RUSS 19 Understanding the Russians: The Role of Language and Culture in Communication

With the arrival of the new millennium and its promise of global communications networks, we are becoming more and more aware of our world as a 'global village' and of the implications this has, both linguistic and cultural, for communication across national and ethnic boundaries. This course will examine those areas in the study of culture and of language pragmatics with relevance to such communication between American and Russians. Readings and class discussions will focus on such phenomena as 'culture' and 'language' shock; the linguistics and cultural evidence for differences in the two countries' views of such phenomena as time and space, as well as for such concepts as public and private 'spheres,' friendship, or of what constitutes a conversation. A variety of sources from literary works, TV documentaries and film, to travel handbooks and the conduct of negotiations will be examined for the cultural and language script they subsume in the two countries. Open to all classes.

Instructor

Gronas

Degree Requirement Attributes

Dist:INT or SOC; WCult:W

The Timetable of Class Meetings contains the most up-to-date information about a course. It includes not only the meeting time and instructor, but also its official distributive and/or world culture designation. This information supersedes any information you may see elsewhere, to include what may appear in this ORC/Catalog or on a department/program website. Note that course attributes may change term to term therefore those in effect are those (only) during the term in which you enroll in the course.