The Identity in Crisis: A New Approach to the Culture Shock Experience of University Exchange Students

Author

Christina Maria Luther, Portland State University

Sponsor

Portland State University. Department of Applied Linguistics

First Advisor

Kimberley Brown

Date of Publication

9-7-1993

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (M.A.) in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

Department

Teaching English as a Second Language

Language

English

Subjects

Culture shock, Intercultural communication

DOI

10.15760/etd.6499

Physical Description

1 online resource (2, viii, 97 p.)

Abstract

The relationship of language and culture is explored in this thesis for the purpose of better understanding why all sojourners, regardless of preparation, experience some degree of culture shock. The author begins with a review of literature on culture shock establishing that the native language of sojourners is not considered to be of any consequence to the sojourning experience. The fields of intercultural communication, social psychology and psychology are then explored to establish the link between language and culture and to introduce the notion of linguistic identity. Evidence found in each of these fields leads the author to conclude that linguistic identity must become a focal point of language instruction and that both language and linguistic identity must be addressed more effectively in pre-departure orientations. Also included is a research proposal which is designed to test pre-departure orientation strategies which introduce students to linguistic identity and to track their transition experiences over the course of a year-long study abroad sojourn.

Rights

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

Comments

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Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/26681

Recommended Citation

Luther, Christina Maria, "The Identity in Crisis: A New Approach to the Culture Shock Experience of University Exchange Students" (1993). Dissertations and Theses. Paper 4615.
https://doi.org/10.15760/etd.6499