Unpacking Cultural Semiotics in German Commercials: An Intercultural Framework for Foreign Language Pedagogy
Keywords:
Intercultural Communicative Competence, Semiotic Analysis, Roland Barthes, German Christmas Traditions, Commercial Advertisements, Foreign Language PedagogyAbstract
Background: Achieving communicative fluency in foreign language acquisition necessitates a deep comprehension of intercultural competence. However, authentic media integration—specifically commercial advertisements—remains underutilized in bridging cultural gaps for EFL/ELE learners.
Objective: This study investigates how German Christmas traditions, social values, and cultural practices are represented in commercial advertisements produced by major German supermarket chains (Lidl and Edeka), and evaluates their pedagogical potential for intercultural foreign language learning.
Methods: Utilizing Roland Barthes’ semiotic framework (denotative, connotative, and mythical dimensions), this qualitative study analyzed verbal, visual, and image signs extracted from two 2024 YouTube Christmas advertisements by Lidl and Edeka. Data were interpreted within Byram’s Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) framework.
Results: The semiotic analysis revealed four main cultural themes: (1) spiritual and conversational expressions (e.g., 'frohe Weihnachten', church bell symbolism), (2) traditional culinary heritage (e.g., Würstchen mit Kartoffelsalat, Gewürzspekulatius, Brussels sprouts, roasted turkey), (3) festive iconography (e.g., Advent calendar, Weihnachtsmann, Schneemann), and (4) family solidarity practices (e.g., Bescherung gift-giving, Christmas tree decorating, communal singing). Lidl emphasized active family participation, whereas Edeka utilized Christmas iconography as an atmospheric background within professional supermarket settings.
Conclusion: Commercial advertisements serve as highly accessible, authentic multimodal texts that bridge foreign language instruction and intercultural literacy. Integrating semiotic decoding of commercial media enables learners to navigate socio-cultural nuances and minimize cross-cultural misunderstandings.
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