Desire has been a marginal topic in TESOL. This study investigated whether and to what extent English learning affects Taiwanese young females’ aspiration toward western males. Four hundred ninety-nine respondents filled out a questionnaire that investigates their English learning experience and ...
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Desire has been a marginal topic in TESOL. This study investigated whether and to what extent English learning affects Taiwanese young females’ aspiration toward western males. Four hundred ninety-nine respondents filled out a questionnaire that investigates their English learning experience and aspiration to cross–culture marriage with western males. Sixteen were interviewed. Results showed correlations between the acceptance of marrying a westerner and the following variables (in the rank of strength): 1. Preference for western movie stars, 2. Parents’ attitudes toward marrying a westerner, 3. Perceptions of compliments from native-English-speaking teachers, 4. Making foreign friends as the motivation to learn English, 5. The fondness of learning English, 6. Becoming more charming as the motivation to learn English, and 7. Going abroad as the motivation to learn English. The findings suggest that the experience and motivation of English learning did influence the female students’ aspiration toward western males, but not as strong as their inner motivation and the mass media.
Among various cultural models, the dichotomy of static versus dynamic models has provided a fertile ground for research. Although a number of static models are suggested, the dominant trend in almost all static models is provided by Hofstede who focuses on cultural differences along four major dimensions ...
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Among various cultural models, the dichotomy of static versus dynamic models has provided a fertile ground for research. Although a number of static models are suggested, the dominant trend in almost all static models is provided by Hofstede who focuses on cultural differences along four major dimensions (power distance, individualism, uncertainty avoidance, and masculinity) and reduces “the complex phenomenon of culture in simple and measurable terms” (Fang, 2010, p. 156). The main concern is whether static bipolar models can cope with the requirements of the globalized era when cross-cultural communication “in an increasingly borderless and wireless workplace, marketplace, and cyberspace” (Fang, 2012, p. 2) is needed. Studying Fang’s dynamic cultural model versus Hofstede’s static cultural dimensions theory, the present paper, through the case study of Iranian culture, hypothesizes that dynamic models, such as Fang’s (2005, 2012), which recognize the paradoxical essence of cultures, emphasize all-dimensional cultural nearness. In Fang’s model, cultures are dialogic and open for cross-cultural interaction rather than monologic and segregated.