Teacher David????

Milky wrote:

MrPedantic wrote: Which part of "you have to put aside your English ways of thinking" is "cultural imperialism", Milky? MrP The "have to" part, obviously.

Intriguing.

Let's look at that quote again:

MrPedantic wrote:

If you're English, and you want to understand Russian or Japanese or German thoroughly, you have to put aside your English ways of thinking, and learn to think in Russian or Japanese or German.

Now you say that this statement displays "cultural imperialism".

Do you mean that the speaker is somehow attempting to compel the addressees to accept the culture of Russia or Japan or Germany in place of their own?

MrP

Milky wrote:

<Do you mean that the speaker is somehow attempting to compel the addressees to accept the culture of Russia or Japan or Germany in place of their own?> Maybe. You wrote it, you tell me. What is the/your speaker's intention there?

Curious. You seemed quite certain of "the speaker's intention" when you talked about "cultural imperialism". What changed, I wonder?

But here's the original text again:

MrPedantic wrote:

If you're English, and you want to understand Russian or Japanese or German thoroughly, you have to put aside your English ways of thinking, and learn to think in Russian or Japanese or German. Since much of what is said in any particular language is fully comprehensible only within the context of a particular culture, this means entering into the customs and manners and ways of thinking of your new language. To express yourself well in French or Italian, for instance, you have to do entirely unEnglish things with your mouth and face and hands: things that would seem ridiculous or odd, if you were speaking English. That doesn't mean that the French and Italians and whatnot are forcing you to discard your English manners and customs. It simply means you're entering into theirs. MrP

MrP

<Curious. You seemed quite certain of "the speaker's intention" when you talked about "cultural imperialism". What changed, I wonder?>

Yes, I already told you my opinion, so why did you ask again? Games again, Mr P? I'm tired of your repetitions.

<Since much of what is said in any particular language is fully comprehensible only within the context of a particular culture, this means entering into the customs and manners and ways of thinking of your new language.>

And does English belong to one single culture? Do you identify your culture as parallel to all other English speaking? Do you think that my culture - English-Irish, brought up in Britain - is the same as yours?

<To express yourself well in French or Italian, ...you have to do entirely unEnglish things with your mouth and face and hands>

So you are saying that the: Senegalese, Algerians, Congolese, Vanatuans, Louisians, etc. all use the same gesture when speaking French, right? Or are you saying that those people do not express themselves well when speaking French?