How fascinating your culture can influence your ways of thinking and speaking so deeply and subconsciously!
Today on my way home, I encountered Diane (the director of CLS) taking campus tour with a Chinese learner, who was interested in knowing more information about Middlebury-Monterey Chinese MA program. Because they were probably in a tight schedule, so three of us were standing on the street and talking. Despite the fact that Middlebury is taking over (maybe a different verb) MIIS in July? and the program may be changed, Diane still wanted me to talk about the backbones of the program. Without too much thinking, I started my introduction as first– the Application process (no GRE required, letters of recommendation, Online test, and essay, ect.); secondly, the two options of this program; and thirdly, how Middlebury classes were different from MIIS classes, in which Middlebury courses targeting at Chinese language more than MIIS courses. Right after I talked about the Options, this student asked me if this program was like the Middlebury summer language courses? I said no. This program focused on teaching Chinese, rather than learning Chinese. Apparently, his most concern was about Program specifications which I should have introduced at the beginning, rather than talking about the Application process!!!
DO YOU SEE THE PATTERN HERE? My thinking process was from Application process to Options and then to Program specifications, from general to specific? But his was more like the opposite. Those different thinking patterns fit well with my presentation in the class, regarding about Chinese tend to think from General to Specific, but Americans tend to be more straight forwarded.
I never thought that I am thinking in that pattern, however it occurred subconsciously! This experience tells me that one’s culture may have great impact on his/her ways of thinking, and thus ways of speaking as well. The influence occurs subconsciously, which makes people hard to change. However, when we are awarded of the differences, we can be more conscious of how we talk next time. If the same situation would happen to me again, I will make sure to talk about the Program specifications first, especially during a short conversation.
Thank you Dailaoshi and this class, I think I learn a lot about myself.
Jinhuei Enya Dai （別名：小戴飛刀） 5:11 am on April 14, 2010 Permalink
我喜欢听故事，因此喜欢看作者生平。邓老师硕士是在英国学习“语言教育”， 然后博士在美国学习“语言学”， 之后致力于教学语法的研发。我想对每一位老师来说，要成为“跨学门”的专家都不容易，都需要毅力与决心。就如同若我们要获得他人对本学科的尊重，老师们就不该只吸取”语法书“的知识。邓老师可能也想传达“教书”不只只是知识的传递，还包括老师的在职进修部分， 让老师有能力看到”过渡“的部分。 ”潜移默化“ ，并不代表不”用心良苦“。”用心良苦“后的”苦口婆心“就在他每一次报告，每一篇文章中”展露无遗“– 真的，革命尚未成功，同志仍须努力~