An Investigation Of Language Functions About "Criticism" In Teaching Chinese As A Foreign Language

In the field of linguistics, Functionalists advocate student-centred teaching method. They suggest that teaching material and activities should bases on learners’needs. Focusing on the communicative and ideographic functions of language, Functionalists attach more importance on creating scenarios and socializing when teaching a language. The foreign language teaching profession in China now is still staying in the stage of abstract description when it comes to the newly raised idea of’structure-function-culture’. No research of any depth has been done on any of the’Function Items’in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language nor has any article about concrete directions for Chinese Teaching been published.Chinese culture is very different from Western cultures and great difference can also be observed when people criticize.Pragmatic Failure occurs when words don’t translate in cross-culture communications.In the West, social status and hierarchy are not obviously stated when criticism is made.When a superior criticises a subordinate, it is to give guidance, coaching, a reminder or to make inquiries and vice versa. In China, it is very different. When a superior criticises a subordinate, it is to blame others for mistakes, to give warnings or even make threats.On the other hand,a subordinate would not dare to criticize a superior. In English, harsh critical words can be used even among friends, depending on the circumstance. Criticising strangers can be harsh or tactful,again depending on the occasion. Chinese people think about their closeness to the person and the consequences before making any comment. If the other person is a close friend, criticism is saved even if the problem is serious.The explanation for this is that politeness in China is very much related to relationships.Relationship between the two is considered before any criticism is made. Politeness in the West is more individual-based. One measures gains and losses before criticizing.Even the closest relationship is built upon individual freedom.Individual freedom must be considered before any criticism is made.This article focuses on Chinese’Criticism’Function Items.It sets out from the16Criticism’Function Items stated in Chinese Language Study Syllabus for Foreign College Student (Long-term version). It classifies those items into5groups with added information according to different tones of language.On the basis of existing research, this article studies the five ways of expressing’Criticism’Function Items by grammar, ideographic, pragmatics. It uses the’structure-function-culture’system to study the pragmatic aspect of common mistakes foreign students make when studying Chinese. Criticism exists in all cultures.People give opinions and comments.This article gives suggestions about the teaching of’How to criticize in Chinese’and how to minimize misunderstanding in multi-culture communications.