An ecolinguistic analysis of German textbooks used in Chinese universities: Environmental content and ecological view

Authors

  • Yiwu Mou LANZHOU JIAOTONG UNIVERSITY / TONGJI UNIVERSITY
  • Yun Wu TONGJI UNIVERSITY

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30827/portalin.viVIII.29203

Keywords:

ecolinguistic analysis, environmental education, German language textbook, transitivity, ecological view

Abstract

German is offered to students as one of the leading foreign languages in Chinese universities, and German language textbooks are an important resource to influence these students’ environmental awareness. Taking transitivity as a theoretical framework, the present research was conducted to explore the transitivity features and ecological view of the environmental content in German language textbooks used in Chinese universities. The results show that transitivity patterns were significantly unbalanced in the environmental content, and an eco-beneficial view dominated to actively encourage students to protect nature. However, the political and cultural values underlying humanity’s destruction of the natural environment were not much touched upon. Corresponding suggestions are made for textbook compilers and classroom teachers.

FUNDING INFORMATION. This research was supported by a Grant from the Foreign Language Education and Teaching Reform of Lanzhou Jiaotong University (JGZ202337). We would like to express our thanks to the anonymous reviewers and the editors for their constructive suggestions on this research.

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The Sampled German Language Textbooks

Aufderstrase, H., Bock, H., Muller, J., & Muller, H. (2004). Themen Aktuell. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.

Bao, S., Tang, C., & Xu, X. (2012). Neues Konzept für Deutsch. Huainan: Anhui Science and Technology Press.

Bruseke, R. (2020). Starten Wir. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.

Daniels, A., Estemann, C., Kohl-kuhn, R., Sander, I., Butler, E., & Tallowitz, U. (2009). Mittelpunkt. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.

Lemcke, C., Rohrmann, L., & Scherling, T. (2015). Berliner Platz. Shanghai: Tongji University Press.

Liang, M. (2018). Studienweg Deutsch. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.

Tongji University. (2019). Stichwort Deutsch. Shanghai: Tongji University Press.

Zhang, S. (2009). Hochschuldeutsch. Beijing: Higher Education Press.

Zhang, X., Fu, Z., & Sklenka, S. (2015). Universität Allgemeines Deutsch. Beijing: Higher Education Press.

Zhu, J. (2011). Klick auf Deutsch. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.

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FUNDING INFORMATION. This research was supported by a Grant from the Foreign Language Education and Teaching Reform of Lanzhou Jiaotong University (JGZ202337). We would like to express our thanks to the anonymous reviewers and the editors for their constructive suggestions on this research.

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Published

2023-11-15

How to Cite

Mou, Y., & Wu, Y. (2023). An ecolinguistic analysis of German textbooks used in Chinese universities: Environmental content and ecological view. Porta Linguarum An International Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning, (VIII), 27–43. https://doi.org/10.30827/portalin.viVIII.29203

Issue

Section

VIII Special Issue. "Teaching and Learning European Languages in Chinese Universities"