Description
Subject Summary:This is an optional level 3 core unit for the major in Arabic, Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, and Italian, within the BA Languages Key Program. It also constitutes part of the linguistics major and sub-major. It can also be taken as an elective.
This is a language-specific unit intended to develop the students’ awareness of language usage issues which may have an impact on intercultural communication and, therefore, on cultural stereotyping as well as other real life interests, such as business relationships and professional performance. It covers issues such as the relationship between culture and language use, ingroup-outgroup relationships, speech acts across cultures, politeness in text and discourse, miscommunication and stereotyping.
Subject learning outcomes:
gained an understanding of the factors that may contribute to (un)successful intercultural communication;
2. acquired metalanguage related to intercultural pragmatics;
3. applied the acquired knowledge and skills in professional practice (translation, interpreting, multicultural education, business, among others);
4. developed awareness of the connection between pragmatic sensitivity and linguistic choices;
5. acquired the linguistic (lexical or syntactic) means necessary to express pragmatic choices.
6. used pragmatic tools to analyse authentic texts and discourse from an intercultural perspective;
7. used new technologies (WebCT) as an innovative environment for learning, peer exchange and staff feedback;
8. demonstrated the ability to discuss and apply intercultural pragmatics to different professions (translation, interpreting, multicultural education, business, among others).