新编跨文化交际英语教程 参考答案(5)

But Phil seemed to know little about the Japanese culture in this aspect. In many Western cultures, particularly American culture, seniority seldom matters very much in such situations, and young people are usually encouraged to challenge authority and voice their own opinions.

Unfortunately, his outspoken protest could easily offend the grandfather and he might be regarded as a rude and ill-bred person by other Japanese.

Case 10

In Japan, a company is often very much like a big family, in which the manger(s) will take good care of the employees and the employees are expected to devote themselves to the development of the company and, if it is necessary, to sacrifice their own individual interests for the interests of the company, from which, in the long run, the employees will benefit greatly. But for the French, a company is just a loosely- knit social organization wherein individuals are supposed to take care of themselves and their families. Moreover, the way the French make decisions in the family might also be different from the typical Japanese one, which may not often involve females and the power to decide usually lies with the dominating male. As there are such cultural differences between the Japanese and the French, Mr. Legrand?s decision made Mr. Tanaka feel dumbfounded.

Case 11

Incidents such as these can point to possible cultural differences in so-called ―polite‖ behavior, and at the same time highlight the tendency for people to react emotionally to unexpected behavior. People in most cultures would probably agree that an apology is needed when an offence or violation of social norms has taken place. However, there may be differing opinions as to when we should apologize (what situations call for an apology) and how we should apologize. To many Westerners, Japanese apologize more frequently and an apology in Japanese does not necessarily mean that the person is acknowledging a fault. To many Japanese, Westerners may seem to be rude just because they do not apologize as often as the Japanese would do. In this case, for instance, the attitude of the Australian student?s parents is shocking to the Japanese but will be acceptable in an English-speaking society, for the student is already an adult and can be responsible for her own deeds.

Case 12

In this case, it seems that the Chinese expectations were not fulfilled. First, having two people sharing host responsibilities could be somewhat confusing to the hierarchically minded Chinese. Second, because age is often viewed as an indication of seniority, the Chinese might have considered the youth of their Canadian hosts as slight to their own status. Third, in China, it is traditional for the host to offer a welcome toast at the beginning of the meal, which is the reciprocated by the guests; by not doing so, the Canadian might be thought rude. The abrupt departure of the Chinese following the banquet was probably an indication that they were not pleased with the way they were treated. The Canadians? lack of understanding of the Chinese culture and the Chinese ways of communication clearly cost them in their business dealings with the visiting delegation.

Unit 4

Language and Culture

Reading I

Comprehension questions

How Is Language Related to Culture

1. What can we do to avoid attributing a very different meaning to the phrase or interpret it much more literally?

We have to be aware of the cultural implications of the phrase.

2. What are the other functions of using question forms apart from asking for information?

It serves as a lubricant to move the conversation forward. A question that has this function can be called a ―social question.

3. Why are those Germans getting stiffer and more reserved all the time when visiting Ingrid Zerbe? They are confused about how to address her, for she introduces herself by first and last name rather than by last name and professional title.

4. How does the environment influence the use of language?

Language reflects the environment in which we live. We use language to label the things that are around us.

5. Does the author think there are exact equivalents in dictionaries that have the same meanings in different cultures?

No. According to the author, there are no such equivalents between languages; therefore, to communicate concepts effectively, cultural knowledge is as important as linguistic knowledge.

6. How does the language change over time?

Words and phrases that are used commonly at one time may be discontinued or their meaning may change over time.

7. Does the author think it is possible for countries such as France and Iceland to keep their language pure by implementing language policy to ensure the use of standardized language? The author does not think so, because, for instance, the Academie Francaise may insist on

certain rules, but other French-speaking groups may make their own rules and consider their Frenchjust as correct.

8. What are the possible language barriers in classroom teaching?

In some cases the professors actually may have a poor command of the language; however, in

most cases the problem is not the language but different intonation patterns and different cultural signals. .

Reading II

Language-and-Culture, Two Sides of the Same Coin

Comprehension questions

1. What is the author?s view of the relationship between language and culture? Language and culture are clearly fused; one reflects the other.

2. In which ways does language reflect the culture?

Language embodies the products, perspectives, communities, and persons of a culture. Members of the culture have created the language to carry out all th …… 此处隐藏：6680字，全部文档内容请下载后查看。喜欢就下载吧 ……