Olfactory Dimensions

Our noses also receive sensory nonverbal messages. The olfactory modality is of course an important one for the animal kingdom, but for the human race, too, different cultures have established different dimensions of olfac­tory communication. The twentieth century has created in most techno­logical societies a penchant for perfumes, lotions, creams, and powders as acceptable and even necessary; natural human odors, especially perspira­tion, are thought to be undesirable. In some societies, of course, the smell of human perspiration is quite acceptable and even attractive. Second lan­guage and especially second culture learners need to be aware of the accepted mores of other cultures in the olfactory modality.

We cannot underestimate the importance of nonverbal communica­tion in second language learning and in conversational analysis.

Communicative competence includes nonverbal compe­tence—knowledge of all the varying nonverbal semantics of the second cul­ture, and an ability both to send and receive nonverbal signals unambiguously.

The language teacher and researcher, in dialog with each other, can be a part of that creative event by fashioning an integrated and cohesive understanding of how learners acquire the ability to communicate clearly and effectively in a second language.

We asked our students to compare their culture nonverbal communication norms (in our classes we have Kazakhs, Tatars, Uzbeks, Koreans, etc) with that of Americans.

Eye contact – in Muslim culture everything depends on a sex (male, female). A woman doesn’t maintain eye contact speaking to a man. Speaking to boss, they don’t maintain eye contact either.

Americans consider eye contact to be important in a conversation.

As for proxemics, when a woman speaks to a woman, the distance is closer than when she speaks to a man. Proxemics is also important in American culture.

Artifacts – the length of a dress is important for girls, though most of them keep to European style now. As for jewelry, it is up to their taste. Silver, they believe, protects from an “evil eye”.

Kinesthetics: Touching signals very personal register. But men sometimes embrace each other while greeting.

Olfactory dimensions – though it can seem strange, girls don’t use perfume as much as men.

To demonstrate our students how nonverbal communication is important, we organize a short-term project Cross-Cultural Encounters. The aim of the project is to make students experience and explore some cultural differences. The students work in small groups, then half-class, and in the end – whole class. It does not take a long time – about 40 minutes.

Procedure: Divide the class into two groups and designate them Group A and Group B. Separate the groups, using different rooms if possible. Give each student a copy of his group's work sheet to read.

When the stu­dents have finished reading, give them five minutes to discuss and practice the rules and behaviors indicated on their sheets. If the class is large, Groups A and В may be subdivided for this step. If both groups are in the same room, this discussion and practice should be done in such a way that members of the two groups do not hear and see each other.

Next, explain to the class that they will each receive two cards. Designate one color the Haves and the other the Needs. Hand out the cards in such a way that the Haves of one group match the Needs of the other.

The students will then walk around the class and talk to people in order to locate those whose Have cards match their Need card.

The teacher may want to demonstrate this part of the activity.

In searching for the cards, the students must follow the cul­tural rules and behaviors they have just read and discussed.

Give them five to ten minutes to try to locate the cards. Then send the stu­dents back to their original groups.

Ask them to discuss how they felt about the people from the other culture and to make a list of the rules that they thought the people from the other culture were following.

Finally, have the groups report back to the whole class. Discuss the observations and feelings resulting from the exercise.

Writing Output:

1. Describe your feelings while you were playing the game and explain why you think you felt that way.

2. Compare the two cultures described in the game.

3. Compare your culture and American culture on the issue of touching. Interview one or two Americans to check when they feel they can or can't touch someone.