Language and Culture

Oxford Introductions to Language Study

by Claire Kramsch, H.G. Widdowson (Editor)

Recent social and political changes have focused attention on the debate about the relationship between language and culture. This book offers an accessible survey of key concepts such as social context and cultural authenticity, using insights from fields which include linguistics, sociology and anthropology.

Genres: Linguistics, Language, Nonfiction, School, Cultural

134 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1998

About the author

Claire J. Kramsch has been Professor of German and Foreign Language Acquisition at the University of Berkeley since 1989. She is also director of the Berkeley Language Centre and teaches in the School of Education. Her fields of interest are second language acquisition, applied linguistics, discourse analysis and social and cultural theory.

Claire Kramsch is co-editor of Applied Linguistics, author of Language and Culture and the award-winning Context and Culture in Language Teaching published by Oxford University Press.

In 1998, the President of Germany awarded Claire Kramsch the coveted Goethe Medal of the Goethe Institute for her achievements in promoting intercultural understanding between Germany and the U.S.A.

Reviews

[Duaa Issa · Rating 4 out of 5]

كان جزء من مساق أخدتو بالجامعة..
كتاب لطيف..

[Jules ♈ (witchyrover) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book deals with the way language and culture intertwine with each other, and how we can't have one without the other. I've always been fascinated by how some cultures do or say certain things, and I think is just equally fascinating that most of those decisions are also influenced by our language.

Despite the short chapters, the information is not particularly easy to digest. There are many concepts to remember, (in a very short period of time. At least for me, since this was a must-read for my English course). It certainly helped that I knew the concepts already from the previous classes (only because the teacher adores repeating things that we already know). Nevertheless, it's not one of my favorite reads so far.

[Gulsumakê · Rating 5 out of 5]

full of very basic and useful information, it will be one of my bedsides books.
I really loved it, and going to read it several times more.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book reminded me a lot of my linguistics class back in college. The chapters are small, but not particularly easy to digest, there's many concepts to remember, and if this is a first approach, it might feel a little daunting. It certainly helped that I knew the concepts already.
But the theme was really interesting. All about how language and culture intertwine with each other, and how we can't have one without the other. I've always been fascinated by how some cultures do or say certain things, and I thing is just equally fascinating that most of those decisions are also influenced by our language.

[Safia AlSharji · Rating 3 out of 5]

Language is an art! This is exactly what I got from this book after reading it for the second time. Now I have many questions that I need to search for: what's reflecting our cultures better than the languages we are speaking? And why are we comfortable about using the second language to express our deep feelings and emotions? Do we feel more secure with the second language rather than the mother language?

[C. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Finally! No more intercultural communication for me. Not a very interesting subject, though to be fair this book makes it seem even more dull than it actually is. Good riddance.

[Aisha]

it's an amazing book which had amused me so much

[Mika]

language and social and culture and difference

[Shailee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great ideas, but difficult vocabulary.

[Sakshi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This quite a good read, comprehensive.

[Ala'a Saif · Rating 4 out of 5]

"اللغة ترمز إلى واقع ثقافي!" هكذا يقول كلير، ويقول بعد ذلك:
"لا تزعم نظرية النسبية اللغوية أن البناء اللغوي يحد من تفكير الناس وفهمهم للأشياء، ولكنها تزعم أن البناء اللغوي يؤثر فيما يفكر فيه الناس وما يفهمونه بشكل منتظم. ومن ثم يمكن القول إن نظرية سايبر ورف قد انتهت إلى فهمين هامين:
1- يتلخص الفهم الأول في أن هناك اعترافًا في الوقت الراهن بأن اللغة بوصفها شفرة، تعكس هموم ثقافية وتضع قيودًا على الطريقة التي يفكر بها الناس.
2- ويتلخص الفهم الثاني في أننا نقر -أكثر مما كان يقر به ورف في أيامه- بأهمية السياق في إتمام المعاني التي تنطوي عليها الشفرة اللغوية.
هذا ويرتبط الفهم الأول بالثقافة بوصفها مشفرة دلاليًا في اللغة نفسها. بينما يتعلق الفهم الثاني بالثقافة كما تتجلى في الاستخدام الفعلي للغة."

[Vjsagar · Rating 3 out of 5]

throws some interesting snippets into how different languages work, their constructs differ, and how that affects the way thoughts are formed .. etc.. more insights on those lines would have been great..

[بشاير المطيري]

كتاب مهم جدا لكل مهتم باللغويات و دراسات الترجمة

[Th D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for a novice like me. Hopefully I'll get something out of this for my graduate paper.

[Pearl Schäfer · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was aight

[Radja Chinoun · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book was very interesting because it is all about dynamic aspects of language, and things we can see in our daily lives. The language used, on the other hand, was a bit difficult especially when the author used Emily Dickinson's poem and the example of Dr Faust. In conclusion I can say that the book is really worthy of both time and effort since it gives a lot of new and useful pieces of information.

[Belén · Rating 4 out of 5]

I also had to read this book for Language II. I'm going to be honest, when I have to pick up a book I don't usually enjoy it but this... It was so easy to read and so interesting that I did not feel it was a drag at all, I actually enjoyed it very much. I'm not saying it is one of my all-time-favourites BUT the topics and the readings were interesting and I learned a lot. Chapter 5 specially caught my attention.

[I Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

All bases covered but with little depth. Does what it says on the tin.

[ED Goldilaine]

i need o read this book

[Ale]

Abarca