Article published in:
The Language of Memory in a Crosslinguistic PerspectiveEdited by Mengistu Amberber
[Human Cognitive Processing 21] 2007
► pp. 139–180
7. 'Memorisation', learning and cultural cognition: The notion of bèi ('auditory memorisation') in the written Chinese tradition
This study examines a cultural practice of ‘remembering’ – bèi (‘auditory memorisation’), which plays a prominent role in the learning experience of Chinese people. It first conducts a detailed semantic analysis of bèi , using natural semantic metalanguage to reveal a culture-internal view of and belief about memory formation and learning, and contrasts it with Chinese jì (‘try to remember/ write down’) and with memorise and learn by heart in English. It then explores linguistic, cognitive and cultural reasons that could explain such a practice. Finally, it addresses the question of why bèi , which exhibits some key features of knowledge transmission in oral cultures, is so prized by the Chinese people, possessors of a long written history.
Published online: 14 November 2007
https://doi.org/10.1075/hcp.21.09ye
https://doi.org/10.1075/hcp.21.09ye
Cited by
Cited by 1 other publications
Goddard, Cliff & Anna Wierzbicka
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