Language and Cultural Meaning

Overview

Module 4 will examine how culture shapes language and, incidentally, our view of the world. Through the field of linguistic anthropology, cultures and languages will be differentiated and interpreted.

Course Objectives Addressed

Recognize and value the issues and complexities of language as a cultural practice

Module Learning Outcomes

Identify relationships between language, culture, and thought

Readings

Language, Culture, and Communication:

The Meaning of Messages

By Nancy Bonvillain

Chapter 3 ~ Language and Cultural Meaning

Linguistic Relativity

The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis

Edward Sapir

Jan. 26. 1884 - Feb. 4, 1939

Benjamin Whorf

Apr. 24, 1897 - July 26, 1941

Presuppositions

"The concept of cultural presupposition refers to the fact that participants in speech interactions come to encounters with an array of knowledge and understandings (models) of their culture as expressed and transmitted through language." (Bonvillain, 2020, p. 65)

Conceptual Metaphor Theory

Cultural meanings are also expressed through complex processes of semantic extension and transfer. One such process is that of metaphor. Metaphors are based on unstated comparisons between entities or events that share certain features. The comparisons implicitly highlight similarities while ignoring contrasts. (Bonvillain, 2020, p. 67)

George Lakoff

May 24, 1941 - Present

Mark Johnson

May 24, 1949 - Present

Discussion Questions

Introduction

Conceptual metaphors are based in culture. As a future educator, it is important to be mindful of the cultural differences that a student might bring to the classroom and how those differences might impede their ability to comprehend English conceptual metaphors.

Instructions for Initial Post

Provide one English conceptual metaphor that might prove to be difficult for an English language learner to understand. This metaphor should be commonly heard in the social culture of grade-school students.

Breakdown the metaphor
- What does the metaphor mean?
- Explain how the metaphor is used
- Explain the importance of the metaphor to the culture
- Explain how it could be taught to a student to increase their communication skills and understanding of English

This can be done in either paragraph of chart form.

This assignment will be graded based on your ability to accurately identify and outline the conceptual metaphor chosen. Your assignment should demonstrate an ability to present your personal considerations and observations professionally.

Instructions for Responses

Your answers will be graded based on your ability to analyze conceptual metaphors in an appropriate, respectful, and professional manner. A minimum of two responses to classmates' postings is required.

Assignment

Begin work on your final project. See details in Canvas.

Complete the Student Handbook Assignment in Watermark.

Required Tasks

Read through the content of this module

Watch the videos embedded in this module

Complete the required readings

Participate in the discussion of the topics in this module in Canvas

Begin work on the final project for this course

References

Aze Linguistics. (2022a, May 25). The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7kaIyiIs8c

BanchanWarrior. (2021, January 28). Conceptual Metaphor Lecture (2021) [Video]. YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFYkPsKRWTs

Biblaridion. (2021, April 28). Language, Culture, and Thought [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJUEsOjcGfE

Bonvillain, N. (2020). Language, Culture, and Communication: The Meaning of Messages. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.

FREGE: A Logic Course Elaine Rich, Alan Cline. (2015, July 13). Presuppositions [Video]. YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNFpdNNSays

Lead with Languages. (2017, April 11). Twitter. Retrieved March 24, 2023, from https://twitter.com/LeadWLanguages/status/851863173074477057

Mahmood, T. F. P. T. (2012, January). Getting Physical with the Market: A Study of Metaphor in the Business Times Fig 1 [Online forum post]. ResearchGate. Retrieved March 24, 2023, from

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Target-domain-and-source-domain_fig1_260171741

Mark Johnson | Department of Philosophy. (n.d.). https://philosophy.uoregon.edu/profile/markj/

North, R. (2005). sapir-whorf, make it so. Dinosaur Comics. Retrieved March 24, 2023, from https://qwantz.com/index.php?comic=627

Retova, D. (2014, July 14). Cognitive Semantics of G. Lakoff [Slide show]. SlideServe.

https://www.slideserve.com/barney/cognitive-semantics-of-g-lakoff

TED. (2018, May 2). How language shapes the way we think | Lera Boroditsky [Video]. YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKK7wGAYP6k

Wikipedia contributors. (2023, March 23). Benjamin Lee Whorf. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Lee_Whorf

Wikipedia contributors. (2023, February 13). George Lakoff. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Lakoff

Wikipedia contributors. (2023, February 3). Edward Sapir. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Sapir

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