Chinese: Background Language Learner 7–10 Sequence / Levels 7 and 8 / Understanding / Role of language and culture
Content description
Discuss ways in which language choices indicate aspects of social position (such as class, gender and ethnicity) and inhibit or encourage others’ involvement or sense of belonging
Elaborations
exploring how known languages influence their communicative preferences, such as how the values of one culture may be reflected when communicating in another, for example, differences in the use and frequency of ‘thank you’ and 谢谢 which is simply a sign of gratitude in English, whereas in Chinese overuse of this indicates distance between participants in interactions
exploring how cultural concepts of family and the importance of one’s sense of connection to others influence use of Chinese
exploring the origins of 成语 and 歇后语 encountered in texts such as 朝三暮四，姜太公钓鱼, and using set phrases to share or convey a cultural idea in own writing, for example, 塞翁失马，笨鸟先飞
