As the basic building materials of communication, words communicate meaning, but as we have seen, the meanings of words are very much influenced by culture．Meaning is in the person, not in the word, as each person is the prodect of a particular culture that passes on shared and appropriate meanings．Thus, if we want to learn to communicate well in a foreign language, we must understand the culture that gives that language meaning．Culture gives meaning and provides the context for communication, and the ability to communicate allows us to act out our cultural values and to share our language and our culture． But our own native language and culture are so much a part of us that we take them for granted．When we travel to another country, it’s as if we carry along with our passports, we view the new environment using our own culture as the standard, and although unintentional, our ways of thinking and acting often get in the way of our understanding other languages and cultures．The ability and willingness to change lenses(视角)when we look at a different culture is both the cure and the prevention for such cultural blindness．Studying a new language provides the opportunity to practices changing lenses when we also learn the context or the culture to which it belongs． |
