SOME LANGUAGE ASPECTS OF THE U.S. ADVISORY ROLE IN SOUTH VIETNAM
Abstract
This paper presents certain information regarding the role and verbal communication problems of the U. S. military in a strategic geopolitical area. The data come from a group of United States Army officers who had served tours of duty in South Vietnam. The survey yielding the data was conducted as part of a project aimed at developing a short, programmed course to enhance the Vietnamese language capability of U. S. Armed Forces personnel. It was deemed desirable in said project to have the course content based on an empirical determination of actual language needs. The present paper summarizes the findings of the content generation survey which was conducted to assess these needs. The survey was carried out as a best available approximation to on-the- spot observation of actual U. S. Vietnamese interpersonal communication requirements. The information to be described falls into five subject-matter areas, viz: (1) length and character of duty assignments; (2) methods of communication between U. S. advisors and their Vietnamese counterparts; (3) the importance of language problems; (4) critical verbal communication incidents; and (5) non-duty contacts with Vietnamese nationals.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 1963
- Accession Number
- AD0434056
Entities
People
- Alfred I. Fiks
- John W. Mccrary
Organizations
- George Washington University