Universität Wien

122220 SE Linguistics Seminar / BA Paper (2015W)

Inter-cultural Communication

11.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 12 - Anglistik
Continuous assessment of course work

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 21 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

13 Oct
Introduction

20 Oct
Discussion and distribution of seminar paper topics

27 Oct
Sapir-Whorf hypothesis and later developments of linguistic relativity
The theory of cultural scripts (Wierzbicka, Goddard)

3 Nov
Exponents of politeness in English, German and other languages
Universals and variation in language and culture: basic colour terms

10 Nov
Kinship terms in English, German and other languages
Discourse markers across languages

17 Nov
Speech acts compared: Requests in English, German, and other languages
Speech acts compared: Compliments in English, German, and other languages

24 Nov
Self-assertion and directness in White/Black American English discourse
Swearing and taboo topics across cultures

1 Dec
On cultural stereotypes: Are Germans direct, Slaves emotional and Finns taciturn?
Culture-specific concepts in conversation: Black American English dozens, Austrian Gemütlichkeit, Hebrew dugri talk, Russian dusa

15 Dec
Titles and forms of address in English and Austrian German
An intercultural perspective on the use of personal names and hypocoristics

12 Jan
Cross-cultural pragmatic failure
Male and female discourse - are they two distinct languages and cultures?

19 Jan
The meaning of silence in various languages and cultures
Anger, fear, surprise - emotions across languages and cultures

26 Jan
The function of small talk in English, German and other languages
Political correctness in English and German

  • Tuesday 13.10. 12:00 - 14:00 Raum 2 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-09
  • Tuesday 20.10. 12:00 - 14:00 Raum 2 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-09
  • Tuesday 27.10. 12:00 - 14:00 Raum 2 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-09
  • Tuesday 03.11. 12:00 - 14:00 Raum 2 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-09
  • Tuesday 10.11. 12:00 - 14:00 Raum 2 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-09
  • Tuesday 17.11. 12:00 - 14:00 Raum 2 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-09
  • Tuesday 24.11. 12:00 - 14:00 Raum 2 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-09
  • Tuesday 01.12. 12:00 - 14:00 Raum 2 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-09
  • Tuesday 15.12. 12:00 - 14:00 Raum 2 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-09
  • Tuesday 12.01. 12:00 - 14:00 Raum 2 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-09
  • Tuesday 19.01. 12:00 - 14:00 Raum 2 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-09
  • Tuesday 26.01. 12:00 - 14:00 Raum 2 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-09

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

The seminar concerns problems arising in communication between members of different linguistic-cultural communities. The suggested paper topics and discussion in class will address the following issues:
* the latest approaches to the relation between language and thought, i.e. linguistic relativity;
* selected theoretical issues: Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, the plausibility of postulating semantic/pragmatic/cultural universals; Natural Semantic Metalanguage;
* cross-cultural semantics (culture-specific concepts, cultural scripts)
* cross-cultural (socio-)pragmatics (different cultural values reflected in speech acts across European and non-Indo European languages, the alleged universality of notions like (in)directness, intimacy, (in)formality;
* ethno-psychology: emotions and moral concepts across languages and cultures

Assessment and permitted materials

An oral presentation of the selected paper topic (an abstract required either as a power point presentation, a transparency, or a hand-out), participation in class discussions, the written version of the paper.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

The analysis of problems in intercultural communication as presented in student papers (oral and written versions) and ensuing class discussions.

Examination topics

Mini-lectures, reading, interactive discussion, group work, presentations, individual research papers

Reading list

Available at the beginning of the course.

Association in the course directory

Studium: UF 344, BA 612
Code/Modul: UF 4.2.3-222, BA06.2
Lehrinhalt: 12-2222

Last modified: Mo 07.09.2020 15:33