中西方日常交际中的文化差异一稿.docx

中西方日常交际中的文化差异一稿.docx

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中西方日常交际中的文化差异一稿

中西方日常交际中的文化差异

THECULTURALDIFFERENCES

BETWEENCHINESEANDWESTERN

DAILYCOMMUNICATION

二零一一年十一月

Abstract

Witheconomicglobalization,theglobalizationofinformationera,ChinaandtheWestexchangesandcooperationbetweenthecountriesaregettingcloser.Yet,duetothelackofculturebackgroundofwesterncountries,thereexistssomebarriersandmisunderstandingsduringthecommunicationbetweenChineseandwesternpeople.Thisarticlefocusesontheeverydaycommunicationeasymisunderstandingofculturaldifferencesintheanalysisandcomparison.

KeyWords:

dailycommunication,culturaldifference,greeting,praiseandcompliments

Contents

PartⅠDifferencesintermsofcall…………………………………………3

PartⅡHellodifferencesinterms……………………………………………4

PartⅢDifferencesintermsoffarewell……………………………………5

PartⅣDifferencesinpraiseandcomplimentsandtheresponse………6

PartⅤDifferencesintablemanners………………………………………8

Seatingarrangement………………………………………………………9

Servingorder………………………………………………………………10

Tableware…………………………………………………………………11

Stopcookingmethod……………………………………………………12PartVITopicselectionanddifferencesinprivacy……………………………14

References………………………………………………………………………15

PartⅠDifferencesintermsofcall

Helloisthedailylifeofmostordinarythings,butthatitisquitecommonforthingscanreflectintheWesternculturaldifferences.InChina,peopletouchingfaceeachotherandasked:

"haveyouhaddinneryet""wheretogo""noworktoday"ThisistheChinesemostfamiliaristhemostcommonwayofgreeting,butifyoutakethesewordsandWesternersgreet,foreignersmustbesurprised,orevenmisleading.Forexample,Chinesefriendaskedaforeignfriend:

HaveyouhadyourmealItwasjustaskingpleasantries,Westernersthinkyouasktoinvitehimfordinner!

Whilehewaitsforyouinvitedhim,butyoutalkaboutsomethingelse,whichoftenmakeeachotherberatherbaffling.Theythink:

don'taskmeouttodinner,whyaskIhadyourmealForexample:

youaskforeignfriends:

whereareyougoingThisisacaringgreeting,butWesternersmisunderstandingandresentment,thinkyoutointerfereinothers'affairs.Inwesterncountriespeoplenotfamiliarwiththemeetingsayhello,justsay:

Hi,HelloorGoodmorningcanbe;firstmetwithHowdoyoudohelloAnddonotsayhowyouareIfmetfamiliarfriend,cantalkabouttheweather,trafficetc.,butdonottalkaboutpersonalthings.

PartⅡHellodifferencesinterms

WhetherinChinaorabroad,toseefriendsoracquaintancessayhello,isacommoncourtesybehavior.Chinesepeopleliketousewhentheymeet,"youeatit"Comeandgreeteachother,butthegreetingphraseactuallyhaslostitsliteralmeaning,nottoaskforinformation,butratherawayofgreeting.Therefore,theansweris"eating"or"noteat"areirrelevant.However,ifdirectlytranslatedintoEnglishliterally"Haveyouhadyourdinner"TogreettheWest,accordingtotheirculturalpractices,meanstoinviteeachothertodinner;ifyouaskmenandwomenaresaidtobedatingeachotherorthedesiretomakefriends.AnothercommonlyusedinChineselanguagegreetingis"Whereareyougoing”ThissentenceishelloinChinese,ratherthanaskingpeoplereallywanttoknowwheretogo.So,anyotherpartycangiveananswer,alsonotfeelembarrassed.However,thesamewayWesternersgreet"Whereareyougoing","Wherehaveyoubeen"Westernersoftenunderstoodasamessageaskingthequestions,makethemfeelembarrassed,evenangrytheywillfeelthespeakerinterferewiththeirprivateaffairs.Althoughtheydonotsaylips,andmyheartmaythink:

"WhydoyouaskthesequestionsIt'snoneofyourbusiness."PerhapsmoreattentiontohighBritishandAmericanpeopleforreasonsofefficiency,notbetweenpeopleastheChineseenthusiasm,thesameintheabovecase,thecommongreetingphraseisgenerallyrelativelysimple,suchas"Hi","Hello","Howareyou"or"Goodmorning!

","Goodafternoon!

","Goodevening!

"

Andsoon.

PartⅢDifferencesintermsoffarewell

AccordingtoChinesecustom,theguestsleave,theownerofthegueststothedoor,theguestsoftheownersaid,"Pleasestay",thelastdirectortosay"go","walking"kindofcourtesy.IftheAmericanpeoplewehaveinaccordancewiththeChinesepeopleusedtosay"goslowly","walkslowly"theywillfeelangry,"whyshouldIgoslowlyIamstrongenough!

"Britain'setiquetteistotellthegueststothedoor"Bye,dropinagain."Kindofthing,theguestswillanswer"yes,Iwill."Or"ok,bye."Or"seeyou"andsoon.AlsosaygoodbyetotheChinesepeopleisgenerallyverysimply,isoftenthefirstlookatthewatch,andthenstandupandsaysomething"Iamleavingnow."Anglo-Americancountriesinthiswaywillmakepeoplefeelveryabrupt,surprised.Generallyinaccordancewiththeirhabits,usuallysaidtobetenminutesah