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Appunti corso lingua inglese base, Schemi e mappe concettuali di Lingua Inglese

Università degli Studi di Bergamo (UNIBG)Lingua Inglese

Appunti del corso lingua inglese base

Tipologia: Schemi e mappe concettuali

2022/2023

Caricato il 08/11/2025

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LINGUA INGLESE CORSO BASE – Adami Valentina Lingua inglese corso
Lezione 1
Topic One
Language, Culture and Thought
“The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.” (Wittgenstein, 1922)
Let’s discuss…
• Why are languages different?
• Is there a relationship between linguistic and cultural differences?
• Does the existence (or lack) of a particular feature make a difference to the way we perceive reality?
• In other words, what is the relation between language, culture and thought?
Ted Talk: “How language shapes the way we think” by Lera Boroditsky
There are about 7,000 languages spoken around the world -- and they all have different sounds, vocabularies and structures. But do they shape
the way we think? Cognitive scientist Lera Boroditsky shares examples of language -- from an Aboriginal community in Australia that uses cardinal
directions instead of left and right to the multiple words for blue in Russian -- that suggest the answer is a resounding yes. "The beauty of linguistic
diversity is that it reveals to us just how ingenious and how flexible the human mind is," Boroditsky says. "Human minds have invented not one
cognitive universe, but 7,000." https://www.ted.com/talks/lera_boroditsky_how_language_shapes_the_way_we_think
Questions
1. What can we do through language?
2. What is the ancient question she is trying to answer?
3. Which two quotations does she use to answer the question?
4. Please take notes and sum up what she says about the Aboriginal community in Australia, and the way they think about space and time
5. Please take notes and sum up the other examples she mentions: 1. numbers; 2. colours; 3. gender; 4. describing events
6. What are the consequences of these differences among languages?
7. What is the beauty of linguistic diversity?
8. What are the limits of current research on the human mind?
9. What is her final thought?
Lezione 2
Language, Culture and Thought
“The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.”
(Wittgenstein, 1922)
Ted Talk: “How language shapes the way we think “by Lera Boroditsky
There are about 7,000 languages spoken around the world -- and they all have different sounds, vocabularies and structures. But do they shape
the way we think? Cognitive scientist Lera Boroditsky shares examples of language -- from an Aboriginal community in Australia that uses cardinal
directions instead of left and right to the multiple words for blue in Russian-- that suggest the answer is a resounding yes. "The beauty of linguistic
diversity is that it reveals to us just how ingenious and how flexible the human mind is," Boroditsky says. "Human minds have invented not one
cognitive universe, but 7,000."
https://www.ted.com/talks/lera_boroditsky_how_language_shapes_the_way_we_think
Questions
1. How does she describe what she is doing?
2. What can we do through language?
3. What is the ancient question she is trying to answer?
4. Which two quotations does she use to answer the question?
5. Please take notes and sum up what she says about the Aboriginal community in Australia, and the way they think about space and time
6. Please take notes and sum up the other examples she mentions: 1. numbers; 2. colours; 3.gender; 4. describing events
7. What are the consequences of these differences among languages?
8. What is the beauty of linguistic diversity?
9. What are the limits of current research on the human mind?
10. What is her final thought?
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LINGUA INGLESE CORSO BASE – Adami Valentina Lingua inglese corso Lezione 1 Topic One Language, Culture and Thought “The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.” (Wittgenstein, 1922) Let’s discuss…

  • Why are languages different?
  • Is there a relationship between linguistic and cultural differences?
  • Does the existence (or lack) of a particular feature make a difference to the way we perceive reality?
  • In other words, what is the relation between language, culture and thought? Ted Talk: “How language shapes the way we think” by Lera Boroditsky There are about 7,000 languages spoken around the world -- and they all have different sounds, vocabularies and structures. But do they shape the way we think? Cognitive scientist Lera Boroditsky shares examples of language -- from an Aboriginal community in Australia that uses cardinal directions instead of left and right to the multiple words for blue in Russian -- that suggest the answer is a resounding yes. "The beauty of linguistic diversity is that it reveals to us just how ingenious and how flexible the human mind is," Boroditsky says. "Human minds have invented not one cognitive universe, but 7,000." https://www.ted.com/talks/lera_boroditsky_how_language_shapes_the_way_we_think Questions
  1. What can we do through language?
  2. What is the ancient question she is trying to answer?
  3. Which two quotations does she use to answer the question?
  4. Please take notes and sum up what she says about the Aboriginal community in Australia, and the way they think about space and time
  5. Please take notes and sum up the other examples she mentions: 1. numbers; 2. colours; 3. gender; 4. describing events
  6. What are the consequences of these differences among languages?
  7. What is the beauty of linguistic diversity?
  8. What are the limits of current research on the human mind?
  9. What is her final thought? Lezione 2 Language, Culture and Thought “The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.” (Wittgenstein, 1922) Ted Talk: “How language shapes the way we think “by Lera Boroditsky There are about 7,000 languages spoken around the world -- and they all have different sounds, vocabularies and structures. But do they shape the way we think? Cognitive scientist Lera Boroditsky shares examples of language -- from an Aboriginal community in Australia that uses cardinal directions instead of left and right to the multiple words for blue in Russian-- that suggest the answer is a resounding yes. "The beauty of linguistic diversity is that it reveals to us just how ingenious and how flexible the human mind is," Boroditsky says. "Human minds have invented not one cognitive universe, but 7,000." https://www.ted.com/talks/lera_boroditsky_how_language_shapes_the_way_we_think Questions
  10. How does she describe what she is doing?
  11. What can we do through language?
  12. What is the ancient question she is trying to answer?
  13. Which two quotations does she use to answer the question?
  14. Please take notes and sum up what she says about the Aboriginal community in Australia, and the way they think about space and time
  15. Please take notes and sum up the other examples she mentions: 1. numbers; 2. colours; 3.gender; 4. describing events
  16. What are the consequences of these differences among languages?
  17. What is the beauty of linguistic diversity?
  18. What are the limits of current research on the human mind?
  19. What is her final thought?

So what is the relationship between language, thought and culture? → The Sapir - Whorf Hypothesis Version 1 (Sapir, 1929): strong version / linguistic determinism “Language is a guide to social reality... it powerfully conditions all our thinking about social problems and processes. Human beings do not live in the objective world alone, nor alone in the world ofsocial activity as ordinarily understood, but are very much at the mercy of the language which has become the medium of expression for their society... The fact of the matter is that the ‘real world’ is unconsciously largely built up on the language habits of the group. No two languages are ever sufficiently similar to be considered as representing the same social reality. The worlds in which different societies live are distinct worlds, not merely the same world with different labels attached.” (Edward Sapir, 1929) Version 2 (Whorf, 1956): weak version / linguistic relativity “[...] users of markedly different grammars are pointed by their grammar toward different types of observations and different evaluations of externally similar acts of observation, and hence are not equivalent as observers but must arrive at somewhat different views of the world.” (Whorf, 1956) Lezione 3 Controversies associated with the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis:

  1. The rigour of linguistic examples (e.g., Eskimo snow);
  2. Ambiguity of Sapir and Whorf’s arguments which stimulated differing interpretations of their hypothesis, e.g., its strong (linguistic determinism) vs. weak versions (linguistic relativity) Why linguistic determinism should be discarded (Kramsch 2004)
  3. it is possible to translate the essence of meaning from one language to another. 2.bi/multilingual speakers can speak two or more languages and sometimes code switch among languages in ways ‘not dictated by the habits of any one speech community’ (p. 239). 3.growing sociolinguistic variation and diversity within one language makes it implausible to maintain that all the speakers of one language think the same way. Linguistic relativity
  • Some aspects of reality are indeed influenced by language: for ex., gender in German vs in Spanish
  • But just because there is no word for something in a language, it does not mean that speakers of that language cannot understand that concept: for ex., Schadenfreude (German) The Hypothesis of Linguistic Relativity: Language is created in response to cultural and social needs and, in turn, it influences thought, worldviews and culture. Therefore, the language we speak influences the way we perceive the world. → There is a relationship between language, thought and culture... but how close is it? How much does language influence thought? Experimental studies about language, thought and culture See chapter 10 Colour terms (Berlin and Kay, 1969; Kay and Kempton, 1984)
  • Cross-linguistic design to compare whether different language speakers perform differently in colour perception or recall tasks
  • English vs Tarahumara speakers
  • Colour terms influence but do not determine perception The geography of thought (Nisbett, 2003; Ji et al 2004) Which two items would you group together? Chicken Cow Grass

Arrange these utterances in order of politeness.

(a) Would you mind setting the table? (b) Set the table. (c) Can you set the table?

a) I brought this little gift for you. b) I brought this great gift for you. Politeness and (in)directness (a) If you and a close friend were having lunch, would you usually say Pass me the salt (please) or would you mind passing me the salt, please? Which one would you use to a stranger at another table in a restaurant? Why? (b) If you wanted to ask your bank manager for a loan, would you prefer I’d like to ask for a loan of £500, or Lend me £500? (c) If you had to evacuate a burning building, would you say, Fire! Get out! or Fire! Might I possibly ask you to leave the building? So... what do you think politeness is? What is it for you? How do you express it in your language/culture? Which linguistic choices would you consider as polite or impolite? Lezione 5 Group activity – exam practice topic 1 LANGUAGE, THOUGHT AND CULTURE Using slides, notes, and whatever you can remember from the previous lessons, try and discuss the relationship between language, thought and culture. Here are some ideas if you need help:

  • The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis
  • Linguistic relativity vs linguistic determinism
  • Controversial issues / why has linguistic determinism been discarded
  • Examples and studies to prove/disprove the relationship between language, thought and culture: studies on colour terms; the geography of thought…
  • Boroditsky’s perspective and examples (Aboriginals, numbers, colours, gender, describing events)
  • Pinker’s perspective (what is language; prescriptive vs descriptive grammar; examples; language universals… Topic Two: Politeness Chapter 6 Arrange these utterances in order of politeness (assuming they are spoken by a host to a guest)

(a) Take a look at this. (b) Clean up the kitchen floor. (c) Pass the salt. (d) Have some more cake. (e) Peel these potatoes. Arrange these utterances in order of politeness

(a) Would you mind setting the table? (b) Set the table. (c) Can you set the table?

a) I brought this little gift for you. b) I brought this great gift for you. So… what do you think politeness is? What is it for you? How do you express it in your language/culture? Which linguistic choices would you consider as polite or impolite?

Lakoff (1973): ‘rules of politeness’

  • Don’t impose
  • Give options
  • Make addressee feel good – be friendly According to Lakoff, these rules of politeness supersede the ‘rule of being clear’ when there is a conflict between the two. Politeness in pragmatics* = choices made in language use that reveal a speaker’s intention to mitigate face threats, that is, to save speaker’s face OR hearer’s face (Brown and Levinson, 1987) *Face = our public self-image ≠ deference (a polite form, grammatically signalled in some languages by the use of pronouns; for ex., in English, Sir/Madam) *Pragmatics
  • A branch of linguistics
  • the study of the practical aspects of human action and thought
  • the study of the use of linguistic signs, words and sentences, in actual situations → The study of meaning in the interactional context Pragmatics considers:
  • the negotiation of meaning between speaker and listener
  • the context of the utterance
  • the meaning potential of an utterance Brown and Levinson: politeness and face
  • Brown and Levinson (1987): in all cultures, speakers want to avoid face-threatening acts (FTAs)
  • When FTAs are unavoidable, speakers can redress the threat through:
  • Negative politeness strategies, which respect the hearer’s negative face* • For ex., Sorry to bother you, or If you have the time/ if possible, Would you mind…
  • Positive politeness strategies, which respect the hearer’s positive face* • For ex., Sweetie, I’d really appreciate it if…, or I know you don’t like this… *Negative and positive face Negative face: the rights to freedom of action and freedom from imposition, i.e., wanting your actions not to be constrained or inhibited by others. Positive face: the positive consistent self-image that people have and their desire to be appreciated and approved of by other people. Off-record and on-record FTAs Brown and Levinson sum up human politeness behaviour in four strategies: off record, bald on record, negative politeness, positive politeness.
  1. Off record: the FTA is done indirectly. This indirectness allows both speaker and hearer to save face.
  2. On record: the FTA is done directly, either baldly or using politeness strategies.
  3. Bald on record: a direct speech act with no mitigating devices → the most face-threatening mode of action
  4. On record with negative politeness strategies (= leaving options) 3. On record with positive politeness strategies (= showing solidarity/friendship) Activity You want to ask someone to lend you their stapler/pen/whatever else: (a) Could you hint at this without saying anything? How? (b) If you decide to say something, could you drop an off-record hint rather than going ‘on record’ as asking the person for the stapler? Provide an utterance that could do this. (c) If you do go on record asking for the stapler, you are potentially threatening the other person’s negative face by imposing on them and making it harder for them to refuse. (You also risk losing your positive face if the hearer does not help you out.) Which are your on-record options? Politeness in intercultural communication Chapter 6 Differences in politeness among different cultures include:
  • Greetings and “small talk”
  • Compliments and Answers
  • Turn-taking and silence → Any examples, episodes, experiences…? Let’s discuss! Self-study for the oral exam:
  • Chapter 6 of Exploring intercultural communication: language in action / Zhu Hua Ebook available through the library database (you need to login with your Unibg account): https://www-taylorfranciscom.ezproxy.unibg.it/books/mono/10.4324/9781315159010/ex ploring-intercultural-communicationzhu-hua
  1. Sum up Lynn Murphy’s talk Topic 3: Stereotypes and cultural identity ... but where are you really from? Example 12.3 pp. 222 - 223 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crAv5ttax2I The multi-faceted nature of cultural identity Cultural identity: “a collection of multiple identities, consisting of predominantly ethnic identities along with other intersecting identities such as race, nationality, gender, class and religious affiliation.” (p. 215) Orbe and Harris (2001) proposed that while race and ethnicity are a part of cultural identity, other variables such as abilities, age, gender, nationality, sexual orientation, spirituality and socio-economic status interact with these two and act as cultural identity ‘markers’. → why do ethnicity and race play such a prominent role in cultural identity? We rely on a range of audible, visible and readable cues, as well as on our prior experience and knowledge, when we categorise others’ cultural identity Who you think you are is not necessarily the same as how other people think of you! Lezione 7 Stereotype: the positive or negative beliefs that we hold about the characteristics of social group. We may decide that “French people are romantic,” that “old people are technologically challenged,” or that “college professors are absent minded.” We may use those beliefs to guide our actions toward people from those groups. Prejudice: an unjustifiable negative attitude toward an outgroup or toward the members of that outgroup. Prejudice can take the form of disliking, anger, fear, disgust, discomfort, and even hatred. Our stereotypes and our prejudices are problematic because they may create discrimination: unjustified negative behaviours toward members of outgroups based on their group membership. https://opentextbc.ca/socialpsychology/part/stereotypes-prejudice-and-discrimination/ References (da studiare per l’esame orale!) Chapter 12 of Exploring intercultural communication: language in action / Zhu Hua Listening practice: “The danger of a single story” by Chimamanda Adichie Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice --and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding. https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_ngozi_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story DOMANDE SUL VIDEO Lezione 8 e lezione 9 letture e prova di ascolto Vedi E-learning