Day 7
Wed. Jan. 27
Review words and phrases
Speakers and discussion: Jerry, George, Wu You
Discuss “Cultural Keywords” article, share examples of cultural keywords
Homework
➤ Read the parts of the Pogosyan article that were missing!
This version of the article is complete; you can also see it here on the website Popular Psychology. Reread the article, now that you have the full version! Please underline the parts of the article where the author defines the term “cultural keyword.”
➤ Read my list of words and Essay 2 instructions
Read my mysterious word list and the instructions for Essay 2. (Please note that for Essay 2 you are not required to pick a word off my list! Not all of these words would make a good topic for an essay, and there are many interesting words you could write about that are not on this list.)
According to Sophia Waters (quoted in Pogosyan) believes that a “cultural keyword” is a word that is “salient, ubiquitous, untranslatable, and reflects [a specific culture’s] values.” As you look over my word list, ask yourself: Which of these words are salient (noticeable)? Which are ubiquitous (everywhere)? Which are untranslatable? Which reflect specific cultural values?
➤ Read the four sample essays soon to be published in Intersections
Download these four articles that will soon be published on our WeChat public account (公众号), Intersections: A Journal of Language, Culture, and Ideas 《交集：语言文化论刊》. These were written by students in my class last year. Please read them, and as you read, please do the following:
Notice places where the author defines the concept they’re writing about. Come ready to share a sentence or short passage where the author defines their concept.
Notice a few places where the author makes generalizations about Chinese culture. Come ready to share at least one example of:
A place where you think the author overgeneralizes (makes a generalization that is too broad or untrue in some respects).
A place there the author makes a nuanced generalization (a generalization that captures the true complexity of reality).
I would recommend that you print these articles or have them easy to access during class discussion, because we’ll be referring to many specific passages while we talk.
➤ Short writing assignment: Define a concept and explain why it’s interesting
Pick a word that you think could be interesting to write about for Essay 2. (Note that the word doesn’t have to be a grand abstract idea like 缘分 or 面子. Students have written just as successfully about ordinary, colloquial words like 土 or 妈宝, etc…)
In a couple paragraphs (I’m imagining no more than 1 page double spaced in total) attempt to define the concept and explain why you think it’s interesting. (I’d recommend defining the concept in one long paragraph, and explaining why it’s interesting in another, shorter paragraph.) Upload your assignment as a .doc or .docx file to the folder called “Definition of a concept” on Box.
➤ Speakers: Rachael, Rixin, and Kaige
Choose one of the Liu Yang “East Meets West” infographics that you think represents a stereotype or blanket generalization. In 2-3 minutes, try to make a more nuanced generalization about the phenomenon that you think that graphic is attempting to describe.