1、On Cultural Transmission in English Listening CourseAbstract: In English teaching, we not only analyze the language points for the students, train the students, ability of using language, but also reinforce the transmitting of cultural background. Because we do not know cultural background well, we
2、can not learn English well. Language is a part of the culture. So, if we dont know the pattern and criterion of culture, we can not master a language. Especially in English listening class, Listening comprehension has a close connection with a persons understanding of culture, politics and economy i
3、n English-speaking countries. In fact, judging a persons listening comprehension is a comprehensive examination of a persons English level, cultural knowledge, his or her ability of analysis and imagination.Key words: culture; Cultural Transmission; English listening course1论英语听力课教学中的文化传递内容摘要：在英语教学中
4、，我们不仅要讲解语言知识，训练语言运用能力，而且还要加强有关的文化背景知识的传授。因为我们不掌握文化背景就不可能教好语言。语言是文化的一部分，因为，不懂得文化的模式和准则，就不可能真正学到语言，特别是在听力课中，听力与对英美文化、政治、经济等情况的熟悉程度有着密切的联系。判断一个人的听力，实际上是对一个人的英语水平、知识面、分析及联想能力的综合检验。关键词：文化；文化传递；英语听力课程2Language learning is not an isolated process of learning. Any language is used in a form of speaking or w
5、riting by people who live in special community in special context. At the same time, a certain language is always relevant to nations or countries where this language is used. In addition, other factors (such as history, culture and society background and so on) also have an effect on the developmen
6、t of this language. As a result, in English teaching, we not only analyze the language points for the students, train the students, ability of using language, but also reinforce the transmitting of cultural background. If we do not know cultural background well, we can not teach English well. Langua
7、ge is a part of the culture. So, if we dont know the pattern and criterion of culture, we can not master a language. Giving an account of culture and life which are related to a special nation is not only an additional part of language teaching, it is concerned much about the teaching objective, so
8、we can not give it up or ignore it. In other words, it is an essential part of each language study stages.In the teaching of English listening class, we found that many students often complain that the time being used for listening training are not insufficient, but they can not make rapid progress.
9、 Some students have bought a recorder in order to improve the ability of listening comprehension. They spend many hours a day in listening to the tapes. But when they meet new listening materials, they still dont understand and can not guess the meaning. Whats the reason of this phenomenon after all
10、? On one hand, students can not understand the listening materials because their elementary knowledge of English is very poor, their vocabulary is very small, their grammatical concept is very ambiguous. One the other hand, some students know little about English culture which is related to language
11、. Listening comprehension has a close connection with a persons understanding of culture, politics and economy in English-speaking countries. In fact, judging a persons listening comprehension is a comprehensive examination of a persons English level, cultural knowledge, his or her ability of analys
12、is and imagination.Maybe some of us have such an experience: When we are listening to some materials which is familiar to us, whether they are news, stories, reports, speeches or they are something about science, technology or arts, we can easily understand and get a good comprehension. Even if ther
13、e are some new words in the materials, we can guess their meanings. But when we come 3across some material that we can not knowing well, such as the culture of UK-US background knowledge, we may feel much more difficult to understand. Although some material is considerably simple, we can understand
14、the literal meaning. But being lack of culture background knowledge, we can not understand the real meaningFor example, there is such a sentence：The path to Novermber is uphill all the way. Here “Novermber” reffers to “the Presidential election to be held in Novermber”. If the listener dont understa
15、nd whats Noverner here reffer to, they can hardly understand the meaning of this sentence.Another example: Sen Edwand Kennedy went downhill since Chappaquid dick.This is a simple sentence. The students dont have any difficult to understand. But if the teacher doesnt tell the students that charpaquid
16、ick is a place name, the students may not understand the meaning of this sentence.There are two jokes which become very popular in America1、A: Where are you from?B： Ill ask her (Alaska)A: why do you ask her?2、A: Where are you from?B： How are you (Hawaii)From these two jokes, we can see A might think
17、 B gives an irrelevant answer. But if A knows the geography of America, if A knows there are two states which are separated from the mainland in the USA: Alaska and Hawaii, he might not understand Alaska as “Ill ask her”, and Hawaii as “How are you”.From these examples, we can see the importance of
18、introducing cultural background knowledge in English listening class.Also, the ability of speaking is not only the problem of pronunciation and intonation. Only through doing a lot of reading, grasping enough rich language material, understanding the condition of western culture, if the students can
19、 improve their ability of speaking English. We need to reinforce an anthenticity attaching importance to the term living, adopt the breakdown by the content living write and match for the news report a life news in conversation textbook, 4dialogue textbook etc, and having sound recording tape, also
20、being able to from the magazine, newspaper in therefore, training in spoken language, and the like material. Because these material comes from an actual life, and it can be helpful to a students correctly having the occasion speaking in hand, be familiar with pronunciation and the intonation, know U
21、K-US nation life-style and customs and habits etc. Otherwise, English talks such that being right on the beam even if you are well-trained, also since the meeting being short of the background in connection with culture knowledge but bring about misapprehension hard to avoid and no happy ,Lets look
22、some examples.In English, there are many collocations and expressions. These collocations and expressions are very special. We can not change their usage casually. For example, “How do you do”? The answer also is “How do you do ”?When you want to buy things and ask the price, you can say “How much,
23、please”? But you cant say “How much do you charge me”? or “How much do I owe you ”And pay the bill after you finish diner, you should say ,”Waiter, bill please”, And dont say ,”Excuse me, sir, Were finished eating. How much is it , please?” When you ask who is it in telephone We say “whos speaking,
24、please !who is it ,please” And we dont say, Who are you?” where are you ?”whats your surname? or What is you unit?There are many euphemistical sentence in English. And sometimes we can hardly know the true state of mind of other people. So we must be careful when we answer. Such as “How do you like
25、the film?” I think its very interesting. If other people answered like this, it means he /she dont like this film, And it is not mean “Its interesting”, For another example” What do you think of my new coat?” If the other one said “I think the pocket is very nice. It means the other one didnt like i
26、t ,usually the people of UK-US dont say bad face to face. So they say its good. Or they say they dont know. Such as “Do you like our teacher?” We can answer , Well, I dont know him very well. Sometime you are asking for the polite, when you meet the people who you dont know much ,such as A asked B,”
27、 How are you? Although B got a bad cold, he could also answer “Fine, thank you” Usually we dont say “Not very well ,Im afraid”.In the process of spoken communication, the people should have good pronunciation and intonation, whats more, they must pay much attention to the circumstance in which the l
28、anguage is being used. For example one time, a student asked for some advice after the foreigner listened to his class .He said “I am desirous of exploring your felling on the lecture.” The foreigner felt 5surprised, and answered,” Your English is too beautiful to be true”. The student felt unhappy
29、and said this sentence was copied in the book, the Foreigner said that you should pay attention to the occasion when they use a language to communicate with other people.” Desirous of exploring your feelings” is not fit for use in spoken English .So we should say” Id like to hear your views on the l
30、ecture. Or “May I have your news on the lecture?” instead of it.Another example, a young widow is experiencing a great pain of losing husband, and one person wants to comfort her So he said to her, “Im terribly sorry to hear that your husband has just died, but dont let it .upset you too much. Youre
31、 an attractive young woman. Im sure youll find someone else soon,” Although these words is in keeping with the grammatical rules, it can not reach the “adaptability” in spoken communication. And at the same time, it has gone against the social custom which is related to the language using.Different
32、nations have different customs and habits. These differences in customs and habits have a strong effect on the using of language. People who come from different places use language in different ways. They communicate with each other in different ways. For example, when someone said to you, “Your Eng
33、lish is very beautiful”, we should answer, “No, I dont speak good English”, “My English is very poor”, “Just so so” or “My skill is not very good enough” from the angle of our culture. But from the angle of western culture, we should answer, “Thank you”. Because it is not polite for you to answer an
34、 English-speaking people “No, I dont speak good English” in such an occasion. If you do that ,it seems that you are blaming him or her. He or she will be embarrassed.6Bibliography ：1.He Tian, Meng Jiyou, A Cultural Background for English Study，Beijing : Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, 19842.Zhu Yongtao,A Handbook to Essentials of British and American Cultures, Beijing :Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, 19943.Lai Luning,Cultural Background for English Study: A Survey of Europe, Beijing :Peking University Press, 20044.褚孝泉.外国语言文学论丛C.上海：复旦大学出版社，2002
