Учебное пособие 1773

Scientific Newsletter of Voronezh State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering

UDC 316.77

People’s Friendship University of Russia

Assistant of foreign languages department, faculty of economics

Tatyana Andreevna Veldyaeva e-mail: t_a_gavrilenko@mail.ru

T.A. Veldyaeva

COGNITIVE APPROACH TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROFESSIONAL

INTERCULTURAL STRATEGIC COMPETENCY

The article focuses on professional intercultural strategic competency alongside development of its content. Structural analysis of cultural script and its didactic value is provided. Script is considered as a didactic phenomenon used for cross-cultural analysis. The author illustrates the introduction of cognitive approach to development of professional intercultural strategic competency with results of intercultural training sessions conducted in a range of universities. The article exhibits the results of the entry questionnaire revealing the level of development of professional intercultural strategic competency. Students’ final projects feature cross-cultural analysis of socio-cultural scripts exposing cognitive lacunarity, reflexive conclusions and the designed situational script itself. In conclusion the author substantiates the didactic potential of cognitive approach and script theory integration into intercultural training at universities.

Key words: competency-based education, intercultural communication, strategy, professional intercultural strategic competency, cognitive approach, script, cognitive lacunarity.

Modern global linguistic, cultural and educational tendencies [1] bring about cultural diversification in the sphere of professional communication which presents sophisticated methodical problems to the system of higher professional education. Today development of intercultural competency is axiomatic. Competency-based approach is widely acknowledged as the benchmark for development of content and technology in professional intercultural training. Consequently, the outcome of professional training should be professional intercultural competency – integrated quality of a professional, providing personal and functional readiness to professional activity in the intercultural context, based on professional-relevant qualities, experience and special-relevant knowledge, abilities and skills. To be functionally relevant, content of professional development should be isomorphic to the prospect professional activity. In other words, the structure of professional activity should be reflected in the educational standard, structure, content and technology of professional education.

In any professional activity, the fundamental notion is strategy – the means of achieving goals. It is for strategic thinking and acting that enable a professional to successfully actualize their professional competency. Provided the intercultural context of modern professional activity, we should introduce professional intercultural strategic competency, which constitutes an integrated personal quality of a professional, providing his providing personal and functional readiness (competency) to achieve professional strategic objectives in professional activity in the intercultural context, i.e. in specific situations of professional activity; the mentioned readiness should be based on professional-relevant qualities, experience and special-relevant knowledge, abilities and skills. Thus professional intercultural strategic competency ensures successful professional activity in intercultural context [2], [3] .

___________________

© Veldyaeva T.A., 2015

134

Cognitive psychology distinguishes between two types of knowledge: declarative and procedural. Declarative knowledge is the knowledge “what”, whereas procedural means “how”. Any event consists of both declarative and procedural knowledge: what is happening and how should we act. According to E. F. Zeer, the key competency is based on procedural knowledge [4]. Strategy, in its nature, is a form of procedural knowledge. Nowadays in universities intercultural training is boiled down to communicating of declarative knowledge (nomenclatural approach). In intercultural communication such knowledge encompass coun- try-related facts, culturological, linguo-cultural and other knowledge. However in the context of strategic thinking procedural knowledge plays the main role (algorithmic approach).

Both declarative and procedural knowledge are found in “script” – a chain of stereotypic actions implemented in respond to a situational stimulus. Script is used to represent information about stereotypic episodes; it is a prearranged casual chain representing habitual for the native speakers course of action [5, p. 40]. In other words, using declarative knowledge, script describes the procedure of its implementation.

Scripts determine human behavior or its interpretation in a specific communicational situation. On the one hand, scripts facilitate human living predetermining their behaviuor in specific situations and minimizing need for making choices. On the other hand, in intercultural context culturally-determined scripts hinder communication for non-natives [6].

Misunderstanding of foreign language, gestures, mimics and other attributes of behavior lead to misinterpreting of the meaning, which provoke some negative emotions: apprehension, disgust, hostility. Intercultural training helps to avoid cross-cultural conflicts [7].

When considering intercultural communication as communication between different national consciousnesses, E. F. Tarasov points out that “speakers of different languages will understand each other to the extent of their of their consciousnesses similarity, differences of these will cause unavoidable misunderstanding in intercultural communication” [8, p. 8]. Thus, the reason for cultural shock and intercultural misunderstanding are differences of social behavior scripts.

According to L. V. Savitskaya, cognitive activity of an individual is mental processes which ensure processing of information and result in formation of special consciousness structures. At first, information about the outer world is constructed (or is conceptualized) and thereafter is verbalized. Being the main part of an individual’s consciousness, cognitive activity is conducted in a specific cultural context [9].

A set of prototypic cognitive models based on previous experience is stored in the long-term memory of participants of intercultural communication. It reflects all the possible scenarios (in accordance with cultural background of an individual) [10]. When cognitive models are alike, interaction is successful. Deviations in implementation of a script hinders interaction and makes the participant to elaborate a new strategy of behavior, to design a new and unprecedented script. If studied and analyzed, this type of cognitive lacunarity will enable to identify the differences among scripts of representatives of different cultures and prevent intercultural miscommunications. Bolokhontseva N. M. proposed an interesting differentiation of communication abnormal situations as follows: communicational conflict, communication failure, communication discomfort [11].

Script was analyzed by scholars (A. Wierzbicka, V. I. Karasik, I. A. Sternin, O. A. Leontovich, E. S. Kubryakova, E. F. Tarasov, L. V. Tsurikova, et al.) from a culturological perspective (as a cultural phenomenon). In our study we consider it reasonable to analyze script as a didactic phenomenon: it should be used not to describe cultural algorithms, but to develop cultural-specific behavior algorithms and learning thereof. An individual adopts ready-to-use scripts and designs them, constructing scenarios of possible actions – socially acceptable behavior algorithm. Consequently, script can regulate behavior and appear as a means of development of professional intercultural strategic competency.

135

Scientific Newsletter of Voronezh State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering

If human activity is conceptualized as a set of scripts, we can suggest that having compiled a cluster of typical situations and analyze them, you can create a cognitive base for professional intercultural strategic competency development. Consequently, professional intercultural strategic competency includes professionally-specific inocultural cognitive base and skills and abilities to solve professional problems in the intercultural context. According to Malyuga E. N., intercultural business communication is a complicated process of establishing, supporting and developing contact between people of different nationalities in professional sphere. Participants of this activity are focused on goal achieving. Protocol is one of the features of business communication [12].

It is worthwhile to consider the structure of a script as a cognitive construct. Motorina N. V. divides script into two components – invariable, i.e. underlying concepts for communicational behavior of participants; values relevant to each participant; minimum number of participants, roles allocation, and variable, which is base on strategies and tactics of communicational behavior of participants, verbal and non-verbal means applied for communication objectives achieving [13].

We have clarified and specified structural analysis of culturological script and identified the following components:

a)Cognitive-axiological – conceptual content, determining strategy, tactics and verbal means. In other words, it is the underlying, conceptual values of the given culture representatives or, according to Geert Hofstede, “cultural dimensions” [14]. This component of script enables cross-cultural analysis and indicate culturological lacunarity.

b)Professional-linguistic – verbal and non-verbal means which are contextuallyspecific and reflect its cognitive-axiological aspect. In other words, this component is the actualization of professional linguistic competency of participant of intercultural interction.

c)Pragmatic-behavioral - intercultural interaction scenarios, including a set of stereotypic situations and tactics. This component is also contextually-specific and varies depending on external factors.

The fact that script has significant didactic value is especially important to our research:

a)Script facilitates understanding of behavior, cause and effect relations, attributive and perceptive features of interaction.

b)Culturological analysis of a script contributes to adoption of speech patterns specific to particular context. Thus professional linguistic competency is developed.

c)Contextual approach to any phenomenon both describes and interprets the behavior

and incorporates new culturological knowledge into the existing cognitive base. Having regard to the above said, script is considered a versatile phenomenon acting as:

1) means of interpretation; 2) means of education; 3) plan of action.

Cognitive approach to the development of professional intercultural strategic competency was introduced at practical sessions on intercultural communication at NUST MISiS and Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy.

Before the intercultural communication sessions students were to fill out the questionnaire aiming to identify level of development of professional intercultural strategic competency.

Questions and answers of three respondents are listed below:

Scientific Newsletter of Voronezh State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering

Results of the entry questionnaire completed by 86 students show that:

a)The majority of respondents (93%) deny any intercultural problems in their experience;

b)The largest part of questionnaires (95%) feature misuse of the terms “culture” and “language”: while analyzing personal intercultural experience respondents mention linguistic misunderstandings instead of cultural; however, they recognize significance of politeness, especially for German culture, which is the object of separate research [15];

c)Intercultural problems are frequently (92%) referred to as interpersonal, not cultural;

d)A rather narrow view of intercultural interaction and respective problems dominates (94%): non-verbal communication is widely mentioned as possible misunderstanding;

e)Overwhelming majority (98%) of respondents propose preparation as the first stage of successful intercultural communication;

f)Most respondents (84%) suggest “adjustment” to the other culture and non-violation of the other’s cultural identity as the strategy for successful intercultural communication. No respondent considered necessity of non-violation of their own cultural identity.

138

The final project involved designing a script, i.e. practical application of cultural knowledge, gained at theoretical sessions. Students were asked to create a script and give culturological comments to the given intercultural situation:

Your company is currently working with its foreign business partners and has invited them to visit your country. You have to meet the foreign delegation.

1.Create a script which reflects your actions.

2.Comment on the possible cultural misunderstandings.

3.Reflect on the work done and make conclusions.

The first step is technological, demanding application of modeling and engineering methods, developing quasi-professional context, and incorporating foreign scripts to your cognitive base.

The second step is the cross-cultural analysis of Russian and the given culture scripts aimed to identify differences/similarities and forecasting possible misunderstandings; recognizing invariable culturological components and lacunas – linguistic, behavioural, cognitive; this is the stage of interpretation, comprehension, and adoption of foreign cultural scripts.

The third step is to make conclusions and describe the gained intercultural experience.

Below is an example of the designed script “Meeting a German delegation” (original spelling and punctuation left unchanged):

Get prepared for the meeting – learn more about German culture and traditions, about the company the business partners are coming from;

Prepare business card in German and don’t forget to include the necessary information (title, surname, contacts);

Don’t be late at the airport or railway station, Germans will wait for you but the impression will be so good;

Make a poster and write the titles and surnames of visitors, or just put the information like that “The name of the company + delegation. Country”;

Shake hands with every member of delegation and say “Good morning/afternoon/evening! Welcome to Russia!” or “Guten Tag!” to every person;

Introduce yourself, name the title and surname, explain what you are going to do with visitors and give a short plan of actions for the rest of the day;

Give your business cards for every member.

The main difficulty can appear in addressing and lateness. Russians get used to making it a little bit informal in comparison with Germans. The time is a very abstract concept. Especially in Moscow. Sometimes it may happen that a long traffic jam appears from nowhere and you are late. Such things should be thought of in advanced, because for Germans it is of high value. I mean, time. Moreover, someone can tell a joke that can be irrelevant to situation. So, it is very important to restrain emotions, because Germans are very “all business”.

Describing the process of meeting a German delegation, I’ve understood that it’s very important to take into account all details and things. Moreover, everything should be prepared in advance. The thing that should be always in mind is that Germans are very formal and do business very seriously. In addition, they value their time so high, that a delay or lateness somewhere can damage everything.

Script “Meeting a Norwegian delegation” (original spelling and punctuation left unchanged):

139

Scientific Newsletter of Voronezh State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering

If I were a member of a group that is going to meet Norwegian businessmen:

I would work a lot before meeting, like reading about their culture, their attitude to Russians, their strongest and weakest points, get to know their cuisine, read about their way of taking and doing business. Because, that’s not right, to invite people from other countries and not to learn anything about their homeland.

I would be in a hurry to go to the meeting, not to be late and make an awful impression (it`s known that Norwegians are very punctual when it goes for the time, so I will have to come earlier, especially for the first meeting).

I would smile and shake hands with each of them and then invite to a room which is prepared before their arrival, to talk about our business.

I would print business cards also using QR-Codes (Where will be the whole info from the paper variant of card) to easily add me to their contact list in their Gadgets, to be sure that they will find and contact me after meeting.

If someone jokes I will try to smile and support that person. I will try my best to act as calm as I can and be opened.

There could be communication problems between people from Russia and Norway.

Naturally Russians follow someone’s directions and rules. This doesn’t go with Norwegians, while they are more independent and self reliant. Moreover, according to Geert Hofstede, Russia is a pragmatic society which means that people believe that truth depends very much on situation, context and time. They show an ability to adapt traditions easily to changed conditions. Norwegians, on the other hand, have a strong concern with establishing the absolute Truth; they are normative in their thinking. They exhibit great respect for traditions. All these features should be taken into account.

I’ve learned how to behave with Norwegian business partners. I recognized that our cultures are not that different; however it’s crucial to consider the possible awkward situations.

Analysis of the designed scripts show that:

1.At the cognitive-axiological level:

a)Students possess informational competency – the skill and ability to independently search, analyze, select, process and communicate the necessary information (According to Hofstede Russia is a “pragmatic” culture, which means that people believe that the truth depends very much on situation, context and time);

b)Students show cross-cultural analytic skills, identifying culturological differences between the two linguo-cultural societies (Addressing and being late might present the main difficulties. Russians are less formal in communication than Germans);

c)Fundamental values of national cultures are comprehended (Russians are used to follow rules. Norwegians is different, they are independent).

2.At pragmatic-behavioural level:

a)Students are familiarized with stereotypic scenarios of professional interaction (Shake hands with each member of the delegation, say “Good morning/afternoon/evening! Welcome to Russia”, or say “Guten Tag”);

b)Students show tactic aspects of behavior to achieve strategic objectives (I would hurry for the meeting in order not to be late and not to make bad im-

140

pression. Norwegians are famous for their punctuality, that’s why I will have to arrive earlier, especially to the first meeting);

c)Students are able to design strategies and algorithms of professional interaction, taking into account the intercultural context (Moreover, you have to get prepared in advance. Do not forget that Germans are very formal and have serious attitude towards business. They value their time and any delay might ruin everything).

3.At professional-linguistic level:

a)Students can use verbal and non-verbal means depending on culturological context (Moreover, someone may make an inappropriate joke. It is very important to restrain your emotions since Germans are “all too business”).

The described above assignment illustrates one possible implementation of cognitive approach to the development of professional intercultural strategic competency. The assignment involved students’ creating scripts in quasi-professional context,

Conducting cross-cultural analysis to detect cognitive lacunarity of social behavior scripts and making reflexive conclusions on development of their professional intercultural strategic competency. Thus didactic application of intercultural communication scripts allows to:

1.Develop foreign cultural cognitive base (gain new and upgrade existing intercultural experience);

2.Taking cultural differences into account, adjust behavior tactics to achieve strategic objectives;

3.Be aware of the cultural sensitivities of both parties and to adjust behavior tactics in order to not violate cultural identities;

4.Minimize possibility of cultural shock;

5.Learn professional interaction scenarios (including intercultural interaction);

6.Strategize and algorithmize behavior;

7.Develop professional intercultural strategic competency;

8.Develop professional linguistic competency;

In conclusion it is necessary to underline the universal nature of professional intercultural strategic competency. Due to its pragmatic aspect, professional intercultural strategic competency is a meta-competency, relevant to more than one profession. The competency in question is applicable to any professional activity.

Bibliographic list

1.Fomina Z.E. Sovremennye processy globalizacii v sfere jazyka, kul'tury i obrazovanija v kontekste vzgljadov nemeckih myslitelej i teorii V.I. Vernadskogo o vzaimodejstvii kul'tur i civilizacij /Z.E. Fomina // Nauchnyj vestnik Voronezh. gos. arh.-stroit. un-ta. Sovremennye lingvisticheskie i metodiko-didakticheskie issledovanija. – 2006. – Vyp.6. – S. 141-153.

2.Vel'djaeva, T. A. Professional'naja mezhkul'turnaja strategicheskaja kompetentnost': podhody i jetapy formirovanija / T. A. Vel'djaeva. // Srednee professional'noe obrazovanie: ezhemesjachnyj teoreticheskij i nauchno-metodicheskij zhurnal. - M. - 2013. vyp. 8 - S. 23-25.

3.Gavrilenko T. A., Kuznecov A. N., Professional'naja mezhkul'turnaja strategicheskaja kompetentnost' perevodchikov v sfere professional'noj kommunikacii. Teorija i metodika professional'nogo obrazovanija. / T. A. Gavrilenko, A. N. Kuznecov // Vestnik Mosk. gos. agroinzh. un-ta im. V. P. Gorjachkina – 2012. - vyp. 4/2(55). - S. 75-82.

141

Scientific Newsletter of Voronezh State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering

4.Zeer Je. F. Kompetentnostnyj podhod k obrazovaniju. / Je. F. Zeer // Obrazovanie i nauka. Izvestija Ural'skogo otd. Ros. akadem. obraz-ija. - 2005. - S. 27-40.

5.Riesbeck, C.K., and Schank, R. (1989). Inside Case-Based Reasoning. Northvale, NJ: Erlbaum.

6.Leontovich O. A. Russkie i amerikancy: paradoksy mezhkul'turnogo obshhenija: monografija / O. A. Leontovich // Volgograd: Peremena. - 2002. – 375 s.

7.Fedotova N.V., Zhidkova Ju.B. K voprosu o mezhkul'turnoj sostavljajushhej uchebno-go processa: uchet osobennostej kommunikativnogo povedenija armjan. / N. V. Fedotova, Ju. B. Zhidkova // Nauchnyj vestnik Voronezh. gos. arh.-stroit. un-ta. Lingvistika

imezhkul'-turnaja kommunikacija. - 2014. – vyp. 15. - S. 121-124.

8.Tarasov E. F. Mezhkul'turnoe obshhenie — novaja ontologija analiza jazykovogo soznanija / E. F. Tarasov // Jetnokul'turnaja specifika jazykovogo soznanija. M.: In-t jazykoznanija RAN - 1996. – S.7-22.

9.Savickaja L. V. Kognitivnyj aspekt perevoda v svete mezhkul'turnoj kommunikacii. / L. V. Savickaja //Nauchnyj vestnik Voronezh. gos. arh.- stroit. un-ta. Lingvistika i mezhkul'turnaja kommunikacija. -2013. - vyp. 10. - S. 114-120.

10.Curikova L. V. Analiz mezhkul'turnoj kommunikacii: kognitivno-pragmaticheskij podhod / L. V. Curikova //– Vestnik Voronezh. gos. un-ta. Gumanitarnye nauki. – 2003 . – vyp. 2. – C. 162–182.

11.Bolohonceva N. M. Javlenija lozhnogo kommunikativnogo komforta i mnimoj kommunikativnoj beskonfliktnosti. / N. M. Bolohonceva // Nauchnyj vestnik Voronezh. gos. arh.-stroit. un-ta. Serija «lingvisticheskie i metodiko-didakticheskie issledovanija. - 2010. – vyp. 2(14). - S. 163-172.

12.Maljuga E. N. Vzaimodejstvie verbal'nyh i neverbal'nyh sredstv v mezhkul'-turnoj delovoj kommunikacii / E. N. Maljuga // Nauchnyj vestnik Voronezh. gos. arh.-stroit. un-ta. Serija «lingvisticheskie i metodiko-didakticheskie issledovanija. - 2008. – vyp. 2(10). - S. 12-21.

13.Motorina N. V. Lingvokul'turnye skripty tradicionnogo kommunikativnogo povedenija v Rossii i Anglii: dissertacija na soiskanie uchenoj stepeni kand. filol. nauk: 10.02.20 – Volgograd - 2014.- 184 s.

14.Hofstede, Geert, Gert Jan Hofstede, Michael Minkov.Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind, - 3rd ed. - New York: McGraw-Hill. - 2010. – 576 p.

15.Fomina Z.E. Vezhlivost' v prostranstve nemeckoj digital'noj kommunikacii (na primere jazyka Interneta) / Z.E. Fomina // Nauchnyj vestnik Voronezh. gos. arh.-stroit. unta. Sovremennye lingvisticheskie i metodiko-didakticheskie issledovanija. – 2013. – Vyp. 2 (20). – S. 43-56.

142

THEORY AND PRACTICE OF TRANSLATION

UDC 811.133.1’255.2

Voronezh State University Doctor in Philology,

Professor of the Department of French Philology Natalya Alexandrovna Fenenko

e-mail: fenenko@rgph.vsu.ru Voronezh State University PhD in Philology,

Associate Professor of the Department of French Philology Svetlana Yurjevna Bulgakova

e-mail: svetlanbulgakov@yandex.ru

N.A. Fenenko, S.Yu. Bulgakova

VERNACULAR ELEMENTS IN FRENCH TRANSLATIONS

OF SHORT STORIES AND NOVELS BY I. BUNIN

The article examines the ways to transfer vernacular elements of a literary text from Russian into French. The comparative analysis of the source text and the target text shows that the vernacular elements’ translation is based on the principles of compensation (inside one level of the language system or via the inter-level means). Compensation helps to overcome the asymmetry of the stylistic differentiation of Russian and French languages and to find an equivalent means of translating a text with a rich national color.

Key words: vernacular elements, stylistic asymmetry, equivalence, renomination, compensation (intraand inter-level).

One of the recent tendencies in translation studies is characterised by a constantly growing interest in using corpora of translated literary texts as research material. According to experts, these texts open up new opportunities for decrypting the process of the language appropriation of a “foreign” reality, the ratio of national and international elements in this process, the specific features of the concepts that describe realia and constants of a "foreign" culture in the recipient culture. Translated texts can also provide important information for the study of the asymmetry of the language and conceptual world pictures, problems of lacunisation (lacunae formation) and delacunisation (lacunae elimination) of the culturespecific information as well as the ability to save in the process of translation the national color of the text and individual author’s concepts (see. [1; 2; 3; 4]).

One of the problems which are of particular interest in translation studies is the translation of vernacular elements, which play an important role in the creation of national color of the text as one of its aesthetic components. This problem is considered to be complex both in terms of practice and of theory. And, although it is traditionally considered as "untranslatable in translation" [5], the search for the regular vernacular stylistic equivalents remain a topical problem in theory of translation and "the works of the modern translators of literary text" [6; from. 343].

_________________________________

© Fenenko N.A., Bulgakova S.Yu., 2015

143