Language and culture are inseparably connected. Each of these countries has similar cultures, but certainly not “the same” cultures. How you communicate and even how you process information, how you see the world is influenced by your culture. For example, think of the word “house”. Picture a typical house. What does it look like? What is is made of? What is surrounding the house? What food is served? What does the kitchen look like?

Most in the US culture think of a home that has a pitched roof, painted, made of mostly wood, maybe some brick or rock, a chimney. Most would probably also think of a yard with grass, bushes, etc. When someone in Latin America thinks “casa“, that is NOT the same image that comes to mind.

What does this tell us about culture?