英语各种-文学课件intercultural explanation of dragon

InterculturalLearning-ABridgeLinkingtheNationsacrosstheByLuzhuoCHEN “Haw-haw!FinallyIcanenjoytheauthenticwestern-stylefood,”Ispokeouthappily.Atthemomentmyfatherstoppedmewitha“ssh”.Ifeltpuzzled,lookingaroundandnoticingthateveryonewasenjoyinghis/hermealsoftly.Evenifsomeonespoke,his/hermurmuringcouldhardlybecaught.Someevengazedatmereproachfully.MyfathertoldmethatintheUSdiningculture,itisveryimpolitemeant.LaterIgraduallycaughttherichconnotationinthetablemanners.Infact,whatIexperienced10yearsagoinLosAngelesisthefirstinterculturallearninglessonimpressedonmebythesociety.Uptonow,thissceneisstillrefreshingmymemoryvividlyfromtimetotime.AccordingtomyownexperiencesandwhatIlearned,thedifferencesinculturalvaluesbetweenChinaandtheWestcanbedividedintothefollowingcategories:TheDifferenceinthelinguisticLanguageisnotonlyacomponentofculture,butalsothecarrierofTherefore,throughlanguagewecandetecttheculturaldifferencesbetweennations.IstillrememberadiscussionclassintheJeffersonMiddleSchool.WhenIintroducedmyselftotheclass,saying:“IamfromChina.Wearethedescendantsofdragon,”myclassmateBrownwhisperedintomyearsimmediay,“Whyyoucallyourselfthedescendantofdragon?Itisnogood.Youarenotamonster.”Iwasgreatlyconfused,wonderingwhyheequaledthedescendantofdragontomonster.Comingbackhome,Ilaunchedthequestiontomyfather.Heaskedmetoconsultthedictionaryandfindtheanswerbymyself.IntheEnglishdictionary,dragonisdefinedas“amythicalmonster,usuallyrepresentedasalargereptilewithwingsandclaws,breathingoutfireandsmokeHoweverthedefinitionof龙”intheChinesedictionaryis“我国中的神异动物，有鳞，有爪，有脚，能走能飞，能游泳，能兴云降雨（DragonisamysticalanimalintheChineselegend,withscalyrain”themajordifferenceliesinthedistinctionbetween“monster”and“mysticalanimal”IntheWesternculture,dragonisasymbolofmonsterwithoutanygoodconnotation.However,intheChineseculture,dragonisnotonlyasymbolofnoblenessandmysterybutalsoametaphorreferringtotheemperorwithsupremepower.Therefore,inancientChina,whentheemperorisangry,thereisanoldChinesesaying“大怒”.Here“”referstothefaceoftheemperor.Andtheoffspringoftheemperorarecalled“龙子龙孙”(theoffspringofdragon).InBeijingthebuildingstyleoftheImperialPalaceisaroundthethemeofdragon.IwonderedifItoldBrownthatnowadaysinChinaalltheparentscherishthedreamof“望子成龙”（expectingtheirchildrentobethedragon）,hewouldbestunned,becausehisunderstandingwouldbethattheparentsexpecttheirchildrentobemonsters.However,theChineseconnotationisthattheparentsexpecttheirchildrentobeAjokefrommyfatherimpressedmealot.OnedayauniversityinvitedanAmericanexperttogiveanacademiclectureinChinese.Inthecourseoflecturing,someoftheaudiencewentoutandthencamebackTheexpertaskedinChinese,“为什么有人离席呢？(WhydidsomeoneleaveandcomebackinthecourseoflecturingTheusherresponded,“他们去‘方便’一下”.Andthenheexplainedthat“方便”inthelocaldialectinthiscontextreferredtogoingtotherestroomTheexpertwashappy,becauseasanexpertofChinese,heknewanothermeaningof“方便”.Afterthelecture,theuniversityandsomeofficialsinvitedinChinese,“先(Let’shaveaphototakentogetheratyourconvenience)”.TheexpertwashorrifiedandedinChinese,“我‘方便’的时候是从来不照像（Ihaveneverhadmyphotostakenintherestroom）.Whydidthecommunicationfail?Theexpertmisunderstoodthemeaningof“方便”inthe’sinvitation,takingitas“intherestroom”,butinfactitmeans“atyourconvenienceinthespecificcontextThisjokeprovesthatthewordconvenience”doesnottotallyequaltoitscounterpart方便”inChinesebecauseinChinese方便”hasaricherconnotationthan“convenience”inEnglish,servingasaeuphemisticexpressionof“goingtotherestroom”.Theabovetwocasessuggestthatinthemulticulturalcommunication,iftheinterculturallearningprogramisnotenhanced,communicationmaybreakdown,whichmayleadtolaughingstock,mentalhurtandsometimesevenThedifferencesinbehaviorOnetimemyfathervisitedhisadvisorwithmeandbroughtwithhimagiftboxwithapairofvasesfromJingDezheninside.Whentheadvisoracceptedthegift,heimmediayopenedthebox,admiring,“Howniceitis.Thankyou.”Ifeltpuzzled.Aftercomingbackhome,IaskedmyDad,“Youradvisorisverystrange.Whynotopenthegiftboxafterweleft?InChina,youoftenwarnedmethatthehostshouldnotopenthegiftboxinfrontoftheguest.”Myfatheranswered,“ThismirrorstheculturaldifferencebetweentheEastandtheWest.InChina,thehostshouldnotopenthegiftboxinthepresenceoftheguestforfearthathewouldbeviewsasbeingimpolite.ButintheWest,thehostusuallyopensthegiftboximmediay,pleasingtheguestbypouringpraisesonthegifts.”Anothertime,afterintroducingmyprojecttomyclassmates,Nancysittingbehindmetoldmy,“YourEnglishisverygood.”Irespondedmodestly,“No,no,myEnglishisverypoor.”Outofmyexpectation,mymodestresponseirritatedNancy.Shehissedangrily,“Youareahypocrite.”Comingbackhome,Igrumbledtomyfatheraboutthis.Mygoodness!Myfathersaid:“Youwerewrong;theappropriateresponseshouldbe“Thankyou.”Ied,“InChina,youalwayssaidthatmodestyandprudenceisatraditionalvirtueoftheChinesepeople.Ijustbehavedinaccordancewithyourinstruction.”Myfathersaid,“However,youarenowintheUS.InthetraditionalChineseculture,whenoneiscomplimented,thenormalresponseistodevalueoneselftosomeextentsoastodisplayhismodesty.ButintheWest,thisartificialmodestyisregardedashypocrisyandisstronglyrejected,becauseitnotonlydevaluesoneselfinappropriay,butalsodeniestheappraiser’sappreciativeability.Irealizethatalthoughmodestyisasharedvirtueofhumanbeings,yetthereexistsadiscrepancyinthewaystoexpressitandthecriteriatojudgeitbetweendifferentcultures.NowondertheWesternersoftenfindithardtoappreciatetheChinesepeople’smodeofmodesty.Therefore,intheinternationalcommunication,ifonefailstoknowthebackgroundknowledgeandthespecialbehaviormannersofthetargetculture,hewillrunintoembarrassmentandtheharmoniousambienceincommunicationmayevenbewrecked.DifferencesinValueConceptandMoralIntheAmericanculture, alhonorishighlyappreciated.MostoftheAmericanmiddleschoolstudentsImetbehavedinthisway.Theyadoredindividualstruggleandneverwrappedtheirself-confidenceandsenseofhonor,especiallywhentheyachievetheirgoals.SomeofmyclassmatesevenproclaimedproudlytheywantedtoetheUSwhentheygrewup.Everytimetheteacherassignedaproject,allthestudentsstrovetotinanunconventionalwayandhopedtobeatothers,somegroutogetherandsomewantingtofinishitindividually.ThesentenceIoftenheardwas“Icantbymyself”.Onthecontrary,theChineseculturedoesnotappreciateself-flaunting,butemphasizehonor.Afterwinningthehonor,theChinesestudentsdonotliketoairtheirhappinessinthepublic,whichisbeyondtheirmentalage.DifferencesintrainingthescientificresearchingIstillrememberwhathappenedinahistoryclassabouttheAmericanRevolution.Theteacherdidn’taskthestudentstomemorizethehistoricaleventsandimportantdatesinthebooksconcerned;soitisabsoluyunnecessarytomemorizethem.”Instead,headoptedabrand-newteachingapproach,askingustowriteashortessaybythrowingusintothathistoricalperiod.Hisassignmentwas“Supposeyouwereinthathistoricalperiod.Howwouldyoudealwiththeproblemsyoumightruninto?Thenyzethemeasuresyoumightadopttobetterdealwiththeproblemsthanthehistoricalfiguresatthattime.”Ihadneverthoughtthathistorycouldbetaughtinthiswayandmyinterestinhistorywasgreatlyspurred.Inngtheproject,itseemedthatIcamebacktothehistoricalperiodthroughthetimechannelandbecamel-powerfulhistoricalhero.Afterconsultingalotofmaterials,Ilearnedmuorethantherotememorycoulddo.Althoughintheprocess,wemaymakesomemistakes,yetwelearnhowtoponderoveraquestioninanewpointofviewandcanfindsomethingnew.Therefore,intermsoftheteachingmodeltotrainscientificresearchingability,theChineseculturefocusesontheaccumulationofknowledgeandtheimprovementofstudents’basicskills,neglectsthenurturingofexplorationpowerandappreciatessubmissiontoauthority.However,theWesterncultureemphasizestheauthoritywiththeirnovelideasandthoughts.helpthehumancommunicationcrosstheboundariesofnations.Onlythroughtheenhancementofinterculturallearning,couldthepeopleindifferentnationshaveabettermutualunderstanding,whichinturnhelpstobuildapeacefulworldorder.Chinaisacountrywithgloriousancientcivilizationofmorethanfivethousandyearsofhistory.TheChinesecultureis ndprofound.SomecoreelementsintheChineseculturecanbestreflectthethoughtsoftheChinesepeople.OneofthevitalChinesephilosophieslastingforfivethousandyearsis“以和为贵，和而不同”.InEnglishitmeansthatpeaceshouldbeputatthepriorityposition,whetherinthe alrelationsorintherelationshipbetweennations,andthatpeopleshouldliveinamitywitheachother,keetheirdifferencesinthoughtsandbehaviormanners.Thisphilosophyadvocatesthatinpursuingpeace,nooneshouldIntheChinesehistory,theChinesepeoplealwaysfollowtheprinciple“与邻为伴、与人为善”(InEnglishitmeanskeeharmoniousrelationswithyourneighborsandbeingkindandfriendlytoothers.)Fivehundredyearsago,ZhengHe,afamousChinesenavigator,sailedtotheCapeofGoodHope,bringingwithhimtea,silkandthefriendshipoftheChinesepeople,butnotwar,massacreandcolonization.ThisChineseculturetreasureindicatesthattheso-called“threatfromChina”isgroundlessbecauseitrunscountertothetraditionalChineseculture.Therefore,itisofprimaryimportancefortheChinesepeopletomakeChinaknowntothepeopleinothercountriesandviceversathroughinterculturallearning.ThisChinesephilosophycoincideswiththeideaof“InternationalUnderstandingEducation”thatisnowquitepopularintheworldandaimstopromotepeace,harmony,welfare,democracyandco-developmentamongdifferentnations.Inordertoachievethisgoal,itisnecessarytoenhancemutualrespectandunderstanding,mutualtrustandforgiveness.Onlyinthiswaycanweclearawaymisunderstandingsandeventurnswordsintoplough,andcreateapeaceful,harmoniousandauspiciousworld.Forthis,interculturallearningplaysakeyrole.Interculturallearningisnotonlytheresponsibilityoftheeducationaldepartments,butalsothatofthewholesociety.Itshouldbeputintopracticefromthechildhood.Sincechildrenareshortof thinkingability,itisnecessarytomakefulluseofcartoonsandTVprogramsappealingtochildrenasmeansofeducation.Inthisway,childrencanenjoyinterculturallearninginentertainment,gettinicetheresultwithhalftheeffort.Inthesecondaryandtertiaryeducationinstitutions,itisnecessarytotrainteacherswiththeawarenessofinternationalunderstandingeducationandoffercoursesofinterculturalcommunicationsoastointensifyanddeepeninterculturallearning.Inthisaspect,universityshouldplaythekeyfunction.Forexample,thecourseofcross-culturalcommunicationintheCollegeofForeignLanguagesandCulturesinXianiversityshouldnotbeconfinedtotheEnglish-majors,butshouldbepromotedtothestatusofelectivecourseforallthestudentsintheuniversity.Thecoursecontentshouldbebroadenedanddeepened,notonlycoveringthelinguisticandpragmaticaspectsofcommunication,butalsothephilosophicaspect.Inthisway,thegraduatesfromXianiversityc