北外-跨文化交际课件-Language and Culture.ppt

Language and Culture: Words and Meanings The sum of human wisdom is not contained in any one language, and no single language is capable of expressing all forms and degrees of human comprehension. – Ezra Pound I. The Importance of Language II. Language and Culture Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis A. Culture and Meaning Differences between British and American English B. Culture and the Use of Language This restraint is also evident in differences between American and British word choice III. Foreign Language and Translation A. Problems of Translation and Equivalence B. Working with a Translator IV.Language Diversity in the U.S. A. Co-Cultures and Language Use Women in Communication Contrast with Men Summary * Language is extremely important to human interaction because it is how we reach out to make contact with our surroundings. We may use language when we first awake: “Good morning!” to unite with the outside world. We may use words to share an unpleasant experience and to get support from others: “Let me tell you about the horrible dream I had last night.” We use words so that we can exercise some control over the present: “Please pass the salt and pepper.” We also use words to form images of the future: “I have to meet with Jane at work today, but I dread seeing her, because I know she’s going to be upset about the changes I’m making in her work schedule.” Over two thousand years ago, the Athenian poet Aristophanes glorified the beauty of words: “By words the mind winged.” Everything that we are is inside our body. Our beliefs, values, attitudes, world views, emotions, and myriad other aspects of our selves and personalities are locked up inside us. We can convey some aspects of ourselves nonverbally through facial expressions, gestures, or touching, but most needs the help of the language, verbal (oral or written). We begin our preview of language by noting that it is impossible to separate our use of language from our culture. In its most basic sense, language is a