Subject Code Subject Title CBS3401 Symbolic Communication Across Languages Credit Value 3 Level 3 Pre-requisite / Co-requisite/ Exclusion Objectives Intended Learning Outcomes Nil This subject aims to provide a conceptual grounding for students in sign-mediated communication (SiMC) with special reference to its within-culture and between-culture variation as well as its application in corporate communication. Specifically the subject aims to (1) give them a general orientation about the human species as homo symbolicus, (2) develop among them a basic understanding of the nature and the workings of major cultural icons, indices and symbols, from communicative, semiotic perspectives. Wherever appropriate, exemplification will be done with cases taken from the corporate sector in Chinese, and non-chinese cultures so that students cultural outlooks may be broadened and their understanding of the connection between the matter of this subject and corporate communication may be strengthened. On successfully completing the subject, students will be able to: Category A: Professional/academic knowledge and skills a) articulate the basic workings of human communication with reference to SiMC; b) differentiate between different kinds of cultural signs c) discuss in an intelligent manner the definitive qualities of writing from the perspective of SiMC d) demonstrate their awareness concerning the within-culture and between-culture variation in the interpretation and use of cultural signs Category B: Attributes for all-roundedness e) enunciate the meaning of humankind as homo symbolicus f) show an understanding of the interface between nature and culture from the perspective of SiMC
Indicative Syllabus The subject matter is organised around the following themes: Week Part A 1 7 Part B 8 13 Subject matter to be covered a. Humans as homo symbolicus b. The uniqueness & workings of human SiMC c. Cultural signs: their typology, use and efficacy d. Written linguistic signs: semiotic perspectives e. Cultural signs: their variation within & across cultures f. Role of Nonverbal (NV) Cultural Signs in SiMC vis-a-vis Intercultural Communication: culture-universalism argument vs culture-specificity/diversity argument g. Similarities and differences between verbal communication (VC) and NV communication h. Typology of NV cultural signs, particularly body language, paralinguistic and environmental cues. Teaching/Learning Methodology Subject matter is delivered in lectures and consolidated in seminars. Learning in this subject takes the form of self-formed study groups, small-group meetings with teachers. Consolidation of students grip of the subject matter is done via seminar discussion, oral assignments respectively for Parts A & B, as well as sitting in the end-of-semester short essay test. Students will be given opportunities to learn how to develop and demonstrate the ILOs in the term-end test. Assessment Methods in Alignment with Intended Learning Outcomes Specific assessment methods/tasks 1. Seminar attendance & participation: 5% (Attendance), 5 % (Participation) 2. Assignment One Group written essay (Part A) % ILOs to be assessed a b c d e f 10 N.A. 35 All of the above
1. Assignment Two Group oral presentation (Part B) 4. End-of-semester test (both Part A and Part B) 35 All of the above 20 All of the above Total 100 Student Study Effort Required Class contact: Lectures 26 Hrs. Seminars 13 Hrs. Other student study effort: Preparing for the end-of-semester test 35 Hrs. Meeting coursework requirements 35 Hrs. Total student study effort 109 Hrs. Reading List and References Introductory Battistini, Matilde. Simboli e allegorie. [English Title] Symbols and allegories in art; translated by Stephen Sartarelli. Los Angeles : The J. Paul Getty Museum, c2005 Bruce-Mitford, Miranda. The illustrated book of signs & symbols. Westmount, Quebec : Reader's Digest Association (Canada) Ltd., 1996 Dennis-Bryan, Kim. Signs & Symbols: an illustrated guide to their origins and meanings. USA: DK Publishing, 2008 Håkansson, Gisela. Communication in humans and other animals. Amsterdam: John Benjamins, 2013 Impelluso, Lucia. Natura e i suoi simboli. [English Title] Nature and its symbols; translated by Stephen Sartarelli. Los Angeles, Calif. : J.P. Getty Museum, c2004. Lakoff, George & Johnson, Mark. Metaphors We Live By. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2003. Ng, P. & Ngai, S.B. (2015). Role of Language and Corporate Communication in Greater China. Berlin: Springer. Sassoon, Rosemary & A. Gaur. Signs, symbols and icons. Exeter, UK: Intellect Books, 1997 (Electronic version available) Wilson, Penelope. Hieroglyphs : a very short introduction. Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2004 唐漢 : 圖說漢字密碼,1-4 冊, 香港 : 中華書局, 2004
Advanced Adler, Ronald B & George Rodman. Understanding human communication. 10th Edn., New York : Oxford University Press, 2009 Argyle, Michael. Bodily Communication. London: Methuen & Co. Ltd., 1988 Bloom, Jonathan. Minaret, symbol of Islam. Oxford: Oxford University Press for the Board of the Faculty of Oriental Studies, c1989 DeFrancis, John. The Chinese Language: Facts and Fantasy. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1984 Fiske, John. Introduction to communication studies. 2 nd Edn., London ; New York : Routledge, 1990 Kendon, Adam. Conducting Interaction Patterns of Behavior in Focused Encounters. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990 Ladner, Gerhart B. (Gerhart Burian) God, cosmos, and humankind : the world of early Christian symbolism; translated by Thomas Dunlap. Berkeley : University of California Press, c1995 Mugglestone, Lynda. Talking Proper: the Rise of Accent as Social Symbol. Clarendon Press, 1995 Pan, Y. Politeness in Chinese Face-to-Face Interaction. Stamford: Ablex Publishing Corporation, 2000 Soltes, O.Z. (2005). Our Sacred Signs: how Jewish, Christian, and Muslim art draw from the same source. Cambridge: Westview Press Wilkinson, Richard H. Symbol & magic in Egyptian art. London : Thames and Hudson, c1994 Wood, Julia. Communication Mosaics. Belmont, CA: Thomson Learning, 2006 大野信長 : 戰國武將家紋軍旗事典, 臺北 : 流遠, 2011( 譯者 : 孫玉珍 ) 王銘銘, 潘忠黨主編 : 象徵與社會 : 中國民間文化的探討, 天津 : 天津人民, 1997 太雅旅行作家俱樂部 : 世界著名城市地標, 香港 : 太雅出版有限公司, 2006, 洪長泰 : 地標 : 北京的空間政治, 香港 : 牛津大學出版社, 2011 李杰群等 : 非言語交际概論, 北京 : 北京大学出版社,2002 孙冬虎 : 地名史源学概论, 北京 : 中国社会出版社, 2008 易思羽 : 中國符號, 南京 : 江蘇人民出版社,2005 黃亞平 : 漢字符號學, 上海 : 上海古籍出版社, 2001
References Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles. A complete guide to heraldry; illustrated by Graham Johnston. New York, N.Y. : Skyhorse Pub., c2007 Hyland, Angus & Steven Bateman. Symbol. London: Laurence King Publishing, 2011 Tresidder, Jack. (Ed.) The complete dictionary of symbols. San Francisco, Calif. : Chronicle Books, 2005 何九盈胡雙寶張猛主編 : 中國漢字文化大觀, 北京 : 北京大學出版社,1995 [Syllabus revised by Mr Patrick Ng ]