A study on pragmatic failure in cross-cultural communication.pdfVIP

December 2010, Volume 7, No.12 Serial No.84 Sino-US English Teaching, ISSN 1539-8072, USA A study on pragmatic failure in cross-cultural communication FANG Jie Foreign Languages College, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266061, China Abstract: Through analyzing and comparing the anecdotes of pragmatic failure in cross-cultural communication from the aspects of lexicon, syntax and discourse, some pragmatic strategies are suggested in intercultural communication. To improve learners’ cultural awareness and communicative competence, a cultural-linguistic approach in foreign language teaching should be adopted. Key words: cross-cultural communication; pragmatic failure; pragmatic competence; cultural awareness; communication strategy 1. Introduction People may meet with various problems in intercultural communication. The knowledge of target language’s culture is as important as its grammar or vocabulary. Perhaps more to the point, a lack of cross-cultural awareness can be a severe hindrance in the understanding of a message which is linguistically accurate or comprehensible. As a rule, people are much less tolerant of cultural “bumps” and cultural shocks than they are of grammatical mistakes and lexical insufficiency. The word “culture” is too broad to be defined in one or two sentences. Here, the author uses it in its narrow sense which relates to language use, i.e., the way of life, the conventions of behavior, value systems, ways of viewing the world and institutions. Language is inseparable from culture. Thus, when learners learn a language, they learn about culture; and as they learn to use a new language, they learn to communicate with other individuals from a different culture. 2. The importance of cultural awareness in communicative competence The study’s focus of linguistics