★英语教学与文化意识-2010-08.doc

英语教学与文化意识 奉化中学 周道义 2010年8月Culture? ※ DEFINITION 1： Culture:?is a shared, learned, symbolic system of values, beliefs and attitudes that shapes and influences perception and behavior -- an abstract mental blueprint or mental code. Must be studied indirectly by studying behavior, customs, material culture (artifacts, tools, technology), language, etc. 1)? Learned.?the process by which an individual learns the traditional content of a culture and assimilates its practices and values is called?enculturation. 2)? Shared by the members of a society.? No culture of?one. 3)? Patterned.? People in a society live and think in ways?that form definite patterns. 4)? Mutually constructed through a constant process of social interaction. 5)? Symbolic.? Culture, language and thought are based on symbols and symbolic meanings. 6)? Arbitrary.?Not based on natural laws external to humans, but created by humans according to the whims of the society. Example: standards of beauty. 7)? Internalized.?Habitual. Taken-for-granted. Perceived as natural. ※DEFINITION 2： Culture is a definition highly misunderstood and misused, thus the need for an explanation: Culture refers to the following Ways of Life, including but not limited to: ●Language: the oldest human institution and the most sophisticated medium of expression. ●Arts Sciences : the most advanced and refined forms of human expression. ●Thought : the ways in which people perceive, interpret, and understand the world around them. ●Spirituality : the value system transmitted through generations for the inner well-being of human beings, expressed through language and actions. ●Social activity : the shared pursuits within a cultural community, demonstrated in a variety of festivities and life-celebrating events. ●Interaction : the social aspects of human contact, including the give-and-take of socialization, negotiation, protocol, and conventions. ※ DEFINITION 3 Some other definitions of culture Culture refers to the cumulative