Study of Sociolinguisticsand English Teaching

趙海成 湯素慧

華北理工大學 河北唐山 063000

【Abstract】Sociolinguisticsisabranch of linguisticsthatstudieslanguagemainly through focusing on thesocial factors.This study method greatly affects the teaching of English,especially the teaching of cultural knowledge and the cultivation of students’communicative ability,which indicates that English teaching and study must be connected with social factors.

【Key Words】sociolinguistics；culture；English teaching；relationship

1.Theoretical Foundation

1.1 Definition of Sociolinguisticsand Its Study Object

There are two aspects in the study of sociolinguistics：one explains the language from society,and the other explains the society from language.The study object of sociolinguistics is not merely the language but the speech.

1.2 Second Language Acquisition

Compared with native language,the second language acquisition refers to learning and mastering a foreign language based on mother tongue education.Foreign language learning not merely needsto learn variousstructuresand expressions,but learn how to usecorresponding formsand stylesunder different circumstances of real social intercourse.

The form,meaning and distribution of their mother tongue and cultureto thesecond languageareoften transplanted by the second language learners,therefore,to teach and learn the second languagewell,it is necessary to compare and study the two different cultures.

Theanalysisfrom theperspectiveof society not only plays the due role in the second language acquisition,but also is of great importanceto the theory construction of sociolinguistics.

2.The Relationship between Sociolinguistics and English Teaching

It hasbeen along timeto explorethecloserelationship between English teaching and sociolinguistics,for example,in 2017,Yang Yonglin indicated that from the perspective of theory,thevarianttheory firstly created by Labov fromtheperspective of sociolinguistics provides an effective reference for English teaching.Furthermore,the study scope ispronouncedly enlarged from theusagestudy of language to the influence of cultural environment on the language,which is similar to thestudy scope of English teaching.Finally,according to works published,the publication of Sociolinguistics and Second Language Acquisition written by Preston and Multidimensional View：Sociolinguistics and English Teaching written by Wolfson and other works related to English teaching and sociolinguistics strongly indicate that the contact between English teaching and sociolinguisticsisincreasingly close.Therefore,theexploration on the impact of sociolinguistics is very important to improve the English teaching quality,broaden the channels of English teaching and acquire thehigh-quality teaching efficiency.

3.The Influence of Sociolinguistics on English Teaching

English teaching has a close relationship with linguistics which isabasic theory of linguistics.Among many branchesof linguistics,theapplicationsof linguistics,sociolinguistics,pragmaticsand so on havegreat influenceon languageteaching(Xie Bangxiu,2003).

Sociolinguistic theory emphasizes the application of language,highlightsthecommunicativeability and objectsthestudy on the language separated from social culture because every kind of languagereflectsacertain cultureand hasprofound cultural connotation.If the language is compared to the trees,the culture is the forest.If the language is only focused on and the culturethat thelearned language liveson isnot understood,it is just likethe condition that the treesonly can beseen rather than theforest,so,it is difficult to fully understand and correctly use the language(Xie Bangxiu,2003).Rich knowledge of society and culture can reinforce the ability to understand and use the language;the two are inseparably interconnected.Therefore,it is necessary that the social and cultural elements should be introduced into English teaching.

Sociocultural factorsgreatly affectstheteaching of English listening,speaking,vocabulary,reading and translation.Rich cultural background knowledge is a necessary condition to improve listening,teachers encourage students to do more practicesand listen to English more,and introducethecultural background knowledgeto studentsin theclass.In oral English teaching,except from teaching studentsto correctly apply theform of language,teachersshould hep to cultivatethe ability of students tousetherightlanguagein therightoccasion.Vocabulary isalso associated with culture;just astherearemany culturally-loaded words with national colors in Chinese(such as“Mount Tai”,“Zhuge Liang”,and so on.),there are also many words and phrases with rich cultural meanings in English(such as“adult books”and“suburban inhabitants”and so on).Teacherscan let students understand the cultural meanings of the words and phrases.Reading is a complex process of thinking that the language,cultural background and other professional knowledge take effect,and the process of applying the knowledge to constantly carry out the speculation and correction.Cultural background knowledge not merely reinforces the knowledge teaching,but encouragesstudentstodeepen and strengthen theunderstandingof thecultureof English-speaking country in readingas well.Translation is not only a problem about language and translation skills,but also isclosely linked with,greatly influenced and restricted by cultural background knowledge.To make the translation smooth,firstly,a thorough understanding of the original work must be done by the translator,then he or she expressesthethingsunderstood by him or her in another language.So,the understanding of thesocio-cultural background isan indispensable condition.

As an emerging interdisciplinary subject,sociolinguistics does not develop for a long time,but it has a great effect on the contentsand methodsof English teaching,and English teaching also draws inspiration from it;some modern teaching methods aregenerated(Gao Zhengheng,2006).

4.Conclusion

Astheresultof social progress,ever languagefully reflects themeaningof real culture,and every link in languageisof great importance to life.Language learning can be viewed as an advanced activity,and when we combinelanguagewith culture,it isthe best status for us to learn language.