Verified Document

Cross-Cultural Awareness For Second Language Learners By Elizabeth Knutson Article Critique

Linguistics Critique of Cross-cultural Culture Awareness for Second/Foreign Language

This context confers to foreign culture, which can be any language apart from the original mother language. The article restricts itself to French as the "foreign language," which is not the case to every human. The author of the article talks about French textbooks and matters pertaining French speaking world, instead of covering various languages too. The introductory part (abstract) translation is French, which clearly shows the bias aspect of the author. In the article, learning of French and Francophone cultures is applicable to any second or foreign language. Cultures performed by different language groups are totally different, and if anyone wishes to learn a different foreign language as a second language apart from French, he/she will have different concepts from the one who has learned French as the second language. The author also restricts herself to one region and shows the reaction of only Canadians (Americans) to francophone culture as a foreign culture, limiting the thoughts to a classroom level.

Foreign cultures and language impact negatively and are often resisted, native, very different from the mother language, and not easy for anyone to accept, unless he/she has the desire. The author narrates the story about a boy, whom she tries to present her native French model to him, but the boy, who speaks English and is an American, ends up reacting negatively about the French native. The author also says that the reaction towards such foreign language can range from hostile, fear and even resistant. To some, the cultural differences might be non- existence to them. Foreign languages are not to be taken seriously,...

Learning of another culture is difficult and is self satisfactory driven, regardless of the importance of the foreign culture to the original community. The author says learning foreign culture is something less of an affinity for the second language, since it is motivational driven. Studying the foreign language involves the learners coming into terms with the reality of other cultures, which expose the learners to the risk of contradicting and conflict their own original culture with the foreign one. The other people's language, foreign culture, viewing it as a mere subject to be taught rather than cultural object, mainly via books that only explain few concepts of foreign culture. Learning foreign language involves another culture, which should be learnt directly from the source culture and not secondary sources. Anyone interested with any foreign language should learn from the foreign people themselves, rather than by the second source persons or written materials which are remarkably brief.
As much as learning of other people's culture is self-motivated, it is mainly for academic purposes and how they will get to associate with people from foreign countries for their own advantage. Learning directly from the source is the most effective method, but some students would end up not travelling to interact with the foreigners, yet the interaction is a necessary language coursework for the same students too. This shows indifferences while a group of people learning similar foreign language, yet they are out to achieve same academic purpose. Foreign cultures are learnt, but not all the concepts are leant. The purpose for learning a foreign culture can be academicals, under various supervision or self- driven. The learners will only get majorly few or get partial about the culture depending on the situation, which in the end restricts the learners to real less information about the culture that is also prone to change overtime.

Critique of Factors Influencing Kindergartners Language Proficiency

Whether…

Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Second Language Lightbown and Spada
Words: 3079 Length: 10 Document Type: Essay

While I understand why non-literal meanings are particularly difficult for speakers to comprehend, it seems to me that interlanguage would be easier for people learning second languages, because they can draw from examples of interlanguage from their native language. After all, even elementary school children have difficulty understanding the existence of idioms, homonyms, and other examples of words and phrases that have alternate definitions. I appreciated the description of the

Second Language Acquisition the Objective
Words: 1252 Length: 4 Document Type: Term Paper

" (Collier, 1995) Academic work through the progression of each grade brings expansion to the vocabulary, sociolinguistic, and discourse dimensions to the language higher cognition. Academic knowledge and development "transfer from the first language to the second language" (Collier, 1994) making it more efficient that academic work is developed through the first language of the student with teaching of the second language occurring during other times of the school day

Second Language Acquisition Theory of
Words: 604 Length: 2 Document Type: Essay

The Natural Order hypothesis posits that there is a "natural order" that is predictable when it comes to acquiring grammatical structures. The Input hypothesis is completely in relation to the Acquisition hypothesis and it is especially vital to the understanding of how one learns a second language. Krashen (1997) believes that "if a learner is at a stage 'i', then acquisition takes place when he/she is exposed to 'Comprehensible

Second Language Teaching Technology and
Words: 858 Length: 3 Document Type: Research Paper

This then helps the teacher to appropriately adjust their approach and teaching skills to address the particular weak points that the students or particular student might have. There is need to incorporate computers in class as well particularly in some particular topics in teaching second language. This applies especially when it comes to the use of language in creating formal documents or such like formal types of writing which can

Second Language Acquisition There Is
Words: 3175 Length: 8 Document Type: Term Paper

These people are also, reportedly, more creative, and also excellent at problem solving. One Moroccan individual was injured in an accident, she was a bi-lingual, and she could speak both French and Arabic before the accident. During her recovery, she found to her amazement, tat she could speak French one day but not Arabic, and one day, Arabic and not French. After three months, she could speak both fluently. Today,

Second Language Acquisition Advantages and Disadvantages of
Words: 6907 Length: 24 Document Type: Essay

Second Language Acquisition Advantages and Disadvantages of Bringing up Children Bilingually Much of the debate on bilingual education is wasteful, ironic, hypocritical, and regressive. It is wasteful because instead of directing attention to sound educational practices, it has led to advocating specific "models" based solely on what language should be used for what purpose. It is ironic because most attacks on bilingual education arise from an unfounded apprehension that English will be

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now