Topic 1: Increasing travels between countries enable people to learn different cultures or to increase tension between people from different countries

Topic 90: Some people argue that learning a second language involves learning the culture of the country where this language is spoken (including lifestyles). What is your opinion?

To most people, second language acquisition is a lengthy and exhausting process. A general approach taken by most learners is to learn vocabulary and memorise grammar rules. They contend that language speaks for itself and the meaning of language lies in the language itself. In my opinion, a language goes beyond its literal meaning and delivers different messages as situations change. The cultural context and background of a language have a bearing on the forming of a language. There is no distinction between acquiring a language and acquiring a culture.

The first reason to support the above contention is that culture influences the evolution and formation of a language. Learning a culture can help learners understand many aspects of a language, wording, syntax, and so forth. For example, word order, the order in which words appear in sentences, differs from language to language. In some languages, the object normally comes ahead of the subject, as opposed to the word order in the English language. It mirrors the disparity in ways of seeing things and ways of thinking between people who speak different languages. Learning a culture can draw the attention of learners to these differences and therefore lead them to use a foreign language appropriately.

Familiarity with a culture is also known as the prerequisite of communication with native speakers. Effective communication relies not only on wording, pronunciation and sentence construction but also on physical gesture, body language and facial expressions. In fact, non-verbal messages sometimes tell people more than verbal messages do. For example, silence in the English-speaking country might indicate the agreement of the speaker on something, but in some Asian countries, silence might convey a message to the contrary, disagreement or even resentment. There is no denying that by learning the cultural dimensions of a language, a language learner can make him-or-herself acquainted with the skills and habits involved in cross-cultural communication.

Although the importance of studying the cultural aspect of language is indisputable, it should not be over-emphasised. For most learners, especially for those at an elementary' level, the cultural elements of a language are remote and incomprehensible. Intrusion of these messages will create confusion. Learners will flounder when the progress toward success is little and the situation appears to be unmanageable. Language acquisition requires a high commitment of time and effort, so new learners are advised to concentrate on the language itself at the first stage.

From what has been discussed, one can make it clear that culture is an element that determines the difference between languages. Failing to recognise this would impede language learning. However, for new learners, acquiring a culture is less practical, for it requires great effort and produces little outcome.

1. 
   exhausting = tiring = arduous = strenuous
   
2. 
   literal = plain = unvarnished = basic = original
   
3. 
   contention = assertion = argument = opinion = claim
   
4. 
   syntax = sentence structure = language rules
   
5. 
   as opposed to = rather than
   
6. 
   mirror = reflect
   
7. 
   disparity = difference = discrepancy
   
8. 
   prerequisite = precondition
   
9. 
   gesture = signal
   
10. 
    convey = communicate = transmit = pass on
    
11. 
    resentment = anger = hatred = antipathy
    
12. 
    incomprehensible = perplexing = beyond understanding
    
13. 
    intrusion = incursion
    
14. 
    flounder = have difficulty = struggle
    
15. 
    unmanageable = uncontrollable
    
16. 
    impede = obstruct = hinder = hamper = hold back