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1、Influence of Culture Factors on the English Language Learning Websters new world dictionary offers several most frequently used senses of the word “language”, namely 1 (a) human speech; (b) the ability to communicate by this means; (c) a system of vocal sounds and combinations of such sounds to whic
2、h meaning is attributed, used for the expression or communication of thoughts and feelings; (d) the written representation of such a system; 2 (a) any means of expressing or communicating, as gestures, signs, or animas sounds; (b) a special set of symbols, letters, numerals, rules etc. used for the
3、transmission of information, as in a computer; however, to give the barest of definition, language is a means of verbal communication. It is instrumental in that communicating by speaking or writing is a purposeful act. It is social and conventional in that language is a social semiotic and communic
4、ation can only take place effectively if all the users share a broad understanding of human interaction including such associated factors as nonverbal cues, motivation, and socia-cultural roles. Concerning culture, one of the best early definitions was given by E.B Taylor, who defined culture as “th
5、at complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.” Since then, hundreds of definitions have emerged with the booming of culture studies. In general, the word “culture” seems to have been used in
6、the following three categories of reference: In the first category, culture is technically used by ethnologists and historians to cover a socially inherited element in the life of human beings, which can be both material and spiritual. In this case, culture possesses the same elements as the “civili
7、zation” of human being, for example, “human culture”. The second application of the term “culture is more personal. It refers to “a rather ideal of individual refinement, built up on a certain degree of assimilated knowledge and experience but made up chiefly of a set of typical reactions that have
8、the permit of a class and of a tradition of standing”. In such a sense, we have cultural manner and cultural man. Culture in the third sense shares with our first technical conception an emphasis on the spiritual possessions of the group rather of the individual. This conception is employed by some
9、researchers to refer to the “national civilization”, for example, “Chinese culture”. From the authors observation, in spite of the differences in their perspectives, there are general agreements among anthropologists as well as other culture researchers on the common characters as follows. Firstly,
10、culture is not innate, but acquired; hence, it allows human beings to adapt themselves to their natural and social settings. Concerning this, American anthologist Duranti has the following account: about culture, there is common view, ie, it is of something learned, transmitted, passed down from one
11、 generation to the next, through human activities, often in the form of face-to-face interaction, and, of course, through linguistic communication. With this view, it can be explained why a human child, regardless of his genetic heritage, will grow up to follow the cultural patterns of the people wh
12、o raised him. A child separated from his blood relatives and brought up in a society different from the one in which he was born will grow up to be a member of the culture of his adoptive parents. The second general agreement among culture researchers is the view that all aspects of a culture are in
13、terwoven, thus one cannot touch only one aspect of a culture without touching the other aspects. Thirdly, culture is shared by one group of people. Hence it virtually draws boundaries between different groups of people. Then what are the culture factors in the process of English language learning? A
14、s a matter of fact, in the English language learning, culture is the history, geography, local conditions and customs, traditions, living style, art, literature, code and values of the English-spoken countries.Language and culture in relation In considering the relationship between language and cult
15、ure, I am of the opinion that language is not simply a part of culture, but a very particular part of culture.There is also no doubt the view that language is a part of culture. However, there have been debates on what role language plays in culture, and we have read a lot of about persistent argume
16、nt about “Spir-Whorf Hypothesis”, of which the “weak version” that holds language influences culture but not determines culture is generally accepted.But I think the significance of “Spir-Whorf Hypothesis” lies so much in presenting accurate and determining statements on the relationship between language and culture as in drawing peoples attention to the particular role of language playing in culture. Researcher
