文化背景与英语教学-英语论文.docVIP

文化背景与英语教学-英语论文 IV. Conclusion: It is necessary for teachers to pass on cultural background knowledge to students.??? ?? ?Once an American was visiting the home of a Chinese. As the visitor saw the host’s wife, he said,“ Your wife is very beautiful.” The host smiled and said:“ Where? Where?”—which caused the American’s surprise, but still he answered: “ Eyes, hair, nose…”—an answer that the host found a bit puzzling. The surprising was caused by different cultures. “Where? Where?” meaning “哪里！ 哪里！”in Chinese is a kind of humble saying. But the American understood it as “Which parts of the body are beautiful?” So, the reason for both sides’ misunderstandings was differences in customs and habits. Each was expressing and understanding what the other said according to his or her culture. Events like these are fairly common when people of different languages and cultures communicate. Because of cultural differences, misunderstandings may arise, although the language used in communication may be faultless. The same words or expressions may not mean the same thing to different peoples. Because of cultural differences, a serious question may cause amusement or laughter；a harmless statement may cause displeasure or anger. Because of cultural differences, jokes by a foreign speaker maybe received with blank faces and stony silence. Yet the same stories in the speaker’s own country would leave audiences holding their sides with laughter. Language is a part of culture and plays a very important role in it. On the one hand, without language, culture would not be possible. On the other hand, language is influenced and shaped by culture; it reflects culture. In the broadest sense, language is the symbolic representation of a people, and it comprises their historical and cultural backgrounds as well as their approach to life and their ways of living and thinking. Language and culture interact and understanding of one requires understanding of the other. Cultures differ from one