Functions of Fate Schema: The Case of Persian and English

Salva Shirinbakhsh, Abbass Eslamirasekh

Abstract


With an aim to contribute to the present knowledge of intercultural communications, this study explores the cultural schemas of ghesmat and fate in Persian and English societies. Particularly, it tries to demonstrate how comparable these two cultural schemas are across the speakers of the two speech communities. Data were collected by triangulation, through ethnographic observations, movies, and websites. The collected data were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. To perform a quantitative analysis the frequency of the schema of fate and ghesmat in different situations in English and Persian was calculated. Furthermore, to find out the underlying themes of the schemas activation a qualitative content analysis and Wierzbicka’s semantic analysis were employed. The findings further improve the cultural knowledge involved in intercultural communications and discuss the sociocultural roles of ghesmat and fate cultural schemas in the speech communities.
Key words: Schema; Cultural Schema; Ghesmat; Fate; Cultural Keywords; Intercultural Communication

Resumé: Dans le but de contribuer à la connaissance actuelle des communications interculturelles, cette étude explore les schémas culturels de ghesmat et le destin dans les sociétés persane et anglaise. En particulier, il essaie de montrer à quel point ces deux schémas culturels sont comparables à travers les locuteurs de ces deux communautés linguistiques. Les données ont été recueillies par une triangulation, c'est-à-dire à travers des observations ethnographiques, des films et des sites web. Les données recueillies ont été analysées qualitativement et quantitativement. Pour effectuer une analyse quantitative, la fréquence du schéma du destin et de ghesmat dans de différentes situations en anglais et en persan a été calculée. D'ailleurs, afin de trouver des thèmes sous-jacents de l'activation des schémas, une analyse qualitative de contenu et l'analyse sémantique de Wierzbicka ont été employées. Les résultats améliorent davantage les connaissances culturelles impliquées dans les communications interculturelles et discutent des rôles socioculturels de ghesmat et des schémas de destin culturels dans les communautés de la parole.
Mots-clés: Schéma; Schéma Culturel; Ghesmat; Destin; Mots-Clés Culturels; Communication Interculturelle

Keywords


Schema; Cultural Schema; Ghesmat; Fate; Cultural Keywords; Intercultural Communication;Schéma; Schéma Culturel; Ghesmat; Destin; Mots-Clés Culturels; Communication Interculturelle

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3968/j.ccc.1923670020110702.016

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