Part OneChapter l Language and Linguistics1.1.Nature and Properties of Human Language1.1.1.The nature of human language1.1.2.The comparison between human language and animal communication systems 1.1.3.The definitions of language1.2.Functions of Human Language1.2.1.From a learner's individual, pragmatic point of view1.2.2.From an interactive point of view1.2.3.From a social point of view1.3.Linguistics1.3.1 The definition of linguistics1.3.2.The major branches of general linguistics1.3.3.The basic concepts in linguistics1.3.4.The major modern linguistic schools and theories1.3.5.Representative figures of schools of linguistics1.4.The Study of Language in Functional ApproachTooics for DiscussionBooks for ReferenceExercises for the ChapterPart TwoChaDter 2 Language, Thought and Reality2.1.Early Theories Concerning the Relationship Between Language, Thought and Reality2.1.1.Monism2.1.2.Dualism2.1.3.Saussure's Sign Theory, Richard and Ogden's Semantic Triangle2.2.Sapir-Whorf Hypotheses2.2.1.Introduction to Sapir and Whorf2.2.2.Sapir's Linguistic Relativity2.2.3.Whorf's Linguistic Determinism2.3.Argument Concerning the Issue2.3.1.Supporting views2.3.2.Criticism on Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis2.4.Other Views Concerning the Relationship Between Language, Thought and Reality2.5.The Insight the Debate Has Brought to Us2.6.Comparison of the Thinking Patterns of Chinese and English- Speaking PeopteTopics for DiscussionBooks for referenceExercises for the ChapterChapter 3 Language, Culture, Society and Individuals3.1.The Relationship Between Language and Culture3.1.1.Definitions of culture3.1.2.The nature of culture3.1.3.The universality in biology, culture and language3.1.4.The peculiarity in biology, culture and language3.1.5.The dialectal relation between lantzuage and culture3.1.6.Problems concerning language and culture3.2.The Relationship Between Language and Society3.2.1.Language is first of all a social phenomenon. 3.2.2.Human societies are varied, soj are their languages. 3.3.The Relationship Between Language and Individuals3.3.1.Language is an important means of survival for every individual. 3.3.2.Language is a tool of learning for everybody. 3.3.3.Every speaker has his own style. 3.3.4.Every speaker is a member of the soeech communitv. 3.4.Comparison Between the Two Major Culture Models3.4.1.High-Context Cultures and Low-Context Cultures3.4.2.P-Time Culture and M-Time Culture3.5.Cross-Cultural Communication3.5.1.Problems in cross-cultural communication3.5.2.The importance of non-verbal communication3.5.3.The ability to communicate effectively in cross-cultural settingsTopics for DiscussionBooks for ReferenceExercises for the ChapterChapter 4 Language in Business and Language in Politics4.1.Language in Business4.1.1.Language and business4.1.2.English in business in a broader sense4.1.3.English in business in a narrower sense4.1.4.Culture and its implication in business4.1.5.How to improve competence in business English ���� Part threeAppendix 1 Introduction to the CourseAppendix 2 Syllabus for the CourseAppendix 3 The Constituent Structure of English SemologyAppendix 4 The Constituent Structure of English GrammarAppendix 5 The Constituent Structure of English PhonologyModel Key to ExercisesGeneral Bibliography