文档介绍：Language and Culture
Guess
How many languages are there in the world?
less than1590
2350
over 2790
about 3200
What is language?
is peculiar to human beings;
is a semiotic system of expressing feeling and meaning;
is the general pattern for the speech of munity.
is a pattern of culture behavior.
Definition of Language
Therefore, language may be regarded as “a grammar-governed semiotic system, peculiar to human beings, used munication, a general mode for the speech of a munity and the most important pattern of cultural behavior.” A cultural element has now been added by Wu jianping (吴建平,2002)
What is culture?
The notion of culture was first put forward by the German scholars in the 19th century (吴修艺,1988) . So far there have exist ed in this world over 260 definitions of culture. The following are some major definitions of culture:
Culture is plex which includes objects, knowledge, beliefs, arts, ethics, laws, conventions and other acquired social abilities and customs (顾嘉祖,1990)
Definition of Culture
Culture should be classified into two categories: 1) in a narrow sense it lines with politics, economics, military affairs, etc. and es a part of human social activities, . the parts related to the human social life such as literature, arts, science, philosophy, ethics, fashions, etc.;2) in a broad sense it is equal to civilization, including material and spiritual aspects in the human society, . material civilization and spiritual civilization(吴修艺,1988).
“Culture is anything created by man, material or spiritual, that is the result or product of human thought and work, universally accepted by munities and passed on from generation to generation.” This definition can be applied to mon culture of human beings in this world or the specific culture of a nation(吴建平, 2002).
There are three major points of view: 1)Language is culture; 2)Language is ponent part of culture;3)Language is an independent system, and