Various issues that can be studied under cultural competence are found in numerous disciplines, but it seems that each discipline, be it semiotics, ethnic studies or literature, works on its own. As such, a comprehensive approach encompassing different aspects of culture may be in order when examining cultural competence. This volume focuses on the interaction of cultural influences on language teaching and learning. More specifically, it investigates how the implementation of better cultural understanding in language teaching and learning can be achieved. The book also serves to shed light on the fact that cultural differences can be a hindrance for learners with good linguistic competence seeking to reach native-like competence. Offering an ideal platform to address what potential benefits a fresh approach can bring to the field of linguistics, as well as applied linguistics, the volume provides an opportunity for scholars and language teachers alike to understand the importance of cultural influences in language acquisition, pointing to a new direction in language teaching and learning.
Junichi Toyota is a Professor at Osaka Metropolitan University, Japan. His research interests cover a wide range of disciplines, including linguistics, anthropology and cognitive science. He has published several monographs and numerous articles on historical linguistics and cognitive linguistics.Ian Richards is an Associate Professor in the Department of English and American Language and Literature at Osaka Metropolitan University, Japan. His research interests focus on the field of post-colonial studies, and he has published several books and papers on New Zealand literature.Borko Kovaevi is an Associate Professor in the Department of General Linguistics at the University of Belgrade, Serbia. His research interests cover a wide range of linguistic disciplines, including typology, morphology, syntax and sociolinguistics, and he has published numerous articles in these fields.
