other cultures:

Peace Sign- Some things really never change. The same peace sign the
hippies used at Woodstock is popular with kids today.

Two Finger Salute - It looks like a peace sign, but notice you see the back
of the fingers, not the front? That rumored to be the equivalent of the middle
finger in Britain. Then again, for some kids, it’s just a peace sign… so don’t
jump into conclusions.

V Sign- So not a peace sign! The innocent two fingers get naughty when you
bring the tongue into play. If you hadn’t already guessed, this one is
suggestive of oral sex.

Heart - Looks like a heart, doesn’t it? That’s because it is. This generally
means “I love you.”

5. Spatial – refers to environmental and architectural spaces, proximity,

direction, and over-all organization of objects in a given space.
The following is an article about tips on how to take the best “selfies” by
tinkering with proximity of the phone to one’s face.

How to Get Good Selfie Lighting at Home

With camera phones constantly evolving and photo-editing and sharing apps
like Instagram taking over, one thing is clear: The selfie is an easily
accessible art form that’s here to stay, so you may as well learn how to take
them right. And whether you’re going for silly or serious, one of the biggest
factors contributing to snapping the perfect selfie is lighting, which you can
achieve easily at home with these tips from professional photographers.

The Bigger, the Better

When it comes to photo lighting, bigger is actually better. A big, diffused

surface – as opposed to a small, exposed bulb – is ideal for selfie-taking,
according to portrait photographer Sarah Sloboda. Sloboda, who literally
wrote the book on selfies also suggested getting a collapsible reflector from
a camera store if you really want to up your selfie game – since it’s
collapsible, it can be put away when not in use so as to not affect your décor.
For lighting that both photographs well and looks good in your home, try
using long, cylindrical lampshades.

Keep Lights at Eye-Level

To put your best face forward, your lighting needs to be on your level.
According to Sloboda, you want the light source to be coming from eye-level,
because it’s the most flattering for faces. “lighting from even slightly above
can create circles under the eyes, and from below makes you look like you’re
in a horror movie,” Sloboda said. Her advice? Think of your face as a vertical
line, and make sure the surface of your light source is parallel to it.

Face Your Light Source

Along with keeping your lighting at eye level, you want to make sure you’re
facing the right direction when you take selfies, to make the most of the
light. Wedding photographer Merinda Edmonds suggested facing the light
and making sure the light is going towards your nose. Then, angle your
camera to be faced down slightly, and snap.

Consider your Background

Your background can also have an important impact on your photos. If you
have white walls or white tile, for example, the light coming in will reflect
back into your face, but if you have strong colors around you like blue, red,
green, those colors will leave a color on your face that you may not like,
according to Edmonds. Keep that in mind before you selfie – if you have a
room with softer colors that you can take photos in instead, that’s probably
the better choice.

Take Advantage of Natural Light

Both photographers agree: Natural light that’s soft and diffused is always
best. If you have a window that lets in indirect light (direct light won’t work
as well for your photos), face the window when taking selfies – it’ll create
that parallel line that Sloboda suggested, and it’s flattering for all
complexions. Edmonds also suggested standing in an overhang if you’re
outside so that the natural light can reflect directly to your face.

If you want to get a little more creative with your selfie lighting, Sloboda
suggested trying partial side lighting, which is a classic portrait lighting
setup. You can create “Rembrandt” lighting (like the painter) by angling your
face to one side or another – you’ll know you have it right when you see a
distinct triangle of light on your cheek on the shadow side of your face.

Camera Quality Matters

You’ve probably noticed a quality difference in photos taken with an actual

camera, your phone’s default rear-facing camera, and your phone’s front-
facing camera. You can make up for the poorer quality of your front camera
with good lighting because it will reduce graininess, according to Edmonds.
She also said, you should make sure to wipe your front camera clean before
taking selfies – sweat and makeup can get in the way and reduce crispness
and clarity of your images.

If you’re up for a challenge, with a little trial and error, you can take slefies
and portraits with an actual camera or your rear-facing camera instead, as
Sloboda suggested, since it’ll produce a clearer image. On the other hand, if
you want a softer selfie, your front facing camera will do just fine – according
to Sloboda, the lower the quality in your front-facing camera can mask flaws
and imperfections like lines and blemishes.