文化在第二语言学习中的作用

汉语、英语皆可~~

Literacy and the second language learner＝文化与第二语言学习 / ed. by Joann Hammadou Sullivan. - Connecticut: Information Age Publishing, 2002
Language as a mirror of cultural

This investigation into cognition and conceptualisation of landscape is based on the lexical inventory of Thimbukushu. Carried out on the basis of semantic methods, the analysis of landscape terminology will make apparent how the Hambukushu conceive their habitat. At the same time, this research provides data to give further evidence regarding the history of the Hambukushu. Each society designs a culture-specific mental arrangement of the natural environment by ignoring or emphasising particular attributes of elements of landscape. Due to the necessity of communicating about everyday needs a society lexicalises those entities that are mostsignificant and most salient. This culture-specific mental arrangement of landscape is considered objective. From an intercultural point of view, however, it is not readily comprehensible. To achieve intercultural comprehensibility it is necessary to be aware of the differences between concepts in languages. In order to find access to the linguistic and cognitive world of the Hambukushu, describing concepts is an important approach. Although this research is based on synchronic data, an interpretation provides as well diachronic results in order to draw conclusions on historical processes. The Hambukushu live in an arid area. They had and still have to adapt to a changing environment both linguistically and culturally. Being a flexible system, language adapts to changes. Thus degradation, modified settlements, modern traffic networks, etc. are reflected in Thimbukushu. From ahistorical point of view it is necessary to investigate which entities of the natural environmentthe Hambukushu encoded and what this reveals about their history. A lexeme referring to an entity that originates from another environment might reveal the place of origin, migration and thus migratory routes. Although oral traditions of the Hambukushu provide hints regarding the place origin verification requires further investigation. The empirical approach is based on the following categories of linguistic material: the survey of terms in regard to landscape, the listing of place names on the basis of cartographic material and the examination of landmark orientation. An analysis of landscape terminology shall reveal mantel and lexical construction of the natural environment. Place naming and landmark orientation is highly culture specific. Types and elements of landscape areemployed for naming and orientation as they function as reference points. Therefore, theanalysis of place names and landmark orientation is useful to make apparent what the Hambukushu consider culturally and/or geographically significant. A meta-language with semantic primitives that are not culturally biased might be establishedby contrasting landscape terminology with the nomenclature of modern physical geography. Thus providing descriptive parameters for other adjacent sciences in order to guarantee the comparability of monographic results.Landscape is a fundamental and omnipresent constituent of daily life. Since people depend on knowledge and use of their natural environment, it has an effect on human behaviour and thought regarding economical, material and cultural matters. Therefore landscape terminology is particularly suitable for research into the nature of cognition and conceptualisation.
正确理解语言和文化的关系

从语言和文化的关系来看，语言既是文化的重要载体，其本身也是文化的一种形式。因此，英语教学不能是单纯的语言教学，还应扩大学生的视野，了解英语国家的文化和社会风俗习惯。“学外语而不懂其文化，等于记住了一连串没有实际意义的符号，很难有效地加以运用，而且每每用错”，“而语言课堂就是联系语言和文化的场所。在中国尤其如此，因为课堂是学外语的主要场所”（陈舒：《文化与外语教学的关系》，载《国外外语教学》，1998（2））。因此，在英语教学中需要渗透有关的文化知识的教育。
从素质教育的要求来看，现代教育培养出的人，应是适应国际竞争要求的现代人，应该面向世界，思想开放，善于吸取其他民族的优秀文化，提高本民族的文化素质。英语教学也应适应这一要求，如初中英语教学大纲指出的那样，帮助学生“正确认识世界，增强对英语国家文化的了解”。
从课堂教学实践来看，真正掌握好一门外语就必须理解语言的深层基础——文化，要弄清英语国家的历史和文化背景，包括其社会制度、历史沿革、人的信仰、民族心理、风俗习惯、科学技术等。
既然语言是文化不可分割的一部分，同时又担负着传达文化的任务，所以一个语言教师同时也就是个文化教师。但是，教文化必须适度，不能脱离语言教学，必须为中学英语教学服务。