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Rethinking the Boundary Between Human and Nonhuman: Jeanette Winterson’s The stone gods as a Transgression Experiment
Issue:
Volume 8, Issue 2, March 2020
Pages:
33-38
Received:
27 February 2020
Accepted:
11 March 2020
Published:
31 March 2020
Abstract: As a world-famous writer, Jeanette Winterson, as well as her novels, have been well-known for her lesbian theme and love theme. Little attention has been paid to the theme of transgression. However, studies have shown that transgression experiment is also the key theme through all of the novels by Jeanette Winterson. In the Stone Gods, she still keeps this narrative style and gives an attempt to stir the people to re-evaluate the boundary between human and nonhuman, attracting much more attention to the issues of transgression experiment and the result after transgression. In this paper, based on the Jenks’ theory of transgression, we found out that there are two ways that (1) broadening the definition of body;(2) breaking the boundary between human and environment, which could be accepted to attempt to explore the issues of boundary between human and nonhuman to examine whether the boundary could be crossed in The Stone Gods. In these ways, it is found out that the real aim when Winterson regards the novel as a transgression experiment is to not merely break a rule, rebel against normative social and cultural constraints, but rather lead a dynamic trend in cultural production and diverse discourse, in order to stimulate readers to have dynamic thought about everything.
Abstract: As a world-famous writer, Jeanette Winterson, as well as her novels, have been well-known for her lesbian theme and love theme. Little attention has been paid to the theme of transgression. However, studies have shown that transgression experiment is also the key theme through all of the novels by Jeanette Winterson. In the Stone Gods, she still ke...
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From Art to Cure: The Three Stages of Theoretical Development of Ancient Chinese Painting from Pre-Qin to Qing Dynasty
Issue:
Volume 8, Issue 2, March 2020
Pages:
39-45
Received:
27 February 2020
Accepted:
11 March 2020
Published:
23 March 2020
Abstract: Ancient Chinese paintings, compared with traditional Western oil paintings that featured realistic depiction, seem mysterious enough to go beyond comprehension to Westerners. It could be traced back to one of the fundamental divergences in history when ancient Chinese painters and critics took a path not taken by their Western counterparts at the theoretical development crossroad over a thousand years ago: the former started to strive not for realistic drawing skills improvement but for the spiritual connection between the object and the painting. In the theoretical development of ancient Chinese painting, it marks the critical turning point from the first imitation stage of pursuing xingsi (formal likeness) to the intermediate second stage of seeking shensi (spiritual resemblance); and eventually in its third stage, painting became a constitutional part of Chinese ancients' lifestyle when it switched for a breakthrough from figure painting to landscape painting that laid more emphasis on subjective xieyi (intent-expression) which, by taking on a form of catharsis, played an extremely important role in the life of ancient painters and painting-lovers. That is when painting was endowed with a new function of more realistic importance: it was viewed by ancient Chinese as something more than art but therapeutic as a cure to relieve their miseries and pains by way of self-expression or aesthetic resonances. Imbibing the Taoist philosophy renowned for its profound effect on health preserving, specifically its aesthetic and contemplative attitude towards life advocated by Zhuangzi, these ancient Chinese painters and their audience sought xieyi and all-pervading oneness by blending themselves with the universe to find their own spiritual healing power.
Abstract: Ancient Chinese paintings, compared with traditional Western oil paintings that featured realistic depiction, seem mysterious enough to go beyond comprehension to Westerners. It could be traced back to one of the fundamental divergences in history when ancient Chinese painters and critics took a path not taken by their Western counterparts at the t...
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Developing Primary EFL Students’ Multiliteracies Competence Through Drama Teaching: A Case Study in China
Issue:
Volume 8, Issue 2, March 2020
Pages:
46-51
Received:
27 February 2020
Accepted:
10 March 2020
Published:
31 March 2020
Abstract: Multiliteracies competence has emerged as an important research field, yet it remains a great challenge for primary EFL teachers in China to develop students’ multiliteracies competence. With the implementation of educational reform in K12 education in China, the importance of cultivating multiliteracies competence for primary school students has become increasingly prominent. Meanwhile, in the current K12 education curriculum in China, the practice of offering English drama courses caters to the needs of enhancing students’ multiliteracies competence. This qualitative study aims to exlore: (1) how are dramas taught in primary EFL classes in China? (2) how is students’ multiliteracies competence developed through learning drama? The participant of this longitudinal narrative inquiry is an EFL teacher at a primary school in Southern China. Data include two-semester-long observation of the English drama classes in the school, weekly meetings on drama teaching, workshops with foreign drama experts and interview narratives, as well as documents such as the participants’ lesson plans, journals and students’ feedback. Findings show that EFL drama teaching in the primary school adopts multiliteracies pedagogy, drawing on a range of media and aiming to develop students’ all-around skills. Findings also reveal that students’ language competence and multiliteracies competence are indeed greatly enhanced through drama teaching and learning. Implications for further teacher development are discussed, including offering English drama education in pre-service programs, enhancing acting skills mentoring in internship and in-service training, and observing and reflecting on one’s own and their peers’ drama teaching practices and raising their multiliteracies awareness and intercultural awareness.
Abstract: Multiliteracies competence has emerged as an important research field, yet it remains a great challenge for primary EFL teachers in China to develop students’ multiliteracies competence. With the implementation of educational reform in K12 education in China, the importance of cultivating multiliteracies competence for primary school students has b...
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A Pragmatic Study of Apologies Posted on Weibo by Chinese Celebrities
Issue:
Volume 8, Issue 2, March 2020
Pages:
52-61
Received:
27 February 2020
Accepted:
10 March 2020
Published:
31 March 2020
Abstract: As we are living in the “Age of Apology” (Brooks, 1999), our ability to say “I’m sorry” does matter considerably, for an appropriate apology would not only express regret but also contribute to interpersonal relationship management and image restoration. Although apology as a social phenomenon has been extensively studied in the English-speaking world, Chinese apologies have not drawn due attention from linguists and management scientists. This paper investigates formal apologies made by Chinese celebrities between 2018 and 2019 in the context of social media by scrutinizing 30 cases collected from Weibo, a Chinese micro-blogging site. Based on Cross-Cultural Speech Act Realization Patterns (CCSARP) and image repair strategies, it is found that (1) IFID (Illocutionary Force Indicating Device) is the most common strategy in apologies, followed by Explanation or Account, whereas Offer of Repair is the least; (2) In terms of image restoration, Chinese celebrities tend to employ Reduce Offensiveness and Mortification to offset negative impressions; (3) Being shamed or being embarrassed (“羞愧”) and self-examination (“反省”) are specific IFID types in Chinese, and some mitigation strategies distinct from those in other languages are found. The research has revealed the specific features of Chinese apologies on social media and will shed light on ways of image management for the ordinary Chinese in general and Chinese celebrities in particular.
Abstract: As we are living in the “Age of Apology” (Brooks, 1999), our ability to say “I’m sorry” does matter considerably, for an appropriate apology would not only express regret but also contribute to interpersonal relationship management and image restoration. Although apology as a social phenomenon has been extensively studied in the English-speaking wo...
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Problems and Solutions in Dual Educational Transformations in Contemporary China
Issue:
Volume 8, Issue 2, March 2020
Pages:
62-69
Received:
27 February 2020
Accepted:
11 March 2020
Published:
31 March 2020
Abstract: The transformation of social civilization requires corresponding transformation of education. Contemporary China is undergoing a dual transformation of modernization and post modernization of educational models, each of which involves educational concepts, educational goals, disciplines and settings and a series of other factors, such as teaching methods, the relationship between teaching and learning, and the evaluation of teaching effectiveness, all of which constitute a systematic project. The modernization of education in China can be achieved by learning from the modernized educational models in developed Western countries and regions and by promoting international cooperation in education. As there is no established model for postmodern educational transformation to learn from, we need to take the initiative to face the problems emerging in the transformation and explore them actively in order to find solutions in the context of international cooperation. The modernization of education requires us to shift from the traditional focus on knowledge to the equal emphasis on knowledge and skills together, and to cultivate students' self-directed learning ability. Postmodern educational models are on the way to form up. However, if we make full use of new media and information technology to cultivate students’ aesthetic consciousness and ability that embody the entertainment trend of postmodern culture, as well as other characteristics in internet+, culture+ society, we will probably achieve a great progress in the transformation.
Abstract: The transformation of social civilization requires corresponding transformation of education. Contemporary China is undergoing a dual transformation of modernization and post modernization of educational models, each of which involves educational concepts, educational goals, disciplines and settings and a series of other factors, such as teaching m...
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Stereotyping as a Barrier in Intercultural Marketing: An Analysis of Public Online Comments on Dolce & Gabbana’s Incident in China
Issue:
Volume 8, Issue 2, March 2020
Pages:
70-80
Received:
27 February 2020
Accepted:
16 March 2020
Published:
31 March 2020
Abstract: This study investigates online comments on major social platforms following Dolce & Gabbana (D & G)’s promotional video Eating with Chopsticks in 2018 and the apology video released afterwards. By employing self-reference criterion (Browne, 2013), crisis communication and image restoration (Mair, Ritchie & Walters, 2016), it first analyzes D & G’s stereotypes of the Chinese in the promotional video, then it further examines the cultural stereotypes and relative crisis communication strategies adopted by D & G. It is found that D&G's stereotype of the Chinese people can be reflected in the slanted eyes of the Chinese model, the background of the video and the comparison of chopsticks to small sticks. The Chinese people’s stereotype of D&G can be indicated in the reaction to the promotional video as well as cultural misunderstanding in the crisis communication. It is thus argued that in designing promotional materials and managing crisis, international marketers need to be aware of various cultural stereotypes and take the cultural values of local consumers into full consideration, and such principles as empathy, mutual respect and mutual understanding need to be at international marketers’ top priority. The purpose is to shed some light on intercultural marketing design and crisis communication for international corporations.
Abstract: This study investigates online comments on major social platforms following Dolce & Gabbana (D & G)’s promotional video Eating with Chopsticks in 2018 and the apology video released afterwards. By employing self-reference criterion (Browne, 2013), crisis communication and image restoration (Mair, Ritchie & Walters, 2016), it first analyzes D & G’s ...
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Vernacular: Its Features, Relativity, Functions and Social Significance
Issue:
Volume 8, Issue 2, March 2020
Pages:
81-86
Received:
27 February 2020
Accepted:
16 March 2020
Published:
31 March 2020
Abstract: In daily communication, people use different language varieties when contacting each other depending on different social contexts determined by factors such as participants, the setting and the topic. The use of different language varieties bears different functions or social significance. Generally, the more formal the language between participants is, the more distant their relationship; the more informal the language between participants is, the more intimate their relationship. Usually, people in the same region communicate with each other in regional dialects; people from the same social stratum or class communicate with each other in social dialects; people who are well-educated or distant in relationship or who do not share the same language or culture communicate with each other in standard language; and people from the same community or region, who are intimate to each other or who share one language or one culture communicate with each other in vernacular language. In nearly every speech community, there exists a certain vernacular language. Vernacular language is indigenous, native or local, spoken either by a rural or urban speech community, or by a lower social class; it is informal, or casual, or the least standardized; it is contrastively used with standard language; it is uncodified, but when there is a need, it is codified through the use of the dominant language, i.e., usually the standard language; its existence relies heavily on the dominant language; it is usually acquired as a first variety in the home; it is featured by colloquialisms, vulgarisms, substandard forms, and slang. There are hundreds of vernacular languages throughout the world, there. Vernacular languages, often used for a relatively narrow range of informal functions, include ethnic or tribal languages which are usually the first languages learned by people from those ethnic or tribal groups. The most typical example of vernacular language is Black English Vernacular in America. Vernacular language is even used by some writers in their literary works – Mark Twain in his The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Dante in his Divine Comedy. Vernacular language may become a standard language if standard language becomes outdated or is abandoned by the public. It is indispensable in daily communication as it is complementary to standard language. It can never be regarded as sub-standard or inadequate, however, as it is an important language variety.
Abstract: In daily communication, people use different language varieties when contacting each other depending on different social contexts determined by factors such as participants, the setting and the topic. The use of different language varieties bears different functions or social significance. Generally, the more formal the language between participant...
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Decoding the Mystery Behind the Globalization of Chinese Time-honored Brands -- A Case Analysis of Lao Gan Ma Chili Sauce
Issue:
Volume 8, Issue 2, March 2020
Pages:
87-92
Received:
27 February 2020
Accepted:
10 March 2020
Published:
31 March 2020
Abstract: Globalization creates a complexly interrelated arena where multiple local differences converge and compete against each other. With respect to its consequent potential impact on various local cultures, Western dominant cultures have been believed as the ultimate destiny for the modernizing cultures under this fast-changing global context, as is more often proved in business where countless companies in developing nations have been keen on learning from Western business giants in the names of modern enterprise administration or international conventions. An originally underprivileged Chinese brand, Lao Gan Ma Chili Sauce, however, has established an invaluably different developmental route by branding with strong Chinese flavors and exposing itself as a miniature of indigenous cultures, successfully growing into a worldwide Chinese cooperation in the past decades. Decoding the mystery underlying its success therefore of significance in cross-cultural business studies. Applying such cultural theories as cultural identity, symbolic consumption and instinct theory, the present study analyzes the business strategies Lao Gan Ma conducts. The qualitative study in this essay demonstrates that cultural resources of a firm are potentially convertible into its powerful capital in the fierce competing world market. More specifically, a unique cultural identity and certain perceived symbolic values retained by a business corporation can serve as alternative and desirable resources to make that firm, especially one in less affluent societies, a competitive contender in the globalized market system. Besides, enterprises whose products cater to the human inner instinct can enjoy exceptional advantages in their penetration into the global market.
Abstract: Globalization creates a complexly interrelated arena where multiple local differences converge and compete against each other. With respect to its consequent potential impact on various local cultures, Western dominant cultures have been believed as the ultimate destiny for the modernizing cultures under this fast-changing global context, as is mor...
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Redefining “Actress”--Deconstruction of the Traditional “Actress” Image in Jia Ling’s Sketch “Titanic”
Issue:
Volume 8, Issue 2, March 2020
Pages:
93-99
Received:
27 February 2020
Accepted:
10 March 2020
Published:
31 March 2020
Abstract: In show business, female have long suffered unfair treatment and are constantly required to live up to the expectations from the society. With the passage of time, as what was already summarized by Simone de Beauvoir in The Second Sex, female celebrities are turned into “actress” in a certain manner. However, as a special existence in show business, Jia Ling intentionally deviates from the stereotype of female image in media to amuse the public and gradually earns her subjectivity in the crosstalk field. The female images presented in her sketch to some extent resist the hegemonic power imposed by the patriarchal society and may as well serve to criticize the cliche of female image, thus her sketch is of great significance for in-depth cultural analysis. On that basis, this essay has selected her popular sketch “Titanic” as the text by way of close reading to explore the cultural connotation from the perspective of popular culture, which more specifically covers the characteristics of clinginess and subversion in popular culture. In the mean time, the use of deconstructionism and carnival theory also contribute to the cultural understanding of the sketch. The image presented by Jia Ling therefore shows resistance to the undergone by actress or to a larger extent female as a whole and present Jia’s independent thought and personal glamour. And popular culture, deconstructionism and carnival theory share one common feature in that they all have the power of resistance and criticism, which can be selected as the theoretical tool in interpreting the accumulated and circulated stereotype of actress and realizing the empowerment of female in general in the society.
Abstract: In show business, female have long suffered unfair treatment and are constantly required to live up to the expectations from the society. With the passage of time, as what was already summarized by Simone de Beauvoir in The Second Sex, female celebrities are turned into “actress” in a certain manner. However, as a special existence in show business...
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