Introduction

In her book on the relationship between language and culture (Risager 2006), the Danish author distances herself from the theoretical position which totally identifies language with culture. She is a proponent of another approach, which distinguishes between culture and language. It refers to particular languages, including such concepts as “first language / first language culture” and “second/foreign language” / “second/foreign language culture.” Risager states that she focuses on the relationship of culture to language, rather than language to culture. It means that “linguistic and cultural practices change and spread through social networks […] principally on the basis of transnational patterns of migration and markets” (Risager 2006: 2). My approach to culture and language is similar. I believe that it is possible on the grounds of particular languages to partly dissociate language and the culture traditionally associated with that language. Such an approach seems suitable for my purpose of elucidating the role of the English language in intercultural communication, particularly the role of English in preparing students in the second/foreign language classroom for intercultural communication.

Let me start from the difficulties involved in defining the concepts “first language culture,” “second language culture” and “foreign language culture.” In traditional terms, “first language culture” is the culture associated with one's first language (native language / mother tongue), second language culture is the culture associated with one's second language in the countries where more than one language is used, and foreign language culture is the culture associated with a particular foreign language taught in a given country, also called the target language culture.