Language

Part 1:

• I found this experiment difficult and really frustrating.  I performed the experiment with my boyfriend which might of made the experiment a bit easier than if I had done it with a stranger because we know each other pretty well. There were some gestures I did while trying to communicate with him that he understood immediately. Also, some of the stuff we were trying to communicate were things we spoke about before. So, I definitely think it would of been harder had I performed this experiment with a complete stranger. 
• My partner also got frustrated. He knew about the experiment so he just kept trying but I feel if i would of performed the experiment without him knowing he might of just given up and stayed quiet until I spoke. He definitely changed the way he communicated with my by asking more questions since he realized it was merely impossible for me to begin a conversation. 
• If my partner and I represented two different cultures I believe his culture, the one that uses symbolic language, has the advantage in communicating complex ideas. I could hardly keep a conversation going, let alone communicate complex ideas. The speaking culture might see the non symbolic language culture as abnormal and dumb. Deaf and mute people in our culture encounter these troubles throughout there life. During high school the sign language program held deaf pizza night at a local pizza parlor. Most people there were deaf or mute and I found myself refraining from speaking while there, even though I could've spoken to a few friends there who were able to speak. Also, when I attempted to communicate with some of the deaf people I found myself engaging in simpler conversations, even though they could've probably held more complex conversations. 

Part 2:

• I was able to complete the full 15 minutes but a few times I found myself breaking the rules. For example, I nodded my head or lifted my eyebrows. As much as I tried not to, it still happened. I guess it is because I am so used to it. 
• My partner didn't seem as frustrated as part 1 of the experiment. Though, he did seem pretty bored. My voice was monotone and it made him feel as if I didn't care about our conversation or anything he had to say. 
• Non speech language techniques are extremely important in communicating. It livens up our conversations and helps both partners engage in the conversation. It is possible communicating without these techniques but I believe that without them we wouldn't enjoy communicating as much. 
• Blind people cannot read body language. Being able to read body language enables us to understand the persons we are communicating with more effectively. For example, sometimes it is difficult to tell when people are being sarcastic, but often there body language tells it all. During an extremely hot day it might benefit one to not be able to read body language. At least for me, when I can tell somebody is hot I get hotter myself. Had I not been able to read there body language and realize they were hot, I might of avoided feeling hotter.

Part 3:

• If I had been allowed to use written language in part 1 of the experiment, it would of been much easier. I would of been able to write what I wanted to say and also use body language to fully engage in the conversation. It might of still been frustrating because it takes long having to write things out. Maybe I would have used my computer and typed everything out which would of been much faster. 
• Written language provides everyone within the culture with a tool to communicate. As long as the people learn it they can communicate with other strangers who also know the language. 
• Written language has enabled us to communicate with others globally. With the use of written language people are able to learn it in a country far from the country that speaks it. Also, being able to write in another language enables people from different parts of the world to communicate through the internet. It allows us to spread information to other cultures around the world with ease. If there weren't written languages, in order to communicate with other cultures we would need a translator who is fluent in both languages. But with written language, as long as one person takes the trouble to learn it well and document the meanings of words, others can simply translate one language to another, even if they don't understand the other language completely.  

Environmental Adaptations

ZULU:

1. South Africa is a subtropical country known for its sunshine. Average yearly rainfall there is about 464 mm. During the summer the average temperature is 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Winter temperatures vary throughout South Africa. In KwaZulu-Natal coast, where the majority of Zulu's live, winter days are sunny with very, if any, rain. 
2. A Zulu physical adaptation is dark skin color (as seen in the picture on the left). Ultraviolet radiation normally decreases during the winter but since winters in South Africa are warm, Zulus encounter ultraviolet radiation year round. Because of this, their bodies have adapted by producing more melanin. Thus, protecting their skin from sunburn. 
3. A Zulu cultural adaptation is their dress. The warm climates they undergo year round encouraged them to dress with very little clothes. As seen in the picture on the right, the women are wearing minimal clothing. 
4. I would choose African because they are from South Africa and typically Africans are dark skinned. 
5. I think physical and cultural adaptations explain more than race because race is based on socially constructed norms while physical and cultural adaptations are based on science and actual facts. 

ANDEAN INDIANS:

                 

1. The high altitude Andes mountains has tropical climates and dry seasons in the winter. The average summer temperature is 70 degrees Fahrenheit while during the winter it's 50 degrees. There is not much rainfall. 
2. A physical adaptation for the Andean Indians is also their skin color. They are not as dark as the people from the Zulu culture because they have lower temperatures in the Andes mountains than in South Africa. (Refer to image on the left) 
3. Similar to the Zulu culture, the Andean Indians adapted their own culturally based dress. They wear hats to protect their face from the sun, yet they have a good amount of clothing on because temperatures are not extremely hot and can actually get cold. (Refer to image on the right) 
4. I would choose South American because of their home location, the Andes Mountains. 
5. Once again, physical and cultural adaptations are more explanatory than describing based on race. I chose their race based on their location, merely boundaries that are socially constructed.

http://www.southafrica.info/travel/advice/climate.htm

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/andes_climate.htm

Nacirema...

1. Pessimist - "The fundamental belief underlying the whole system appears to be that the human body is ugly and that its natural tendency is to debility and disease." I agree that the natural tendency of the body is to debility and disease but I feel that the Nacirema culture is pessimistic because it doesn't admire the beauty of a human body. 
2. Inequality - "Poorer families imitate the rich by applying pottery plaques to their shrine walls." This quote demonstrates that inequality exists amongst the Nacirema tribe. The poorer families attempt to blur the inequality that exists between them and their richer neighbors by placing plaques to their shrine walls. 
3. Dentist - "the people seek out a holy-mouth-man once or twice a year." Similar to our yearly dentist check ups. Their holy-mouth-man is the same as our dentist. 
4. Hygiene - "Bathing and excretory acts are performed only in the secrecy of the household shrine, where they are ritualized as part of the body-rites." The Nacirema perform these acts at home. They seem to care a lot about their hygiene because they even have shrines where they bathe. 
5. Surgery - "Still other rites are used to make women's breasts larger if they are small, and smaller if they are large." These rites must be similar to the breast augmentation and breast reduction. The Nacirema tribe must be technologically advanced to perform these "rites". 

Part B:

1. As an American, I feel that the choice of words describing our culture are on point. There is definitely a lot of inequality in America. Also, as Americans we are constantly trying to stay young and avoid aging, often depending of surgical procedures. 
2. I think "hygiene" is biased. In order for me to say a culture has good hygiene I need to compare it to other cultures, particularly my own. Therefore, I have a biased opinion on what I believe good hygiene is. I don't think any of the other words were based on bias judgement. 
3. I cannot think of another word to replace "hygiene" with that would not be biased. Maybe I can say "relatively good hygiene" instead. 
4. It is important to describe another culture in a manner as free from cultural bias as possible because if we don't it is impossible to actually understand the culture. I do not think it is possible to completely avoid cultural bias as a cultural anthropologist because everyone has values, and although some people learn to be tolerant of others cultures, in a sense those people are still being bias because they feel that they have to be "tolerant" of other cultures. Indicating that one culture is better than another.