跨文化视野下中美时间观念的研究分析英文版.docx
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跨文化视野下中美时间观念的研究分析英文版
跨文化视野下中美时间观念的研究分析英文版
Abstract
Becauseofthedifferencesingeographicallocation,dailyhabbitsandhistory,avarietyinChineseandWesterncultures,especiallyinChineseandAmericancultureshaveevolved.TimeconceptdifferencesofChineseandAmericanaredirectlycausedbythetworegions’peopleholdingmanydifferentvaluesintheirdailylives,studies,andwork.Somepeoplearebornwithanimpatientpersonality,whileotherswithaslowtemperament.Somepeoplearealwaysverypunctual,whileothersmaybefrequentlylatetoappointments.ThesedifferencesarereflectedinChineseandAmericandifferenttimeconcepts.Inthefollowingpaper,supportedbyscientificsourcesandresearches,theauthorwilldiscussthetimeconceptofChineseandAmericanincross-culturalcommunication,andtrytoavoidculturalconflicts.
Keywords:
ChineseandAmericancultures;timeconcept;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