外语教学中的文化教学及其与民族主义的关系

On the Relationship Between Cultural Teaching and Nationalism in FLT

近几十年来,文化教学已成为外语教学的一个重要内容,外语教学的重点已从语言形式的习得转向交际能力的提高。在交际能力的培养中,以目标语为母语的人们往往被视为交际行为绝对正确的源泉,目标语文化被看作是单一同质的模式。这种做法促使了以民族主义为主导的世界观的形成,强化了民族边界的维护,同时极大地妨碍了跨文化理解和文化容忍。笔者认为,外语教学是两个或更多民族交会的过程,能够促成"我们"文化和"他人"文化等"文化身份"的形成。在当今迅速发展的全球化时代,为了维护各自的民族边界,植根于语言和话语中的"民族身份"日益凸显。因此,外语教育界有必要重新思考超越交际需求的文化成分的含义,并努力培养外语学习者的批评态度和批评意识。

In the past few decades, cultural teaching has become an important part of foreign language teaching （FLT）. Now the emphasis in FLT has shifted from the acquisition of linguistic forms to the development of communicative competence. In that process the native speaker has been seen as a source of correctness in communicative behavior and the target culture, as monolithic and homogeneous. Such practice enforces the nationalism-dominated world-view and may contribute to boundary maintenance instead of improving cross-cultural understanding and tolerance. The author argues that FLT acts as an activity where two or more nations intersect, contributing to the formation of our cultural identity and other cultural identity. In the current world of ever-increasing globalization, national identity, which is embodied in our language and discourse, is more vigorously formed than ever in order to maintain national boundaries. So it is necessary for foreign language profession to address the implications of cultural contents beyond communication needs and to foster critical attitudes and critical awareness in language learners.