ABSTRACT
This paper first explores the definitions of intercultural communication, intercultural communicative awareness, and intercultural communicative competence, and the relations among them. Secondly, it studies the current situation of the intercultural communicative competence of English major undergraduates, and their understanding about the intercultural communicative activities of foreign language tour guides through questionnaires. At the same time, through interview and investigation, it also elaborates the common intercultural communicative barriers in foreign language tour guides’ intercultural communicative activities. Thirdly, it explores the reasons why the English major undergraduates lack of intercultural communicative competence in the aspects of objective and subjective conditions. It finally proposes the ways to improve students’ intercultural communicative competence, and to overcome the cultural barriers in the aspects of the educational reform of English major, and the improvement of intercultural communicative competence. Thus it can help the English major undergraduates enhance their competitive competence who want to be foreign language tour guides.
Key words: English major undergraduate; foreign language tour guides; intercultural communication; English educational reform
Contents
1．Introduction 1
2. Relevant concepts 2
2.1 Language and culture 2
2.2 Culture and communication 4
2.3 Intercultural communication 5
3. Research and investigation 8
3.1 Questionnaire investigation 8
3.2 Interview 10
4. Reasons English major undergraduates lack intercultural communicative competence 12
4.1 Cultural barriers in communication between China and western countries 12
4.2 Deficits in major courses arrangement 16
4.3 Poor practical competence of English major undergraduates 17
5. Ways to improve intercultural communicative competence of English major undergraduates during foreign tourism activities 18
5.1 Overcome cultural barriers 18
5.2 Reform English major undergraduate education 21
5.3 Seek Society’s support 22
6．Conclusion 23
Acknowledgements 24
References 25
