Languages & Linguistics
Cultural Competence
Cultural competence refers to the ability to effectively interact and communicate with people from different cultural backgrounds. It involves understanding and respecting the values, beliefs, and behaviors of diverse groups, and adapting one's own communication and behavior to be inclusive and respectful. Developing cultural competence is essential for effective communication and collaboration in linguistically diverse environments.
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10 Key excerpts on "Cultural Competence"
eBook - PDF- Jane Spiro(Author)
- 2013(Publication Date)
- Edinburgh University Press(Publisher)
These skills are all sig-nificant aspects of our Cultural Competence, and involve understanding of social conventions, the relationships between people, settings and situations and how these impact on the language we choose. These competences are both universal to the human condition, and specific to the language and culture within which we interact. Section 9.2 considers how to develop these competences within a context of cultural awareness. • InterCultural Competence . The capacity to interpret other cultures is taken one step further in the notion of interCultural Competence. This is the capacity to move sensitively and intelligently from one cultural context to another, interpret-ing clues in order to act appropriately within the new culture. Some teachers and 192 Cultural Competences in methods researchers describe this as preparing learners to be global citizens , able not only to use other languages competently, but to live and work confidently beyond the comfort zone of the familiar. This chapter will explore these broader social, cultural and intercultural compe-tences embedded in the learning of a language and the way these impact on methods and methodologies. It will ask the following questions: • What is the interface between learning a language and learning ‘culture’? What does culture actually mean, and how far should this be part of the language teacher’s role? • What is social, cultural and pragmatic knowledge, and why is this so important for the language learner? • How can teachers develop their own and their learners’ social, pragmatic and cul-tural knowledge in the language classroom? • What skills does the learner need to communicate between and across different cultures, and how can the language teacher help to develop these skills? 9.1 THE INTERFACE BETWEEN TEACHING LANGUAGE AND TEACHING CULTURE This section considers the interface between learning a language and learning cul-tural knowledge in and about that language.
eBook - ePub- Michael Byram, Prof. Michael Byram(Authors)
- 2020(Publication Date)
- Multilingual Matters(Publisher)
This account of competence focuses on linguistic capabilities but the term has been more widely used in education to refer to other capabilities taught and learnt in other disciplines (Fleming, 2009). In the model of ICC developed here, language competence is one aspect complemented by others and a more encompassing definition is required. The following is useful for my purposes here 3 : [competence is] the ability to mobilise and deploy relevant values, attitudes, skills, knowledge and/or understanding in order to respond appropriately and effectively to the demands, challenges and opportunities that are presented by a given type of context. (Council of Europe, 2018b: 32) The concept ‘communicative competence’ was developed in the Anglophone world by Hymes’ critique of Chomsky and in the Germanophone literature by Habermas. 4 Hymes argued that linguists wishing to understand first language acquisition need to pay attention to the way in which not only grammatical competence but also the ability to use language appropriately is acquired. He thus put emphasis on sociolinguistic competence and this concept was fundamental to the development of communicative language teaching. Then Hymes’ description of first language acquisition and communication among native speakers was transferred into the description of the aims and objectives of foreign language teaching and learning. I shall argue later that this transfer is misleading because it implicitly suggests that foreign language learners should model themselves on first language speakers, ignoring the significance of the social identities and Cultural Competence of the learner in any intercultural interaction
eBook - PDFLanguage and Culture Pedagogy
From a National to a Transnational Paradigm
- Karen Risager(Author)
- 2007(Publication Date)
- Multilingual Matters(Publisher)
Admittedly, there is nothing wrong with assessment as such, but the multilingual development of the individual comprises more than what can or ought to be assessed, e.g. the ability to use the English language’s prestige in code-switching between Danish and English, or experiences of linguistic prejudices, e.g.: Arabic is inferior to Danish, German is an ugly language, etc. Secondly, the concept of competence is based on a concept of language that is too narrow: it does not include metalingual attitudes and conceptions, and it does not include private and inner speech. Moreover, it typically deals with only one (standard) language at a time and does not contain any sociolinguistic understanding of the multilingual individual. So in the following I will talk about both resources (the broader concept) and competences (the narrower concept). The concept of competence is used as a specialised subcategory of the concept of resources – a subcategory that contains the skill- and knowledge-related aspects that it seems relevant and possible to assess (Risager, 1999b). 7 In the following, I will look at how Byram’s model for intercultural communicative competence can be further developed with the aid of the concepts of languaculture and discourse. To begin with, here is an overview of the elements that comprise my interpretation: 8 (1) Linguistic (languastructural) competence. (2) LanguaCultural Competences and resources: semantics and pragmatics. (3) LanguaCultural Competences and resources: poetics. (4) LanguaCultural Competences and resources: linguistic identity. (5) Translation and interpretation. (6) Interpreting texts (discourses) and media products in a broad sense. (7) Use of ethnographic methods. (8) Transnational cooperation. (9) Knowledge of language and critical language awareness, also as a world citizen. (10) Knowledge of culture and society and critical cultural awareness, also as a world citizen.
eBook - PDFTeaching Translation and Interpreting
Approaches and Methods
- Olga V. Petrova, Vadim V. Sdobnikow, Klaus Waschik(Authors)
- 2022(Publication Date)
- Helmut Buske Verlag(Publisher)
151 InterCultural Competence - a continuous challenge for translators and interpreters INTERCultural Competence — A CONTINUOUS CHALLENGE FOR TRANSLATORS AND INTERPRETERS Klaus W. Waschik, Svetlana M. Kibardina Looking at the numerous theoretical approaches to interCultural Competence, it be-comes evident that this field of research is primarily the domain of foreign language didactics, pedagogues, psychologists and foreign language teachers. Strictly speaking, a cultural studies perspective, i.e. a perspective of those who are engaged in the study of cultural mechanisms and structures, is clearly in the minority. This can be explained by the fact that primary language acquisition is one of the most important tasks in translator or interpreter training as well as for future teachers of a foreign language, which usually occurs prior to all other forms of competence acquisi-tion, e.g. Cultural Competence, or at best runs parallel to them. Communication deficits Since the introduction of the communicative method in foreign language acquisition in the 1980s, which was intended to teach the ability to acquire language competence based on real-life situations and oriented towards linguistic action in real situations, a postulate of competence (knowledge and skills) has found its way into the relevant academic discourses (and subsequently into curricula and training plans at schools and universities), which from the perspective of cultural studies—regardless of its method-ological provenance—was to prove problematic: interCultural Competence. In the first years of practicing the communicative method, it turned out that this new didactic-methodological orientation (towards communicative action) in foreign language teaching alone could not prevent that the real communication often did not work or was afflicted with failures in mutual understanding.
eBook - PDFEducational Linguistics
Cross-cultural Communication and Global Interdependence
- Prafull Dhondopant Kulkarni(Author)
- 2019(Publication Date)
- Society Publishing(Publisher)
Introduction to Educational Linguistics: Cross-Cultural Communication and Global Interdependence CHAPTER 1 CONTENTS 1.1. Introduction ........................................................................................ 2 1.2. Linguistic Competence ....................................................................... 2 1.3. Cross-Cultural Communication (Multilingualism) ................................ 8 1.4. Relationship Between Educational Linguistic and Cross-Cultural Communication Based on Oral Performance .................................. 15 1.5. Global Interdependence ................................................................... 25 Educational Linguistics 2 1.1. INTRODUCTION Educational linguistics is a field that is growing at an alarming rate in different parts of the world. It is an offshoot of Applied Linguistics and deals with the training and research of languages. It relates to the educational theory and practice, specifically, of the teaching and learning of the second or foreign language. Through the study of different languages, people from different cultural backgrounds are able to communicate effectively with each other. Educational linguistics have also enhanced global interdependence, especially in business and trading sectors. This chapter contains important information about linguistic competence, cross-cultural communication, and global interdependence. 1.2. LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE Linguistic competency structures consist of the elements of activities, competencies, and learning objectives. However, a person can develop linguistic competency structure composing of multiple competencies, learning objectives and activities. The fundamental structure comprises of at least one competency, one activity, and one learning objective. The learning objectives are the skills, knowledge, and abilities that a person must acquire to become competent in educational linguistic (Matthews, 2014).
eBook - PDFCommunicative Language Teaching in Different Countries
Teachers' and Students' Subjective Theories on CLT Concerning Cross-Cultural Awareness in Germany, Iran, the Netherlands, and Sweden
- (Author)
- 2015(Publication Date)
- Cuvillier Verlag(Publisher)
communication within the cultural context of the target language. Generally speaking, CC, as the main aim of CLT, refers to two different dimensions: lin Ͳ guistic and pragmatic. The pragmatic facet of CC is concerned with Cultural Competence which can be defined as the ability to realize all features of a culture especially the social formation, the ethics, the attitudes and ways of life of the people. In addition, cultural com Ͳ petence helps students to find out how things are supposed to be done in a specific society (Genc & Bada, 2005). In other words, the cultural component of language teaching is re Ͳ vealed in pragmatic functions and notions which are expressed using language in daily speeches and actions (Kramsch, 1996). As Finocchiaro and Brumfit (1983: 22) suggest … Communicative competence is viewed as the desired goal in language learning. Since a speech act, communication, takes place in definite but varied sociolinguistic situations, both linguistic and extra Ͳ linguistic factors have been taken into consideration. The approach takes cognizance of the fact that the social roles and the psychological attitudes of the participants towards each other in a conversation (employer Ͳ employee, teacher Ͳ pupil, doctor Ͳ patient, parent Ͳ child, for example), the place and time of the conversation act and the activity or top Ͳ ic being discussed will determine to a large extent the form, tone, and appropriateness of any oral or written message. This characteristic of CC was also shown by Savignon (2002) in her model developed in 1983. This model, which was an adaptation of Canale and Swain’s (1980) and Canale’s (1983) mod Ͳ el, indicated different components of CC as well, i.e. grammatical competence, discourse competence, strategic competence, and socio Ͳ Cultural Competence. Based on this model, it Dieses Werk ist copyrightgeschützt und darf in keiner Form vervielfältigt werden noch an Dritte weitergegeben werden. Es g ilt nur für den persönlichen Gebrauch.
eBook - PDFLanguage Learning and Study Abroad
A Critical Reading of Research
- C. Kinginger(Author)
- 2009(Publication Date)
- Palgrave Macmillan(Publisher)
Definitions of communicative competence normally include reference to appropriate language use, that is, the abil- ity to match language forms to their social contexts in ways that do not unintentionally violate expectations. For Bégaudeau’s students the immediate challenge is to appropriate formal registers of written French. Many study abroad participants face the opposite problem; when their access to the language has been restricted to classrooms and to prepared texts, they need to expand their repertoire of spoken language in order to interact appropriately within informal settings. Pedagogical models of communicative competence normally differ- entiate between knowledge about language, the focus of traditional classroom learning, and ability to engage in purposeful language use. These models portray communicative competence as a number of inter- related yet separately conceived abilities. In the most recent mainstream version (Celce-Murcia, Dörnyei, and Thurell 1995) discourse competence is at the core, and consists of linguistic resources to create and inter- pret texts, that is, coherent and cohesive language in use (including all modes of communication such as speaking, writing, or texting). Three additional components influence and are influenced by discourse competence: (1) linguistic competence, or the ability to manipulate the formal features of language, including vocabulary, syntax, morphology, Domains of Communicative Competence 71 phonology, and orthography; (2) actional competence, or the ability to interpret and produce speech acts (apologizing, requesting, promising, etc.); and (3) socioCultural Competence, comprising knowledge of the rules and expectations governing the social contexts of language use, and including knowledge of politeness conventions, speech styles, and reg- ister.
eBook - PDFHow Different are We?
Spoken Discourse in Intercultural Communication
- Helen FitzGerald, Dr. Helen Fitzgerald(Authors)
- 2002(Publication Date)
- Multilingual Matters(Publisher)
Chapter 9 Developing Communicative Competencies: Intercultural & Linguacultural Introduction: What Competencies Should Be Taught In this chapter the competencies required for good communication in this type of interaction, and by extension in academic and workplace settings, will be outlined and some interactions that displayed some of these features will be examined. Both the competencies required for effec-tive communication in intercultural settings and in the specific Anglo-Australian ‘linguaculture’ will be discussed. Fantini (1995) uses this helpful term, arguing that it is a reminder of the inseparability of a language and its culture and of the fact that people can be linguistically proficient but culturally deficient. Although there were also many successful interactions in the Orientation classes, groups in EPE classes have been chosen for this chapter as, in general, their proficiency level was higher and their discussions may more closely mirror the level of English typical in the profes-sional workplace. In fact, during EPE courses, work experience was arranged for these learners and some of them were asked to stay on in paid positions. To be successful communicators in Australia, non-native speakers need to be aware of what native speakers consider to be good communication in English, and also need to be competent intercultural communicators. The former is necessary because native speakers are often gatekeepers in this society and because their style may dominate in many situations. For example, interpersonal skills and good communication rate most highly in surveys carried out by personnel managers in relation to job selection criteria in Australia (Hogarth, 1995). Moreover, the great majority of native speakers still have monocultural views about what constitute effective interpersonal skills and good communication, tending to judge any varia-tion as a reflection of personal and intellectual inadequacy.
- Jana Bérešová(Author)
- 2019(Publication Date)
- Peter Lang Group(Publisher)
Some expressions are becoming multicultural due to globalisation and users of them are not aware of their origin. Sociolinguistic competence is concerned with the knowledge and skills required to deal with the social dimension of language use. Language learners are expected to take into account sociocultural and sociolinguis- tic differences, to acquire idiomatic expressions and colloquialisms with awareness of connotative levels of meaning and to understand implicit cul- tural references at higher levels of language proficiency. 4.2.5 Culture-induced Discourse While in the previous sub-chapters the focus of the analysis of contempo- rary literary prose was put on the impact of culture on words, phrases or multi-word expressions, the following lines give a thought to different styles, discourse structures or formulations that might be a challenge for language learners when they need to express themselves in forming their thoughts. Discourse competence is the ability of target language users to arrange sentences/utterances in sequence in order to produce coherent stretches of language, which requires from language users to use their knowledge of and ability to control the ordering of sentences in terms of rules concern- ing grammar, semantics and functional sentence perspective. The learn- ers are expected to structure and manage discourse not only in terms of thematic organisation and coherence and cohesion and logical ordering, but also by means of style and register appropriateness. Home culture in- fluences the way people express their ideas, and some genres do not exist D E V E L O P I N G I N T E R C U L T U R A L C O M M U N I C A T I V E C O M P E T E N C E I N L O C A L E L T 116 in different cultures, for example, the essay. In the English-speaking con- text, common essay genres include argumentative, compare and contrast, or problem-solving essays.
eBook - PDF- Ulrich Ammon, Norbert Dittmar, Klaus J. Mattheier, Peter Trudgill, Ulrich Ammon, Norbert Dittmar, Klaus J. Mattheier, Peter Trudgill(Authors)
- 2020(Publication Date)
- De Gruyter Mouton(Publisher)
2.5. Competence as more than Knowledge A dialectic between what pertains to group and what to person overcomes a gap due to Chomsky's initial dichotomy and counter arguments from cultural diversity. Some have contrasted (communicative) competence, a sphere of community knowledge, including knowledge of norms of action, to action itself, a sphere of individual intentions, strategies, and adjustments (Hormann 1976; Edmond-son 1981, 273-4; Hammersley 1981, 47-8; Frederiksen 1981, 305-6; Wells 1981, 5 5 -56; Gumperz 1982). Competence is indeed a matter of what a user of language is able to do (Wells 1981, 56). Contrary to some writers (Cicourel 1981, 57; Penalosa 1981,41) values, norms, attitudes and beliefs are a part, both as knowledge and as facets of motivation, including such capabilities as confidence and courage (Goffman 1967, 218-226; Hymes 1973, ch. V; Richards 1983). 3. Models of Communicative Competence 3.1. General Scope The initial contrast to Chomsky makes un-derstandable that many have taken commu-nicative competence to be in addition to what is linguistic (e.g., Schlesinger 1971, 173, Rivers 1973, Trudgill 1978, 7, Schmidt/Ri-chards 1980, 129, 142). The greater number of writers have recognized that the concept comprises the abilities involved in language structure as well as use (Lyons 1977, 153; Spolsky 1978; Dik 1980; Hudson 1980, 219; Faerch/Haastrup/Phillipson 1984, 168; Ed-wards 1986, 95). At the same time the scope is more than the verbal. Given the focus of much sociolinguistic work on language varie-ties and styles, and the general argument that the notion of language should be replaced by that of verbal repertoire as theoretical base (Hymes 1967 a; 1973), it is not surprising that communicative competence is often identified as command of alternative varieties and styles (Milroy/Milroy 1985).
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