Abstract:
The intimate relationship between language and culture has long been observed in second language (L2) pragmatics and sociolinguistics. Most scholars in L2 acquisition have operated with the assumption that learning a language means acquiring a set of pragmatic norms and cultural values embodied in the target language. However, development of L2 learners’ pragmatic competence, actual curricular commitment and textbook compatibility have been thus far limited. This presentation looked at some key issues in the development of L2 learner’s pragmatic competence and L2 pragmatic failures that may cause confusion and conflicts. Citing from Confucian traditions, concepts, and values such as politeness, face and indirectness, this talk will discuss how Chinese pragmatics is shaped, contextualized, and reflected in ways Chinese L1 and L2 communicate. Discussions included how and how much pragmatics should and can be taught in Chinese L2 language classes.
Biography:
Dr. Wei Hong is Professor of Applied Linguistics, and the Director of Chinese Language Program in the School of Languages and Cultures at Purdue University.
Dr. Hong received her MA in German in 1986 from Tongji University, Shanghai, China and Ph.D in Linguistics from Purdue University in 1993. She joined the Purdue faculty in 1994 as an Assistant Professor of Chinese. Her major publications include studies on requests in German, English and Chinese, intercultural pragmatics of “apology” and “refusal,” teaching Chinese as a Second Language, distance Chinese and Business Chinese. Dr. Hong is a frequent speaker to business community, MBA classes, K-12 community and at academic conferences on business culture and etiquettes in Chinese, research in Chinese language pedagogy and cross-cultural communication. In 2010, Dr. Hong was elected to the Board of Advisors of Chinese Language Teachers Association in the US. She has been frequently invited to review academic manuscripts for major publishers such as Prentice Hall Publications, McGraw-Hill Higher Education, Yale University Press and Georgetown University Press. Since 2010, Dr. Hong has been serving as the faculty reviewer of Chinese language programs for American Council on Education.
