Abstract：Along with China’s open-door policy, China has been becoming increasingly important in the world, and at the same time people of English speaking countries show great interest in China together with the Chinese culture. Culture is both reflected and expressed by language. Interacting with others in foreign language requires not only mastering the accurate linguistic knowledge but also acquiring and exchanging relevant cultural background information. However, most of the English teachers pay little attention to native culture, and the teaching and researching for target-language culture greatly outweighs that for home culture, which leads to students’ poor performance in expressing themselves when the topics are on Chinese culture. This thesis took Jiangsu University as the research object, focusing on English majors. Through conducting a test and some interviews, the author investigates the current situation of English majors’ ability to express Chinese culture in English, analyzes the factors leading to the current situation, and discusses how to cultivate and improve such an ability. The author hopes that this research will provide some theoretical and practical guidance in English teaching and learning, and the actual external communication.

Key words: inter-cultural communication; ability to express Chinese culture in English; English majors

CONTENTS

ABSTRACT

中文摘要

Chapter One   INTRODUCTION-1

Chapter Two   LITERATURE REVIEW-3

2.1 Intercultural Communication-3

2.1.1 Definition-3

2.1.2 Intercultural communicative competence-3

2.2 Previous Researches-4

Chapter Three   RESEARCH DESIGN-6

3.1 Purposes-6

3.2 Informants-6

3.3 Contents-7

Chapter Four   RESULTS AND DISCUSSION-9

4.1 Results of the Test and Interviews-9

4.1.1 Ability to translate Chinese culture-loaded words and phrases-9

4.1.2 Ability to translate Chinese culture-loaded sentences-9

4.1.3 Ability to write a Chinese culture-loaded composition-10

4.1.4 General views on English expression of Chinese culture-10

4.2 Factors Infulencing English Majors’ Ability-11

4.2.1 Ambiguous description of cultural teaching requirements-11

4.2.2 Deficiency of Chinese culture courses in curriculum design-12

4.2.3 Neglect of Chinese culture in textbooks-12

4.3 Suggestions for Developing English Majors’ Ability-13

4.3.1 To set up a new teaching model-13

4.3.2 To optimize curriculum design for English majors-14

4.3.3 To reorganize cultural content in textbooks-15

Chapter Five   CONCLUSION-17

REFERENCES-18

APPENDIX l-19

英语专业学生中国文化英语表达能力的调查测试试卷-19

APPENDIX II-21

英语专业学生中国文化英语表达能力的调查访谈-21