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eign world. This will enhance reflec- stereotyping.In addition,she may also learningand teaching.Studies towards
tion and discussion about the learn- decide to discuss texts criticizing par- a Common European Framework of
er’s perception of these worlds. ticular national characters written by reference for language learning and
indigenous writers and see what hap- teaching. Council of Europe Publish-
pens. It is also crucial to get students mg.
acquainted with pieces of writing de- Dc Jong, W. (1996) Open Frontiers.
Vocabulary work picting others in positive light Teaching English in an intercultural
(Rebecca West / Black Lamb, White context. Oxford: Heinemann.
The teacher should pay special atten- Falcon’ in the case of the Balkans). Fowler, Rodger (1991) Language in
tion to’sensitive’lexical items in both the News. Discourse and Ideology in
languages, occasionally including ex- Establishing regional teacher and stu- the Press. London: Routlcdgc.
amples from other tongues as well. dent exchange programmes, with the Goldsworthy, Vesna (1998) Inventing
Even a perfunctory glance at such ex- motto ’Get to know your neighbour’. Ruritania. The Imperialism of the
pressions in different languages re- This can be done only through the Imagination, New Haven and Lon-
veals that most frequently criticized medium of English. The teachers don: Yale University Press.
faults recognized in other nations are should lead the way here, establish Grindsted,Annete(2000)"Stereotypes
roughly thesame: connections themselves first, and then in action".In:Odense Working Papers
introduce projects in their work. Stu- in Language and Communication,No
a)Others are accused of speaking in dents should be asked to do an ethno- 19,vol. II.
an incomprehensibleway(datingfrom graphic investigation of a neighbour- Labov, William (1972)Sociolinguistic
the Tower of Babel); the only differ- ing country /region. The enormous Patters, Basil Blackwell,Oxford.
ence being which language is overtly capabilities of the Internet ought to Mieder, W. (1995) ""The only good
blamed for complete unintelligibility: be exploited to that purpose.The ulti- Indian is a dead Indian". History and
’it’s all Greek to me’ (English and mate goal is tocreate good will which meaning of a proverbial stereotype".
Dutch)’Spanish villages’(Serbian)’it’s will eventually leading togenuine un- In: DE PROVERBIO,AnElectronic
Chinese tome’(Greek,Hungarian and derstanding and cooperation between Journalof International ProverbStud-
Russian) Turkish (French) ’Bohe- nations. ies, Vol.- Number 1.
mian, i.e. Czech villages in German Said, Edward (1981) Covering Islam:
(das sind mir bohmische Dorfer). These are only broad guidelineswhich How the Media and the Experts De-
b)Another nation epitomizes a vice - certainly merit further exploration. termine how We See the Rest of the
drunkenness. It is interesting to note They are open to criticism, modifica- World.London:Routlcdge & Kegan
who are the most notorious drunk- tions and suggestions, which the au- Paul.
ards in popular view:Russians inSer- thor of this contribution would be all Sperber, Dan (1996).Explaining Cul-
bian; Poles in French and Russian, too happy to see voiced on the pages ture.ANaturalisticApproach.Oxford:
Germans in Italian and Spanish. of the’Bridges’. Blasil Blackwell.
c)Other nationsareblamed for illman- Van Dijk,Teun A. (1987) Communi-
ners- theEnglish reproach the French References: cating Racism: Ethnic Prejudice in
for leaving without saying good-buy, Though and Talk.Sage, London
(to take a French leave), but they do Arora, Shirley (1995). "Proverbs and
the verysame thing in France (filer a Prejudice: El Indio in Hispanic Pro-
Fanglaise) and Italy (andarsene all’ verbial Speech". In : DE
inglese); the Serbs look down on the PROVERBIO, An Electronic Jour-
Turks for not shaking hands. nal of International Proverb Studies
Vol. 1, Number 2.
The aim of such activities is to make Blommaert,Jan and Jef Verschueren
student aware that censored charac- (1998) Debating Diversity.Analysing
teristics are more or less the same in the Discourse of Tolerance. London,
all languages and cultures. This, in Routledge.
turn, may inspire discussion why we Bolinger, Dwight (1968). Aspects of
tend to see them only in representa- Language, Harcourt, Brace & World,
tives of other nations. New York.
Byram, M. Morgan C, ct al (1994)
Choice of texts Teaching-and-Learning Language-
and-Culture. Clevedon: Multiligual
The teacher should also bring into the Matters.
classroom critical texts dealing with Byram, M, Zarate, G., Neuner (1997)
Sociocultural competence in language

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