Talk to partner. Can you explain the difference between a Ritual and a Tradition?
Share your guesses with the class.
Read the paragraphs about tradition and ritual.
• Tradition is a generic term that encompasses a wide variety of things and concepts that are handed down by one generation to another. A tradition is an act, behavior, or a belief system which has a special significance for the members of the society.
• Ritual is an act or a series of acts that are performed or observed in a society. In every society, important functions, events, ceremonies, festivals are marked by certain acts or a series of acts that are perceived to have a symbolic value. Rituals are observed almost religiously because, in most cases, they have a religious backing and, therefore, considered important for individuals in the society. It is the presence of rituals that make an event formal and traditional.
According to the definitions above, decide which situations are rituals and traditions.
- a handshake to greet others
- the practice to honor and respect the seniors
- exchanging wedding rings on the alter
- bride’s wearing white on the wedding day
Traditions
2, 4
Rituals
1, 3
Watch the movie segment from the movie The Great Wall and make a list of acts involved in the rituals of the scene. Can you see any traditions? Have in mind the acts, clothes, feelings, etc.
Watch the segment from the fantastic movie, Baraka, and compare both rituals. Write sentences with BOTH:
Remember:
Both
Both means ‘this one and that one’, ‘these two together’, ‘at the same time’ (it always precedes two elements):
Ex: Both my parents are from Brazil. My mother is from Salvador and so is my father.
Ex: Burger King sells both burgers and fries. Burg sells burgers and also fries.
Both can also be used as a pronoun:
Ex: Both of them work near their homes. Those two people work near their homes.
Ex: I saw two shirts in the store and I bought them both.
I saw two shirts in the store and I bought the two of them.
1 – ________________
2 – ________________
3 – ________________
4 – ________________
5 – ________________
