Asian Journal of Research in Social Sciences and Humanities
  • Year: 2014
  • Volume: 4
  • Issue: 9

Cultural Heritage's Impact on Learners of English as a Second or Foreign Language and the Possible Negotiations: A Theoretical Analysis from Empirical Viewpoints

Lecturer, Institute of Modern Languages, University of Chittagong, Chittagong, Bangladesh

Online published on 6 September, 2014.

Abstract

The relationships among ‘language’, ‘culture’ and ‘heritage’ are complex rather than straightforward when we talk about Second or Foreign Language acquisition. Both culture and heritage's role in language learning is important. So, all these come into consideration to determine the learners’ level, attitude and values and the scope of interactional practices of a Second/Foreign Language acquisition. In this paper, I question key terms which appear frequently in discussions of English as a Second or Foreign Language teaching and learning: ‘language’, ‘culture’ and ‘heritage’. This paper draws a theoretical analysis from practical viewpoints whether learning English as a Second or Foreign Language gets affected by cultural heritage, that is, culture and heritage, and the kind of affect it has on Bangladeshi learners and the possible negotiations which are more flexible and adaptable in response to the environment than the cultural heritage that the teachers and learners are holding.

Keywords

Cultural Heritage, SLA (Second Language Acquisition), Cross-Cultural Awareness, Acculturation, Bilingualism, Biculturalism