DISCUSSION BOARD 1

Subject: English language and culture    
Author: Xiaopeng HE
Creation date: Wednesday, November 10, 2010 12:00:26 AM EST
Date last modified: Wednesday, November 10, 2010 12:00:26 AM EST
Total views: 1  Your views: 2
 

There are some significant and variety influences that western culture changed today’s China. Nowadays, most children will start to learn English in their third years in primary school, which when they are approximately nine or ten years old. Moreover, there is a tendency that some parents will sent their kids to an English training course in the nursery school or teach their kids at home, that means some kids in China will learning English during their childhood.  Chinese believe that the capacity of English learning determines one’s competitive advantage, who could master the English skills then he or she will possess a better job. English also modify the behavior in Chinese daily life, people will say English words such as “hi, hallo, thank you, bye, and I love you” to greeting or communication with each other but not their own words in Chinese. In addition, the words like “GDP, CPI, NBA, BBC, and ABC” have appeared in most mainstream and even the most seriousness newspapers or other media and official or government departments. That seems like the people in China never thought about to use Chinese words to instead those English words. Due to the huge impact from the western culture, Chinese particularly the teenagers share the some behavior with western people; they wear T-shirt and jeans, celebrate Valentine's Day and Christmas, taste steak and fries. People become more willing to expression personal and individual feeling and emotions, which quite different with the tradition Chinese culture. As a result of the impacts of the western culture and globalization, Chinese culture has changed dramatically in almost every aspect.