Cultural Stereotypes and Foreign Language Teaching 英语专业毕业论文.doc

Cultural Stereotypes and Foreign Language TeachingAbstract: Foreign language teaching was also seen as a cultural learning process. Foreign language teaching, we should grow up into the target language and cultural background of students a comprehensive understanding of the capacity of language and culture and its impact on sensitivity of extra-linguistic knowledge, in the context of globalization can have a strong cross-cultural communicative competence in new talent. Throughout the foreign language learning, cultural stereotypes (Stéréotype) is a can not evade this problem. This paper analyzes the definition of cultural stereotypes, characteristics and sources in order to more clearly understand its in foreign language teaching role. And in the last part, the focus on an analysis of foreign language teaching and cultural stereotypes to the Enlightenment.      Key words: cultural stereotypes; foreign language teaching; cross-cultural communication       Foreign language teaching was also seen as a cultural learning process. Foreign language teaching, we should grow up into the target language and cultural background of students a comprehensive understanding of the capacity of language and culture and its impact on sensitivity of extra-linguistic knowledge, in the context of globalization can have a strong cross-cultural communicative competence in new talent. How can we help the Chinese students and people of different cultural backgrounds to barrier-free exchanges and enhance mutual understanding? This issue is constantly in foreign language teaching have been proposed, and repeatedly has become a lot of writers and scholars to explore the topic of competing. Many scholars have referred to foreign language learning, they stressed the importance of cultural awareness, and advocates from the perspective of ethnography to train students to better adapt to and interpret their own culture and other cultures. In their view, in foreign language teaching, cultural stereotypes is necessary to import. However, the possibility of cultural stereotypes become an obstacle to communication? It is the role of foreign language teaching how? It is in cross-cultural communication on how to play a role? To answer these questions, we will explore the definition of cultural stereotypes, characteristics and its application in foreign language teaching instructive. 1. The definition of cultural stereotypes       "Stéréotype" concept, first by the American sociologist Lippmann published as early as in 1922, "public opinion" (Public Opinion) made a book. He pointed out that the environment of which that person, whether natural or social environment, are too complex, so that he was not allowed for all the world's people, all the things one by one to carry out first-hand experience and awareness. To save time, people will have to use a simplified cognitive methods, will have the same characteristics of a group of people or any race to shape China into a certain image. Guan Shijie think this "stereotype" refers to members of a group of all members of another simplistic view. Hu Wenzhong to this "stereotyped behavior" is interpreted to be for some individuals or groups of attributes set of beliefs. Jia believes that the new "trend setting" is a mindset, in essence, will be potential is too general and too simple, too much neglected the details of the difference is too exaggerated with a group or groups of people the relevant beliefs or attitudes, or a simplistic cognitive style. Kramsch explained as follows: "the set to the other members and the mode of understanding of other cultures." Vejle-ping said: "Orientation in the Sociology is a neutral concept, mainly referring to people's mode of thinking, information, and the external world and the behavioral characteristics of the judge way. "       "Stéréotype" the word in Chinese has a variety of translation, such as "stereotyped phenomenon" "fixed mode" "Stereotypes" "mode solid-see" that "the fixed" and so on. Like many of the above definition, as in the definition of the process, give it coated with a layer of emotional, mostly derogatory. Among them, the last of a statement on behalf of the majority of the concept of social psychologists, because they found that the set is a common way of human cognition. In order to eliminate this emotional disturbance, here we are on the use of "cultural stereotypes," this assertion. 2. The characteristics of cultural stereotypes      Cultural stereotypes have the stability and variability. Cultural stereotypes have their roots deep psychology, but most affected by social traditions and norms directly affected. Existing studies have shown that cultural stereotypes have some stability across time and regions, and some cultural groups in different parts of the world and different historical periods have very similar shape. In general, it has strong stability, do not fade within a short time, especially when it is in line with social reality, deeply rooted in its unique cultural soil, its stability will be stronger. On the other hand, it is not immutable, in addition to other social traditions and norms, and cultural stereotypes are also vulnerable to international political relations and other social factors arising from the changes and as a country or region's economic strength, growth and decline, as well as its international social status is changed.      Cultural stereotypes are universal. The world is extremely complex, and must have been chaotic and disorderly world of understanding and mastering difficult to accurately define the characteristics of various phenomena, it must be simplified, using the concept of classification, arrangement and combination into an orderly framework. Qualitative, while simple, can not avoid one-sided, but it can help people to understand another culture and effectively relieve people's anxiety and makes the face of uncertain conditions, to enable prompt action. This is a qualitative exist in large numbers and has strong vitality of the main reasons. At the same time, there is another role of cultural stereotypes is that we can with another cultural background, to establish a link, at the first meeting to avoid unnecessary embarrassment. In the absence of topics can be more contact, people often chatted about how we look at some of you ah the type of problems, thus carry on the conversation would be more in-depth and more relaxed. 3. A source of cultural stereotypes      3.1 social factors. Cultural stereotyping has its deep social roots, is the result of socialization, including parents, relatives and friends, schools and the media and other factors.      The set of children's culture, studies have shown that children 4-5 years of age begin to understand racial differences. Words and deeds is to express an individual's culture-set of the usual form, especially family members, like-minded friends in the culture of oral communication between the set of children as well as adults, the set of cultural formation and consolidation of a great role. An African friends told me one of his personal experience, one in the market, shop, next to a 56-year-old boy somehow suddenly burst into tears, the children's mother constantly reassure him, but kids are crying and pointing at me The friend said: "Mother, you do not say that he is ghosts?" In the awkward, we are also aware of a problem, a child's knowledge will be obtained from their parents, and perhaps grow up will change the future, However, this effect might also have played a role, resulting in a negative impact.      When children enter school-age after a period of gradual increase in the impact of the school to the primary position, become the most important element of socialization. School is planned, organized, purposeful impart knowledge to the people, skills, values, social norms of the specialized agencies. The purpose of their education, not only for the educated learn to appreciate the knowledge shared in this cultural group standards and values, but also learn to distinguish the group culture and group culture to outsiders. But "culture" covers too broad, and can not be explained in the classroom one by one, so schools can be taught, and can only be highly generalized, simplified, and generalization of the mainstream culture, with its emphasis on inter-cultural differences.      At the same time, people learn through the means of mass communication and cultural stereotypes. TV, video, film, radio, newspapers, magazines, secretary of vector-borne instruments are often available over-simplified generalizations. As many Westerners have some influence of the media and these media also tend to stay in sight of China three decades ago that the Chinese people are still stuck in a kind of ignorant, extremely poor and backward phase. Even said that the Chinese government for its own sake is also willing to consider their own culture and set a trend, for example, held in France during the Chinese New Year, China is still on display on the tide of Shaolin kung fu or bike pictures. These, in our view the majority of the Chinese people and can not represent China. At the same time, we believe that the French romance, it is through their perfume ads, clothing ads, movies or other media, the conclusions, but the majority of French people, and there is no such concept.      3.2 personal factors. First of all, with the authoritarian personality of people prone to, and cling to cultural stereotypes, authoritarian personality in general has the following characteristics: 1) adhere to the traditional hierarchy, exclusion, contempt violation of traditional values of the people; 2) compliance in their respective groups, the moral authority, authority and status in order to form the basis; 3) hostile to other groups of people; 4) preference for doing things around a simple dichotomy to judge. Naturally, such people tend to be influenced by all the doctrine, once produced a stereotyped, even more stubborn than others.      In addition, the individual's experience will also help the formation of cultural-set. People through for different races, ethnic groups, different cultural groups, individual members of the exchanges, often other members of the group outlined a common feature. Once they become stereotypes, there is that other members of the group interactions, to search for these characteristics, and through selective perception to develop those characteristics, in order to strengthen and consolidate the existing culture and set their own potential. 4. Cultural stereotypes Some Implications for Foreign Language Teaching      4.1 establish a correct understanding of the attitude. In their understanding, we should establish a correct understanding of the concept of cultural stereotypes have a correct attitude. As a cognitive psychological processes, it is reasonable. In this sense, we need to emphasize in foreign language teaching, cultural stereotypes should be a neutral term, not pejorative.      Culture and characterization has its negative aspects. Jia new in his book, "Intercultural Communication" and pointed out: "the set of our human activities or knowledge of cross-cultural communication activities, only limited to one or two-dimensional surface, it is particularly serious matter, it its understanding has been limited as all human activities. "persistent patterns of cultural stereotypes to groups in general people are used to replace the individual's specific observation, analysis and judgments. Once constitute such discrimination, serious and even lead to confrontation and conflict, ethnic, national and inter-group discrimination and differential treatment of speech cross-cultural communication will create a negative atmosphere, and will have a lasting impact.      Qualitative culture there is a positive side. Once the shape is consistent with the objective reality, then it becomes a form of social classification, a scientific and accurate classification, it is not just an emotional attachment to a belief, and this is where the positive role of stereotypes. (Jia Xin, 1997), at the same time, in the larger group culture of interaction, there are also played an important role. Larger groups of culture refers to the members of the group and was shared by the members of large numbers accepted history, beliefs, values and language and other aspects, such as the Eastern culture, Western culture, European culture, African culture, Japanese culture and so on. Reposted elsewhere in the paper for free download http:/ In this culture-based cross-cultural development of various cultures from each control, each other's role. Meanwhile, the cultural stereotypes in cross-cultural communication caused by preconceptions influence on those who play a leading role in communication. Finally, cultural stereotypes also has a strong cultural role.      4.2 develop beyond the vision. Gao Yi-hong, in its discourse and put forward across and beyond the two points. He pointed out that beyond the specific focus is on understanding the target language culture and related communication capabilities; beyond the focus is to obtain a general overall sense of cultural awareness and reflective, tolerant attitude. Culture beyond such meanings: 1) aware of cultural differences or the existence of stereotypes, but not for binding; 2) to adopt an open, flexible, effective way to cross-cultural exchange; 3) in cross-cultural communication " productive "to construct self-identity. Beyond the cross is above the objective of fostering cross-cultural communicative competence.      Focus on teaching and learning in order to cross may be emphasis on cultural stereotypes. In the cultural consciousness has not been fully awakened circumstances, too much emphasis on the cultural characteristics may make learners mistakenly believe that these features is the fact that, resulting in communication process be applied mechanically, ignoring the specific communicative situation and the individual, so in order to cultivate cross-cultural communicative competence for the purpose of teaching, which is not set up to communicate between cultures "bridge", but rather hinder cultural exchange "wall." This conflict between desire and the result constitutes a "cross-cultural communication paradox" (high-a-Hong, 1995). Cross may be beyond the preparation, learning and access to a new culture, learn this inevitably from some widespread cultural stereotypes start.      4.3 The role of teachers and students. In language teaching, the teacher plays an important role can not or missing. In the guide, to help students process of learning to play an irreplaceable role. In the teaching process, teachers should change the traditional teaching of "on the language to teach language" of the pattern, the purpose of language and culture in the cultural background of knowledge int