Tutorial № 1 (1hour)

Practical tasks for tutorial classes on Cognitive functions of Basics of Intercultural Communication

Course. 5 semester

A.y.

Tutorial № 1 (1hour)

Theme: Communication as basic linguistic functions

Subtheme: Language and Culture

Problem questions:

1) What types of communication do you know?

2) What are the functions of a language?

3) Will you give common features of linguistic, socio-psychological, cognitive domain in ICC?

Introduction: Language can serve to strengthen community and cultural identity; it can also be a source of misunderstanding and an obstacle in intercultural interaction. Culture and language are bound inextricably. Language usage is a function of the cultural context. Language also shapes perception. People perceive the world in the way their language allows.

Words of a language might have different meanings: denotative, connotative, contextual, and figurative. This assignment is addressed to the figurative one. Figurative words are those used in an unusual and non-literate sense to give beauty or clarity to what is said. Figurative meanings carry affective connotations, helping bring the speaker's feelings to the listener. Figurative phrases, constructions, and expressions holding a different meaning from the literal one are widely used in any language and are known as idioms. Idioms can cause all sorts of problems for foreigners and especially translators because their meanings are contained in the user of words, not in the words themselves. What it means is that all idioms are determined by and specific to a certain culture.

Task 1: After reading the text do the following tasks:

What are the Russian equivalents and/or translations for the following American idioms?

1. "Killing one bird with one stone"

2. "Letting the cat out of the bag"

3. "Pride goes before a fall"

4. "Turn the tables"

5. "He's as slow as molasses" What other idioms in English do you know? Do they have equivalents in Russian? If not, how will you translate them?

6. Do you know any other idioms that you consider to be "culturally" American? What are they?

7. How will you translate them into Russian/Kazakh? Do they have equivalents in Russian/Kazakh?

8. Do you know any other idioms that you consider to be "culturally" Russian? What are they? How will you translate them into English? Do they have equivalents in English?

9. Do you know idioms that you consider" to be "culturally" Kazakh? What are they? How will you translate them into English and Russian? Do they have equivalents in English and Russian?

10. Do you agree with Michael Specter's opinion on the way Russian idioms characterize Russian culture? Does his perception of Russian idioms make him stereotype Russians or not? Explain.

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