An ethnographic case study of a group of Vietnamese elderly immigrants in The Los Angeles Area

Includes bibliographical references (pages 139-151)This ethnographic case study examines the communication\ud patterns of a group of Vietnamese elderly immigrants who are\ud members of a Los Angeles-area Senior Multipurpose Center\ud (SMC). The purpose of this study is to identify those\ud communication strategies used by the Vietnamese elderly at\ud SMC that differentiate them from mainstream American culture\ud and that allow them to "get by" in United States culture.\ud Through the collection of ethnographic field notes,\ud dominant values of the members are identified. Six\ud dominant values are discussed: pride, the group as a social\ud unit, respect, hard work, privacy, and adaptability. In\ud addition, communication patterns among the Vietnamese\ud elderly at SMC are discussed. Their communication patterns \ud are grouped into three major areas: communication that\ud fosters a supportive climate (joking and laughing,\ud reluctance to argue, and use of the apology), English\ud language learning difficulties (difficulties with questions\ud and difficulties with the English language), and use of\ud nonverbal communication (hinting, use of silence, use of the\ud smile, and use of facial expressions and touch).\ud Implications of these findings are discussed in terms\ud of Vietnamese culture and communication, American culture\ud and communication and intercultural communication