Chapter 3: Making Generalizations
When people have little information about a group of people they are likely to think of them in a very general way. If the other people with whom they interact also lack information about that group, they are likely to share an overly generalizing based on limited or inaccurate information is called stereotyping.
We all make generalizations
Everyone generalizes every day just to make sense of his experience. No one can respond to every situation as if it were entirely new and unique. A student anticipating a class taught by a teacher he has never met, generalizes from his experience that teachers have certain typical behaviors, opinions, and expectations. The student interacts with the new teacher he meets based on the generalizations he has made from his previous teachers. This is normal and sensible. The student may have a problem, however, if the generalization he makes is too broad or is based on inadequate or outdated information. Such an inappropriate generalization can get him into trouble.
Some generalizations are too broad, out-of –date, or inaccurate
When I was asked to give a lecture to a second year intensive reading class about the American character I was faced with a complex problem of generalization. First of all, are all Americans alike? Do they all have the same character? Of course not, but it is possible to say that Americans tend to have this or that attitude or speak in this or that way. People with a shared experience and shared history do have things in common.
The students had been reading an essay by the respected American historian Henry Steele Commager. In my lecture I was supposed to expand on what Commager had said about the American character. The essay was written in the 1960’s and I was lecturing in the 1990’s. Surely much had changed in that time. Another problem was that Commager was comparing American culture to European cultures. While his generalizations may have been appropriate at the time the essay was written and for his intended audience, it was not as useful a generalization for Chinese university students reading it in the 1990’s.A further problem was that Commager was describing what have come to be called dominant culture Americans. There was no mention of subcultures, regional or social class differences. I realized that Chinese students who formed their generalizations about Americans from Commager’s essay would have many misconceptions.
Some generalizations include positive or negative judgments
In my lecture I tried to point out these problems and caution the students about making generalizations, but usually that does not happen. Thousands, if not millions, of Chinese university students have read that essay and consider it a reliable source. If was reliable for its time and for its intended audience, but it isn’t necessary
reliable for all time and for all audiences. Undoubtedly students in other cultures read similar essays about China.
Another problem with generalizations is that sometimes the information we receive about other cultures contains biases. These can be positive biases or negative biases. A reader might think the information is purely factual, while in reality it is intended to encourage a particular attitude toward a specific group or culture. Sometimes even the authors are not aware of their own biases. A few years ago the prestigious Asia Society in the used in the United States did a study of how Asian cultures were described in textbooks used in American schools. They found that American books “often present Asian cultures negatively, regarding them as hindrances to progress or as primitive trappings that will become outmoded when change has taken place.”Students using these textbooks are subtly learning that Western culture is superior to Asian culture.
Such short comings in cross-cultural education on both sides of the Pacific should make us cautious
Avoiding generalizations that are too broad
In a popular book Joel Garreau put forth the idea that the region of North America are so different from
Nine Nations of North America
national cultures. In this case cultural differences are described in terms of regional economies and characteristics of the populations living in those regions. This is a rather unconventional way of categorizing cultural differences in the U.S. People are more accustomed to thinking of American subcultures in terms of race and ethnic groups. In other countries language differences define the boundaries between subcultures as in the case of French speaking and English speaking Canada.
To avoid overgeneralizations, pay attention to levels of culture
In China people also define themselves as different from one another. Living in Jiangsu Province I have found that people make distinctions between people from the east and those from south of the Yangtze River and those from the North (economic differences). People also define others as similar or different from themselves on the basis of urban or rural residence, occupation (professionals and workers), ethnicity (Han or
think of people who are different from them in age, gender or social class as belonging to different cultures. If, however, they realize that people who are different in various ways experience the world somewhat differently from the way they experience it.
For instance, a Chinese urban dweller may be sympathetic to the problems of a farmer in the countrtyside. He or she may admire the farmer and advocate social policies that would benefit him and his family. At the same time the urban dweller might feel unable to fully understand the experience of that farmer, and it is likely that he would not want his daughter to marry the farmer’s son. When differences in levels of culture involve age differences, people talk about the generation gap; when they involve differences between men’s and women’s attitudes or values, people refer to it as the gender gap. The use of the word “gap”is revealing, because if indicates that people in these different categories often have difficulty understanding each other. They do not fully share meanings with one another.
Negative Stereotypes
When I conducted this survey in a class of third year English majors, I found that students gave quite low
his culture did not in clued any similarities. The man told me that his culture and Chinese culture shared a strong emphasis on family values including respect for elders and unquestioning loyalty to family alike in their conservative attitudes regarding relationships between men and women as compared to Western cultures. In China as at home, people understood his values including his obligations and feelings about family and respected them. This made him feel more at home in China than in America or Europe.
The students then told me the images they had of Moslem cultures. The people are fanatic religious believers; women are submissive and oppressed by men; they are sometimes featured in news reports of terrorism. It became clear that the students had little information about Middle Eastern cultures beyond what they knew from news reports and that this accounted for their negative bias or prejudice.
We want to be close to people who are alike us
The survey results showed that most important for a perception of similarity was Chinese culture followed
by education, residence in a developed country and ethnicity or race. In essays that explained their responses, many students explained their choices by saying that there is an “echo of the heart” when two people share culture. They felt there was something intangible and non-verbal about the intimacy that was possible only with a foreigner. Many students, however, rated educated foreigners higher than less educated members of their own culture.
Gender differences also proved to be important. Some students said that a Chinese man might marry a Japanese woman but a Chinese woman would not marry a Japanese man. Students who answered in this way believe that Chinese men treat women better than Japanese women. Many others did not feel that intimate friendships were possible with members of the opposite sex. (T/his is another similarity between Middle Eastern cultures and Chinese culture.)
Stereotypes and prejudices
A generalization that goes beyond the existing evidence, and inaccurate or overgeneralization, is a stereotype. We might have positive stereotypes (members of a certain group have good qualities) as well as negative stereotypes (members of the group have undesirable characteristics). In either case it is the inaccuracy or overgeneralization of the characteristics that we attribute to a group that is the problem. Stereotypes that include negative feelings and attitudes toward a group are prejudices. Strong prejudices are sometimes described as racism, ageism and extreme nationalism. A stereotype involves a person’s thinking while a prejudice includes negative feelings as well as negative beliefs about members of a group. Prejudice takes many forms:
Severe prejudice
Some people believe that members of a particular group are inferior according to some standard. For instance, people who believe that women are inferior in mental ability to men are often called sexists, while people that blacks are genetically inferior to whites are called racists. Such people deeply believe that members or the group are not worthy of equal or even decent treatment. This kind of severe prejudice was expressed by many Euro-Americans in their relationship to Native Americans when they agreed with the slogan, “The only good Indian is a dead Indian.” Today we are repelled by such terrible feelings, but we all know that such severe prejudice still exists in the world. A number of recent regional wars have been accompanied by words and deeds described by horrified observers as genocide, the attempt to kill all members of the opposing group. Research on prejudice shows that this kind of severe prejudice decreases with education. More educated people are less likely to think that people from another group are inferior or in some way less than fully human. Symbolic prejudice
Some people have negative feelings about a particular group because they feel that the group is a threat to them in some way. They do not dislike the group itself but feel that the group is a threat to a way of life that they value. For instance, in explaining their responses on the survey students often said that rural relatively uneducated Han Chinese have a “low cultural level”. In discussing their opinions, it became clear that my educated students felt that uneducated people, especially those coming to the city from the countryside, threatened their way of life. They might become criminal, might cheat, might live in an unsanitary way or otherwise make the city less civilized. Those with symbolic prejudice may feel that members of a group (women, rural migrants, immigrants from a particular country, etc.) are making unreasonable demands on the society. They may feel the group is costing them money, driving down wages, putting too great a burden on the public schools or causing overcrowding, crime or a decline in family values. This type of prejudice is more
common members of the educated middle class in various countries than the first type.
Tokenism
Some people have negative feelings about members of a particular group but do not want to admit this, even to themselves. Such people do not view themselves as prejudiced and to prove this to themselves and others they often participate in unimportant but positive behavior toward members of the group. For instance, a person can convince himself or herself that he or she is a small amount of money to a cause of a minority group by donating the same time the person is likely to pass up opportunities to engage in more important behaviors relative to the group, such as giving a significant amount of time and energy to a project that would benefit the group. We might show our lack of prejudice toward the disabled by helping someone in a wheelchair to cross the street, but we may be unwilling to work to make sure that city streets and public buildings are accessible to everyone who must use a wheelchair.
Subtle prejudice
Some people behave toward members of a group in a positive and friendly way in relatively distant social situations but show their prejudice in more personal or intimate social situations. For instance, at a banquet, in the office or at any public social event, the person will be polite and respectful, even friendly, toward someone from the group he or she feels prejudice against. In more personal situations such as a dinner at someone’s home or in a group of close friends, the person with subtle prejudice may be uneasy or unfriendly toward the person from the group he does not like. He or she is showing that they want to keep members of this group at a distance and not include them in more personal relationships.
Real likes and dislikes
Some people may have negative feelings about members of a group because they don’t like some of the behavior of members of that group. For instance, someone may really be bothered by loud music and knows from experience that members of one group are more likely to play loud music. The person may respect the musical tradition of that group but still may not like it. If the older people in your area are very fond of Chinese opera and like to play their music in a disturbing way in a less than pleasant manner. Westerners visiting China sometimes comment on their dislike of spitting or the standard of cleanliness in public toilets. When they meet these conditions, their interactions with the local people involved will probably be negatively influenced by their dislike, even if they fully understand the reasons for the unpleasant situation they find themselves in. Preference for the familiar
It is more relaxing and comfortable to interact with people with whom we share culture, language, level of education, beliefs, style of communication and experience. What looks like prejudice may, in fact, be a preference for non-stressful and enjoyable interactions. Lack of familiarity with a group or lack of fluency in a language can make it difficult for people to communicate and the risk of making a mistake is higher. If someone is unwilling to make the extra effort needed, he or she may appear to be insensitive to members of a particular group. It may be that it is only unfamiliarity that causes the insensitivity and misunderstanding. In these instances improved communication and more familiarity with the group may help to improve the situation.
Attitudes of cultural superiority
Attitudes and opinions about another culture may be positive or negative, accurate or inaccurate, but what
about our opinions about our own culture? It is normal and natural for each of us to be proud of our own culture ’s achievements, values and characteristics, but sometimes we go too far. We allow our pride to turn into an attitude that others are not as good as we are. Here are attitudes of superiority often associated with specific nationalities:
● Americans might think that America is the biggest the best, the newest and the richest, and all others are a
bit slow, old fashioned, rather poor and somewhat on the small side. Visitors to the US have commented that many Americans think all newcomers want to become Americans.
● Some Chinese think they have the highest civilization in the world, that their present relative poverty is the
result of historical forces that will soon be corrected, and that the world will one day recognize the superiority of Chinese civilization.
● Spaniards may take pride in being especially brave.
● The French may believe that they are intellectually superior to everybody else.
● Germans may feel that they are the best in matters of efficiency, method, and organization and may be
perfectly willing to share their expertise on these issues with non-Germans.
Both Asia and the West have traditions that rank culture in hierarchies from the worst to the best, from the least civilized to the most civilized. In the West this idea was popular in the nineteenth century under the influence of Social Darwinism, a line of thinking that said that cultures evolve from a low level of higher levels. In Europe and America this thinking put Western society at the top, mostly because of its technological and scientific achievements. The American anthropologist Lewis Henry Morgan in his book Ancient Societies (1877) defined each level in the pyramid and classified all the cultures of the world according to this system.
Primitive cultures Figure 2 A nineteenth century way of ranking cultures
Under the influence of Social Darwinism, some people still think that primitive cultures, what scientists now call hunter-gatherer societies, are simple and believe that members of those cultures are like children. Some of us are still burdened with attitudes from the nineteenth century that became popular because visitors to those cultures were unable to understand what they were seeing and hearing and were so proud of their own cultures that they could not appreciate a culture that was so different. Now researchers tell us that even the most primitive cultures have complex social patterns, valuable technology, wisdom lost to more “advanced ” cultures and other achievements worthy of our respect.
In the survey you took earlier in the chapter, you may have found that cultures with lower levels of economic and technological development were rated lower than more developed countries. This is an example of the problem of attitudes of cultural superiority we are talking about.
An Englishman living in Indonesia wrote the comments below when he got tired of hearing Westerners
from highly developed countries criticizing his adopted country during the Asian economic crisis of 1998. Civilization
Barbarism
Savagery
progress
第一章跨文化语言交际概述 第一节文化、语言和交际 一、关于文化的概念 （一）文化的内涵和特性 1、关于文化的内涵 概括地讲，文化即是人们所思、所言（言语和非言语）、所为、所觉的总和。在不同的生态或自然环境下，不同的民族创造了自己特有的文化，也被自己的文化所塑造。交际即文化，文化即交际，如果没有交际，文化是难以形成的。科学的提法是：“文化是冻结了的人际交流，而交际是流动着的文化。” 2、关于文化的特性 （1）文化由人们的内稳和外显的行为组成。 （2）文化是通过符号被人们习得和传授的知识。 （3）文化是群体行为规则的集合。 （4）文化与社会是潜在现实中两种类型或两个层面上的概念。 （5）文化是历史所衍生及选择的传统观念。 （6）文化和交际具有同一性。 （7）文化是动态多变的。 （8）文化具有选择性。 （9）文化是群体或民族中心主义的意识产物。 （10）文化是个非常复杂的系统。 （二）文化定势、群体文化、亚文化 1、文化定势和群体文化 世界上大多数社会中都可能存在着若干群体或社团，这些群体或社团对地域、历史、生活方式、世界观，以及价值观等方面的共享，使其成员形成并发展和强化了自己独特的文化和与其相关的交际文化。存在两种不同类型的文化范畴：一是全民族的文化，即整体的文化形象，二是具体的个性文化，即是按个人的社会情况或个人所属文化群体为基础的文化，有的学者把这种文化称之为群体文化或副文化。 2、亚文化与亚群体 在跨文化交际研究中，对文化分类的一种较为传统的做法是把文化分成主流文化和亚文化。亚文化是指存在于某一主流文化之中的一种非主流文化，某一少数群体的文化，这一文化中的行为模式区别于主流文化的行为模式。 二、关于语言的概念 （一）语言是交际工具 1、交际媒介 言语交际是人类社会中必需的另一种交换活动，交换的是信息、思想、情感。语言就是一个符号系统，一个人脑子里贮存了符号和符号的组合规则，他就可以和别人交际，传情达意，沟通信息。 2、符号功能 符号是用某种能感知的形式来代表某种事物或现象的结合体。符号由两个要素构成：一个是形式，必须是人们可感知的途径，如听觉、视觉、嗅觉、触觉等等；另一个是意义，即这个形式所代表的事物或现象。形式和意义结合，就成了“符号”。人类语言是一种有声语言，用声音形式来表示意义，通过听觉途径来感知和理解话语。 （二）语言是思维工具 “思维”和“思想”不完全相同：思维是人们认识现实世界的过程；而思想是人们对现实世
Unit 1 Communication Across Cultures Reading I Intercultural Communication：An Introduction Comprehension questions 1. Is it still often the case that “everyone?s quick to blame the alien” in the contemporary world? This is still powerful in today‘s soci al and political rhetoric. For instance, it is not uncommon in today‘s society to hear people say that most, if not all, of the social and economic problems are caused by minorities and immigrants. 2. What?s the difference between today?s intercultural contact and that of any time in the past? Today‘s intercultural encounters are far more numerous and of greater importance than in any time in history. 3. What have made intercultural contact a very common phenomenon in our life today? New technology, in the form of transportation and communication systems, has accelerated intercultural contact; innovative communication systems have encouraged and facilitated cultural interaction; globalization of the economy has brought people together; changes in immigration patterns have also contributed to intercultural encounter. 4. How do you understand the sentence “culture is everything and everywhere”? Culture supplies us with the answers to questions about what the world looks like and how we live and communicate within that world. Culture teaches us how to behave in our life from the instant of birth. It is omnipresent. 5. What are the major elements that directly influence our perception and communication? The three major socio-cultural elements that directly influence perception and communication are cultural values, worldview (religion), and social organizations (family and state). 6. What does one?s family teach him or her while he or she grows up in it? The family teaches the child what the world looks like and his or her place in that world. 7. Why is it impossible to separate our use of language from our culture? Because language is not only a form of preserving culture but also a means of sharing culture. Language is an organized, generally agreed-upon, learned symbol system that is used to represent the experiences within a cultural community. 8. What are the nonverbal behaviors that people can attach meaning to? People can attach meaning to nonverbal behaviors such as gestures, postures, facial expressions,eye contact and gaze, touch, etc. 9. How can a free, culturally diverse society exist? A free, culturally diverse society can exist only if diversity is permitted to flourish without prejudice and discrimination, both of which harm all members of the society. Reading II The Challenge of Globalization Comprehension questions 1. Why does the author say that our understanding of the world has changed? Many things, such as political changes and technological advances, have changed the world very rapidly. In the past most human beings were born, lived, and died within a limited geographical area, never encountering people of other cultural backgrounds. Such an existence, however, no longer prevails in the world. Thus, all people are faced with the challenge of understanding this changed and still fast changing world in which we live.
浅谈跨文化交际在小学英语教学中的重要性 东方市第三小学符将娇 “跨文化交际”教学在英语教学中占有非常重要的地位，在小学阶段更是如此。在小学英语教学中，英语教师可根据小学生的认知水平、思维特点，以课堂教学作为“跨文化交际”教学的主要途径，在课堂教学过程中灵活运用各种教学方法；把课外活动作为实现文化教学的重要途径，充分利用生活中的各种资源来开展“跨文化交际”教学。 一、小学英语“跨文化交际”教学的重要性 传统的小学英语教学一般侧重于语音、词汇、语法的传授和机械的句型练习，往往忽视英美国家文化背景知识的渗透。重语言轻文化的教学方式导致学生不能灵活地运用英语语言。小学生只能记忆单词，了解课文内容，完成课后练习，但不理解其文化背景知识。语言是文化的载体，学习一个国家的语言，必须学习这个国家的文化背景知识。《英语课程标准》明确指出：语言有丰富的文化内涵。接触和了解英语国家文化有益于对英语的理解和使用，有益于加深对本国文化的理解与认识，有益于培养世界意识。因此，在教学中，教师应根据学生的年龄特点和认知能力，逐步扩展文化知识的内容和范围。 小学英语“跨文化交际”教学势在必行。因为我们必须要在小学这个打基础的重要阶段就把“跨文化交际”教学放在突出的地位，让学生从一开始就在有文化背景的环境下学到地道的英语。在小学英语教学中进行“跨文化交际”教学，也是新英语课程对小学英语教师提出的一个新要求。
二、小学英语“跨文化交际”教学的实现方式与途径 教学实践及理论告诉我们，小学英语“跨文化交际”教学的主要实现方式与途径应以课堂教学为主，而课外活动则可作为其重要的实现途径。 1.课堂教学是进行文化教学的主要方式 就目前而言，课堂教学依然是教学活动的主要方式，而且学生和教师在课堂上的时间也最长。课堂教学是进行文化教学的主要阵地，教师应把英语语言教学置于跨文化的环境中，把跨文化交际列为英语教学的一个不可或缺的重要组成部分。 (1)对比差异，激活教材。教材是学生学习英语的重要资源，然而小学英语教材的编撰对文化项目没有作分门别类系统的介绍，在教材中只是以零星、不完整的形式出现，这就需要教师结合具体教学内容，将教材中那些有关英语国家文化背景知识和社会风俗习惯的典型实例挖掘出来，让学生领会英汉文化的差异，以提高学生的语言交际能力。如课文中经常出现的打招呼用语，中西方的差别相当大。中国人通常用“去哪啊？”“忙吗？”“吃了吗?” 等等表示友好的问候，并不关心答语的实质内容。而在英国人看来，这些问题是非常奇怪的，也容易产生歧义甚至文化冲突。英国人见面问好通常用Hello / Hi / Good morning /How are you？等等。在教学过程中，教师应努力激活教材内容，进行文化比较，及时点拨学生领会文化异同现象。通过这样的教学方法，才能真正让学生了解语言背景知识，培养其跨文化交际，学以致用，有效地提高其在真实场景下的语言运用和交际能力。 (2)巧设悬念，激起探究。学源于思，思起于疑。教师要巧妙设疑，创设悬念，使学生产生求知欲和探索欲。在小学英语教学中，教师通过巧设悬念，能让学生更加深刻地理解中外文化的差异。
《跨文化交际学概论》第七章社会交往五、宴请招待p132 Case One: Setting Rules for a Guest – American Hospitality 案例： When Zhang Tao traveled in America, he lived in the home of his American friend, Bill. Once after he had traveled back, he found Bill was in a bad mood. When he asked what the problem was, Bill told Zhang Tao that his son Adam got furious about the noise Zhang made when walking upstairs and also because he was using too much water in the solar powered shower and Adam had to have his shower in cold water. Bill told Zhang Tao that he should walk more softly in future, and have a fast shower to save water. Zhang Tao felt uneasy. How could the host set such rules for his guest! Question: Why did Zhang Tao feel uneasy? 分析： 1) In China, when people host someone, they put the guest in the place of honor to show hospitality. They try to take care of the guest，and try to make the guest feel comfortable and at ease. 2) In America, people tend to give the guest great freedom and treat a guest more casually, naturally and truthfully. 3) Zhang Tao knew he was a guest, and thought in terms of Chinese expectations of hospitality. He thought Bill should treat him courteously instead of setting rules for him. 4) Since Zhang Tao lived in American surroundings, he should have known about the customs there sooner. Case Two: 案例： Lin had traveled 20 hours from Beijing to New York. He needed a good meal. His American friend, Mike, met him. But Mike only offered him a plate of roasted chicken and a glass of orange juice. Lin was used to having a main course, and asked Mike if he had any rice. Mike said he only had fried noodles, and Lin had to make do with it. Though Lin knew Americans didn’t care very much about what food they ate, he still felt surprised because he had taken Mike to the most famous duck restaurant in Beijing -- Quanjude -- when he arrived in Beijing. Question: Why did Lin feel surprised? Offer some advice to him about adjusting to his new environment in America.
《跨文化交际》课程教学大纲 课程编号：ENGL2046 课程类别：专业选修课程 授课对象：英语专业、俄英双语、法英双语学生 开课学期：英语第6学期、双语第8学期 学分：2 学分 主讲教师： 指定教材：《跨文化交流入门》，浙江大学出版社，许力生主编，2004年。《文化与交际》，暨南大学出版社，胡穗鄂编。 教学目的： 目前我国经济快速增长，文化交流、旅游业蓬勃发展。江、浙、沪地区外国独资、合资企业数量增多，与国际人员的经济文化交往日益增多。跨文化交际现象已经成为苏州本地文化的一个重要方面。但是，在众多的跨文化交际中，一些人员出现文化误解，或者表现出不自信，降低了交际的效益，直接的后果往往导致经济效益的降低。苏州大学作为本地的人才高地，有责任、有条件在教学中培养学生的跨文化交际能力。我们的毕业生主要从事文化、教育、经济活动，我们的课程也应适应这社会需要，帮助学生通过知识的获取、情感的开放和技能的培养形成以自我文化又和他国文化保持一定距离的跨文化意识，也就是说一种能以局外者的眼光看待自己文化的能力；局内者的眼光理解自己和他人的文化意识；培养学生在交际中对他国文化和本土文化怀有好奇、开放和宽容的态度。从而在国际交往中提高交际的效益，提升个人的自信心。 本课程采用课堂教学、学期作业和网络平台相结合的教学形式。课堂教学采用多种教学法综合进行教学。课堂语言为英语。采用理论与实践活动相结合的方式，与学生互动探讨理论。参插角色扮演、小组讨论、全班讨论的活动方式，进行情景模拟实验、引导学生发表观点。另外有录音、录像供学生观摩讨论。学期作业的形式是一篇千字以上的论文，内容是运用学到的某些跨文化交际的理论概念对现实生活案例、本土文化和外国文化进行阐释、分析、比较和反思。学生必须自己选题、规划。文章材料包括文字、图片、音频和视频，教师的工作是建议、修改、监督和评估，创造机会，帮助学生完成学期论文。 该课程有两个网站：一个是在外国语学院服务器上的课程资源网站，网站上有该课程的教学大纲、进度表、备课教案，另设有通知板、网上跨文化交际咖啡俱乐部、学习工具等帮助学生完成科目的服务性网站。另一个网站是新浪博客上的学期作业网站。所有学生的学期作业从开题、大纲创建开始，就直接与课程教师、同班同学见面。所以，学生论文的完成过程，也是教师不断地修改、同学建议、学生本人反馈、修正的过程，直至最后作业完成。 此外，该课程联系了国外大学跨文化交际专业的师生，进行网络实时联合授课，每学期四次，让师生们有真实的跨文化交际体验。 此教学设计的目的是提高发挥教师的主动创造性，提高学生的学习动机、发展他们的自主学习能力，培养具有开阔视野的具有跨文化交际意识的外语专业人才。 考试方式： 学期论文（7０％）（课本内容）＋平时成绩（3０％）（上课讨论发言、出勤率、网上参与率） 第一课Communication in Global Village 课时：第一周，共2课时 教学内容Introduction to Communication
《跨文化交际》 课程教学大纲 课程名称：英语教学论 课程类别：专业必修课 考核类别：考试 适用对象：本科 适用专业：英语 总学时、学分：36学时2学分 一、课程教学目的 该课程旨在扩大学生的知识面，对西方文化的不同层面有所了解,以提高学生的交际能力。在传统的外语教学中, 人们往往忽视文化的重要作用, 只注重语言能力的培养而未能顾及交际能力的提高。近年来国内学者认识到外语教学必须引进文化知识的对比，训练学生灵活运用语言知识, 更好地与外国人沟通, 减少和避免误解。 1 / 15
二、课程教学要求 该课程教学要求学生提高对文化差异的敏感性, 更有效地与外国人进行交际，为英语专业课程的学习和翻译实践能力的提高奠定基础。 三、先修课程 跨文化交际是英语专业的必修课, 是在完成了精读、泛读、综合英语、写作等基本技能训练后开设的，旨在增强文化差异的敏感性，增强跨文化交际意识，有助于英语专业课程的学习和翻译实践能力的提高。因此，学生先期完成英语听说读写等技能训练基本课程，如《基础英语》、《英国文学选读》等课程。 四、课程教学重、难点 该课程教学重点在于培养学生对英语国家文化的 2 / 15
了解及跨文化交际意识, 提高驾驭英语语言的能力, 从而使其能得体地运用语言与操英语的外国人士进行交流。教师的讲授重点是帮助学生认识中西文化的异同，分析文化差异的根源, 帮助学生深化对西方文化的理解。中西文化的差异在表层上很容易识别,但对造成差异的原因却需追根溯源。东西方在历史,思维方式以及哲学等方面的差异则是造成中国学生对西方文化不解的主要原因,也是该课程的难点。 五、课程教学方法（或手段） 教学方法：以课堂讲授为主，适当组织课堂讨论，鼓励学生充分利用课外资源进行探索性、研究性学习。 六、课程教学内容 Unit 1 Communication Across Cultures（4学时） 3 / 15
Cross –cultural communication Thesis statement: This paper is mainly talking about the culture differences between several countries. Outline: Chapter 1: Language and culture in communication Chapter2: Culture shock Chapter3: What’s in a name? Chapter4: Social interaction Chapter 5: Roles and relations Chapter6: Non-verbal communication Chapter 7: In other words. Chapter 8: From a primitive Tribe to a Global Village Conclusion Chapter 1: Language and culture in communication There is no denying the fact that out daily lives depend largely on communication, without it we can’t know each other. So, we should come to realize that communication is of great importance. What is communication? In total, communication can be divided into two parts; they are verbal communication and non-verbal communication. However, different people hold different opinions about communication. In general, if there is communication, there must have 4 cases: there are at least two or more people, some contact between communicators, a language shared by communicators, an exchange of information has taken place. I just take the fist one for example. Suppose there is one person, there can’t be communication. Otherwise, he may talk to himself. Communication not just exist in human-beings There are five kinds of communications they are human communication, animal communication, human-animal communication, human machine communication, machine communication. So, Animals and machines can also communicate with each other. For human beings, how can we communicate with each other? Experts say that there are various kinds of communication. Nowadays, there are different kinds of tools for us to communicate .For people we can use telephone and computer to communicate with each other. By them, finally we can receive message. What is social situation? When there are two or more people gather to do a job or an activity, then it creates a social situation. That is to say, an individual working alone can not constitute a social s A social situation may have two definitions. One is given by the community, and the other by the participants. Finally, we should notice that being polite plays a crucial role in
《跨文化交际》案例 Case 1 Litz is a professor of cross—cultural communication in a university in Finland. She invited her Chinese students home for an evening party. The schema from Litz’s point of view includes the following: 1. Giving invitation: by phone / by mail 2. Prepare everything before the arrival of guests 3. Receiving guests: open the door / express welcome / take their overcoats / introduce guests / offer them drinks / make them comfortable 4. Serving food: set the table / soup first / main course / desert 5. Post dinner activities: chat / play music / offer more drinks 6. Seeing guests off: thank them for coming / good night Litz’s evening party was not very successful, because she was upset by one of her guests. Here was the initial conversation between Litz and Lin: Litz: (opens the door) Oh, Lin, how nice you could come! Lin: It’s not difficult to find your house. Litz: Come on in. Lin: (comes in) Litz: Can I take your coat?
1 Translation 纵观历史，我们可以清楚地看到，人们由于彼此所处地域、意识形态、容貌服饰和行为举止上存在的差异，而长久无法互相理解、无法和睦相处。在这种情况下，跨文化交际作为一个特定的研究领域得以形成和发展。值得注意的是，人类文明在发展过程中所遭受的许多挫折，既是个人的，又是全球性的；人类历史进程总是充满了个人间的直接冲突和民族间的误解——从骂骂咧咧到孤立主义直至到武装冲突，大大小小争端不绝。 很显然，文化间以及亚文化间的交往比以前多了，这迫切要求我们共同努力，去理解有着不同信仰和文化背景的人们，并与之和睦相处。通过加深认识和理解，我们能够与生活方式、价值观念不同的人们和平共处；这不但有益于我们周遭环境的安定，也是维护世界和平的决定性因素。 2 Translation 文化有时候被称为我们的心智程序，我们“头脑的软件”。但是，我们可以进一步引申这个用电脑所做的类比，把文化看作是支持运行的操作环境。文化就像电脑使用的DOS或者Unix或者“视窗”（Windows）等操作系统一样，使我们能在各种各样的实际应用中处理信息。用“视窗”这个比喻来描述文化似乎也很有吸引力。文化就是我们心灵的视窗，透过它我们审视生活的方方面面。一个社会中不同个体的视窗是不大一样的，但都有着一些重要的共同特征。 文化就好像是鱼畅游于其中的水一般，人们想当然地把文化看成是客观存在的事实，因而很少去研究它。文化存在于我们所呼吸的空气之中，文化对于我们了解我们自身之为何物是必不可少的，就正如生命离不开空气一样。文化是特定群体的共有财产，而不单是个体的特征。社会按照文化设定的程序运作，这种程序来自于相似的生活体验以及对这种生活体验之含义的相似阐释。 如果文化是一种心智程序，那么它也是现实的心灵地图。从我们很小的时候开始，文化就告诉我们应该看重什么、偏好什么、规避什么和做些什么，文化还告诉我们事物应该是什么样。文化为我们提供超越个体经验可能的理想典范，帮助我们决定应该优先考虑的人或事。文化为我们建立起行为准则，并视遵守这些准则的行为为正当、合法。 3 Translation 43
第二语言教学跨文化交际案例分析 案例分析与写作（共40分） 七、请根据以下材料，按照“发现问题——分析问题——解决问题”的思路，写一篇1500字以上的案例分析，要求观点明确、材料 充实、结构严谨、条理清楚、语言规范、卷面清洁。 材料： 李晓雨是云南大学的一名毕业生，毕业后通过汉办的志愿者选拔，被派往泰国，成为一名汉语教师志愿者。她性格一直比较开朗，所以当她只身一人前往泰国北部的一个中学任教时，也是满怀憧憬；但是她却发现来机场接她的学校人员对她很冷漠，从机场到学校8个小时的路途上几乎没与她说一句话。她知道绝不是因为语言不通。李晓雨是个爱说爱笑的人，她几次想打破沉默，但一直不明白自己到底在什么地方得罪了来接她的人，还是别人根本不想和自己说话。她只好一个人看着车窗外本来很美但不再觉得美的景色。到了目的地，司机和接待的人把她放到一间小房子里，就走了。房间里只有一张平板床，没有任何铺盖。一个初来乍到的女孩，好几个小时没吃饭，没喝水，又不知道商店在那里，身上也没有当地的钱币。晓雨真的有些受不了了，趴在床板上泪水忍不住簌簌而下。她问自己到底做错了什么，为什么别人对自己如此冷漠，为什么和她想象中热情好客的泰国人差距这么大。第一天到学校上班，她的感觉仍然不好，似乎每个学生和老师都对她很冷，没有真诚的微笑，没有主动的招呼。这下可把晓雨急坏了，她开始注意自己每一个细小的举止言行，生怕别人不喜欢。她一直觉得是因为自己做得还不够好，所以别人不接受自己，甚至不接收中文老师的课程。 晓雨是个倔强、好强的女孩。她不服输，认真地向泰国老师学习他们对待学生和同事的方式，积极参加他们的各种活动。有一次她在办公室里看到一个30岁左右的女教师批改了一个学生的作业之后在那个初中学生的脸颊上亲吻了一下。晓雨觉得自己长这么大从来没接受甚至看到过老师亲吻学生的，然而在这里她发现效果真的很好，那个老师和学生的关系非常融洽和谐。在那个教师的鼓励下，她也开始尝试亲吻学生的脸颊，她发现效果出人意料的好！越来越多的人认识了晓雨并成为了她的朋友。她慢慢体会了到冰在融化的感觉。有一次一个老教师来问她是否要去参加学校的升国旗活动，她爽快地回答说：“好啊！”那位老教师有些惊讶地说：“你们中国来的老师不是不愿意参加我们的升国旗仪式吗？你是真的愿意还是假的？”她坚定地说：“我愿意！”从那之后，她每周都很早来到升泰国国旗的地方集合。老师们和同学们对她的态度都发生了很大的变化，这次升旗成了一个分水岭。 答案：案例中的李晓雨同学只身一人被派往泰国，成为一名汉语教师志愿者。在她刚刚到达目的地时，却发现前来接他的当地学校人员态度并不像她想象的那样热情，反而十分冷淡，对于初来乍到的她也没有给予相应的帮助和照顾。在接下来的工作中，李晓雨发现，学校里其他泰国老师对她的态度也并不热情。不仅没有帮助她适应教学工作，甚至连主动的招呼也没有。学生也没有和她建立起和睦融洽的师生关系，这样的问题还影响到了汉语的教学。 从案例中我们可以了解到，李晓雨与当地人之间交际的问题并不是由语言障碍所引起的，文化障碍则是最主要的原因。 跨文化交际过程大体上可分为蜜月期，挫折，调整和适应四个阶段。李晓雨在一开始对泰国人抱有一种思维定式，即原有的“文化成见”。在她的想象中，泰国人是“热情好客”的。而当她受到接待人员的冷漠对待时，想象与实际情况之间的巨大差距使她很难及时调整好自己的心态来适应这一状况，甚至不断地质疑自己的行为。这使得李晓雨在同泰国人的跨文化交际中迅速从蜜月期进入到了挫折阶段。 在接下来一段时间的工作中，李晓雨开始注意自己的行为举止，直到她看到一位泰国教师在批改了学生的作业后亲吻了学生的脸颊。这件事给李晓雨带来的触动很大，因为她以前从未有过教师亲吻学生的经历。这部分是由于中国的传统文化一直强调“尊师重道”，教师常常是高高在上不容冒犯的对象，泰国教师与学生间亲吻脸颊这样的动作在中国是绝少会发生的。部分也与中国人含蓄、内敛的性格传统有关。因此我们不难看出，母语文化与异文化的差异也是造成跨文化交际障碍的一个重要原因。由于对异文化的不了解，很容易将母语文化的思维方式带入跨文化交际中，以致于加深双方的隔阂。在李晓雨意识到这一问题之后，她也开始尝试按照当地人的方式来进行交际，并尝试亲吻了学生的脸颊，效果出乎她意料的好，她与当地人的交际也开始融洽起来。这时的李晓雨已能够逐步克服母语文化与异文化之间差异带来的交际障碍，并逐步进入到调整阶段。 案例中提及的另一个重要事件是升旗事件。李晓雨热情爽快地同意参加泰国学校的升旗仪式，使当地教师十分惊讶，从此其他泰国老师和学生对她的态度也发生了很大变化。这次事件是一个分水岭，李晓雨开始进入适应阶段，这与她坚持不懈地融入异文化的努力是分不开的。另一方面我们可以从泰国老师表现出的惊讶看出，之前学校里的中国教师在与当地人的跨文化交际中并没有采取正确的文化策略，也没有积极尝试与异文化的沟通，因此给对方造成了中国人不尊重泰国文化的负面印象，这也是最初的接待人员对李晓宇态度冷漠的原因。由此可以看出正确的文化策略在跨文化交际中具有重要作用，它不仅会影响到自身交际的正常进行，还会对本群体中其他成员的跨文化交际带来一定影响。 对于一名李晓雨这样的汉语教师来说，在进行正常的汉语教学之前，先要实现同当地人，特别是同学生的和谐交际。通过上文对案例中提及到的问题的分析我们能够认识到，在进行跨文化交际之前首先要尊重当地文化，应当多了解，多吸收异文化的文化知
《跨文化交际学》课程教学大纲 一、课程简介: 课程代码课程名称：跨文化交际学课程属性：公共必修课 学时：36 学分：2 课程内容： 《跨文化交际学》的主要内容是对中国文化和西方文化进行介绍并作对比研究, 授课内容主要涉及语言,文化和跨文化交际的话题。该课程有助于增强文化差异的敏感性，增强跨文化交际意识，有助于学生跨文化交际能力的提高。 二、课程教学大纲 《跨文化交际学》课程教学大纲 1、课程说明 该课程旨在扩大学生的知识面，对西方文化的不同层面有所了解,以提高学生的交际能力。在传统的教学中, 人们往往忽视文化的重要作用, 只注重语言能力的培养而未能顾及交际能力的提高。近年来国内学者认识到外语教学必须引进文化知识的对比，训练学生灵活运用语言知识, 更好地与外国人沟通, 减少和避免误解。该课程教学要求学生提高对文化差异的敏感性, 更有效地与外国人进行交际，为学生跨文化交际能力的提高奠定基础。 2、教学对象 全校本科学生 3、教学目的 该课程教学重点在于培养学生对英语国家文化的了解及跨文化交际意识, 提高驾驭英语语言的能力, 从而使其能得体地运用语言与操英语的外国人士进行交流。该课程授课形式以讲解为主,课堂讨论为辅。教师的讲授重点是帮助学生认识中西文化的异同，分析文化差异的根源, 帮助学生深化对西方文化的理解。中西文化的差异在表层上很容易识别,但对造成差异的原因却需追根溯源。东西方在历史,思维方式以及哲学等方面的差异则是造成中国学生对西方文化不解的主要原因,也是该课程的难点。 4、教学要求： 该课程要求学生全面掌握涉及跨文化交际中的问题,关于文化的定义和模式,基础理论,
比如集体主义与个体主义。该课程还讨论语言交际中的具体问题,比如介绍与问候,词语的使用,非言语交际,价值观念,对时间,空间的看法,对教育,工作的态度, 人际间的关系, 家庭观念,以及文化冲突,文化休克等问题。最后能考试合格。 5、教学基本内容及学时安排（总学时：36） 6、各章节教学要求及教学重点 第一章跨文化交际中的问题 本章主要教学内容: 举例说明中国人与英美人士交际中存在的误解或问题。 本章教学目的及要求: 要求学生认识到跨文化交际中文化意识的重要性。 本章教学重点及难点: 交际失败的深层原因不只是语言问题,而是价值观念,经济基础,道德观念等因素在起作用。
U1 reading1 跨文化交际日益引起人们的注意的原因：是由于交通工具的进步与通讯手段的发展使得不同国家、不 同种族、不同民族的人能够频繁地接触和交往。 L.S.Harms认为，在世界范围内的交际经历了五个阶段： A语言的产生； B文字的使用； C印刷技术的发明； D近百年交通工具的进步和通讯手段的迅速发展； E跨文化交际。近二十年来的交际是以跨文化为特征的。 二、对跨文化交际的不同理解 有的人认为每个人在文化上都是独特的，所以任何两个人之间的交际都是跨文化交际。 文化通常不是指个人的行为，而是指一个群体的生活方式和习惯。作者认为作跨国、跨种族、跨民族.研究不仅应该是跨文化交际研究包括的内容，而且应该是放在首位的。 在研究一个国家的文化特点时，我们的眼光首先应集中在它的主流文化上，其次才注意它的亚文化和地区文化的特点 含义:人们应用符号并借助媒介交流信息的行为与过程；人与人之间直接交往活动；通过媒介进行的信息交流与沟通活动。人类传播的发展： 信息符号传播：手势、有限的声音、体语符号、其它符号、实物 口语传播 媒介传播 传播类型：非人类传播与人类传播 伴随人类产生发生出现；不同民族相互接触与融洽的结果；交通和通讯工具的发展促进跨文化交际的发展含义：具有不同文化背景的人们之间进行的交际往来或信息传播与沟通活动 文化在跨文化交际中的地位：是跨文化交际的核心；文化的复杂性影响跨文化研究；文化涵盖历史与现实、实物与制度及观念、稳定性与能动性、群体特点与地区及个体差异影响跨文化交际的主要因素：民族的历史与传统、宗教思想、价值观念、社会组织形式、风俗习惯、政治制度、社会发展阶段 case1 主角被埃及人邀请去家里吃丰盛的大餐，他用餐后说食物很好。在这种情况下,理查德错误可能是他选择赞美食物本身,而不是整个晚上,的食物。他的主人和女主人就好像他参加了一个艺术展,称赞这位艺术家说:多么美丽的你的照片。在日本工作的时候他犯了一个错，开会的时候解释试图让大家明白每个人也许都会跟他一样以减轻罪过，结果又错了。相比之下,美国人强调个性价值和容易维护个体差异时,他们似乎理由与组织的目标或价值观冲突。在这种情况下:理查德…年代错误是在努力保护自己。 case2 对于学生来说，向老师提问很多问题是不尊重的，另一方面，提问一些跟老师说的无关的也如此，代表你没有听课。在美国文化中,人们倾向于说什么是对他们的思想和他们所说的意思。因此,学生在课堂上预计提问当他们需要澄清。墨西哥文化与美国文化共享这种偏好的风格在某些情况下,这就是为什么学生们从墨西哥容易在课堂上采用提问的技巧。但是,韩国人通常喜欢间接的沟通方式,因此他们往往不会说什么是对他们的思想和更多的依赖影响和推理,以保持礼貌通过任何不恰当的言语行为, 避免丢脸。提到的情况下,许多韩国人,很多问题会显示不尊重老师,而且还反映,学生不够努力学习。
《英语跨文化交际》课程教学大纲 课程编号：1233201 课程名称：英语跨文化交际 总学时：16学时 试验或上机学时：无 先修课及后续课：先修课：涉外礼仪 一、课程说明 1.课程性质：本课程是继《涉外礼仪》之后的专业必修课。 2.教学目标及意义： 本课程是与专业基础课同时开设的专业课，旨在通过学习跨文化交际基础理论，结合涉外礼仪实践，分析跨文化交际案例，提高跨文化交际意识，并在语言学习的同时，更多关注相关国家的文化，特别是通过与本族文化的对比，提高跨文化交际能力。 3. 教学内容与教学要求： 英语专业教学大纲强调，在语言学习过程中要培养学生的跨文化交际意识，增强对文化差异的敏感性和宽容性，提高处理跨文化交际冲突的灵活性，即跨文化交际能力。 跨文化交际能力包括语言运用能力，相关国家文化知识以及相关专业的能力和交流能力。通常认为语言运用能力特指外语知识和外语技能，忽视了学习者对目的语国家的文化知识的要求，特别是灵活运用已有的本国和目的国的相同之处，相似之处和差异进行跨文化交流的能力。 交际的主要媒介是语言但语言并非唯一的媒介。诸多非语言手段，如手势，面部表情，时间和空间的使用等，都具有重要的交际功能。而任何交际，无论是语言的还是非语言的，都是在特定文化环境中进行的，必然受到该文化中价值观念、思维方式、传统习惯、交往规约等的影响和制约。因此，这些文化内涵也是交际能力的重要组成部分。 不同文化之间，在方方面面都存在明显的差异。实践证明，文化背景不同的人进行交际时，这些差异常常成为障碍。要减少此类交际障碍，促成有效交流，跨文化意识与跨文化交际能力必不可少。 任何人都生活在特定的文化之中，思想、语言、行为等都受到该文化的影响与支配。 文化意识即指对此有清醒的认识。跨文化意识首先涉及对文化多元的认识。对文化而言，既有国别文化的不同，一国之内亦有主流文化与种种亚文化之分，同时个体间的差异也不容忽视。因此，不能理所当然地以本文化的规则来评价不同文化背景人的交际行为。 其次，不同文化间既有异（个性），也有同（共性），要辩证的看待文化。另外，应该树立文化平等观。文化没有高低优劣之分，跨文化交际目的是理解和沟通，促进各民族间的长期友谊和共同发展，在培养文化意识和跨文化意识的同时，还要认真思考汉语与英语文化在主要方面的异同之处，分析跨文化交际中可能出现的问题及其对应策略。 本课程以语言学习为前提，强调在语言学习的过程中提高利用外语进行跨文化交际的能力，通过对交际与语言，语言与文化，文化与价值观的学习和讨论，提高跨文化交际意识；通过对文化现象的思考和讨论，反思语言学习过程，增加对文化差异的敏感性； 通过课堂活动和案例学习，提高跨文化交际意识和能力，达到有效交流的目的。 4. 教学重点和难点： 本课程内容包括：交际与文化，语言与文化，文化与价值观，语言交际和非语言交际，