A Comparative Analysis of the Arab Culture: Arabic, English and Japanese Languages and Values

Abstract

The objective of the study is to place Arab culture in relation to American and Japanese cultures. In so doing the role the language in use plays in our attitudes was examined. The data sources for the study are derived from a series of student surveys and focused interviews conducted by us and others from 1979 through 1990 in Japan, the United States and the Arab world. Hayashi's pattern analysis was used to locate Arab culture in comparison with American and Japanese cultures. In this study, we found that Arab culture when compared with American and Japanese cultures is industrialist (if "conquer nature" is so perceived), rational and efficiency-oriented, selection-oriented or decisive, and tradition-oriented. American culture in relation to Arab and Japanese cultures is noted for its individualistic orientation, optimism, postindustrialism (if `follow nature" is so considered) , and workplace paternalism. Japanese culture is characterized by contexturalism and non-direction orientation (indecisive and fuzzy to Arabs and Americans).