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'students' interests in culture learning'; Learning A Language Through Culture



vivien_wang 9 / 29  
Apr 16, 2010   #1
Hi, everyone. Here's my essay on the task below. I was struggling with the structure of this one. I'm very grateful if you leave me some advice on grammars, expressions, and structure of the body part in particular. Thank you very much!

In order to learn a language well, we should also learn about the country as well as the cultures and lifestyles of the people who speak it. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (≥250 words)

A most widely accepted view about language learning is that students should learn a language through the target culture. It goes without saying, language learning, at any rate, is culture learning.

It is, first and foremost, crucial to emphasize that learning a language is not simply tantamount to studying syntactic structures or memorizing new vocabularies and expressions. Language learning is comprised of grammatical competence, language proficiency, as well as culture competence, and so its intention is, or should be, to communicate effectively and minimize cross-cultural misunderstandings. For example, foreigners are not supposed to send Chinese people a green hat as present, because 'to wear a green hat' is the Chinese term for cuckold.

Hopefully, a student may find, in the foreign language classroom, teachers are intent to spotlight the context and circumstances under which the certain word or expression can be used accurately and appropriately. Rather than rote memorization, the wider and more vivid context to practice language with is, undeniably, society and culture outside the classroom. Some people complain that, while learning to count numbers in Chinese, their Mandarin teachers never told them to skip the numbers of 4, 13 and 14, when counting the floors of a building in Shanghai, because they are very unlucky numbers according to the local culture.

For many language learners, the very most interesting part of language learning is digging the cultural implications underneath. Culture, that is to say, the customs, habits, and folklore of everyday life, in return, helps people to understand the certain terms or idioms and then use properly and wisely.

From all above, it is evident that, much as culture learning has gained insights into effective communication, we should undergird and inspire students' interests in culture learning while teaching the language.

EF_Kevin 8 / 13053  
Apr 17, 2010   #2
A most widely accepted view about language learning is that students should learn a language through immersion in the target culture.

It goes without saying that language learning, at any rate, is culture learning.--- good point!! When you do your phd dissertation, I think you will enjoy using grounded theory because of your interest in language.

Some people complain that, while learning to count numbers in Chinese, their Mandarin teachers never told them to skip the numbers of 4, 13 and 14 (no comma necessary here) when counting the floors of a building in Shanghai, because they are very unlucky numbers according to the local culture.--- that is such a great idea! If the number is unlucky, just skip it and make the 3rd floor the 4th floor.

You are very good at this kind of sentence that has an "extra phrase" added with commas: From all above, it is evident that, much as culture learning has gained insights into effective communication, we should ...

Sometimes it is also nice to use a short sentence, because it musters all the essays energy and hits the reader with it all at once. Short ones punch like fists. You can get a different effect with different styles of sentences. Practice them, because you are talented with language.
OP vivien_wang 9 / 29  
Apr 20, 2010   #3
Thank you so much, Kevin!

Sometimes it is also nice to use a short sentence, because it musters all the essays energy and hits the reader with it all at once. Short ones punch like fists. You can get a different effect with different styles of sentences.

Yes, indeed. I found this problem in my writing -- too ambitious to cover a lot information in one sentence. It just seems that to make a sentence complex is much easier than to make it neat. I will try my best.

Thanks a lot! :)
EF_Kevin 8 / 13053  
Apr 22, 2010   #4
Ha ha, yeah, you are right. So the most powerful communicators speak in proverbs, like Yoda.

"Do, or do not. There is no try." -- Yoda


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