1. An analysis of the United States
Culture
Jennifer Castillo Solis
2. What will be viewed in this
presentation...
Behavior
Communication
Linguistics according to region
Foods
Attire
LifeStyle
Celebrations and holidays
4. The U.S.A is a vast nation…
The U.S.A is an immense country
comprised of over 300 million
inhabitants. Those occupants reside in the
50 states that the country is made up of.
From the arctic state of Alaska to the
warm beaches of Florida are part of the
U.S.A
The U.S.A is divided into 4 regions; the
East coast, West coast, Midwest, South
7. States in the West
California New Mexico
Oregon Idaho
Washington Utah
Arizona Hawaii
Colorado Alaska
Nevada Texas*
Montana
Wyoming
8. Population Trends in the West
91 million inhabitants
Agricultural population
Has been highly influenced by Native
American, Hispanic and European
influence
Contains largest number of minorities
1.6 million Native American population
22.3 million Hispanics (maj. Mexican)
9. Population trends continued…
Asians 5.1 million
African Americans 5.9 million
(majority in Texas were slavery began)
In the entire United States the majority
of Native Americans, Hispanics and
Asians live in the West
10. Linguistics of Western U.S.A
Distinctaccent
Heavy and often times difficult to
understand
Use contractions
Drop the g sound when speaking
example ¨I am going¨ will sound like ¨I am
goin¨
Frequent use of uncommon words and
phrases
11. More on Western linguistics
Common Western phrases:
gotta (got to, must)
gonna (got to, going to)
over yonder (over there)
nu-uh (no)
fixin ta (getting ready to do something)
y'all (you all)
wanna (want to)
12. Frequent unusual phrases…
¨It'sso hot the hens are layin' hard-boiled
eggs.¨ (related to weather)
¨meaner than a skillet full of rattlesnakes.¨
¨It came a real gully-washer last night or,
Nu-uh, it's so dry the trees are bribin' the
dogs.¨
¨yur so lucky yur riding a gravy train with
biscuit wheels¨
13. Even more unusual phrases…
¨couldn't pour rain out of a boot with a hole
in the toe and directions on the heel.¨
¨calm as a june bug¨
¨nervous as a long-tailed cat in a roomful of
rockers¨
¨all worked up and throw a hissy fit.¨
when a Texan tawks 'bout playin' ball he
prolly means football.
quick as a hiccup
14. Sum up Western talk…
Generally talk slow
Large use of contractions
Use unusual phrases
Expresses emotion when speaking
16. Mid Western U.S.A. also known as…
¨TheHeartland¨
The Midwest
The Middle West
17. States in the midwest include:
Illinois Nebraska
Indiana North Dakota
Iowa South Dakota
Kansas Wisconsin
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Ohio
18. Population in the Midwest…
66 million inhabitants
Comprised mainly of a mixture of
different races including Caucasians,
African Americans, Hispanics
Have some of the most populated cities
in the country
26. Linguistic Trends in the Midwest
Quite distinct from other areas of the
U.S.A
Considered to be ¨standard American
English¨
The farther north traveled the heavier
the accent becomes (Minnesota,
Wisconsin, Upper Michigan) derived from
the Scandinavian influence
27. Linguistic Trends cont.
Western Michigan has a dutch flavored
accent
Many areas near of Canada have a similar
accent to that of Canada
30. Brief facts of the South
Heavily influenced by the slave trade
Native American tribes present
European inhabitants
Civil war against the confederate south
and the north
South has developed its own customs,
literature, cuisine, and language based on
their own experiences
33. Southern dialect…
Southern American English dialect is
often stigmatized
Danjuh: Imminent peril. What John Paul Jones meant
when he said, "Give me a fast ship, for I intend to put
her in harm's way."
Deah: A term of endearment, except in the sense
Rhett Butler used it when he said to Scarlett O'Hara,
"Frankly, my deah, Ah don't give a damn."
Didn't go to: Did not intend to. "Don't whip Billy for
knockin' his little sister down. He didn't go to do it."
34. Frequent words in the south…
Everthang: All-encompassing.
"everthang's all messed up."
Farn: Anything that is not domestic.
"Ah don't drink no farn liquor, specially
Rooshin vodka."
Foolin' around: Can mean not doing
anything in particular or sex, usually of
the extramarital variety. "Sue caught her
husband foolin' around, so she divorced
him."
36. Includes various states…
New York Rhode Island
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Connecticut
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
Maine
Vermont
37. Key Facts about the East Coast
Were against slavery in the Civil War
Famous for there stereotype of having a
fast paced life
Most famous city is New York City also
known as the Big Apple and The City that
Never Sleeps
42. A little food history
U.S.A. is well known for its fertile land
American food grew more similar around
the country as American malls and fast-
food outlets tended to standardize eating
patterns throughout the nation, especially
among young people.
43. More food data…
American food has become more
complex as it draws from the diverse
cuisines that immigrants have brought
with them.
Traditional American cuisine has included
conventional European foodstuffs such as
wheat, dairy products, pork, beef, and
poultry.
44. Food according to region
American cuisine also varies by region.
Southern cooking was often different from
cooking in New England and its upper Midwest
offshoots
Doughnuts, for example, were a New England
staple, while Southerners preferred corn bread.
The availability of foods also affected regional
diets, such as the different kinds of fish eaten in
New England and the Gulf Coast.
45. Food according to region cont.
Boston clam chowder and Louisiana gumbo are
widely different versions of fish soup. Other
variations often depended on the contributions
of indigenous peoples.
In the Southwest, for example, Mexican and
Native Americans made hot peppers a staple
and helped define the spicy hot barbecues and
chili dishes of the area. In Louisiana, Cajun
influence similarly created spicy dishes as a local
variation of Southern cuisine, and African slaves
throughout the South introduced foods such as
okra and yams
46. Today’s food consumption
American emphasis on convenience and rapid
consumption is best represented in fast foods
such as hamburgers, french fries, and soft
drinks, which almost all Americans have eaten.
By the 1960s and 1970s fast foods became one
of America's strongest exports as franchises for
McDonald’s and Burger King spread through
Europe and other parts of the world, including
the former Soviet Union and Communist China.
48. Key points on attire…
Americans do not have distinctive folk
attire with a long tradition.
American clothing has tended to be
homogeneous
American dress is distinctive because of
its casualness.
European designs remain a significant
influence on American tastes
49. More points on attire…
Blue jeans are probably the single most
representative article of American
clothing.
American informality in dress is such a
strong part of American culture that
many workplaces have adopted the idea
of “casual Friday,”
51. Business attire is different…
Business suit and tie are appropriate in all
major cities. Wear dark colored business
suits in classic colors of gray and navy.
For an important formal meeting, choose
a white dress shirt, for less formal a light
blue shirt will still give you a conservative
appearance.
52. Business wear
Women should wear a suit or dress with jacket
in major cities. Wearing classic clothing and
classic colors of navy, gray, ivory, and white will
ensure you give a confident and conservative
appearance.
Women may wear a business dress, or skirt
and blouse, in rural areas.
Men may conduct business without wearing a
jacket and/or tie in rural areas.
53. Business attire cont.
Clothing, whether formal or casual, should be
clean and neat in appearance.
Casual clothing is appropriate when not
attending a work related meeting/dinner.
Building a casual wardrobe using classic lines
and colors (navy, gray, camel, ivory and white)
will give you a look that is stylish and
professional even when you are relaxing.
55. Life Style
Americans choosing to live in the suburbs, a
distinctly American phenomenon developed in
the form of the shopping mall. The shopping
mall has increasingly replaced the old-fashioned
urban downtown, where local shops,
restaurants, and cultural attractions were
located. Modern malls emphasize consumption
as an exclusive activity. The shopping mall, filled
with department stores, specialty shops, fast-
food franchises, and movie multiplexes, has
come to dominate retailing, making suburban
areas across America more and more alike
56. Life Style
The American preference for living in the
suburbs has also affected other living
experiences. Because suburbs emphasize
family life, suburban areas also place a
greater emphasis on school and other
family-oriented political issues than more
demographically diverse cities.
57. Housing
Many poorer Americans cannot afford
homes in the suburbs or apartments in
the gentrified areas of cities. They often
rely upon federal housing subsidies to pay
for apartments in less-desirable areas of
the city or in public housing projects
59. Celebrations
Come from around the world because
citizens come from all over the globe
Historical events also recognized
National dealings also remembered
Family and friends come together
60. Holidays
Presidents’ day Thanksgiving
July 4 Halloween
Martin Luther King Day
Labor Day
Memorial Day
Groundhog day
Veterans Day
George Washingtons B-Day
