Chinese: Second Language Learner F–10 Sequence / Levels 9 and 10 / Understanding / The role of language and culture
Content description
Analyse the ways in which language choices reflect cultural practices and values and how language is used to express familiarity and distance between participants in interactions
Elaborations
exploring how known languages influence their own communicative preferences, such as reflecting the values of one culture when communicating in another, for example, differences in the use and frequency of ‘thank you’ and 谢谢
making connections between their first language and how it influences communication in additional languages, for example: Why do Chinese speak English in certain ways? What features of my first language influence how I speak Chinese? How does this affect mediation of ideas between languages?
interacting with people of different ages and positions, varying language and level of formality according to relative status, for example, using appropriate ways to accept or decline requests, compliments or suggestions (你能不能帮我一点忙？---- 对不起，我没有空; 您找谁？- 你爸爸在家吗？)
examining how concepts such as humour and humility are conveyed in Chinese, and discussing how these may be perceived by non-native Chinese speakers
reflecting on taboos in language use and how these can impact on communication across cultures, for example: Is it okay to ask someone’s age in China? Why do numbers and colours matter? What are we superstitious about in Australia? What hand gestures are acceptable with Chinese speakers? What can I joke about?
defining familiarity and distance as they relate to language use
