Article published in:
Cognitive Linguistic Studies
Vol. 5:2 (2018) ► pp. 261–281

Cross-cultural conceptualizations of ageing in Australia

| Monash University
| Monash University
| Monash University
| Monash University
| Monash University
| Australian National University

In this paper, the framework of Cultural Linguistics is employed to examine how older people from two different ethnic backgrounds in Australia conceptualize ageing and their own experience of ageing. The paper employs a qualitative method for the instantiations of interviews from two focus groups of Australian women. The results indicated that women of Anglo-Celtic background had a more self-oriented perception of ageing, aged care and self, while women of Chinese background had a more relational outlook. However, the evidence indicated that changes were taking place in both traditions despite a certain degree of continuity.

Keywords: Cultural Linguistics, cultural conceptualizations, ageing, Anglo-Australian, Chinese-Australian
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Aging and aged care in traditional Chinese and Anglo-Celtic cultures
  • 3.Cultural Linguistics and cultural conceptualizations
  • 4.The study
    • 4.1Participants
    • 4.2Data collection and analysis
  • 5.Findings: Cultural conceptualizations of aging and aged care
    • 5.1What is seniority
    • 5.2Ageing and aged care
      • 5.2.1Chinese older immigrants’ ageing and aged care
        • 5.2.1.1Familial dependence and filial piety
        • 5.2.1.2Social interdependence
      • 5.2.2Independence and acceptance: Anglo-Australian’s schema of ageing and aged care
    • 5.3Older immigrant’s self
      • 5.3.1Chinese immigrants’ self
      • 5.3.2Older Anglo-Australian’s self
  • 6.Conclusion
  • References
Published online: 14 February 2019
https://doi.org/10.1075/cogls.00021.hua
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