Chapter 8 Language and Culture

English Linguistics: An Introduction

Chapter 8 Language and Culture

0. Warm-up Questions

1. What Is Culture?

2. Language vs. Culture

3. Case studies

4. Pedagogical Implication

5. Intercultural Communication

0. Warm-up Questions

What is culture? What are different aspects of culture?

How are culture and language related to each other?

Can you produce some linguistic evidence of different

cultures?

What are your suggestions for polite conversations?

What implications can we draw from the relationship,

for both language learning and intercultural

communication?

1. What Is Culture?

Few statements about culture: The set of shared attitudes, values, goals,

and practices that characterizes an institution, organization or group.

A learned pattern of behavior and ways in which a person lives his or her life.

A term used by social scientists for a people's whole way of life.

人类在社会历史发展过程中所创造的物质和精神财富的总和。 人们普遍的社会习惯，如衣食住行、风俗习惯、生活方式、行

为规范等。

2. Language vs. Culture

2.1 The Relationship (p146) Language is an indispensable part and

carrier of culture. Culture finds a better representation

through language use.

2.2 Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis (p149) Our language helps mould our way of

thinking and, consequently, different languages may probably express speakers’ unique ways of understanding the world.

2. Language vs. Culture

2.2 Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis (p149)

Two versions of the SWH: Linguistic Determinism: Language

determines thought. (strong version) Linguistic Relativity: Language merely

influences thought. (weak version)

3. Case studies

3.1 Cultural Difference (p154)

Greetings How are you? 你吃过了吗？到哪去啊？ Terms of address Ms, 同志，师傅，主任， Uncle: 叔父伯父舅父姨父姑

父 Thanks and compliments ： I’m glad to be of help. 不客气。 Thank you. 哪

里哪里？ Colour words Green eyes, blue blood, green hand, 扫黄，红

军，

3. Case studies

3.2 Cultural Overlap and Diffusion

Cultural overlap 文化重合 爸爸，妈妈， Professor ， Have daddy told you

that?

Cultural diffusion 文化扩散 你 OUT 了。 Happy 去。唱 KTV 。 Call 我。借我

Copy 一下。 CCTV, MTV, 3D, IE[ 网络 ] ，汉堡包， tofu, hold 不住 ...

4. Pedagogical Implication

4.1 Culture in Language Learning (p155)

Learning a language is inseparable from learning its culture, as language is deeply rooted in culture.

Acculturation helps achieve pragmatic or communicative competence, as well as linguistic competence.

Culture makes language learning more enjoyable, as focus is shifted away from language towards the people who use the language: how they live, think, behave, etc.

4. Pedagogical Implication

4.2 Culture in Language Teaching (p156)

Three objectives for cultural teaching; To get students familiar with cultural

differences; To help students transcend their own culture

and see things as the members of the target culture will;

To emphasize the inseparability of understanding language and understanding through various classroom practices.

5. Intercultural Communication

5.1 Definition

Also known as cross-cultural communication, is frequently used to refer to communication between people from different cultures.

5.2 Principles (p163)

Successful communication occurs when the hearer can see, feel, and understand

issues from the speaker’s point of view the speaker and hearer know each other’s

intention the two parties adopt a dynamic dialogue

pattern

5. Intercultural Communication

5.3 Strategies

When in Rome do as the Romans do. ( 你，您 ) Put yourself in other’s shoes. (atomic bombs

on Japan) One culture’s meat is another culture’s

poison. (Love me, love my bird.) Honesty and sincerity are key points to

mutual understanding.