A study of Culture Teaching in Business English (完).docx

StudyofCultureTeachinginBusinessEnglishZhaoYinglongAbstract:TheAppliuitionofcrosv<l(uralcommunicationtheoriestotheteachingofbusinessEnglishinthecontextofChineseUnivcniiticvshouldbeCrmdIKtCdinMichawaythatstudentsarcaWctoIcarnIhnlChinesemWcMCnlculturescxiMa，difIcrcntsylenx.andIouden%ladIbtffuxlanlalikasg<n'emugIbeIVSPeCIiVtfculturalentities.ByCCnlpari，Onandanalysis,buie%xCuhUnildittcrcnccsarcstudieda<thehi曲CrICvdofculturalthinking.Followingtheprincipleofequality.CmsSYUhUralCommunicalinnwillfunction»abrklgcintheexchangeofChineseNndWcMcmCiilturexOneofthemnjorflio11%oftheEngIkhlanguageisIdCCyIbtfcultuxuofIlXspeechnnunily.Hence.IbeawarvnexofitsbusinessOilturulChanHrle”willfacilitacebuutcssEnglishICadHngagainstIlKChinesecuhuralbackground.Keywords:ksincssEnglish;culturetching：surestions1 IntroductionEnglishis(hedominantlanguageininternationalbusinessactivitiesandisbecomingaveryusefultoolthateverybusinesspersonneedstoobtain.IhemostimportainfunctionofbusinessEnglishistocommunicate.Effectivecommunicationwillhelppeopletoachievebusinessgoals.ASweallknow,Englishistheacceptedmediumforinternationalbusinesscommunicationinbusinesssettingwhichconcernstheaspectofcross-culturefactorsamongbusinesspeoplefromdifferentculturalbackgrounds.Theunderlyingbusinesscultureisa44WcstcniEuropeanorNorthAmericanone、(John.1996:9)whiletherearcvariousculturesworldwide.Inaddition.Trompcnaar(1993)commentsonculturaldiversityinbusinessanddiscussessevendimensionsofculturewhichhehasfoundtobesignificant.Therefore,sensitivitytoculturalissuesandabelterunderstandingofculturaldifferencesarcimportantwhendealingwithbusinessEnglishcommunication.HowevermanybusinessEnglishcoursesfocusonthelanguageskills11lhcr(hanthecultivationoftheintercul(uralcommunicativecompetenceandIhestudentsunderthissituationcannotmeettheneedsofthesociety.ThiSstudywillresearchthebusinessEnglishteachingfromaninterculturalperspective.2 BusinessEnglishanditsteaching2.1 nintroduceforbusinessEnglishBusinessEnglishisnotaspeciallanguagewithaspecialgrammar.ItissimplytheEnglishusedinbusinesscontext.Atthefirstglance,businessEnglishmaybeunderstoodbymostofpeopleasthewordsandexpressionsthatprofessionalpeopleusewhendoingbusiness.ThebusinessEnglishvocabularycomprisesofwordsfromtrade,finance,accounting,marketing,negotiationandcorrespondenceetc.BusinessEnglishisalsoregardedasa''mediatinglanguagebetweenthetechnicalitiesofparticularbusinessesandthelanguageofthegeneralpublic”(Pickett.1989:5).Intheearly197()s.abusinessspecialistvocabularyinEnglishwasseentodistinguishbusinessEnglishfromgeneralEnglish.Business-relatedwordsandterminologyintendedtotheoneandonlycoreinloamingbusinessEnglish(Ellis&Johnson.1994:I).Earlytext-booksforbusinessEnglishweretopresenttargetspecializedvocabularjinthecontextofawrittentextthatdealswithaparticulartopic.ExercisesusuallyconsistofVoCabUlaryexercises,comprehensionquestionstothetextandselecteddrillpatternpractice.ThetrendsingeneralEnglishdevelopmentsfocusingonfunctionalareasthrewnewlightonbusinessEnglishteaching.AtypicalexampleoffunctionalcourseforbusinessEnglishisVerymuchlikelytopresentthelisteningpracticeinbusinesssituationandtodemonstratethefunctionalstructuresforbusinesscommunicationliketelephoning,enquiringandconfirminginformation,andmakingappointmentsetc.BusinessEnglishisespeciallyrelatedtointernationaltrade.Manynon-nativeEnglishspeakersstudybusinessEnglishwiththegoalofdoingbusinesswithEnglish-speakingcountries,orwithcompanieslocatedinnon-nativeEnglish-speakingareasbutusingEnglishassharedsecondlanguageorlinguafranca.BusinessEnglishmeansdifferentthingstodifferentpeople.Forsome,itfocusesonvocabularyandtopicsusedintheworldsofbusiness,trade,finance,andinternationalrelations.Forothersitreferstothecommunicationskillsusedintheworkplace,andfocusesonthelanguageandskillsneededfortypicalbusinessCOmmUniCaIionsuchasprcscniaiions.negotiations,meetings,s11udltalk,socializing,correspondence,reportwriting,andsoon(wikiedia,2011).2.2 AreviewofbusinessEnglishteachingWiththeincreaseofpeople'sunderstandingofEnglishanditsteachingandlearning,theapproachestobusinessEnglishteachingnourishedinthe199()s.Manyassetsofbusine«»Englishanditsinstructionhavebeenbroughtintodetaileddiscussionandanalysis.Anumberofmethodshavebeentested,combinedinaccordancewithaneedtodevelopthecommunicativeabilities.Theemphasisonbusinesscommunicativeskillsleadstoatrendinteachingbusinesstechniqueslikenegotiating,manipulatingmeetings,givingpresentationandsoon.ThebusinessEnglishstudentsmaybecomevariousinEnglishlevelsandliversitiedinexperiences.ThereexistsanurgentneedforbusinessEnglishinbothjob-experiencedemployeesandpre-experiencecollegestudentswhowanttoexalttheiroccupationpursuitorprepareforabettercareerfuture.TheteachingofbusinessEnglishinthePeople*sRepublicofChinadatesbacktotheearly195()s.whentheCollegetorSeniorCadresofCommerce,thefirstcollegeofitskindsocializingintrainingpersonnelforforeigntrade,wasestablishedinBeijing.Thecollegeadmittedstudentstoits''EnglishTranslation"programwiththegoalofproducingtranslatorsandinterpretersinthefieldofforeigntrade.Tothisend.studentswererequiredtomasteraforeignlanguageorientedtoforeigntrade,Icamtechniquesofforeigntrade,andbecomefamiliarwithChina'stradepolicies.The1990switnessedaboominbusinessEnglishteachinginChina.ThenumberofcollegesanduniversitiesofferingbusinessEnglishprogramsincreasedsignificantly.Overthelastdecadeorso,therehavebeenpersistento11rts(oupgradethecurriculumIbrstudentsofbusinessEnglishinChina.Partlyinresponsetosuchinput,thecurriculumforEnglishmajorsadmittedtotheUniversityofinternationalbusinessandeconomicsin2(XM)includedarangeofcoursesinbusinesssubjects;forexample,westerneconomics,businessethics,andbusinesslaw.However,thebusinesscoursesandlanguageskillscourseswereratherindependentinthecurriculum.Inaddition,thelanguageskillscoursesgenerallyexcludedtheconcernwiththecultureteachingwhichisnot"hard"enoughtobesensedphysicallybutdocsplayanindispcnsiblcroleinbusinessEnglishdevelopmentforstudentsinthisregard.3 CulturalfactorsinbusinessEnglishteaching3.1 Cultureteaching1.ookingatcultureteachinghistorically,wecanidentifytwostages.BeforeWorldWarI,itwasbeginningoberecognized(hatinordertomakesenseofaparticularlanguageandliterature,Someunderstandingofthecountryanditspeoplewasneeded.Thestudyofthehistory,geographyandinstitutionsofthecountrywasregardedasbackgroundandcomplementtolanguageandIiterarystudies.Suchacultureteachingalsoincludedthegreataccomplishmentsofthetargetcommunityinthearts,music,anddrama,aswellasinscientificdiscovcrj,.sportsandwhateverotherachievementsthatpeopletakepridein.AfterWorldWarII.theemphasisoncombiningtheteachingoflanguageandculturewasmaintainedandcontinuedintheUnitedSlates.ThebeliefhatunderstandingforeigncultureandcomparisonsbetweenculturesbeingnecessarycomponentsoflanguageteachingwasfrequentlyexpressedbymanylanguageeducatorsnotonlyintheUnitedStatesbutalsoinothercountries.Theymadegreateffortstostudythequestionofhowtoteachcultureinlanguageprograms.Accordingtothem,culturehasbeenextendedtoencompass"thewayoflifeofasociety*.Inotherwords,thenotionofcultureinlanguageeducationhasbeenexpandedtron''culturewithabigC“to"4culturcwithasmallc".Manylanguageeducatorsagreethatadistinctionbetween"bigC"cultureand“smallc"cultureshouldbemadeandthatpriorityshouldbeshiftedfromtheformertothelatterinlanguageeducation.*CulturcwithabigC''focusesonthesumtotalofapeople'sachicvc11cniandcontribution:art,music,literature,archilecturv.technology,scientificdiscoveriesandphilosophy.tlCuIturcwithasmallc"includes“lhcbehaviourpatternsofthelifestyleofpeople:whenandwhattheycat,howtheymakealiving,thewaytheyorganizetheirsociety,theattitudestheyexpresstowardsfriendsandtheirfamilies,howtheyactindi11erentsituations,whichexpressionstheyusetoshowapprovalanddisapproval,thetraditionstheymustobserveandsoon."(Allen&Valeite11977:325)Duringtheprocessoflearningculture,togainknowledgeaboutforeigncultureisnottheendbutthewayofunderstandingone'sownculture.Interculturalunderstandinginvolvesmorethantheknowledgeofhowandwhyother)eoplethinkandbehaveastheydo.understandingsomeonefromanothercultureinvolvesmodifyingone'sownculture.Peopleunderstandtheirowncultureonlyaftertheyhavebeguninteractingwithsomncfromanothercultureandhavegotsomeknowledgeaboutanotherculture.3.2 TheimportanceofcultureteachinginbusinessEnglishAfterChinaentersVTO,thevalueofstudyingEnglishisrecognizedaimingmanyChineseandprofessionalpeople.UnderstandingofthedifferencesbetweenpeoplefromdiITerentculturesisofvitalimportanceforIhebuildingofharmoniousrelationships.WithincreasingcontactbetweenChinaandthewesternworld,interculturalcommunicationhasbeengreatlystrengthened.Kramsch(19931)regardstheknowledgeofcultureasthefifthskillforlanguagelearnersinadditiontolistening,speaking,readingandwriting.Moreattentionhasbeenpaidtocultureteachingtoimproveinterculturalcommunicationcompetence.Apackageofsophisticatedtheorieshasbeendevelopedtointegratelanguageandcultureinforeignlanguageclasses,bultheyarcnotVCrysuccessful.Evenifthereiscultureteachinginsomeschools,theproportionofcultureteachinginforeignlanguageprogramsisstillquitelowinpercentage.Thetargetcultureismainlyconfined(oculturalknowledge,especially“bigCculture5'.Theproblemofhowtointegratecultureteachingwithlanguageteachingremainsunsolved.4 HowtoteachcultureinbusinessEnglishJustasproposedbyRivers,oneoftheobjectivesofteachingaforeignlanguageis“togivestudentstheexperienceofexpressingthemselveswihinanolherframework,linguistically.RincsthcticallyandCUltUralIy"(River.1981:8)Anotheris"tobringstudentstoagreaterunderstandingofpeopleacrossnationalbarriers,bygivingthemasympatheticinsightintoIhcwaysoflileandwaysofthinkingofthepeoplewhospeakhelanguagetheyarelearning”(ibid).For(hoseobjectives,theresearcher11>posethefollowingsuggestions.4.1 ToguidestudentstouseInternetforinterculturalbusinesscommunicationItisnotdifficultforanEnglishlearneromakeEnglish-speakingfriendsanymorethankstothewideapplicationofInternet.WiththepopularinstantmessengerMSN,onecanfindpeoplefromalltheEnglish-speakingcountries,thenativespeakers.Ifonehasmicrophone,heorshecanmakeoralconversationswithforeigners.Ifacameraisalsoequipped,theirfacialexpressionscanalsobevisibleforbettercommunication.TherCarcmanyspecializedwebsitesforinterculturalcomparisonorfricnds-secking.Onecangetrecommendedwebsitesfrominterculturaltextbooks,appendixorbypowerfulsearchingengineslikeGoogle.Multimediacanshowreal-lifematerialtoletstudentsponderthroughcomputerscreen.Teacherscancontrolthespeed,scriptsandetctomakeculturallearningeasierandfun.Whenwatchingnegotiationsellings,onecansensethe(oneandbehavioroftheeroorheroine.Powerdistanceandauthorityrelationship,women'sstatus,etiquette,socialno11ns,etc.canbeperceived.SomecontroversyinbusinesssettingsshouldbediscussedandanalyzedunderbusinessEnglishteachers'guidance.Nowadays,withtheincreasingroleplayedbyChina,therearemanyforeignerswhoalsowanttolearntheChineseculture.1,heyhavethesamedesiretoknowmorefromarealChinesenative.Chattingwithnativespeakersisfunandfruitfulfordevelopinginterculturalcompetenceforinternationalcommunication.Whencommunicatingwithforeigners,oneshouldbesensitivetotheirnon-verballanguagebecausewatchingtheirfacialexpressionsforsignsofunderstanding,misunderstanding,confusion,etc.canmakeinterculturalcommunicationeasierandbelter.4.2 ToputculturalevaluationintobusinessEnglishsyllabusandtestingsystemWiihtheincreasingimportanceofinterculturalcompetenceinbusinessEnglishteaching,currentbusinessEnglishsyllabusshouldbemodifiedtomeettherequirementOfglobalization.IfculturaleducationinbusinessEnglishiswritteninsyllabus,businessteacherswillrealizethesignalandtakeanypossiblechancetopenetrateinterculturalawarenesstotheirstudents.Fishorfishery,whichdoyouprefer?AqualifiedbusinessEnglishteacherwillteachastudenthowtoIcamcfTcclivclybythemselves.Teachersshoulddeveloptheirownteachingapproachesandinterculturalknowledgeforthepurposebysclf-pcrfeclion.BusinessEnglishteachersshoulddeveloptheirownculturalintelligence,andthen(eachheirNUdeilis.Mrarch(2(X)8)definedculturalintelligence.Culturalintelligenceisintelligenceusedloadapteffectivelytoforeignculturesorpeople.Hepointsthatoneissuretosutleraprocessfromindependencehoneymoon,culturalshock,superficialadjustment,depressionisolation,re-integrationcompensationandautonomyprocessifheorshehastomoveintoadifferentculture.ItmeansbusinessEnglishteachersshoulddeveloptheirownculturalintelligencefirstunderthedirectionofsyllabus.CurrentbusinessEnglishtestslaymorestressonlinguisticcompetencethancommunicativecompetence.Patterns,usefulexpressions,phrases,professionaltermsandtranslationarcthemaintestingitems.TheformandcontentofbusinessEnglishtestshouldbeimprovedtoencourageteachersandstudentstopayfullattentiontothedevelopmentofinterculturalbusinesscommunicativecompetence.Tbtesthowwellthestudentsmastertheculturalknowledge,teacherscancreateasimulatingbusinessscenariolotesttheirappropriatereaction.Theteacherscanalsogivethestudentssomebusinesseasesloanalyze,thustheycanfindouthowgoodthestudentsareininterculturalbusinessconmunicaion.ByimprovingthecurrentIeSlsystem,teachersandstudentswillbegintofocusontheteachingandlearningofculture.43,ibknowmoreabouttheChinesebusinesscultureAnotherbarrierfacedbybusinessEnglishlearnersinChinaindevelopmentofinternationalbusinesscommunicationisanobjectiveattitudetoourmotherlanguage.Ininterculturalcommunicationwithforeigners,aChinesepersonshouldkeephisorhernationalcharacterwithdeepUndcrslandingonChineset11litionalculture.BearingasolidChineseculturebackground,aChinesecanbeconfidentindealingwithcuhuraldifferences.Interculturalcommunicationistwo-wayroadIbrinputandoutput.WhenAmericansorotherpeoplesarecurioustoknowContusionorTaoism,aChineseshouldberesponsibleoplaytheroleascuhuralambassadorointroduceChineseculturetoforeigners.Basedonmutualres>ectsanddeepunderstandingofn)therlanguage,ChinesebusinessEnglishlearnerscanlearnmoreculturaldifferencesobjectivelyforcomparison.IeachersshouldremindstudentstheimportanceofculturalvarietytoletstudentsbealcrtaboutChinesenationalidentitybasedonChinesetraditionalculture."WheninRome,doastheRomansdo、maybecomeaconcessionforculturalconflicts.Emulsion(1992)statesthattheappropriatenessofspeechactsininteractioncommunicationshouldn'tbejudgedbythelanguagetheyspeak.Forexample,whenanAmericanbusinessmaninChinaisusingEnglishtocommunicatewithaChinesebusinesspartnerinChina,heshouldn'tadheretohisAmericanpragmatics9norms,atleastatacertaindegreetofollowChineseculturalcontext.4.4 TOtakeadynamicviewtointerculturalcommunicationinbusinesssettingsXu1.isheng(2(XX)pointsthatcommunicationbarriersshouldbeeliminatedbynwtualeffortstoadapttoeachother.TeachersshouldguidestudentstoavoidanxietyininterculturalcommunicationandIcanitoobserveanddecodeothercultures.Consideringtiming,physicalsettingandcustoms,teachersandstudentscanbeflexibleinselectingwordsandactions.Oneshouldbealertininterculturalcommunication.Forexample,powerrelationshipbetweenparticipantsincommunicationisoftenneglected.One,sresponsetothesamequestioncanbediff