跨文化视野下中美时间观念的研究分析英文版Word格式文档下载.docx

跨文化视野下中美时间观念的研究分析英文版Word格式文档下载.docx

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cross-culturalcommunication

摘要

由于地域、日常习惯和历史的差异，孕育出了多样化的中西方文化，尤其是中美文化。

中美时间观念的差异就是由两地的人们在日常生活、学习或工作中许许多多不同的价值观念所产生的。

有的人天生就是急性子，而有的人却从小就是慢脾气。

有的人守时，可有的人常迟到。

这些都反映出中美人们不同的时间观念。

在下文中，笔者将结合一些科学的研究资料探讨跨文化交际中的中美时间观以避免文化冲突。

关键词：

中美文化；

时间观念；

跨文化交际

Contents

1.Introduction1

2.Literaturereview1

2.1Thedefinitionoftimeconcept1

2.2Theimportanceoftimeconceptincross-culturalcommunication1

3.ThedifferencesinChineseandAmericantimeconcept2

3.1Theline-typetimeoutlookandtheround-typetimeoutlook2

3.1.1Americans’line-typetimeoutlook2

3.1.2Chinese’sround-typetimeoutlook3

3.2Mono-chronictimeandpoly-chronictime4

3.2.1Americans’mono-chronictimeconcept5

3.2.2Chinese’spoly-chronictimeconcept7

3.3Chinese’spast-timeorientationandAmericans’future-timeorientation8

3.3.1Chinese’spast-timeorientation8

3.3.2Americans’future-timeorientation10

4.ThecrasisofChineseandAmericantimeconcept12

4.1People’sconsciousnessoftimethriftisstrengthening12

4.2Past-timeorientationisturningintofuture-timeorientation13

5.Conclusion14

References15

1.Introduction

ThispaperaimstoexploredifferencesinChineseandAmericantimeconceptsandculture.Theauthorhopesthispapercan,toacertaindegree,givethereadersaclearunderstandingaboutthepeople’sconceptoftimeinthetworegions.Thestudyontheconceptoftimeistohelpustounderstandculturaldifferencesandhelpuscarryouteffectiveinternationalcommunication,improvecross-culturalawareness,reducebarrierstocross-culturalcommunicationandthemisunderstandingresultingfromthedifferentconceptoftimeasmuchaspossible,andavoid“culturalconflict”or“timeconflict”incross-culturalcommunication.

2.Literaturereview

2.1Thedefinitionoftimeconcept

Timeconceptisevolvedfromtheprocessofpeopleunderstandingandtransformingtheworld.Timeconceptwillremainrelativelystableforafairlylongperiod.AccordingtoLiuXifang（2009）,timeconceptreferstothedifferentawarenessandunderstandingtowardstime.Itisnotonlyabasicfactorintheenvironmentofhumanactivity,butalsoadeep-seatedculturalpartofthesocialsrtucture.Itisshapednaturallythroughthelong-periodpracticeofhumanbeingandthelong-periodhistoricalprogress.Itreflectstheattitudeofpeopletowardstime.Atthesametime,italsoreflectsthewaythatpeopledealwithtimeandutilizetime.Everyonehashisorherownconceptoftime.Therefore,differentpeople,especiallythepeopleinChinaandAmericahavedifferentconceptsoftime.

2.2Theimportanceoftimeconceptincross-culturalcommunication

Asglobaleconomicintegrationmoveson,Chinese-Americanculturalcommunicationandintegrationbecomemorefrequent.Understandingdifferentculturalconceptsoftimeimprovescross-culturalawarenessandreducesbarrierstocross-culturalcommunication.Avoiding“culturalconflict”or“timeconflict”becomemoreandmoreimportant.

Ifpeopleonlyrecognizeandadheretotheirownconceptoftimeandneglectunderstandingandrespecttothetimeconceptofothercultures,therewouldarisemanymisunderstandings.WeshouldacknowlegdethatpeoplefromChineseandAmericanculturesholddifferentattitudestowardstimeandthemethodofusingtime.Thenweshouldovercometheethicalculturalcentrismandreducethemisunderstandingofdifferentconceptsoftimeasmuchaspossible.Thetimeorientationunderdifferentculturesshouldgetrespectandrecognition.Whenthereisaconflictinthetimeconcept,wecannotsimplyjugdeitasgoodorbad.Culturalcommunicationisaprocessofunderstandingfromoneculturetoanother.Therefore,inordertodeepenmutualunderstanding,itisnecessarytoadoptaliberalattitude.

3.ThedifferencesinChineseandAmericantimeconcept

3.1Theline-typetimeoutlookandtheround-typetimeoutlook

thetimeinChineseweddinginvitations,peoplecancometodinnerlateseparatedbyanhourlongwiththeearlyones,soafeastcanlasteventwoorthreehours.Appointmenttimetoseeourfriendsishardlydetermined.Forexample,ifthereisafriendwhohasnotbeenseenforalongtime,andwanttoseeyouduringweekend,maybeyoushouldstayhomeallday,andwaitforhimtocome.

3.2Mono-chronictimeandpoly-chronictime

Accordingtoobservation,Edward.T.Hall（1983：

42）hasdividedtheusingoftimeindifferentculturesintotwoclassifications,oneismonochronictimesystem;

theotherispolychronictimesystem（Hall,1982:

16）.Thesocietywithinheavyindustry,ingeneral,adoptsthemonochronictimesystem.Theyjustarrangethelineoftimestrictly,arrangethingsinacertainpieceoftimewithoutchangingsoeasilyunderthearrangement.Theyliketodothingsefficiencily.Thepolychronictimeistheheritageoftraditionalagriculturalsociety,peopleliketodoseveralthingstogetherinasametime.

3.2.1Americans’mono-chronictimeconcept

TheAmericansareusedtodoingonlyonethinginacertaintime,sotheyliketoplantimecarefullyandthoughtfully.Therefore,calendars,schedules,diaries,annualsandaccountingledgersplayanimportantroleintheAmericansociety.Tosomeextent,itextremelycontrolsthesocialactivitiesofpeople,itdecideswhattheydoordon’tdoatanymoment,whatmustbedonefirst,whatshouldbedonefinally.Americansarecontroledbytheclocktightly,theyevenregardthemselvesastheslavetonothingbuttheclock.JustlikeHallsaid“IntheWesternworld,nobodycangetoutofthecontrolofmono-timesystem.Infact,societyandbussinesslife,eventhesexualbehaviorareinthecontroloftime.Timemakesthepeople’stotallifenet.”（Hall,1982:

20）.Thiscanbefoundoutfromthebussinessactivitiesinthecross-culturalcommunication.Americansdemandtodealwiththingsaccordingtotimetable.AstheAmericanscherishtimesomuch,theybelive:

“Timeismoney.”

“Punctualityisthepolitenessofprinces.”

“Punctualityisthesoulofbusiness.”

“Timeworkswonders.”

“Timeworksgreatchanges.”

3.2.1.1Makingplans

MakingplansbeforedoingthingsisacommonhabbitinAmerica.Wordslike“schedule”and“agenda”,areusedwidelyinAmericanlife.BecauseAmericansliketomakeplansinadvance,theydoeverythingbycomplyingwiththearrangement.Assoonastheyfindtheyarenotfollowingtheschedule,theywillgetveryuneasyandtrybesttoquickenthespeed.What’smore,Americansusuallycalculatetimeinminutesorseconds,theyarecontroleddeeplybyclock.

Americansalwaysplanwhatshouldbedonenextintheirmindsinadvance.Appointmentandschedulesareveryimportanttomembersofmonochromiccultures.Peopleareconcernedaboutitnotbeingdisturbed.Theydoeverythingbytheiragenda.Oncethetimetheyplanisover,theywillstopwhatevertheyaredoingatonce.Thendowhattheyplantodonext.Whenpeopleplananevent,theyoftensetthetimedaysorweeksbeforehand.Oncethetimeisfixed,ittakesalmostanemergencytochangeit.Ifpeoplewanttocometoyourhomeforafriendlyvisit,theywillusuallymakeacalltomakesurewhetheritisconvenient.Ifyoudon’tdolikethis,Americanswouldthinkthatyouarenotpolite,becausesuddenvisitwouldupsettheirplans.Accordingtoaninvestigation,someforeignteachersinChinaoftencomplainthattheyarenotinformedinadvance.Classesexchanging,class-cancelingedreegive,andsportsmeeting,oftenareinformedinthelastminute.Sometimes,withoutconsultingwiththem,theyaskthemtolectureorrecord.Forthesematters,theyfeelunhappybecausetheydonotlikethelastminutenotice（HuXiaoqiong，2000:

1）.SoChinesepeopleareeasierto“gowiththeflow”thanAmericanswholikeplanstobefixedandunchangeable.Influencedbytimethrift,Americanstreattimeseriously.Iftheycannotplantheirtimeproperly,theywillbelookeddownuponbyothers.

Inbusinesses,“Timeismoney”,everyonefollowssetagendas.Minutesarespentatmeetingsthatarepreciselyscheduled.NorthAmericanstakeprideinfindingtimetospendwithfamilyandfriendswhenjugglingbusyworkschedules.Generallyspeaking,ifAmericanshavearrangedhistimeforstudyathome,hewillnotchangehisplan.Americansoftenmakeeveryday’splan,everyweek’splan,andeveneveryyear’splan.Oncetheplanisarranged,theywillnotchangeit.

InEnglish,weoftenheartheseexpressions,“Myagendafortodaystartswith…”“Placeontheagenda,”“Mapoutaschedule,”“Accomplishsomethingaccordingtoschedule.”OnceAmericansfindthemselvesarebehindtheschedule,theybecomepressured.Thentheydotheirbesttospeedup.AsE.T.Hall（1959:

20）said,“Theyslavetonothing,buttheclock.”InAmerica,theclocknotonlymasterspeople’ssociallife,butalsootheraspectsoflife.Thetimeclockrecordsthehourwemus