End of ADS-L Digest - 9 Jun 1994 to 10 Jun 1994 *********************************************** There are 2 messages totalling 85 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. American Language and Culture 2. N*E*W*S from A*D*S ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 10 Jun 1994 21:19:37 -0700 From: THOMAS L CLARK Subject: Re: American Language and Culture On Thu, 9 Jun 1994, Wayne Glowka wrote: > Can someone suggest useful texts for new international graduate students > that would introduce them to the realities of American English (idioms, > conversation rituals in various settings, maybe pronunciation) and American > culture (students are expected to attend class, people wear deodorant, > Christians believe such and such, punctuality is important, etc.)? I just got some advice from the intrepid Metcalf the Magnificent that might be of service to you. I asked him what publications I should take to Israel that would best show teachers of American English the language and culture under discussion. He said that of ALL the scholarly and linguistically and politically correct publications he took with him (an extra suitcase in itself), the one that made a big hit was _Sassy_ magazine. Now I had NEVER heard of _Sassy_, so I went out and bought a copy. It had all the latest lingo, dood, and the best reasons for underarm shaving (kills crabs) and using deoderant, PLUS explaining all the latest rock groups like Slinging Pitch, Worsted Wool Gatherers, and Torn Hangnail. I realized that we (America) have exported more than McDonald's. We have exported a way of life... tight jeans, nipple covers, and tattoos on the butt. We may have also transmitted some other values that make people, even graduate students, interested in our culture. We may even have some higher values to transmit, once we get beyond the Cosmopolitan Man of the Year. I guess that the subtext here is that you use linguistic texts for language, and popular publications for insights into culture. Cheers, Thomas L. Clark tlc[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]nevada.edu P.S. Wayne, I am personally carrying YOUR book to be given to ETAI (English Teachers Association of Israel). 8-)