The culture of language or culture in language? The question in the context of teaching Polish as a non-native language

Abstract

This article discusses the modes of defining cultural content in teaching Polish as a foreign language. It proposes strategies for introducing cultural knowledge and knowledge about culture in the practice of teaching Polish as a non-native language. It seems appropriate to offer a division into: • The cultural semantics of lexemes, set phrases and expressions; • The culture (meaning the correct use) of expression and the linguistic norm; and • Culture content and areas conveyed to foreigners through the language they are learning. This discussion fits the debate regarding the language which we teach to foreigners. In it, researchers have offered examples of semantic distortions (mostly shifts), and the dangers of private or rather extra-curricular linguistic contact with a language’s native users. It also carries reflections on linguistic regionalisation and its presence in the practice of teaching Polish as a non-native language.

Keywords

• culture-focussed teaching of polish as a non-native language
• verbal anthropology
• ethnolinguistics
• culturemes
• phraseology
• forms of address
• linguistic politeness
• ritualisation of language