Culture Lesson Culture Lesson FourFour

Celebrations, Weddings, Celebrations, Weddings, and Childhood in Americaand Childhood in America

Idioms related to ageIdioms related to age• Sweet 16

– Describing a 16th birthday party, usually for a girl

• Over the Hill– When someone turns 40 or 50, we may

say they are “over the hill”• Bite the Dust

– An informal to say someone has died

Idioms related to childhood:Idioms related to childhood:• “knee high to a grasshopper”

– That was long ago, when your grandpa was knee high to a grasshopper.

• Terrible twos– I’m ready for my son grows out of this

stage. No wonder they are called the “Terrible Twos!”

• Rug rats– Help get the rug rats ready for school.

In the First Year…In the First Year…• The Baby “Shower”• The Birth of the Baby• The Baby’s Baptism or Dedication*• Baby’s First Christmas, etc.• 1st Birthday (different from China)

– Smash cake, especially for the baby

In A Student’s Life…In A Student’s Life…• Losing the first tooth• First Day of School• School events and activities• Graduations (different levels)• School dances (Prom, Homecoming)• 16, 18, 21—Birthdays• First Job, Job Hunting

Young AdultsYoung Adults• Courtship• Engagement• Wedding Shower• Rehearsal Dinner• Wedding• Wedding Reception (Dance)• Honeymoon

Adult LifeAdult Life• Promotion at Work, Mid-life Crisis (?)• Moving/House-warming• Anniversaries • Important birthdays (40, 50, 65, 100)• Retirement/Senior Benefits• Elderly Life• Death/Funeral

Three Important Terms:Three Important Terms:Shower, Reception, & PartyShower, Reception, & Party

• Shower—Baby, Bridal, Card– Card showers common for elderly

people• Reception—Wedding, Anniversary,

Open House– This term is a bit more formal

• Party—Birthday, Christmas, Halloween, Slumber– This term is a bit more casual

What do we give for these What do we give for these events? Some examples…events? Some examples…

• Baby shower: toys, clothes, books• Wedding: household items, money• Birthdays: cards, something small

but nice that suits the person well• Anniversaries: depends on the year…• Death: flowers for the deceased,

flower and sympathy cards for the family

Word Origins:Word Origins:HoneymoonHoneymoon

• In ancient times, it was a custom for newly married couples in some cultures to drink a potion containing honey for each day of the first month they were married (or the first moon of their marriage). It has come to mean that happy, blissful time when a man and woman first marry.

What are the meanings of What are the meanings of these words?these words?

• Dating– Casually seeing one or more people

• Courtship– Strictly seeing one person you intend to

marry• Engagement

– Period of preparation before the wedding

• Wedding/Marriage—the wedding day

Here are the missing words:Here are the missing words:• Bride• Groom• Flower girl• Maid of honor (or

Matron of honor)• Bridesmaid (s)• Minister• Ring-bearer

• Accompanist • Soloist• Groomsmen• Attendants• Usher (s)• Candle lighters• Best man

Common differences…Common differences…• 1. Number of Children per family• 2. American stress individualism and

independence• 3. Americans typically think of self

BEFORE society• 4. Americans often own a house with

some land or a yard

Ages of ChildrenAges of Children• Newborn = first

month• Infant = formal, 1st

year• Baby = 1st to 2nd

year, informal• Toddler = 2-3

years

• Preschooler = 4-5 years

• Child = 6-12 years (or general 1-12)

• Teenager = 13-19 years (“teens”)

• Adolescent = 13-19 years, more formal

American Education…American Education…Preschool and Kindergarten

lElementary School

lMiddle School/Junior High School

lHigh School

lUniversity/Vo-Tech/College

Common things at home:Common things at home:• Chores• Sibling rivalry• Diet• Family reunions• Family vacations• rituals

• Moving to a new house/city

• Pets• Medical care

Common things at school:Common things at school:• Games and sports• Clubs• Art, music• Dances• After-school jobs

• Summer Activities• Friendship, early

“love”

Common Problems:Common Problems:Early Childhood…Early Childhood…

• Nightmares• Sleepwalking• Bed-wetting (10% still have this

problem at age six)• Shyness

Common Problems:Common Problems:School-age…School-age…

• Bullying• Learning disorders (ex. Mozart, Tom

Cruise, the Wright Brothers, Edison, da Vinci, Disney, Henry Ford)

• Obesity—extremely overweight– In 1982, 4% of children overweight– In 2001, 25-33% overweight, depending

on race

Common Problems:Common Problems:Teens…Teens…

• Drugs– Many marijuana addicts start using by age 14

• Eating disorders– Early 90’s: 10 mill. females, 1 mill. males– Average model, 5’11”, 117 lbs.– Average woman, 5’4”, 140 lbs.

• Suicide—third leading cause of death for 15-24 year olds (1. accidents, 2. murder)

Common Problems:Common Problems:All ages…All ages…

• Divorce– Large numbers of single parent and

never-married families

• Abuse– Physical: 1 mill. +/year, 2000 deaths– Sexual: 1 in 5 boys, 1 in 3 girls ???– Emotional: few clear statistics

• Poverty—many more than old people

Region 3:Region 3:The Southern StatesThe Southern States

• Alabama• Arkansas• Delaware*• Florida• Georgia*• Kentucky• Louisiana• Maryland*• Mississippi

• North Carolina*• South Carolina*• Tennessee• Virginia*• West Virginia

*1 of the 13 colonies

Region 3:Region 3:Famous People from the SouthFamous People from the South• Sports: Hank Aaron, Jesse Owens,

Muhammad Ali, Arthur Ashe• Actors: James Earl Jones, Sidney

Poitier, Andy Griffith, Don Knotts• Presidents: so many! Washington,

Lincoln, Carter, Jefferson, etc.• Writers: Harper Lee, William

Faulkner, Margaret Mitchell, O. Henry, Willa Cather

Region 3:Region 3:And even more famous people!And even more famous people!

• Polar Explorer R.E. Byrd, Vice Pres. Al Gore, Billy Graham, Oprah Winfrey, Jim Henson, John Wilkes Booth, Benjamin Banneker (mathematician), Jefferson Davis (Pres. of the South), Martin Luther King Jr., industrialist E.I. du Pont, Helen Keller (both blind and deaf)

Region 3:Region 3:Brief History of the SouthBrief History of the South

• First settled for business, 1607• Developed more slowly than the rest

of the colonies. (Rural/undeveloped)• Small farms became large plantations

(late 1600’s); began slave-demand– Staples: tobacco, rice, and cotton

• Civil War—not just about slavery???• Even until recently…white vs. black

Region 3:Region 3:The People of the SouthThe People of the South

• The people are: laidback, “rednecks,” friendly, hospitable, welcoming, loving, moving at a slower pace

• Population: <1 million-16 million– Many retirees in Florida; many

immigrants in this area• Speech is: very different!!! It reflects

a lot of Black and Caribbean slang– Can you understand these words?...

(This is the translation.)(This is the translation.)• It’s cold tonight.• I’m going to find some wood so we

can start a fire.• Then you and your family can come

and sit by the fire and get warm.

• Did you understand?

Region 3:Region 3:Southern States famous for…Southern States famous for…

• Universities, for example:– U.S. Naval Academy, Johns Hoskins

University, Duke, Regent University

• Georgia peaches, KFC, “moonshine”, pecan pie, lemonade, other fruit• Horse Racing (Kentucky Derby),

Mardi Gras, Magnolia blossoms• Hot summers, beautiful autumns

A Folk Song from the South:A Folk Song from the South:“Down in the Valley”“Down in the Valley”

“Down in the Valley, Valley so low,Hang your head over,Hear the wind blow.

Hear the wind blow, Love,Hear the wind blow.

Hang your head over,Hear the wind blow…”