Antonella Elia
Fables and ICT: Intercultural Communication and E-Language TeachingAbstract
This paper presents an experimental workshop held as part of an annual university teacher training course directed at Italian teachers involved in teaching Italian as a second language in multicultural classes mainly from primary and secondary schools. Its objective is to train teachers in an intercultural methodology through the use of fables and fairy tales as they have been proven to be an educational tool with a great intercultural power in our multicultural society. They represent a universal narrative genre, which uses the same narrative techniques transversally joining different people from diverse cultures under the star-studded sky of imagination. To develop intercultural awareness, the workshop has used offline and online social tools (such as blogs and wikis) in order to teach how to operate in an innovative socio-constructivist scenario using ICT.
Keywords: university teacher training course, intercultural educational methodology, ICT, fables and fairy tales, offline and online social tools, Italian as second language
Back to startSabrina Fusari
The Discourse of Philanthropy in Italy and The United States: A Case Study of Interparadigmatic TranslationAbstract
This paper discusses translation of texts about nonprofit organizations from English into Italian as a case study of intercultural communication. Firstly, we note the importance of adaptation as a valuable strategy for translation of nonprofit texts from English into Italian. Secondly, we describe the intercultural difference between the nonprofit sector in Italy and the United States in terms of paradigms, following Kuhn’s theory of interparadigmatic translation and Gramsci’s idea of translatability. Thirdly, we show the connection between these epistemological frameworks of translation and interlinguistic translation by selecting a number of keywords in the language of American philanthropy which do not have a direct equivalent in Italian, or whose equivalent may prove to be a "false friend" if translated literally (stewardship, philanthropy, charity): we show that despite the alleged "incommensurability" between Italian and American philanthropy, translation is still possible, and we suggest practical strategies that translators may adopt. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the Joint ACLA/ AAAL Conference in Montréal (Canada) in June 2006.
Keywords: philanthropy, translatability vs. untranslatability, paradigms, Kuhn, Gramsci Back to start
Nabelah Haraty, Ahmad Oueini, Rima Bahous
Speaking to Domestics in Lebanon: Power Issues or Misguided Communication?Abstract
The Lebanese use a combination of Arabic and English telegraphic speech, along with
gestures and other forms of speech adjustments to address their domestics. This pattern
of inadequate speech is based on the misconception that domestics understand exactly
the same way they speak. Using interviews, questionnaires, and participant observations,
the researchers identified some of the underlying issues, power and trust, related to
this form of fragmented speech. The investigators recommended that communication
with domestics be in one language and in complete sentences, not only for the sake
of language acquisition but to ensure a fair treatment of foreign helpers.
Keywords: Foreigner Talk, Critical Discourse Analysis, Code Switching
Sachi Horback & Cheryll Rothery-Jackson
Cultural Marginality: Exploration of Self-Esteem and Cross Cultural Adaptation of the Marginalized Individual: An investigation of the second generation Hare KrishnasAbstract
The purpose of this study was to explore the cross-cultural adaptation of a sample of adults
raised in the Hare Krishna culture. Fifteen second generation ISKCON (International Society
for Krishna Consciousness) adults were asked to describe their family, peer, and social
interactions and the perceived impact on their cross-cultural adaptation. An analysis of
participant responses generated the following fifteen themes: (1) age and context of first
contact with mainstream culture, (2) process of cultural adaptation, (3) parents’ marital
status, (4) family relationships, (5) layers of marginality, (6) community norms and values,
(7) identity crises, (8) self-esteem and self-esteem scores, (9) views of ISKCON culture,
(10) views of mainstream culture, (11) cultural vernacular, (12) cultural emblems, (13)
role models, (14) current cultural membership, and (15) future family vision. The outcome
of the study was discussed with possible clinical issues which included the complexities
of cultural belongingness, healthy and self-destructive aspects of adaptation, and feelings
of terminal uniqueness.
KeyWords: Cultural marginality, cross-cultural adaptation, Krishna Culture Kids
Junko Kobayashi & Linda Viswat
An Exploratory Study of “Fairness” in Educational Settings —American and Japanese University Students—Abstract
This paper deals with differences and similarities in the perception of "fairness" in e ducational settings between American and Japanese university students. First, data was collected through open-ended questionnaires and interviews as to the words and actions of Native English-Speaking (NES) teachers that Japanese students regarded as unfair, and those of Japanese students that American teachers found to be unfair. Based on the responses, a second questionnaire was prepared and distributed to 155 American students and 157 Japanese students. This paper specifically discusses the diverse viewpoints voiced by American and Japanese students, and suggests ways to reduce their respective discontentment in educational settings.
Keywords: fairness, students’ perceptions, cultural differences, individual differences, diverse viewpoints
Back to start
Kinga Williams
Rules and regulations: is culture-learning like language -acquisition?Abstract
The article attempts to tease apart Regulative, Constitutive, Prescriptive and Descriptive Rules,
and pinpoints their respective role in First and Second Language Acquisition as well as in Culture
Learning.
It is proposed that the proportion of Regulative Rules is generally under-estimated, while the
incidence of Constitutive Rules tends to be over-estimated.
The paper puts forward the Rule Category Substitution Fallacy, a hypothesis suggested to be of
use in exploring what fuels other-culture intolerance.
The Fallacy is demonstrated to be a practical manifestation of the Terror Management Theory
(e.g. Greenberg et al 1997) and a compensation-strategy doomed to failure.
Finally, alternative terror-management strategies are proposed.
Keywords: Constitutive Rules; Regulative Rules; Rule-category Substitution Fallacy; culture-distance; Terror Management Theory.