Culture itself is a word with different meanings. It can be understood as excellent taste, human knowledge which was formed through social learning or the same values and beliefs of a group of people.

What is Culture?

Many people think that their culture is “normal” and the right one. When travelling to other countries, they often get a cultural shock. This can happen for example when a European travels to Japan. There, people have completely different ways to behave. For this reason, people very often drop a brick and very soon get exposed as foreigners.

A term that is very closely connected to culture is “language”. The Greek of the ancient world divided people into two groups: civilized people and barbarous. The latter were known as people who speak an unknown language. Language is often referred to as an expression of the national character of a nation and its inhabitants. Therefore, if one wants to get to know another culture, he or she has to get to know the respective language. This is the only way one can understand how people feel and why they behave the way they do. On the other hand side, people can also share a common language but have completely different cultures, ways of living and behaviors.

Kids are less prejudiced

For kids it easy to learn both the language and culture when they grow up. They learn in everyday life what is assumed to be “normal” when observing parents, relatives and other older people of this specific cultural group. By using a language one can set oneself apart from others.