A Study Of Cultural Identity In China English And Chinese Culture Input In College English Teaching

With the rapid pace of globalization, English has become the global language or international language which is playing an increasingly important role in international communication. Inevitably involved in this process, China has experienced an upsurge of English learning. Some scholars think that the crazy zest of English learning makes many Chinese English learners question their national identity and that it causes the decline of Chinese cultural identity. However, when referring to identity theories, there is no natural causal relationship between them, though they are related to some extent. English can also be used as a tool to express Chinese identity.Identity is a sense of belonging which exists in every communicative activity. Language and identity are inseparable and interactive. The native linguistic and cultural characteristics may be transplanted in the non-native language used for communication. It is believed in sociolinguistics that language contact results in language change. Researchers of World Englishes believe that the wide use of English around the world inevitably brings the plural or multiple linguistic and cultural identities into English and different linguistic conventions and cultural traditions might be transplanted into different World Englishes. China English, a member of the World Englishes, is the localized variety of English in China, therefore, Chinese linguistic identity and cultural identity are inevitably transferred into it. It can be used to express Chinese cultural identity. Besides, in order to conduct an equal and effective intercultural communication, China English is a must.Drawing support from the theories in sociolinguistics and intercultural communication, the author of this thesis argue that China English inevitably carries Chinese linguistic identity and cultural identity and that it is important to maintain Chinese cultural identity in intercultural communication. A survey was conducted which investigated Chinese college students' Chinese cultural identity and their competence in expressing Chinese culture in English. The results revealed the students' incompetence in expressing Chinese culture in English though they have strong Chinese cultural identity, which would most probably cause failure in intercultural communication. The author of this thesis also investigated the cultural content in New Horizon College English and Experiencing English, two sets of teaching materials used in college English class. The results revealed that both of them focused on the input of western culture while Chinese culture was in a rather small proportion in the textbooks. The unbalanced proportion of Chinese culture input to western culture input in textbooks is one of the main reasons why Chinese college students are incompetent in expressing Chinese culture in English. In order to improve college students' expressiveness of Chinese culture in English, the author of this thesis proposes some suggestions on college English teaching. First, both students and teachers should take correct attitudes toward China English. It is inevitable that China English carries Chinese linguistic and cultural characteristics. It is equal to other English varieties and it is a must for successful intercultural communication. Second, Chinese culture should be encompassed in English teaching and learning, which requires readjustment of textbooks that Chinese culture should be included in proportion in English textbooks and English teachers' self-improvement that teachers should have enough knowledge of both Chinese and western culture. Last, teachers may compare Chinese culture with western culture and assign tasks such as group discussion and debate to cultivate students' cultural awareness and improve their intercultural communicative competence.