Introduction
The United States of America and the Republic of Ireland are two countries with unique histories, cultures, and traditions. Naturally, there are many differences between American and Irish societies and the cultures of the two nations. Nevertheless, there are still many similarities in their cultural values and customs. Thus, Irish and American cultures are characterized by similarities and differences in verbal and non-verbal communication, cultural norms and values, sanctions, folkways, mores, and taboos.
Similarities in Values and Customs
There are several similarities between the American and Irish cultures. For example, it can be argued that verbal and non-verbal communication in the two countries is quite comparable. The most obvious similarity is that English is spoken in the USA and Ireland. In addition, it is the norm for the American and Irish people to maintain direct eye contact during a conversation and allow each other personal space (“American Culture”; “Irish Culture”). Violating someone’s personal space would be considered rude in the United States and Ireland. In both cultures gesturing during a conversation is kept to a minimum, but the use of gestures to show one’s explanation is being listened to and understood is a widely accepted folkway (“American Culture”; “Irish Culture”). Thus, verbal and non-verbal communication in the discussed countries is relatively comparable.
The views of American and the Irish people on family and family life also share numerous similarities. Thus, the nuclear family structure of a father, mother, and child or children remains prevalent in both nations (“American Culture”; “Irish Culture”). Nevertheless, other family structures and arrangements are also widespread and are rarely discriminated against. Same-sex marriages are legalized in the United States and the Republic of Ireland, with these countries passing the marriage equality bill in 2015 (“American Culture”; “Irish Culture”). In addition, it should be noted that in America, families with strong religious beliefs oppose divorce and insist couples get married before having children (“American Culture”). Similarly, the Catholic Church in Ireland demands marriage before a couple has children and claims divorce is unacceptable (“American Culture”). However, in both cases, divorce is viewed as taboo only in certain communities and is not discouraged in others. Thus, the Irish and American citizens share many similar views on marriage and family life.
Furthermore, both the American and Irish people have similar mores and taboos concerning their homeland and cultural heritage topics. It is considered extremely rude to criticize, mock or stereotype the United States and the Republic of Ireland when in conversation with Americans or the Irish (“American Culture”; “Irish Culture”). Thus, insulting one’s culture and heritage is taboo in the two countries. Furthermore, Ireland and the USA are secular countries, with freedom of religious expression being guaranteed to the citizens of the nations by law (“Irish Culture”; Zimmermann). Therefore, stereotyping and judging a person based on religious beliefs is considered a taboo and a criminal offense.
Sports, specifically those that originated in the U.S. and Ireland, are an essential part of the culture for both nations. Thus, American citizens enjoy attending such sports as American football, baseball, basketball (Zimmermann). Meanwhile, Irish people favor Gaelic football, soccer, hurling, and camogie (Callan). It can be asserted that criticizing and insulting the national sports of the countries is a social taboo. Although support for the nations’ favorite sports is encouraged, lack of interest is considered a personal choice, not a violation of an unwritten rule.
Differences in Values and Customs
The Irish and American cultures are also different in several regards. Although English is freely spoken in both countries, it does not hold the status of an official language in the United States. Furthermore, Irish is also spoken in Ireland and has the status of the country’s official language alongside English (“Irish Culture”). Meanwhile, the USA is a multilingual country with a variety of languages spoken on its territory, including Spanish, French, German, and Chinese, among many others (Zimmermann). Compared to Ireland, the United States’ linguistic culture is more varied. The American communication style is more direct, whereas Irish people are indirect communicators, preferring to give subtle cues and use body language to convey a message (“American Culture”; “Irish Culture”). Furthermore, the volume of speech varies as Americans favor high volumes, and the Irish use softer tones when conversing (“American Culture”; “Irish Culture”). Thus, being overly direct and dominating a dialogue is considered breaking a folkway in Ireland. In addition, light physical contact is more acceptable in Ireland compared to the U.S. Overall, there are different social norms and folkways regarding verbal and non-verbal communication in the two cultures.
The social norms differ substantially in the United States and the Republic of Ireland. Thus, in Ireland, teases and slight insults are considered a folkway and an innate part of the Irish way of communicating with others (“Irish Culture”). Notably, this manner of communication includes a close circle of friends and people who barely know each other. Meanwhile, in the United States, such banter would be considered inappropriate. Furthermore, boastful behavior and active self-promotion are widely accepted and encouraged in the United States due to the social norm of individualism being highly valued (Hofstede Insights). Meanwhile, Ireland presents as a less individualistic society, in which bragging about one’s achievements, although not considered taboo, can be viewed as rude and inappropriate (“Irish Culture”). Thus, different social norms and values govern interpersonal communications in the United States and Ireland.
The social etiquette also varies significantly in the two countries. The Irish and American people have different views on time, visiting friends and family, and even eating. Thus, in the USA, being late is unacceptable and is rude (“American Culture”). However, being late to a large social gathering is more appropriate than being late to work or a business meeting. In Ireland, people are more flexible with time, and being up to 15 minutes late is not taboo (“Irish Culture”). Visiting friends and family is more spontaneous in Ireland, whereas in the United States, visitors are expected to arrange a visit beforehand (“American Culture”; “Irish Culture”). Late callers for prearranged small gatherings should inform the host in both countries. In addition, when dining at a house of a friend or a family member, people in Ireland consider it good manners to finish all the offered food, whereas, in America, people can refuse some foods with no explanation required (“Irish Culture”). It is evident that numerous folkways define socially acceptable behavior in the two nations.
Conclusion
In summary, the United States of America and the Republic of Ireland are countries with distinct cultures but whose social norms tend to overlap in a variety of areas. Thus, the nations have striking similarities in verbal and non-verbal interpersonal communication, views on family, sports, and attitudes towards their homelands and heritage. However, the two cultures differ in various aspects of social communication and have distinct social etiquette rules.
Works Cited
“American Culture.” Cultural Atlas, 2020, Web.
Callan, Paris D. “Top 10 Irish Cultural Traditions, Customs, and Their Origins.” Ireland Before You Die, 2020, Web.
Hofstede Insights. “Country Comparison.” Hofstede Insights, 2021, Web.
“Irish Culture.” Cultural Atlas, 2017, Web.
Mulshine, Molly. “I’m an American Who Visited Ireland — Here Are the 7 Biggest Differences I Noticed.” Insider, Web.
Zimmermann, Kim A. “American Culture: Traditions and Customs of the United States.” Livescience.com, Web.