Culture Differences in Vocabulary and the English Language Teaching.doc

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1、词汇和英语语言教学中的文化差异Culture Differences in Vocabulary and the English Language TeachingContentsAbstract.1Key words.2I. What is culture? 2II. The relations of language, vocabulary and culture32.1 The relations between them42.2 Attentions to some points in learning words4III. Output and input of the Englis

2、h intercultural teaching8IV. The use of different culture in English teaching 94.1 Understanding of several principles104.2 Developing learners cultural capacity114.3 The way in the implements of English culture and education12V.Conclusion14Reference 15摘要: 当今英语已成为一门国际性语言，而我们在学习英语过程中经常遇到英语国家文化和我国的文化差

3、异现象，所以提高写生对文化差异认识，运用文化差异帮助我们学习，这是我这篇文章主要阐述的问题。语言是文化的载体，文化是语言的底座，语言和它赖以生存的文化之间有着极为密切的关系。英语教学的文化基础一直被认为与英语国家的文化而密切地关联。然而，英语已成为一门国际性语言。因此，这一传统观点受到挑战。英语语言教学者应根据本国的特点情况决定选择合适的语言信息、文化内容与教学方法，并通过对文化差异的了解和对文化的学习，使学习者不但能够了解到别国的文化，而且能运用英语传播本国的文化，最终达到能不受文化差异的影响，顺利地与外国人交流的目的。关键字:文化差异;词汇和语言;词汇、语言和文化的关系;文化差异的应用Ab

4、stract: The world has become an international nature language now, but we frequently run into the appearance of English nation civilization and our country civilization difference in learning English course. Raise the knowledge to civilization difference of student, using civilization difference hel

5、p we to learn. This is this piece of essay which chiefly expounds question. Carrier of language civilization, the civilization is the basic language. Language has closely relationship with civilization. It is interrelated closely that the civilization foundation of language teaching is thought with

6、the civilization of English nation continuously. However, English has become the international nature language, this traditional viewpoint suffers challenging, English language teaches scholar should be to deciding to select suitable language information, teaching methodology according to the home c

7、haracteristic circumstances. And Study by way of the understanding with to civilization difference. Not only learners can understand the civilization to the other country, but also can transfer home civilization to other countries in English. Finally, learners communicate with foreigners smoothly wi

8、thout influence of civilization difference.Key words: cultural difference; vocabulary; the relation of vocabulary, language and culture; the use of culture differenceThe world has become an international nature language now, but we frequently run into the appearance of English nation civilization an

9、d our country civilization difference in learning English course. Raise the knowledge to civilization difference of student, using civilization difference help we to learn. This is this piece of essay which chiefly expounds question. Carrier of language civilization, the civilization is the basic la

10、nguage. Language has closely relationship with civilization. It is interrelated closely that the civilization foundation of language teaching is thought with the civilization of English nation continuously. However, English has become the international nature language, this traditional viewpoint suf

11、fers challenging, English language teaches scholar should be to deciding to select suitable language information, teaching methodology according to the home characteristic circumstances. And Study by way of the understanding with to civilization difference. Not only learners can understand the civil

12、ization to the other country, but also can transfer home civilization to other countries in English. Finally, learners communicate with foreigners smoothly without influence of civilization difference.I. What is culture?Human beings draw close to one another by their common nature, but geography sit

13、uation, habits and customs keep them apart. People have common nature, but people have different cultural background. There also exist culture differences in vocabulary and the English teaching in process of English learning. At this time, teacher should teach the student culture about English langu

14、age, or student will make a mistake when they use it.We all have learnt this word “culture”, but what does it really mean? It may mean many many things. For example, sometimes we say that people who are able to read and write or who know about art, music, literature and other things are cultured. Th

15、e word has different meaning to different people. As a matter of fact, culture is really a large and extensive concept; it is difficult to define it. It is said there have been at least over 150 definitions of culture, but none of them is able to tell us everything about culture. The definitions bel

16、ow are just some of the well-known ones.Culture may be defined as what a society does and thinks. (Sapir, 1921)What really binds men together is their culturethe ideas and the standards they have in common. (R.Benedict, 1935)Culture is mans medium; there is not one aspect of human life that is not t

17、ouched and altered by culture. This means personality, how people express themselves, including shows of emotion, the way they think, how they think, how problems are solved, how their cities are planned and laid out, how transportation systems function and are organized, as well as how economic and

18、 government systems are put together and function. (Edward T.Hall, 1959)A culture is a collection of beliefs; habits, living patterns, and behaviors, which are held more or less in common by, people who occupy particular geographic areas. (D.Brown, 1978)Culture refers to the total way of life of par

19、ticular group of people. It includes everything that a group of people thinks, says does, and makes. (R.Kohls, 1979)The culture of every society is unique, containing combinations of norms and values that are found nowhere else. (I. Robertson, 1981)To sum up, the word culture has extensive meaning.

20、In narrow sense, it means culture, music, art and so on, but in broad sense, it is a society science language, according to the cultures definition which sociologist and anthropologist have given, culture means a society which has distinctive belief, habit, institution, objective and technology.II.

21、The relations of language, vocabulary and cultureLanguage and vocabulary are all a part of culture, and have an important effect on culture. But, what is language? Language is a conventional human vocal communication system. The language is following its corresponding culture to produce and develop

22、in terms of history. As everyone knows, the origin of the language is closely linked with the human origin. From the point of the realistic one, depend on the understanding of a kind of language that lives in the understanding of culture to this kind of language to a great extent. Through descriptio

23、n the above, we can see clearly, the language has national characteristics. Languages, and culture are so close, only understanding culture are can not fully understand his language.Vocabulary also means word; it is a unit of expression that has universal intuitive recognition by native speakers, wh

24、ether it is expressed in spoken or written form. If without language, it is also without culture, and language is also impacted by culture, and reflects culture. So, we can say that language reflects the characteristic of a nation; it not only includes history and cultural background of this nation,

25、 but also contains the view of life, live style and thinking pattern.If we want to understand vocabulary, I think we should learn the development of the English Vocabulary.In the study of words, it is of paramount importance to know something about the origin and growth of the vocabulary. As we know

26、, a languages vocabulary develops with the development of the language, which in its turn grows in connection to other languages. The English language is not the language of the early inhabitants of the British related to other languages? A synchronic overview of the Indo-European Language Family wi

27、ll answer these questions. Modern English is derived from a collection of Germanic dialects, sometimes called Teutonic dialects, which were first brought to the British Islands in the fourth and fifth centuries. Why is it known as English now? What is the size of the vocabulary of the first settlers

28、? How has it developed into what is now a huge modern vocabulary? What influence do other languages have on English? This chapter will give a brief answer to all these questions.2.1The relations between them Without language, it has also no culture, and language is also impacted by culture, and refl

29、ects culture. So, we can say that language reflects the characteristic of a nation; it not only includes history and cultural background of this nation, but also contains the view of life, live style and thinking pattern.Vocabulary is the basic units of sentences. In some peoples opinion, language l

30、earning, for example English, we learn every words, phrases and short sentences well, master its pronunciation, spelling and meaning. Meanwhile, master some basic grammar, and know how to connect words, phrases and short sentences. Then we think we have learned English very well, however, if we dont

31、 know the culture background knowledge about English at all, we cannot use it in a real communicative environment. For example, (1) what does green with envy mean in English? When people feel envy, will his face really turn green? (2) We say Paul was in blue mood, what is the mood of Paul? Happy, ex

32、citing, sad or others? In these two sentences, green means very much envy; blue means depressed and melancholy, this is cultural difference.2.2 Attentions to some points in learning the languageWhen we learn English vocabularies or teach the English language, we can find many cultural differences in

33、 them, but most learners are short of culture knowledge, so they often make the mistake. In resent years, culture teaching as well as foreign language teaching has got more attention than ever before, for more and more foreign language teachers are aware that second language learning is often second

34、 culture learning and culture competence is an integral part of sentences.When we learn foreign language, we must pay attention to some points. First, we have to understand surface meaning and implication. With regard to the student who learns foreign language, they not only master surface meaning o

35、f the words, but also realize implication of the words. If you dont understand vocabularys implication, you will make serious mistake, sometimes misunderstand a good word to a bad word, and cause unhappy to one side of talker or both sides; sometimes misunderstand taunt to praise, and laughed at by

36、others. Take word “peasant” for example, it means “农民”in Chinese，but it does not means “农民”in foreigners eyes. It expresses different meaning in English. “Peasant” in English is derogatory term. In America Traditional Dictionary, “peasant” means country folk, farmer, and the person who have bad educ

37、ation. But in Chinese, “农民”means the person who does farm work. Second, the cultural differentiation in daily talk. In China, when people meet each other, most of them will say, “Where are you going?” It is very common in China. And Chinese people consider it is naturally. But if you say it to a for

38、eigner, perhaps he feels unhappy, and his response may be: Its none of your business! And, After the Chinese generally greet you mutually , hello, after early morning after this, in one day even if meeting again, they no longer duplicate greets. But English people, in the similar situation are extre

39、mely commonly duplicates greeting. They are more than ten kinds of regards in the expressions of English language, from Hi, Hello to longer more concrete sentence, for example: How are you keeping? Is everything OK with you?Third, thanks and compliments. When expression manner and commendation, it h

40、as extremely obviously difference between eastern and west cultural. Compared to the Chinese culture, the western culture often tends to the exaggeration manner and the commendation expression. Although obtained help is not worthy of mentioning, even they have not obtained the help which needs at al

41、l, the westerners often can appear extremely grateful, saying Its really very kind of you. Youve done an excellent job. Sometimes hearing you say several English, and then they can praise you saying, Your English is perfect. You may not too be pleased with yourself.Also has in very many situations,

42、our Chinese thought it is not unnecessary to express of gratitude, but the westerner must say the thanks actually. Please read the following: Customer:Good. Ill take them. How much? Shop assistant: 75pence, sir. Will there be anything else?In addition, compared with Chinese, westerners incline to ac

43、cept others thanks and praise. For instance: A: Youre a great photographer. Some of those pictures are so marvelous that they could be in Magazines: Thanks. Im glad you like them.While the Chinese when they hear the commendation, often appear extremely awkward, then to commendation, they express rej

44、ection. Such as, when some people commend you your English really speaks well or you completion of work is really splendid, you often say no, but it not so good , the modest expression. As for the westerner it appears not honest, some even laying, they think you thought his commendation is twisting

45、to fact, therefore, it is possible to create misunderstanding.Forth, privacy and taboo. The person from different cultures has a lot of common fields in personal secrets and taboo, but there are still a lot of differences in Chinese and Western culture in this respect. For example, in western cultur

46、e, the information relating to personal life and activity is personal secrets; to the questions in this respect you should be very prudent. Generally we cant inquire the question such as their age (especially ladys age), family background, salary income, etc. In communication, dont ask seminaries: H

47、ow old are you? How much do you earn every year? And so on.Fifth, western festivals. Talking about the western culture, we have no alternative but to refer to western festivals, because in any kind of culture the festival all is the important constituent. In the western culture festivals have multit

48、udinously contain massive cultural information which they are having the more and more tremendous influence to the Chinese culture. These festivals mainly include: Christmas day, Easter Day, Thanksgiving Day, April Fool s Day, Mothers Day, Valentine s Day and so on. Christmas day, which mostly is familiar with us, has the biggest influence to the Chinese culture. Whenever it is December 25 approaches, and activities are becoming. Moreover, the Valentine Day more and more influence to the Chinese cult