Contrast between Chinese and Western cultural values and its effects on English learning in China

Abstract

With the increasing cultural exchanges between China and the West, English has increasingly become a compulsory course. Although a large proportion of Chinese students have good English proficiency, their communicative abilities are very poor. They may struggle with expressing themselves effectively in English due to cultural differences between China and Western countries. Because the Chinese people’s living environment is greatly different from the Western countries’ one, Chinese students often follow their own culture while learning English, ignoring the understanding and research of other countries’ cultures. As a result, so-called Chinglish has emerged in English learning. Overcoming these difficulties and learning more accurate English have become a significant challenge in today’s English learning. Therefore, this article provided a detailed analysis of the traditional moral and cultural disparities between China and the Western world, and explored their respective influences, both positive and negative ones, on English language acquisition. Additionally, the article concluded by suggesting appropriate measures to enhance the positive impact of both Chinese and Western cultures on English learning.