A crossover:A crossover:Language and CultureLanguage and Culture

Language / Culture relationshipLanguage / Culture relationship

Claire Kramsh:Claire Kramsh: Language express cultureLanguage express culture Language embody cultureLanguage embody culture

Sapir-Whorf hypothesis:Sapir-Whorf hypothesis: Language determine cultureLanguage determine culture

Cultural pie analogy:Cultural pie analogy: Human experience as the substanceHuman experience as the substance Culture as the shapeCulture as the shape Language as the knifeLanguage as the knife

My conceptMy concept

Language

Culture

Experience

Case analysisCase analysis

McDonald’s and Starbucks in Hong KongMcDonald’s and Starbucks in Hong Kong Aspects for comparisonAspects for comparison

Linguistically created experiencesLinguistically created experiences• Official namesOfficial names• Printed materialsPrinted materials• Language policyLanguage policy

Experience influenced languageExperience influenced language• Popular namesPopular names

McDonald's in Hong KongMcDonald's in Hong Kong

Established in 1975Established in 1975 The first McDonald's restaurant was The first McDonald's restaurant was

located at Paterson Street, Causeway located at Paterson Street, Causeway Bay.Bay.

Over 200 McDonald's restaurants in Hong Over 200 McDonald's restaurants in Hong Kong today.Kong today.

Starbucks in Hong KongStarbucks in Hong Kong

Established in 2000Established in 2000 The first Starbucks coffee house was The first Starbucks coffee house was

located at Exchange Square in Central.located at Exchange Square in Central. Number of Starbucks coffee houses by Number of Starbucks coffee houses by

year:year: 2000 ~ 92000 ~ 9 2001 ~ 242001 ~ 24 2002 ~ 352002 ~ 35

Official name of McDonald’sOfficial name of McDonald’s

Official name of StarbucksOfficial name of Starbucks

Printed material of McDonald’sPrinted material of McDonald’s

Printed material of StarbucksPrinted material of Starbucks

Language PolicyLanguage Policy

McDonald’sMcDonald’s Cantonese is used for taking order for local Cantonese is used for taking order for local

customers.customers. StarbucksStarbucks

English (Italian) is used for taking order for English (Italian) is used for taking order for whatever kinds of customers.whatever kinds of customers.

Popular namesPopular names

McDonald’sMcDonald’s 麥當勞 麥當勞 (muck dong lou)(muck dong lou) MM 記 記 (em gei)(em gei) 麥記 麥記 (muck gei)(muck gei) 老麥 老麥 (lou muck)(lou muck)

StarbucksStarbucks StarbucksStarbucks

ConclusionConclusion

Language

Culture

Experience

BibliographyBibliography

The relationship of language and culture. In Claire KramsThe relationship of language and culture. In Claire Kramsch, 1998. Language and culturech, 1998. Language and culture

Dialects and registers for language use. In Fern Johnson,Dialects and registers for language use. In Fern Johnson, 2000. Speaking culturally 2000. Speaking culturally

http://www.starbucks.com.hk/zh-hkhttp://www.starbucks.com.hk/zh-hk// http://www.mcdonalds.com.hk/chinese/index.htmhttp://www.mcdonalds.com.hk/chinese/index.htm

The EndThe End

Questions??Questions??