4 Using cultural knowledge

Knowledge of any differences and similarities between your own and the Spanish culture is also important for understanding native Spanish speakers. Your personal experiences will influence your interpretation of what you see and your interpretation of what people might be interested in or value most. So you need to be aware that these experiences might not always be transferable into other cultural contexts. Knowing about cultural similarities and differences will aid your understanding.

4.1 Happiness and contentment

In this section you will listen to and watch Andrés Ponga Colina. As you do the exercises, think about the background cultural knowledge you are using from your own experience to help you interpret what he says, and maybe work out what makes him contented. You will also use contextual clues from the video to help you understand what he is saying.

Actividad 13

First of all, identify the three things from the list that make you happiest.

  • familia
  • trabajo
  • éxito
  • dinero
  • amor
  • salud
  • animales
  • amigos
  • viajes
  • estudios
  • tiempo libre

Actividad 14

You have already met Andrés Ponga Colina. Watch this video extract with the sound off and try to work out

  • where Andrés lives.
  • what he does for a living.

Video content is not available in this format.

Actividad 15

Now watch the video with the sound on and find out what the most important things are for Andrés in his life. Complete the following sentences in Spanish according to the things he mentions.

Video content is not available in this format.

Para Andrés hay cuatro cosas importantes en la vida:… A Andrés lo que le hace más feliz es:…

Actividad 16

Are you similar to Andrés? What is important to you in life? Jot down notes and then practise saying out loud in Spanish what is important to you and what makes you happy.

You can use the following prompts.

  • Para mí las cosas importantes en la vida son _________.
  • A mí lo que me hace más feliz es _________.

4.2 Body language

In this section, we will look at how non-verbal communication gives clues to meaning and helps the understanding of foreign language visual media.

Box 4: Reading body language

One of the significant advantages of watching a video or a film is that it offers you visual support. You gain information about the context and the characters and also pick up gestures, facial expressions and body language that can help you infer meaning from speech and understand more of the spoken language.

Indeed, body language plays a crucial role in communication and an awareness of it and how it can vary from culture to culture, can be particularly important in developing the ability to understand in a real environment. Body language is made up of a whole range of features (eye contact, facial expression, proximity, posture and gesture), many of which we combine together without ever thinking about what it is we are doing or what we are expressing.

Actividad 17

Now watch this video in which two brothers, Alberto and Javier Soto, talk about their love and passion for their family business. Pay particular attention to their gestures and how these emphasise the ideas they want to communicate. Match the phrases below with the body part they use for emphasis as they say these phrases. If you want, you can watch it with English subtitles.

“Mi padre y un tío”

“Cuando les hablas de la money”

“Ves, hacerse, sí lo hacemos”

“Coges la puerta de tu casa”

“Siendo un poquito manitas”

“Compramos la pizza, llegamos a casa, abrimos el microondas”

“No lo comparemos con el cocido”

“Estoy superorgulloso de ser carpintero”

“Yo tengo una hija y él tiene dos”

Cabeza

Dedos

Dedo índice

Manos en puño

Palma de las manos

Brazos

Cabeza y brazos

Cara

Cabeza, dedos y brazos