Analysis of Cultural Scripts of Suggestions and Rejection of Suggestions in Persian and English within Natural Semantic Metalanguage Framework

Subject Areas : Journal of Studies in Learning and Teaching English

Mostafa Zamanian ¹

1 - Shiraz Azad University

Received: 2011-11-10 Accepted : 2012-02-10 Published : 2012-01-01

Keywords: Contrastive Analysis, communicative competence, social function, natural-semantic metalanguage, cultural script,

Abstract :

Language must be studied as a social behavior and the aim of language instruction must be to facilitate learners’ acquisition of communicative competence; the ability to speak both accurately and appropriately. Rules of speaking must be included into second language classroom teaching. We should teach linguistic rules along with social rules. In this study a number of social functions in Persian are analyzed using the “Natural Semantic Metalanguage” (NSM) framework. The results are then compared and contrasted with those of English. The functions in focus are suggestions, and rejection of suggestions. The results of this study indicate that: (1) the NSM is applicable to the communicative interaction routines in Persian, (2) cultural scripts can be used to develop an awareness of cultural differences in the learners, and finally (3) the model in question is suitable for cross-cultural contrastive analysis.