外語能力與跨文化能力之探討——以南台灣大學生為例

Foreign Language and Intercultural Competence - Using University Students in Southern Taiwan as an Example

身處全球化時代，如何培養學生具備跨文化能力，使其能夠與來自不同族群、文化、宗教背景人士從事積極而建設性的互動與溝通？成為大學外語教育的重要課題。然而，跨文化能力內涵為何？影響跨文化能力之變數又為何？美國跨文化溝通學者Darla K. Deardorff將跨文化能力分為四個構面，亦即：1. 外在效應；2. 觀念與態度；3. 行動能力，以及4. 內在效應。多數跨文化研究學者指出，外語能力不等同於跨文化能力，然而，跨文化能力需要對異文化的好奇與學習意願，在此方面，外語教育與與外語能力對跨文化能力之間存在何種關係？外語能力，特別是具備第二外語能力，對於發展學習者跨文化能力扮演角色為何？此為本論文研究之動機與希望透過此一研究解答之首要問題。此外，對異文化好奇與學習態度，跨文化經驗等變數對跨文化能力表現關係又為何？透過與這些變數之對比，也能釐清外語能力對跨文化能力之影響程度。本研究依據Deardorff對於跨文化能力四構面的解析模式，設計問卷，並針對500多名南台灣數所大學外語學院與非外語學院大學生進行問卷調查。期望透過此一經驗性研究解析上述問題。希望透過研究結果，對於如何透過外語教育培養學生跨文化能力提出建議。

Students’ competence in interactions with people of different cultural backgrounds is felt to be important in current higher education foreign language teaching. Many intercultural experts point out foreign language ability does not equate to intercultural competence. Rather, intercultural competence requires curiosity about alien culture and the willingness to learn. In this respect, where is foreign language education in the relationship between foreign language ability and intercultural competence? What role does foreign language ability, especially the ability of a second foreign language, play in the development of intercultural competence? How do intercultural experiences influence the development of intercultural competence and how is it manifested? This paper aims to answer these questions. American intercultural expert Darla K. Deardorff identifies four dimensions of intercultural competence: 1. external outcome in terms of constructive interaction in an intercultural situation; 2. attitudes recognizing and respecting cultural diversity and tolerating ambiguity; 3. intercultural knowledge and skills; and 4. internal outcome in the form of cultural adaptability, flexibility, ethno-relative view and empathy. Based on her Analysis Model of Intercultural Competence, an informational questionnaire was designed and used to collect data from 500 students of foreign languages and other higher education faculties in southern Taiwan. It is hoped that the results of this study can provide insights in the role of intercultural competence in college foreign language education.