第九章 Language and Culture：In this chapter, we will focus on language and culture. Language and culture, intrinsically dependent on each other, have evolved together through the history. Language is an indispensable carrier of culture. Culture finds a better representation through language use. In our discussion, we will start from the definition of culture, the correlation between language and culture, and move on to Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis. We will then exemplify the cultural differences in language use from seven different perspectives in cross-cultural communication. Finally we will wind up the chapter with illustration of several relevant concepts and the significance of cultural teaching and learning.9.1Introduction:In this section, we will focus on a brief introduction of language and culture. On analysis of some translated sentences from Chinese into English, a consensus can be made that language is not only a tool for communication, but also embodies culture and inherits wisdom. When used in contexts of communication, language is bound up with culture in many and complex ways. It has long been recognized that language is an important part of a given culture. Culture, on the other hand, finds a better representation through language.[判断题]Language is heavily tinted with its culture, and culture also affects its people’s language uses.
9.2What is Culture:This section will mainly focus on culture. Two aspects of culture, its definition and classification, will be discussed accordingly. Culture, in a broad sense, means the integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior. In a narrow sense, culture may refer to local or specific practice, beliefs or customs, which can be mostly manifested in folk culture, enterprise culture, office culture, food culture, etc. In terms of culture’s content, there are generally two types of culture: material and spiritual. Compared with nature in the sense of what is born and grows with, culture is what has been grown and brought up with, in other words, culture is what can be nurtured.
9.3The Relationship Between Language and Culture:In this section, we will focus on the relationship between language and culture. Language and culture are inextricably intertwined, and it is extremely difficult to separate the two. Language, as an important part of a given culture, is an indispensable carrier of culture. It not only expresses but also embodies cultural reality. Meanwhile, culture can find a better representation through language use. A joint study of these two subjects will definitely broaden the horizon of human knowledge in general and enrich the research of these sciences in particular. This correlation highlights the pursuit of the relationship between the two and makes this practice something fascinating and challenging.
9.4Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis:In this section, we will introduce a very influential but meanwhile extremely controversial theory in the study of the relationship between language and culture: Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis. This hypothesis is a theory which had a great significance in linguistics the end 20th century, and its core is the interdependence of language and thought. This theoretic assumption suggests that our language helps mold our way of thinking and, consequently, different languages may probably express the speakers’ unique ways of understanding the world. In a loose sense, the hypothesis can be interchangeably used with linguistic relativity and linguistic determinism.
9.5Meanings of a Linguistic Sign:In this section, we will talk about three types of meanings of a linguistic sign. Any linguistic sign may simultaneously have a denotative, connotative, or iconic kind of meanings. To begin with, the denotative meaning refers to the meaning that can be found and well explained in a dictionary. Second, the connotative meaning or connotation is the meaning that isn’t stated but implied. Third, the iconic meaning is the image or icon invoked in mind by a word. All these types of meanings are bound with cultural associations or encodings, because the words’ meanings cannot be separated from their associations in the specific culture.
9.6Linguistic Evidence of Cultural Differences I:In this section, we will illustrate cultural differences in language use. We will explain from the following perspectives: greetings and terms of address, thanks and compliments, and color words. As learning a language is inseparable from learning its culture, we, as English learners, should be aware of the cultural differences in the process of learning and communication in order to achieve the purpose of effective communication.
9.7Linguistic Evidence of Cultural Differences II:In this section, we will continue to discuss cultural differences in language use. We will illustrate them in terms of privacy and taboos, rounding off numbers, words and cultural-specific connotations, cultural-related idioms，and proverbs and metaphors. As learning a language is inseparable from learning its culture, we, as English learners, should be aware of the cultural differences in the process of learning and communication in order to achieve the purpose of effective communication.
9.8Culture Contact, Cultural Overlap and Cultural Diffusion:In this section, we will start with a discussion of several cultural concepts: culture contact, cultural overlap and cultural diffusion. After that, we will conclude the whole chapter with illustration of the significance of cultural teaching and learning.
对
错
答案：对
[判断题]Acculturation means a continuing process whereby an individual acquires a personal identity and learns the norms, values, behavior, and social skills appropriate to his or her social position.
错
对[判断题]The appearance of loan words is one typical example of cultural diffusion.
错
对[判断题]Language and culture are closely related to each other, and it is extremely difficult to separate the two.
错
对[判断题]The ignorance of cultural differences will not necessarily create barriers in learning the target language and in communication.
对
错[判断题]Denotative meaning refers to the meaning that isn’t stated but implied; the implication of a word, apart from its primary meaning.
对
错[单选题]As the saying goes “A man’s home is his castle”, western people place a high value on ________.
compliment
privacy
addressing
proverb[多选题]Successful communication occurs when the listener can ________ from the speaker’s point of view.
see things
understand the ways of knowing the world
smell things
sense the feelings to given issues[多选题]In cross-cultural communication, ________ are key points to mutual understanding and can serve as the bridge that will help us transcend cultural barriers.
sensitivity
sincerity
nationalism
honesty[多选题]A linguistic sign may simultaneously have ________ meanings which are bound with cultural encodings or associations.
ironic
associative
denotative
connotative
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