跨文化交际Unit 6(大二英语)

Unit 6Culture and Nonverbal CommunicationThose who know do not talk. Those who talk do not know.---Lao ZiThere’s language in her eye, her cheek, her lip, Nay, her foot speaks”---William Shakespeare, Troilus and CressidaSpeech is silver; silence is golden.---English proverbACTIONS SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS!!1. An Overview of Nonverbal Communication (p.191-199)We communicate with more than the words we speak.Psychologist Albert Mehrabian has come up with the following formula:Total communication = 7% verbal + 38% oral + 55% facial.Studies show that over half of your message is carried through nonverbal elements:Your appearanceYour body languageThe tone andthe pace of your voice.In face-to-face communication 65% of the information is communicated through nonverbal means (Samovar, 1981; Ross, 1974; Ray L. Birdwhistel, 1970)Support 1: Charlie Chaplin swept the world with his silent films. (Modern Times)Support 2: Robinson Crusoe “talked” with Friday without knowing his servant’s language.In the communication of attitudes, 93% of the message is transmitted by the tone of the voice and facial expressions, whereas only 7% of the speaker’s attitude w as transmitted by words (Levine, 1981, Mehranbian, 1968)Support: Lovers express emotions with sparkling eyes and blushing faces or touching, hugging and kissing.Words are too pale for them!The quality of a voice can communicate as much as the words. The same words can be tender, mocking, sarcastic or angry, depending on how they are said. e.g. Steven!; Steven?; Steven. (more p.191-192)When you speak, you communicate. When you don’t speak, you may still be communicating.A person who truly knows two languages uses both body languages too.A good example of this is New York's famous mayor, Fiorello La Guardia (p193), who communicated in English, Italian and Yiddish.When films of his speeches are run without sound, it's not too difficult to tell from his gestures the language being spoken.Class observationIn class, how can the teacher identify the concentrated students?They may show an interested look, wear a smile, make some notes or keep their eyes on the teacher.On the other hand, how can the teacher know the students are not interested in her class? They may consciously or unconsciously twist the body, bury the head, avoid the teacher’s eyes, wear a blank expression, knit the eyebrows or bite the pen.2. What is nonverbal communication?Nonverbal communication involves all nonverbal stimuli in a communication setting that are generated by both the source (speaker) and his or her use of the environment and that have potential message value for the source or receiver (listener). --- (Larry A. Samovar, 1998)In other words, it is communication without words.2. What is nonverbal communication?It refers to communication through a whole variety of different types of signal come into play, including:the way we move,the gestures we employ,the posture we adopt,the facial expression we wear,the direction of our gaze,to the extent to which we touchand the distance we stand from each other.ClassificationBody language/Kinesics(体态语/身势语):posture, head movement, facial expressions, eye behavior, gestures, handshaking, arm movement, leg movement, kiss, hug, touch etc.Paralanguage( 副语言): sound, pitch, tempo of speech, tone, volume, pause, silence, turn-taking etc.ClassificationObject language ( 客体语、物体语) :clothing, personal artifacts (adornment, jewelry, perfume, personal gear etc.) , hair, furniture,vehicle etc.Environmental language(环境语):time language/chronemics , spatial language/ proxemics (interpersonal distance), space, seating, territoriality, color, light, signs and symbols, architecture etc.Body language/KinesicsThe study of how movement communicates is called Kinesics.Kinesic behavior refers to communication through body movements like posture, head movement, facial expressions, eye behavior, gestures, handshaking, arm movement, leg movement etc.Posture---bowPosture and sitting habits offer insight into a culture’s deep structure.In many Asian cultures, the bow is much more than a greeting. It signifies that culture’s concern with status and rank.In Japan, for example, low posture is an indicator of respect. Although it appears simple to the outsider, the bowing ritual is actually rather complicated.---Bow in JapanThe person who occupies the lower station begins the bow, and his or her bow must be deeper than the other person’s.The superior, on the other hand, determines when the bowing is to end.When the participants are of equal rank, they begin the bow in the same manner and end at the same time.---Wai in ThailandThe Thai people use a similar movement called the wai.The wai movement---which is made by pressing both hands close together in front of one’s body, with the fingertips reaching to about neck level---is used to show respect.The lower the head comes to the hands, the more respect is shown.---Crossing legs (1)The manner in which we sit also can communicate a message.In U.S.: normal to cross legs while seated; women cross at the angle while men cross with angle on the knee;Middle East: crossing the leg with angle on the knee is inappropriate;---Crossing legs (2)In Ghana and in Turkey, sitting with one’s legs crossed is extremely offensive;People in Thailand believe that because the bottoms of the feet are the lowest part of the body, they should never be pointed in the direction of another person; In fact, for the Thai, the feet take on so much significance that people avoid stomping with them.---SlouchingIn US, where being casual and friendly is valued, people often fall into chairs or slouch when they stand.In many countries, such as Germany and Sweden, where lifestyles tend to be more formal, slouching is considered a sign of rudeness and poor manners.---Feet on deskIn U.S. and Britain: lean back in the chair and put feet on the desk to convey a relaxed andinformal attitude.Middle East, Swiss and Germany: putting feet on the desk is rude.---Hands in pocketEverywhere in Europe, it is rude to talk with your hands in pocket. It’s something only a guilty child would do.In Turkey, putting one’s hands in one’s pockets is a sign of disrespect.In Germany, “it is impolite to shake someone's hand with your other hand in your pocket. This is seen as a sign of disrespect”In China & Japan, it’s rude to stand with hands thrust into the pocket.---Hands on hipsIn Mexico, it signals hostility.In Malaysia, it shows anger.In U.S., it means impatience.In Argentina, it indicates a challenge.Gestures (p204, p214)Gestures are an important component of non-verbal communication.This is mainly a matter of how we use our hands to convey a message.The language of the hands differs from country to country and a gesture which means one thing in one country may well mean something quite different to those living in another.Let’s look at the examples of how gestures communicate.GesturesThousands of cross-cultural examples prove that messages and meanings shift from culture to culture.An Arabic specialist once cataloged 247 separate gestures that Arabs use while speaking.And in a large study involving forty different cultures, Morris and his associates isolated twenty common hand gestures that had a different meaning in each culture.The ring gesture/OK signIn US &UK, it means OK. It’s great. Everything is fine and going well;In Japan and Korea, it means money;In France, it means zero or worthless;In Russia, it means zero/rudeness;In Brazil, Turkey, Venezuela, it means insult/vulgar;In Tunisia “I’ll kill you.”In Malta, it is an invitation to have a homosexual sex.Among Arabs this gesture is usually accompanied by a baring of teeth, and together they signify extreme hostility.In Mexico and Germany, it has a vulgar connotation.In Argentina, one twists an imaginary mustache to signify that everything is okay.The single finger beckon signIn U.S. & Britain: it simply means “come here” . (just waiving the index finger)In Yugoslavia & Malaysia: it is only used for beckoning animals.In Philippines: it is used for beckoning dogs and it’s considered very rude.In Indonesia & Australia: it is used for beckoning prostitutes. i.e. ladies for the night.In Singapore & Japan: it is a sign for death.Most often than not, in the U.S., when a person wants to signal a friend to come, he or she makes the gesture with one hand, palm up, fingers more or less together and moving toward his or her body.Koreans express this same idea by cupping “the hand with the palm down and drawing the fingers toward the palm.” When seeing this gesture, many Americans think the other person is waving good-bye. (palm not facing people, it is for beckoning the dog in Korea)In China, beckoning gesture: the hand is extended towards the person, palm open and facing down, with all fingers crooked in a beckoning motion.In the Middle East, the beckoning gesture is made by waving the hand with the palm down.In Portugal, it is made by waving the hand with the palm up.In Tonga, it is made by downward waving of the arm.In parts of Burma(缅甸), the summoning gesture is made palm down, with the fingers moving as though playing the piano.Filipinos often summon someone with a quick downward nod of the head.In Germany & much of Scandinavia, a beckoning motion is made by tossing the head back.For many Arabs, nonverbally asking someone to “come here” is performed by holding the right hand out, palm upward, and opening and closing the hand.The thumb-up signIn Britain: OK, good, great, well done; also used as a sign for hitch-hiking.To Chinese: excellent, number one.To Japanese: boss, father, husband.To Persian: discontent.To people in the Middle East: obscene gesture.In Greece it is an insult.In France, it means to show approval.In Afghanistan, Iran, Greece and most part of Italy: get out.Yet, to show approval, it is by raising one’s eyebrows in Tonga,by tilting one’s head in France,and by having two thumbs up in Kenya.The thumb-down signTo most Asian countries: Bad, dislikeU.S. & Canada: DisapprovalIn U.S. also for hitch-hikingGreece: a rude signThe ear-tug signIn Spain it means someone is a sponger, i.e. using other people’s money and never spending his own.In Greece it is a warning .In Italy it is used to call someone a homosexual.In Portugal it is used to express something wonderful.In Scotland it shows somebody doubts what you are saying.In Malta, it says someone is a sneak.The eyelid-pull signPulling down the lower lid of your eye with one finger is usually to indicate alertness.In France, England and Greece, it means: you can’t full me.In Spain and Italy, it means that you should be alert.In South America, it means he finds a woman very attractive.The V-signpalm to observer (palm upward):the number 2;Victory, peace or friend (around the world by peace and counter-culture groups)a gesture used in photographs (by many others, especially in Japan)In Greece: hold up the palm to so meone’s face means insult.palm to yourself(palm inward):the number 2offensive gesture, meaning insult, is often compared to the offensive gesture known as "the finger". (This usage is restricted largely to Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the UK)is equivalent to “the finger” (in countries where Spanish, Portuguese, or French are spoken, and especially in Spain, Portugal, Brazil, France, and also Italy, Poland, and countries under the influence of Russian culture, such as Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine, but the majority of young people in these countries use the finger as an insult.the finger (the middle finger)In U.S. & most of Europe: a highly offensive gesture.In Western culture, the finger (as in “giving someone the finger”or “the bird” or “flipping someone off”) is an obscene hand gesture.It communicates moderate to extreme contempt, and is roughly equivalent in meaning to "fuck off", "fuck you", "shove it up your ass", "up yours" or "go fuck yourself."The cross-fingers/good luck signIn Italy, it means: “insulting”In Arab world, it means: “wait” or “slowlyIn Vietnam, it’s very rude as this gesture symbolize part of the female body.Anglo-American culture: to wish someone good luck.Germans wish others good luck by making two fists with thumbs inside and pounding them on an imaginary table.To wish some one good luck in Portugal, one would place the thumb between the index and third fingers.Moutza in Greece(all five digits with the palm facing forward)In Greece where the five fingers are spread wide and the palm is pushed towards the recipient: obscene gesture meaning "you have five fathers", thus calling someone a bastard私生子. While originally referring to the custom of punishing criminals by tying them to the backs of donkeys, this gesture has more recently take on a sexual connotation. The Moutza has many variations.The vertical horn gesture/Satanic salute/two-fingered saluteA positive connotation associated with the University of Texas Longhorn Football Team.In Norway: a salute to Satan. According to CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation 加拿大广播公司) news, Norwegians were shocked by a gesture made by President Bush and his family during the inauguration.In Italy, Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Colombia: an insulting connotation, meaning one’s wife is cheating on him;Venezuela, good luck;U.S. subculture: devil’s horn;In China, means number 6.Clasped-hands-over-the-head gestureused by Former Soviet Premier Khrushchev when visiting the US in the 1960s.---for Russians is a sign of international brotherhood;---for Americans it is an arrogant gestures usually used by prize-fighters after defeating an opponent.Left-handers---be carefulThe left hand is not used for eating, (even if you are left-handed) this is considered offensive and unclean in Middle East, India, Sri Lanka, Africa, Bangladesh because left hand is for toilet functions.Mannerly in India to break your bread only with your right hand (sometimes difficult fornon-Indians) .PointingIn the U.S. by extending the index finger;Germany with little finger;Japanese with entire hand (in fact most Asians consider pointing with index finger to be rude)In Mongolia, by pointing with the lips.In India, by pointing with the chins.In Guinea-Bissau几内亚比绍共和国, by pointing with the tongue.CountingThumb = 1 in Germany, 5 in Japan, middle finger for 1 in Indonesia.Chinese 8 gesture means 2 in Japan.Chinese 9 gesture means pick-pocket in Japan.Head movementsHead movements denoting acceptance and rejection take opposite forms in Thailand and the U.S.Greeks express “yes” with a nod similar to the one used in the U.S. ,but when communicating “no”, they jerk their he ads back and raise their faces. Lifting one or both hands up to the shoulders strongly emphasizes the “no”.To Nepalese, Sri Lankans, some Indians and some Eskimos, nodding the head means not “yes”, but “no”.The Indians have a habit of shaking their heads slightly when they talk to somebody. It doesn't mean "No", but "Yes".Facial Expressions (p194-199)In a very real sense, when it comes to using our faces, we are all actors because we all wear a variety of masks. To quote the poet T.S. Eliot, we “put on a face to meet the faces that we meet.”Cultural norms often dictate how, when, and to whom facial expressions are displayed.In many Mediterranean cultures, people exaggerate signs of grief or sadness. It is not uncommon in this region of the world to see men crying in public.Yet in the U.S., white males suppress the desire to show these emotions.Japanese men even go so far as to hide expressions of anger, sorrow, or disgust by laughing or smiling. In one study, Japanese and American subjects revealed the same facial expressions when viewing a stress-inducing film while they were alone. However, when viewing the film in the presence of others, the Japanese manifested only neutral facial expressions.The Chinese also do not readily show emotion for reasons that are rooted deeply in their culture---the Chinese concept of saving face being one of the most important. For the Chinese, displaying too much emotion violates face-saving norms by disrupting harmony and causing conflict.The smile is yet another emotional display that is rooted in one’s culture.In Korean culture, too much smiling is often perceived as the sign of a shallow person. Dressers notes that this “lack of smiling by Koreans has often been misinterpreted as a sign of hostility”. Thais, on the other hand, smile much of the time. In fact, Thailand has been called the “ Land ofSmiles.”Eye ContactEye contact is an important aspect of body language. One could draw up quite rules about eye contact: to look or not to look, when to look and how long to look, who to look at and who not to look at, etc. And these rules vary from culture to culture.Cultural Differences in Eye BehaviorIn English speaking world/Western cultures — see direct eye to eye contact as positive (advise children to look a person in the eyes) , if you fail to meet other people’s gaze, you can be interpreted as being dece ptive, weak, bored, or angry. ( Don’t trust anyone who don’t look you in the eye.)But within USA, African-Americans use more eye contact when talking and less when listening.A prolonged gaze is often seen as a sign of sexual interest.Arabic cultures make prolonged eye-contact— believe it shows interest and helps them understand truthfulness of the other person. (A person who doesn’t reciprocat e is seen as untrustworthy).Japan, Africa, Latin American, Caribbean avoid eye contact to show respect.Respect and attention is shown by looking away from the speakers in Latin America.Answer questions 5 &6 on p196.Touch (p.198-)Touch is culturally determined and each culture has a clear concept of what parts of the body one may not touch.In Western culture, handshake is common (even for strangers), hugs, kisses for those of opposite gender or of family (usually) on an increasingly more intimate basis.U.S.— Note differences between African-Americans and Anglos in U.S. Most African Americans touch on greeting but are annoyed if touched on the head (good boy, good girl overtones). Islamic and Hindu: typically don’t touch with the left hand. To do so is a social insult.Islamic cultures generally don’t approve of any touching between genders (even hand shakes). But consider such touching (including hand holding, hugs) between same-sex to be appropriate.Many Asians don’t touch the head, especially in Thailand (Head houses the soul and a touch puts it in jeopardy).Paralanguage (p.223-224)Paralanguage refers to how something is said rather than the content.Most classifications divide paralanguage into three kinds of vocalizations:(1) vocal characterizers (laughing, crying, yelling, moaning, whining, belching, yawning);(2) vocal qualifiers (volume, pitch, rhythm, tempo, resonance, tone);(3) vocal segregates (“un-huh,” “shh,” “uh,” “oooh,” “mmmh,” “humm”).For Israelis, increased volume reflects strong beliefs toward the issue under discussion.The Germans conduct their business with a “commanding tone that projects authority andself-confident.For Thai people, “a loud voice is perceived as being impolite.”In Japan, raising one’s voice often implies a lack of self-control. For them, a gentle and soft voice reflects good manners and helps maintain social harmony---two important values in Japanese culture.When interacting with Americans, people from cultures that speak softly often believe that Americans are angry or upset because of their relatively loud speech.Silence p.225-226Silence is a powerful communicator. It can communicate–Agreement.–Disagreement.–Confusion.–Respect.–Sadness.–Thoughtfulness, or any number of meanings.“Silence in Asia has commonly been entirely acceptable whereas in the West silence has generally been considered socially disagreeable.” – Oliver(1971)Examples---p.225-226Object LanguageObject language refers to communication through material artifacts, e.g. office design, furniture, clothing ,cars, flowers, tie, knife and fork etc.Furniture arrangement within the home communicates something about the culture.For example, people from France, Italy, and Mexico who visit the U.S. are often surprised to see that the furniture in the living room is pointed toward the television set. For them, conversation is important, and facing chairs toward a television screen stifles conversation. In their countries, furniture is positioned to encourage interaction.The Battle of the Ties:Romney’s Red VS Obama’s Blu e(posted on October 4,2012/blog/the-battle-of-the-ties-romneys-red-vs-obamas-blue/. ) Fashion in Politics:Obama “Out-Styles” Romney 4:2“Dress for Success” should have been on both candidates mind while getting dressed for las t night’s first Presidential debate.Overall both did a good job, but a closer look does indeed show some minor differences. After looking at how their suits fitted, what tie they chose to wear, how the ties were tied, how the shirt cut complemented the rest of the outfit, as well as a few other key points, I give the slight edge to President Obama – winning 4:2 over his opponent Governor Romney.In other words: Obama was the better dressed of the two.Hair Cut: Point Goes to RomneyObama showed up in his usually short buzz-cut while Romney impressed with his well manicured coif. Without doubt, Romney’s more “high maintenance” hair took at least 20 minutes to style –time that was, at least from my point of view, well spent.The Suit: Obama Takes This OneBoth men wore the classic charcoal gray, American cut suit (2 button, notch lapels, double vented, and pleated pants).While both men wore pants that were slightly too long, it was Obama’s suit that fit a b it better around the shoulders.It was a close call, but point goes to Obama.The Tie: Romney’s Red “Power Tie” Takes itConsistent with their parties colors, Obama wore a royal blue tie while Romney decided to dress up with a bold red striped piece.While I personally prefer the color and fine textu re of Obama’s tie, Romney did a better job choosing a bolder and more attention-grabbing color. Romney’s red “power tie” exudes confidence without being overly flashy. The stripes on the tie also added a more “business professional” look that is consistent with Romney’s persona. While Romney’s red tie was bold and attention grabbing it did not distract from his face. The clear winner here: Governor Mitt Romne.The Tie Knot: Obama Takes itObama tied his royal blue tie with a perfectly dimpled Four in Hand while Romney tied a slightly sloppy half Windsor.The shape of Obama’s tie knot perfectly complemented the collar style and the dimple gave the tie a nice textured look and better drape. Romney’s knot on the other hand appeared a bit sloppy. The knot was a tad too large for the collar, and the lack of the dimple certainly was an eyesore for every tie aficionado. Thus, the clear winner here is President Obama.The Dress Shirt: Points to ObamaIt should come to no surprise that both men wore the classic white dress shirt featuring classic medium spread collars and traditional barrel cuffs.While both shirts initially looks the same, a closer look shows Romney’s shirt having shorter collar points. While shorter collar points are more modern, it is a style that requires to be worn with the right suit and tie: a slim fit narrow lapeled suit and slightly narrower necktie – something Romney failed to do. Thus, points to Obama.Accessories: Romney Wins HereAs already seen on the campaign trail, both men keep accessories at a bare minimum. Neither man wears cufflinks, tie bars, or pocket squares (something JFK would have done), but instead opted for a simple and sleep look of wedding ring, wrist watch, and American flag pin.Because Romney chose a slightly larger and more visible flag pin, he deserves to win this point.Accessories: Obama Takes This One(Democratic Fashion: Obama vs. Biden)Unfortunately, politicians tend to dress in a somewhat boring fashion these days. Gone are the days when the president (think JFK) dressed in 3-piece suit, decorated with an elegant white pocket square and paired with a dapper skinny tie and matching tie bar.Instead outfits are conservative and, what some m ay call, even boring. Obama’s and Biden’s outfits are the perfect example. Both keep their accessories at an absolute minimum: No cufflinks, no tie bars, no pocket square, and Joe Biden doesn’t even appear to be wearing a wristwatch. The simple fact that Obama wore a sleek black leather band wrist watch gives him the lead when it comes to accessorizing.Object LanguageIn Germany, where privacy is stressed, office furniture is spread throughout the office.In Japan, where group participation is encouraged, many desks are arranged hierarchically in the center of a large, common room absent of walls or partitions.The supervisors and managers are positioned nearest the windows. This organization encourages the exchanges of information, facilitates multitask accomplishments, and promotes the Confucian concept of learning through silent observation.CLOTHINGSClothing can reflect subgroup identity.•Example:–US Army Combat Uniform（ACU）美国陆军作战服–Traditional clothing of Gambia and the minority groups in ChinaSmellUSA — fear of offensive natural smells (billion dollar industry to mask objectionable odors with what is perceived to be pleasant ) — again connected with “attractiveness” concept.Many other cultures consider natural body odors as normal (Arabic).Asian cultures (Filipino, Malay, Indonesian, Thai, Indian) stress frequent bathing — and often criticize USA of not bathing often enough!Environmental Language“Time talks. It speaks more plainly than words. The message it conveys comes through loud and clear.” (E. T. Hall)The study of how people use, structure, interpret and understand the passage of time is called chronemics.Space--differences in comfortable distance between people. “Space talks.” (E. T. Hall) Proxemics deals with how space influences the communication process.Cultures differ substantially in their use of perso nal space“ – Edward Hall(1959).Low-context cultures -- place relatively less emphasis on nonverbal cues; prefer much less sensory involvement, standing farther apart and touching lessHigh-context cultures -- place relatively more emphasis on nonverbal cues; preferring to stand close, touch, and experience a close sensory involvementChronemics–the study of our use of time.–ancient cultures have established their own system in measuring time which differs from one to another.–Example :•Muslims use moon-based calendar system–The usage of time varies from culture to culture.•Example :–Arabs engage in up to half an hour of informalconversation before turning to business.ExerciseMatching TaskThink over the following and make a proper match between cultures and gestures or the meanings they convey. (p.200)。

Making Sense of ChinaRomain Vuattoux1 For many foreigners, China is a mystical faraway land with a strange difficult language, an ancient complex culture and an inexplicable economic miracle, sometimes praised and sometimes demonized by Western media.Much of these perceptions are stereotyped and biased, and it is not until these foreigners come to China that their mind begins to change and their preconceived ideas shatter to pieces. Yet more confusion and strong feelings, such as surprise, frustration and loneliness, usually arise from the experience of living in China. One can only wonder: How can such a foreign place feel so much like home yet be so diff erent? How can such a place generate so many contradictory feelings?2 From the first day I arrived in China, it has been an explosion of the senses. The first sense stimulated was the sense of smell. China has a specific smell, which you recognize when you land at the airport and when you walk on the streets. In the warm humid summer air of southern cities such as Shanghai, it is a mixture of food, sweat, pollution, exhausts, garbage and sewer. The fragrances that many a foreigner may associate with China is that of street food and especially the odor of “choudoufu” (stinky tofu)and that of “baijiu” (rice wine). Every foreigner who has lived in China remembers the first time they wondered what animal had died nearby, and many have great tales of their fi rst trial at eating “choudoufu,” or drinking“baijiu.”3 Hearing is probably the sense that is excited in the most unpleasant manner. From people yelling on the phone in a congested metro or bus, to the constant honking of motorbikes, e-bikes, cars and even bicycles, or the bells of street seller and collectors, the noises made by construction sites,the ears are never left alone and silence is often hard to find. My personal funniest story about sound was the first morning I woke up in China. It was early in the morning, I was jet-lagged and a rooster was singing to the rising sun. After getting up, I investigated the origin of the sound. The rooster was not outside, but inside the echoing staircase, tied by the leg to the handrail of the building. As I inquired about the disappearance of the rooster a few days later, I learned that this loud creature was in fact the dinner of my upstairs neighbors. Fresh as it comes!4 The sense of sight is aroused daily. Walking or cycling on the streets requires paying attention to all the obstacles on the sidewalks or on the roads all the time. Yet, the bigge st “visual attack” is probably the urban development going around at all time and at indefinable speed. I have seen cities changing, disappearing or being built at amazing speed where there were only rice paddies and vegetables. Beyond the architectural feats, I have seen some of the most modern and advanced technology in Shanghai, and traveled back in time in underdeveloped, remote villages in the mountains,where people live a simple and quiet life, far from the speed and stress of the cities and far from all the advanced technologies. I have seen the fast movement of commuters amidst the immobility of old people sitting in the sun on the sidewalk, or the slow motion of “taichi” disciples in the park among the square-dancing women. Even once my eyes are closed, I often dream of these sights.5 The sense of touch is best illustrated by one experience I had when I first came to China. I call these “being an unknown superstar” and “being touched.” In my f irsteducational establishment, I sometimes had to teach in another campus on the other side of town. I would ride my bicycle across town to get to class, and it often felt like being in a movie. All the kids and adults stared and pointed to the “laowai” (foreigner) on his bicycle. As I took an excursion in the “deep” countryside, many people would approach me while I was buying some water or some snack and would start touching the hair on my arms.6 For foreigners as for Chinese, the most important sense is the sense of taste. It is also certainly the one that provides the most pleasure and the base of many relationships.I have been invited to many meals and took part in ceremonial drinking. I have seen food displays that are as elaborate as their tastes. Thousand-year-old eggs, snake, turtle, dumplings, bamboo,lotus root, pigs ears, lacquered ducks, duck neck and head, chicken feet,spicy fish head, the hundreds of ways of eating tofu are just some of the dishes that one discovers and appreciates. A lifetime would never suffice to try to taste all the specialties in China.7 Orderly chaos, disorganized order, old and new, beautiful and filthy,clean and dirty, rich and poor, kindness and arrogance ... All are opposed sensations and situations living together, side by side. For me, China is a collision of feelings, a juxtaposition of experiences and perceptions that are usually contradictory. China is all these contradictions and diversity that somehow manage to live together almost harmoniously.参考译文解读中国罗曼·瓦图对于很多外国人而言，中国是一个遥远而神秘的国度，有着奇特难懂的语言，古老深奥的文化，以及难以解释的经济奇迹，时而被西方媒体戴高帽，时而被他们妖魔化。

Cross –cultural communicationThesis statement：This paper is mainly talking about the culture differences between several countries.Outline：Chapter 1：Language and culture in communicationChapter2：Culture shockChapter3：What’s in a name？Chapter4：Social interactionChapter 5：Roles and relationsChapter6：Non—verbal communicationChapter7: In other words。

Chapter 8: From a primitive Tribe to a Global VillageConclusionChapter 1：Language and culture in communicationThere is no denying the fact that out daily lives depend largely on communication，without it we can’t know each other. So，we should come to realize that communication is of great importance.What is communication?In total，communication can be divided into two parts；they are verbal communication and non-verbal communication. However, different people hold different opinions about communication。

Unit 6Culture and Nonverbal CommunicationThose who know do not talk. Those who talk do not know.---Lao ZiThere’s language in her eye, her cheek, her lip, Nay, her foot speaks”---William Shakespeare, Troilus and CressidaSpeech is silver; silence is golden.---English proverbACTIONS SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS!!1. An Overview of Nonverbal Communication (p.191-199)We communicate with more than the words we speak.Psychologist Albert Mehrabian has come up with the following formula:Total communication = 7% verbal + 38% oral + 55% facial.Studies show that over half of your message is carried through nonverbal elements:Your appearanceYour body languageThe tone andthe pace of your voice.In face-to-face communication 65% of the information is communicated through nonverbal means (Samovar, 1981; Ross, 1974; Ray L. Birdwhistel, 1970)Support 1: Charlie Chaplin swept the world with his silent films. (Modern Times)Support 2: Robinson Crusoe “talked” with Friday without knowing his servant’s language.In the communication of attitudes, 93% of the message is transmitted by the tone of the voice and facial expressions, whereas only 7% of the speaker’s attitude w as transmitted by words (Levine, 1981, Mehranbian, 1968)Support: Lovers express emotions with sparkling eyes and blushing faces or touching, hugging and kissing.Words are too pale for them!The quality of a voice can communicate as much as the words. The same words can be tender, mocking, sarcastic or angry, depending on how they are said. e.g. Steven!; Steven?; Steven. (more p.191-192)When you speak, you communicate. When you don’t speak, you may still be communicating.A person who truly knows two languages uses both body languages too.A good example of this is New York's famous mayor, Fiorello La Guardia (p193), who communicated in English, Italian and Yiddish.When films of his speeches are run without sound, it's not too difficult to tell from his gestures the language being spoken.Class observationIn class, how can the teacher identify the concentrated students?They may show an interested look, wear a smile, make some notes or keep their eyes on the teacher.On the other hand, how can the teacher know the students are not interested in her class? They may consciously or unconsciously twist the body, bury the head, avoid the teacher’s eyes, wear a blank expression, knit the eyebrows or bite the pen.2. What is nonverbal communication?Nonverbal communication involves all nonverbal stimuli in a communication setting that are generated by both the source (speaker) and his or her use of the environment and that have potential message value for the source or receiver (listener). --- (Larry A. Samovar, 1998)In other words, it is communication without words.2. What is nonverbal communication?It refers to communication through a whole variety of different types of signal come into play, including:the way we move,the gestures we employ,the posture we adopt,the facial expression we wear,the direction of our gaze,to the extent to which we touchand the distance we stand from each other.ClassificationBody language/Kinesics(体态语/身势语):posture, head movement, facial expressions, eye behavior, gestures, handshaking, arm movement, leg movement, kiss, hug, touch etc.Paralanguage( 副语言): sound, pitch, tempo of speech, tone, volume, pause, silence, turn-taking etc.ClassificationObject language ( 客体语、物体语) :clothing, personal artifacts (adornment, jewelry, perfume, personal gear etc.) , hair, furniture,vehicle etc.Environmental language(环境语):time language/chronemics , spatial language/ proxemics (interpersonal distance), space, seating, territoriality, color, light, signs and symbols, architecture etc.Body language/KinesicsThe study of how movement communicates is called Kinesics.Kinesic behavior refers to communication through body movements like posture, head movement, facial expressions, eye behavior, gestures, handshaking, arm movement, leg movement etc.Posture---bowPosture and sitting habits offer insight into a culture’s deep structure.In many Asian cultures, the bow is much more than a greeting. It signifies that culture’s concern with status and rank.In Japan, for example, low posture is an indicator of respect. Although it appears simple to the outsider, the bowing ritual is actually rather complicated.---Bow in JapanThe person who occupies the lower station begins the bow, and his or her bow must be deeper than the other person’s.The superior, on the other hand, determines when the bowing is to end.When the participants are of equal rank, they begin the bow in the same manner and end at the same time.---Wai in ThailandThe Thai people use a similar movement called the wai.The wai movement---which is made by pressing both hands close together in front of one’s body, with the fingertips reaching to about neck level---is used to show respect.The lower the head comes to the hands, the more respect is shown.---Crossing legs (1)The manner in which we sit also can communicate a message.In U.S.: normal to cross legs while seated; women cross at the angle while men cross with angle on the knee;Middle East: crossing the leg with angle on the knee is inappropriate;---Crossing legs (2)In Ghana and in Turkey, sitting with one’s legs crossed is extremely offensive;People in Thailand believe that because the bottoms of the feet are the lowest part of the body, they should never be pointed in the direction of another person; In fact, for the Thai, the feet take on so much significance that people avoid stomping with them.---SlouchingIn US, where being casual and friendly is valued, people often fall into chairs or slouch when they stand.In many countries, such as Germany and Sweden, where lifestyles tend to be more formal, slouching is considered a sign of rudeness and poor manners.---Feet on deskIn U.S. and Britain: lean back in the chair and put feet on the desk to convey a relaxed andinformal attitude.Middle East, Swiss and Germany: putting feet on the desk is rude.---Hands in pocketEverywhere in Europe, it is rude to talk with your hands in pocket. It’s something only a guilty child would do.In Turkey, putting one’s hands in one’s pockets is a sign of disrespect.In Germany, “it is impolite to shake someone's hand with your other hand in your pocket. This is seen as a sign of disrespect”In China & Japan, it’s rude to stand with hands thrust into the pocket.---Hands on hipsIn Mexico, it signals hostility.In Malaysia, it shows anger.In U.S., it means impatience.In Argentina, it indicates a challenge.Gestures (p204, p214)Gestures are an important component of non-verbal communication.This is mainly a matter of how we use our hands to convey a message.The language of the hands differs from country to country and a gesture which means one thing in one country may well mean something quite different to those living in another.Let’s look at the examples of how gestures communicate.GesturesThousands of cross-cultural examples prove that messages and meanings shift from culture to culture.An Arabic specialist once cataloged 247 separate gestures that Arabs use while speaking.And in a large study involving forty different cultures, Morris and his associates isolated twenty common hand gestures that had a different meaning in each culture.The ring gesture/OK signIn US &UK, it means OK. It’s great. Everything is fine and going well;In Japan and Korea, it means money;In France, it means zero or worthless;In Russia, it means zero/rudeness;In Brazil, Turkey, Venezuela, it means insult/vulgar;In Tunisia “I’ll kill you.”In Malta, it is an invitation to have a homosexual sex.Among Arabs this gesture is usually accompanied by a baring of teeth, and together they signify extreme hostility.In Mexico and Germany, it has a vulgar connotation.In Argentina, one twists an imaginary mustache to signify that everything is okay.The single finger beckon signIn U.S. & Britain: it simply means “come here” . (just waiving the index finger)In Yugoslavia & Malaysia: it is only used for beckoning animals.In Philippines: it is used for beckoning dogs and it’s considered very rude.In Indonesia & Australia: it is used for beckoning prostitutes. i.e. ladies for the night.In Singapore & Japan: it is a sign for death.Most often than not, in the U.S., when a person wants to signal a friend to come, he or she makes the gesture with one hand, palm up, fingers more or less together and moving toward his or her body.Koreans express this same idea by cupping “the hand with the palm down and drawing the fingers toward the palm.” When seeing this gesture, many Americans think the other person is waving good-bye. (palm not facing people, it is for beckoning the dog in Korea)In China, beckoning gesture: the hand is extended towards the person, palm open and facing down, with all fingers crooked in a beckoning motion.In the Middle East, the beckoning gesture is made by waving the hand with the palm down.In Portugal, it is made by waving the hand with the palm up.In Tonga, it is made by downward waving of the arm.In parts of Burma(缅甸), the summoning gesture is made palm down, with the fingers moving as though playing the piano.Filipinos often summon someone with a quick downward nod of the head.In Germany & much of Scandinavia, a beckoning motion is made by tossing the head back.For many Arabs, nonverbally asking someone to “come here” is performed by holding the right hand out, palm upward, and opening and closing the hand.The thumb-up signIn Britain: OK, good, great, well done; also used as a sign for hitch-hiking.To Chinese: excellent, number one.To Japanese: boss, father, husband.To Persian: discontent.To people in the Middle East: obscene gesture.In Greece it is an insult.In France, it means to show approval.In Afghanistan, Iran, Greece and most part of Italy: get out.Yet, to show approval, it is by raising one’s eyebrows in Tonga,by tilting one’s head in France,and by having two thumbs up in Kenya.The thumb-down signTo most Asian countries: Bad, dislikeU.S. & Canada: DisapprovalIn U.S. also for hitch-hikingGreece: a rude signThe ear-tug signIn Spain it means someone is a sponger, i.e. using other people’s money and never spending his own.In Greece it is a warning .In Italy it is used to call someone a homosexual.In Portugal it is used to express something wonderful.In Scotland it shows somebody doubts what you are saying.In Malta, it says someone is a sneak.The eyelid-pull signPulling down the lower lid of your eye with one finger is usually to indicate alertness.In France, England and Greece, it means: you can’t full me.In Spain and Italy, it means that you should be alert.In South America, it means he finds a woman very attractive.The V-signpalm to observer (palm upward):the number 2;Victory, peace or friend (around the world by peace and counter-culture groups)a gesture used in photographs (by many others, especially in Japan)In Greece: hold up the palm to so meone’s face means insult.palm to yourself(palm inward):the number 2offensive gesture, meaning insult, is often compared to the offensive gesture known as "the finger". (This usage is restricted largely to Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the UK)is equivalent to “the finger” (in countries where Spanish, Portuguese, or French are spoken, and especially in Spain, Portugal, Brazil, France, and also Italy, Poland, and countries under the influence of Russian culture, such as Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine, but the majority of young people in these countries use the finger as an insult.the finger (the middle finger)In U.S. & most of Europe: a highly offensive gesture.In Western culture, the finger (as in “giving someone the finger”or “the bird” or “flipping someone off”) is an obscene hand gesture.It communicates moderate to extreme contempt, and is roughly equivalent in meaning to "fuck off", "fuck you", "shove it up your ass", "up yours" or "go fuck yourself."The cross-fingers/good luck signIn Italy, it means: “insulting”In Arab world, it means: “wait” or “slowlyIn Vietnam, it’s very rude as this gesture symbolize part of the female body.Anglo-American culture: to wish someone good luck.Germans wish others good luck by making two fists with thumbs inside and pounding them on an imaginary table.To wish some one good luck in Portugal, one would place the thumb between the index and third fingers.Moutza in Greece(all five digits with the palm facing forward)In Greece where the five fingers are spread wide and the palm is pushed towards the recipient: obscene gesture meaning "you have five fathers", thus calling someone a bastard私生子. While originally referring to the custom of punishing criminals by tying them to the backs of donkeys, this gesture has more recently take on a sexual connotation. The Moutza has many variations.The vertical horn gesture/Satanic salute/two-fingered saluteA positive connotation associated with the University of Texas Longhorn Football Team.In Norway: a salute to Satan. According to CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation 加拿大广播公司) news, Norwegians were shocked by a gesture made by President Bush and his family during the inauguration.In Italy, Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Colombia: an insulting connotation, meaning one’s wife is cheating on him;Venezuela, good luck;U.S. subculture: devil’s horn;In China, means number 6.Clasped-hands-over-the-head gestureused by Former Soviet Premier Khrushchev when visiting the US in the 1960s.---for Russians is a sign of international brotherhood;---for Americans it is an arrogant gestures usually used by prize-fighters after defeating an opponent.Left-handers---be carefulThe left hand is not used for eating, (even if you are left-handed) this is considered offensive and unclean in Middle East, India, Sri Lanka, Africa, Bangladesh because left hand is for toilet functions.Mannerly in India to break your bread only with your right hand (sometimes difficult fornon-Indians) .PointingIn the U.S. by extending the index finger;Germany with little finger;Japanese with entire hand (in fact most Asians consider pointing with index finger to be rude)In Mongolia, by pointing with the lips.In India, by pointing with the chins.In Guinea-Bissau几内亚比绍共和国, by pointing with the tongue.CountingThumb = 1 in Germany, 5 in Japan, middle finger for 1 in Indonesia.Chinese 8 gesture means 2 in Japan.Chinese 9 gesture means pick-pocket in Japan.Head movementsHead movements denoting acceptance and rejection take opposite forms in Thailand and the U.S.Greeks express “yes” with a nod similar to the one used in the U.S. ,but when communicating “no”, they jerk their he ads back and raise their faces. Lifting one or both hands up to the shoulders strongly emphasizes the “no”.To Nepalese, Sri Lankans, some Indians and some Eskimos, nodding the head means not “yes”, but “no”.The Indians have a habit of shaking their heads slightly when they talk to somebody. It doesn't mean "No", but "Yes".Facial Expressions (p194-199)In a very real sense, when it comes to using our faces, we are all actors because we all wear a variety of masks. To quote the poet T.S. Eliot, we “put on a face to meet the faces that we meet.”Cultural norms often dictate how, when, and to whom facial expressions are displayed.In many Mediterranean cultures, people exaggerate signs of grief or sadness. It is not uncommon in this region of the world to see men crying in public.Yet in the U.S., white males suppress the desire to show these emotions.Japanese men even go so far as to hide expressions of anger, sorrow, or disgust by laughing or smiling. In one study, Japanese and American subjects revealed the same facial expressions when viewing a stress-inducing film while they were alone. However, when viewing the film in the presence of others, the Japanese manifested only neutral facial expressions.The Chinese also do not readily show emotion for reasons that are rooted deeply in their culture---the Chinese concept of saving face being one of the most important. For the Chinese, displaying too much emotion violates face-saving norms by disrupting harmony and causing conflict.The smile is yet another emotional display that is rooted in one’s culture.In Korean culture, too much smiling is often perceived as the sign of a shallow person. Dressers notes that this “lack of smiling by Koreans has often been misinterpreted as a sign of hostility”. Thais, on the other hand, smile much of the time. In fact, Thailand has been called the “ Land ofSmiles.”Eye ContactEye contact is an important aspect of body language. One could draw up quite rules about eye contact: to look or not to look, when to look and how long to look, who to look at and who not to look at, etc. And these rules vary from culture to culture.Cultural Differences in Eye BehaviorIn English speaking world/Western cultures — see direct eye to eye contact as positive (advise children to look a person in the eyes) , if you fail to meet other people’s gaze, you can be interpreted as being dece ptive, weak, bored, or angry. ( Don’t trust anyone who don’t look you in the eye.)But within USA, African-Americans use more eye contact when talking and less when listening.A prolonged gaze is often seen as a sign of sexual interest.Arabic cultures make prolonged eye-contact— believe it shows interest and helps them understand truthfulness of the other person. (A person who doesn’t reciprocat e is seen as untrustworthy).Japan, Africa, Latin American, Caribbean avoid eye contact to show respect.Respect and attention is shown by looking away from the speakers in Latin America.Answer questions 5 &6 on p196.Touch (p.198-)Touch is culturally determined and each culture has a clear concept of what parts of the body one may not touch.In Western culture, handshake is common (even for strangers), hugs, kisses for those of opposite gender or of family (usually) on an increasingly more intimate basis.U.S.— Note differences between African-Americans and Anglos in U.S. Most African Americans touch on greeting but are annoyed if touched on the head (good boy, good girl overtones). Islamic and Hindu: typically don’t touch with the left hand. To do so is a social insult.Islamic cultures generally don’t approve of any touching between genders (even hand shakes). But consider such touching (including hand holding, hugs) between same-sex to be appropriate.Many Asians don’t touch the head, especially in Thailand (Head houses the soul and a touch puts it in jeopardy).Paralanguage (p.223-224)Paralanguage refers to how something is said rather than the content.Most classifications divide paralanguage into three kinds of vocalizations:(1) vocal characterizers (laughing, crying, yelling, moaning, whining, belching, yawning);(2) vocal qualifiers (volume, pitch, rhythm, tempo, resonance, tone);(3) vocal segregates (“un-huh,” “shh,” “uh,” “oooh,” “mmmh,” “humm”).For Israelis, increased volume reflects strong beliefs toward the issue under discussion.The Germans conduct their business with a “commanding tone that projects authority andself-confident.For Thai people, “a loud voice is perceived as being impolite.”In Japan, raising one’s voice often implies a lack of self-control. For them, a gentle and soft voice reflects good manners and helps maintain social harmony---two important values in Japanese culture.When interacting with Americans, people from cultures that speak softly often believe that Americans are angry or upset because of their relatively loud speech.Silence p.225-226Silence is a powerful communicator. It can communicate–Agreement.–Disagreement.–Confusion.–Respect.–Sadness.–Thoughtfulness, or any number of meanings.“Silence in Asia has commonly been entirely acceptable whereas in the West silence has generally been considered socially disagreeable.” – Oliver(1971)Examples---p.225-226Object LanguageObject language refers to communication through material artifacts, e.g. office design, furniture, clothing ,cars, flowers, tie, knife and fork etc.Furniture arrangement within the home communicates something about the culture.For example, people from France, Italy, and Mexico who visit the U.S. are often surprised to see that the furniture in the living room is pointed toward the television set. For them, conversation is important, and facing chairs toward a television screen stifles conversation. In their countries, furniture is positioned to encourage interaction.The Battle of the Ties:Romney’s Red VS Obama’s Blu e(posted on October 4,2012/blog/the-battle-of-the-ties-romneys-red-vs-obamas-blue/. ) Fashion in Politics:Obama “Out-Styles” Romney 4:2“Dress for Success” should have been on both candidates mind while getting dressed for las t night’s first Presidential debate.Overall both did a good job, but a closer look does indeed show some minor differences. After looking at how their suits fitted, what tie they chose to wear, how the ties were tied, how the shirt cut complemented the rest of the outfit, as well as a few other key points, I give the slight edge to President Obama – winning 4:2 over his opponent Governor Romney.In other words: Obama was the better dressed of the two.Hair Cut: Point Goes to RomneyObama showed up in his usually short buzz-cut while Romney impressed with his well manicured coif. Without doubt, Romney’s more “high maintenance” hair took at least 20 minutes to style –time that was, at least from my point of view, well spent.The Suit: Obama Takes This OneBoth men wore the classic charcoal gray, American cut suit (2 button, notch lapels, double vented, and pleated pants).While both men wore pants that were slightly too long, it was Obama’s suit that fit a b it better around the shoulders.It was a close call, but point goes to Obama.The Tie: Romney’s Red “Power Tie” Takes itConsistent with their parties colors, Obama wore a royal blue tie while Romney decided to dress up with a bold red striped piece.While I personally prefer the color and fine textu re of Obama’s tie, Romney did a better job choosing a bolder and more attention-grabbing color. Romney’s red “power tie” exudes confidence without being overly flashy. The stripes on the tie also added a more “business professional” look that is consistent with Romney’s persona. While Romney’s red tie was bold and attention grabbing it did not distract from his face. The clear winner here: Governor Mitt Romne.The Tie Knot: Obama Takes itObama tied his royal blue tie with a perfectly dimpled Four in Hand while Romney tied a slightly sloppy half Windsor.The shape of Obama’s tie knot perfectly complemented the collar style and the dimple gave the tie a nice textured look and better drape. Romney’s knot on the other hand appeared a bit sloppy. The knot was a tad too large for the collar, and the lack of the dimple certainly was an eyesore for every tie aficionado. Thus, the clear winner here is President Obama.The Dress Shirt: Points to ObamaIt should come to no surprise that both men wore the classic white dress shirt featuring classic medium spread collars and traditional barrel cuffs.While both shirts initially looks the same, a closer look shows Romney’s shirt having shorter collar points. While shorter collar points are more modern, it is a style that requires to be worn with the right suit and tie: a slim fit narrow lapeled suit and slightly narrower necktie – something Romney failed to do. Thus, points to Obama.Accessories: Romney Wins HereAs already seen on the campaign trail, both men keep accessories at a bare minimum. Neither man wears cufflinks, tie bars, or pocket squares (something JFK would have done), but instead opted for a simple and sleep look of wedding ring, wrist watch, and American flag pin.Because Romney chose a slightly larger and more visible flag pin, he deserves to win this point.Accessories: Obama Takes This One(Democratic Fashion: Obama vs. Biden)Unfortunately, politicians tend to dress in a somewhat boring fashion these days. Gone are the days when the president (think JFK) dressed in 3-piece suit, decorated with an elegant white pocket square and paired with a dapper skinny tie and matching tie bar.Instead outfits are conservative and, what some m ay call, even boring. Obama’s and Biden’s outfits are the perfect example. Both keep their accessories at an absolute minimum: No cufflinks, no tie bars, no pocket square, and Joe Biden doesn’t even appear to be wearing a wristwatch. The simple fact that Obama wore a sleek black leather band wrist watch gives him the lead when it comes to accessorizing.Object LanguageIn Germany, where privacy is stressed, office furniture is spread throughout the office.In Japan, where group participation is encouraged, many desks are arranged hierarchically in the center of a large, common room absent of walls or partitions.The supervisors and managers are positioned nearest the windows. This organization encourages the exchanges of information, facilitates multitask accomplishments, and promotes the Confucian concept of learning through silent observation.CLOTHINGSClothing can reflect subgroup identity.•Example:–US Army Combat Uniform（ACU）美国陆军作战服–Traditional clothing of Gambia and the minority groups in ChinaSmellUSA — fear of offensive natural smells (billion dollar industry to mask objectionable odors with what is perceived to be pleasant ) — again connected with “attractiveness” concept.Many other cultures consider natural body odors as normal (Arabic).Asian cultures (Filipino, Malay, Indonesian, Thai, Indian) stress frequent bathing — and often criticize USA of not bathing often enough!Environmental Language“Time talks. It speaks more plainly than words. The message it conveys comes through loud and clear.” (E. T. Hall)The study of how people use, structure, interpret and understand the passage of time is called chronemics.Space--differences in comfortable distance between people. “Space talks.” (E. T. Hall) Proxemics deals with how space influences the communication process.Cultures differ substantially in their use of perso nal space“ – Edward Hall(1959).Low-context cultures -- place relatively less emphasis on nonverbal cues; prefer much less sensory involvement, standing farther apart and touching lessHigh-context cultures -- place relatively more emphasis on nonverbal cues; preferring to stand close, touch, and experience a close sensory involvementChronemics–the study of our use of time.–ancient cultures have established their own system in measuring time which differs from one to another.–Example :•Muslims use moon-based calendar system–The usage of time varies from culture to culture.•Example :–Arabs engage in up to half an hour of informalconversation before turning to business.ExerciseMatching TaskThink over the following and make a proper match between cultures and gestures or the meanings they convey. (p.200)。

大学英语跨文化交际教程课后答案(全)-CAL-FENGHAI.-(YICAI)-Company One1Unit1 Sportsmanship: It is the ability to practise a sport according to its rules, while also showing generosity to one’s opponent and good temper in defeat.2. Traditionally, an Englishman is thought to be reserved, unemotional, courteous, shy of strangers, suspicious of change, and slow to accept new ideas.3. It is the ability to practise a sport according to its rules, while also showing generosity to one’s oppo nent and good temper in defeat. Moreover, sportsmanship as an idea is applied to life in general.The pioneering spirit: Except for the brought from Africa, immigrants came to America voluntarily, early in search of greater prosperity and freedom.Rags-to-riches: It is story about a poor boy who, because he was hardworking, honest, and lucky, grew up to become rich and respected.American dream: The belief that any individual, no matter how poor, can achieve weather and fame through diligence and virtue.1. Traditionally, individualism, independence and collaboration, practice, tolerance, melting pot and racial discrimination are the character of Americans.3. The American Dream is the belief that any individual, no matter how poor, can achieve wealth and fame through diligence and virtue.Unit 2 Key concepts Five relationships Five relationships: ruler-minister, father-son, husband-wife, elder-younger brother and friend-friend.Humanism Humanism means that man not only had the right to enjoy the beauty of their life, but also had the ability to perfect themselves and perform wonders. Individualism An individualism culture is one in which people tend to view themselves ad individuals and to emphasize the needs of individuals.Collectivism A collectivism culture is one in which people tend to view themselves as members of groups (families, work units, tribes, nations), and usually consider the needs of the group to be more important than the needs of individuals. Comprehension questions1.According to Confucianism, what are the five cardinal relationships in Chinese society and what should these relationships be?That is the well-known five relationships: ruler-minister, father-son, husband-wife, elder-younger brother and friend-friend. This was explained as" There should be affection between man and wife, stratification between old and young, and good faith between friends."2.What is the difference between collectivism and individualism?Firstly, westerns tend to believe that people should rely on themselves as much as possible- and they usually expect other people to do the same. So they don't think they have the obligation to help family members and friends during emergency situations. In contrast, people in collectivist cultures generally feel that they have a right to help other members of their groups.Secondly, westerns generally feel that the rights of individuals should not be subordinated to the needs of a larger group, or at least that individuals should have the right to decide for themselves whether to sacrifice their personal benefit for the sake of the group. In contrast, people in collectivist cultures are generally more willing to accept the idea that individuals should sacrifice for the benefit of the group.Thirdly, westerners tend to believe that individuals should make decisions for themselves, and that individuals should take credit and responsibility for what they have personally done. In contrast, people in collectivist cultures tend to feel more that they are representatives of their group, and to accept more responsibility for the other members of their groups too.A final difference lies in the way people in different cultures view the idea of "individualism". Westerners tend to view individualism as a good thing. In contrast, the Chinese term for "individualism", often has a somewhat negative connotation, and is sometimes used as a synonym for "selfishness."Unit3 Nuclear family: include a husband, a wife and their childrenExtended family: adult couples are expected to form their own household with either of their biological families.2. Because they desire a close and intense bond with their partners，they expect so much from marriage that so many get divorcedImpermanence: the property of not existing for indefinitely long durations. Stable: resistant to change of position or conditionConnection vs. contract: relationship4. ①Chinese are likely to react more to the other person as a whole and will avoid forming friendships with those values and behaviors are in some way deemed undesirable. ②In China a friend is accepted completely or not at all ③Chinese friends give each other much more concrete help and assistance than Western friends do.①American have casual, friendly relationships with many people, but deeper, closer friendships with only a few. ②American friendships tend to be verycom partmentalized. ③American friendships is mostly a matter of providing emotional support and spending time together.Unit5 Nutrition and balance: a look at the nutritional information, like the number of calories preserving, grams of fat, sodium, cholesterol, fiber and sugar content will make you more knowledgeable in selecting foods to reduce your nutritional health risk.Pragmatism:in the westerns’ eyes, food or eating is just a way to keep healthy, having little to do with artistry. Nor will they be particular about the taste of food too much.Unit6 Creativity: the ability to createSelf-reliance: is a principal value of child rearing in middle-class American. Originality：1.How do the Chinese teach their children？A: Chinese teach their children by holding their handsHow do Americans do？A: On their own and even to discover new problem for which creative solutions are wanted.Can you find the theories supporting the two different teaching method？A: Evolutionary and revolutionary2. Can you tell any other differences between the two educational systems?A: The contrast between the two cultures can also be seen in the fears we both harbor. Chinese teachers are fearful that if skills are not acquired early, they may never be acquired; there is, on the other hand, no comparable hurry to promote creativity. American educators fear that unless creativity has been acquired early, it may never emerge; on the other hand, skills can be picked up later.Unit7 Key concepts Monochronic time Monochronic time is an approach that favors linear structure and focus on one event or interaction at a time. Polychronic time A polychronic time system is a system where several things can be done at once, and a more fluid approach is taken to scheduling time. Unlike Americans and most northern and western European cultures, Latin American and Arabic cultures use the polychromic of time.Linear structure In monochromic time, linear structure means people focus on one event or interaction at a time.Schedule oriented People in polychronic time cultures treat time as a less tangible medium so that they can interact with more than one person or do more than one thing at a time.People oriented Polychronic individuals are oriented toward people, human relationships, and the family, which is the core of their existence. Family takes precedence over everything else, close friends come next..Comprehension questionsWhat is monochronic culture What is polychronic cultureMonochronic cultures typically emphasize doing one thing at a time during a specified time-period, working on a single task until it is finished.Polychronic cultures are involved with many things at once, usually with varying levels of attention paid to each.What are the different attitudes monchronic people and polychronic people hold toward time?Monochronic people see time as being divided into fixed elements (seconds, minutes, hours, etc.)Sequential blocks that can be organized, quantified, and scheduled.What are the strengths and weaknesses of M-time system and P-time system? Once the time is set, it is rarely changed, and people take it seriously. M-time cultures is one who violates the rule of punctuality shall be punished seriously. Matters in a polychronic plans for the future: even important plans maybe changed right up the minute of execution.Unit 9Key concepts High-context culture High context cultures rely on the context, either the actual physical environment of communication or an internalized social context or both, or convey a large part or even all of a message’s meaning.Low-context culture Low context culture, in which context is not assumed to be understood, messages are explicit, direct, and completely encoded in words, and meaning is entrusted almost entirely to words.ImplicitnessThe message which someone expressed is elliptical, indirect, and allusive.Explicitness The message which someone expressed is direct, and completely encoded in words, and meaning is entrusted almost entirely to words.. Verbalizing Verbalizing- that is, to put things in words, whether written or oral. Comprehensive questionsWhat is High-context culture What is Low-context cultureHigh context cultures rely on the context, either the actual physical environment of communication or an internalized social context or both, or convey a large part or even all of a message’s meaning.Low context culture, in which context is not assumed to be understood, messages are explicit, direct, and completely encoded in words, and meaning is entrusted almost entirely to words.ImplicitnessWhat does silence mean in high-context cultures What is the function of silence in high-context cultures It means entirely accepted.In the individual level, silence can be viewed as a state of being allowing you to experience the highest truth and bliss; on the interpersonal level, silence can be used to promote harmony, cooperation, and other collectivistic values; on the level of social movements, silence can be protest.Why does silence mean differently in different culturesDifferent in the uses of silence can be best examined in high-context and low-context cultures. High-context cultures are relational, collectivist, intuitive, and contemplative. Low-context cultures are logical, linear, individualistic, and action-oriented.Key conceptsCulture shock Culture shock happens to people who have been suddenly transplanted abroad. It is, first and foremost an emotional phenomenon; then comes cognitive disorientation and identity dissonance.Comprehension questionsWhat are the five stages of the cultural adjustment process Does everyone have the same experienceThe five stages of the cultural adjustment process:Honeymoon period: Initially many people are fascinated and excited by everything of the new culture.Culture shock: The individuals are immersed in news problems: housing, transportation, employment, shopping, and language.Initial adjustment: Everyone activities such as housing and shopping are no longer major problems. The visitors may not yet be fluent in the spoken language, but they can express their basic ideas and feelings.Mental isolations: Individuals away from their family and good friends for a long time may feel lonely.Acceptance and integration: A routine ( eg; work, business, or school) has been established. The newcomer has become accustomed to the habits, customs, foods, and characteristics of the people in the new culture.Individuals experience the stages of adjustment in different ways. Some people never experience a “honeymoon” period because the circumstances of their coming to a new country may have been too painful. In addition, certain stages last longer for some than for others, depending on such factors as the newcomer’s personality, age, language and cultural competence, support from family and friends, financial situation, job status, and motivations for being in the new country.。

新编跨文化交际英语教程_参考答案unit6Unit 6Culture and Nonverbal Communication Reading IAn Overview of Nonverbal CommunicationComprehension questions1. Can you speak each of the following sentences in different ways to mean differently1) She is my best friend.2) Youve done really good job.3) Come here, please.4) Thats all right.Speaking the same sentence with the stress on different words may mean different things. For instance, if the stress falls on “she”in the first sentence, it means it is SHE, not you or somebody else, that is my best friend. But if the stress falls on “my”, it implies that she is MY, not your or somebody’s best friend.2. Speakers of British English use loudness only when they are angry, speakers of Indian English use it to get the floor, a chance to speak. So when an Indian speaker is trying to get the floor, what would the British speaker think of the Indian and what would the British behave in responseThe British speaker may think that the Indian gets angry with him or behaves rudely towards him, so he may complain about the Indian‘s rudeness or even return his rudeness as a response.3. What differences in body language use have you noticed between your Chinese teachers and foreign teachers There are really some differences between Chinese teachers and foreign teachers in their use of body language. For instance,Chinese teachers in general do not use gestures as much as foreign teachers do, and their facial expressions often seem to be less varied than those of many foreign teachers.4. Do you know any gestures we often use that might be misunderstood by people from other culturesFor example, the way we Chinese motion to others to come over might be misunderstood by people from some Western countries to mean bye-bye.5. How do we Chinese people use eye contact in communicationDuring a conversation between two Chinese, it seems that the speaker and the hearer would usually look at each other (not necessarily in the eye) from time to time. How much eye-contact there is may depend on the relationship between the speaker and hearer and the situation they find themselves in.6. How will you eye them when you are communicating with people from the United States or people from JapanWhile talking with Americans, we should look directly into the eyes of the person with whom we are talking. However; while talking with Japanese, we are notexpected to look at them in the eye but at a position around the Adam‘s apple.7. Do you often smile at others Why or why notIt depends. For instance, it seems that we Chinese, as well as people of other Eastern Asian countries, do not usually smile at strangers as much as Americans.8. What function(s) may laughter serve in our culture Does it sometimes cause intercultural misunderstandingLaughter in our culture may serve various functions. Sometimes, it is used to express amusement or ridicule, andsometimes it is simply used to make one feel less embarrassed.9. Do you often touch others while talking with them Whom do you touch more than othersWe Chinese generally do not often touch others while talking with them unless they are our intimate friends or younger children.10. In small groups or in pairs, demonstrate all the possible ways you can think of to greet another person. Is touching always part of a greetingNo. Touching is not always part of a greeting in our culture as in some other cultures.11. Will you apologize if you accidentally touch other people in public places Why or why notMany people will apologize if they accidentally touch other people in public places since in our culture people who are strangers to each other should not touch. However, whether people will apologize or not depends on the situations. If a person accidentally touches a stranger in a very crowded place, he or she may not apologize for it.Reading IIGender and Nonverbal CommunicationComprehension questions1. What may often happen to those who do not conform to their cultures accepted gender “script”There are often severe social penalties for those who act in violation of their culture‘s accepted gender ―script.2. Does touch have any connotation in different situations Can you give some specific examplesTouch, like physical closeness, may be considered an expression of affection, support, or sexual attraction. For instance,in some cultures, it may be all right for women friends and relatives to walk arm-in-arm, dance together, and hug one another, but if men do so, they may be frowned upon, for it would be considered as having the connotation of being homosexual.3. What will possibly happen to a woman who is appreciably taller than the manTaller women may attempt to diminish themselves, to slouch and round their shoulders so as to retreat or to occupy as little space as possible.4. Are men and women required to have the same facial expressions Does smile mean the same things to both men and womenMen and women are not usually required to have the same facial expressions. Smile may mean different things to men and women. For females smile functions as an expression of pleasure, pleasantness, or a desire for approval, while males may resist any nonverbal display of expression to others in order to appear more masculine, because being facially expressive is often seen as a marker of ―femininity.5. Why are the African-American women less deferential than white women and less inclined to smileAfrican-American women are found to be less deferential than white women and, therefore, less inclined to smile, simply because it is expected of them to be so in their culture.6. In what ways may direct eye contact between individuals be interpretedLooking directly into another person‘s eyes can connote an aggressive threat,a sexual invitation, or a desire for honest and open communication.7. What was found in a study of nonverbal communication among Hispanic couplesIn a study of nonverbal communication among Hispanic couples, it was found that many Puerto Rican wives never looked directly at their husbands.8. How does clothing manifest and promote cultural definitions of masculinity and femininityThrough clothing and make-up, the body is more or less marked, constituted as an appropriate, or, as the case may be, inappropriate body for its cultural requirements. Males and females have to dress themselves appropriately according to their cultural definitions of masculinity and femininity.Case StudyCase 21Sometimes our best intentions can lead to breakdowns (故障)in cross-cultural communication. For example, one of the very common manners of touching --- handshaking --- may result in conflict when performed with no consideration of cultural differences. Among middle-class North American men, it is customary to shake hands as a gesture of friendship. When wanting to communicate extra friendliness, a male in the United States may, while shaking hands, grasp with his left hand his friend’s right arm. However, to people of Middle Eastern countries, the left hand is profane (亵渎的) and touching someone with it is hi ghly offensive. Therefore, in Vernon’s eyes, Kenneth was actually an extremely offensive message to him. Case 22In Puerto Rican culture, as in some other Latin American and Eastern cultures, it isnot right for a child to keep an eye-contact with an adult whois accusing him or her, while in the United States, failing of meeting other person’s eye accusing him or her would be taken as a sign of guiltiness. As the principal knew little about this cultural difference in using eye-contact, he decided that the girl must be guilty. Generally speaking, avoiding eye-contact with the other(s) is often considered as an insult in some cultures, but may signify respect for authority and obedience in other cultures. Case 23Just like smile, laughing does not always serve the same function in different cultures.Interestingly, for us Chinese, laughing often has a special function on some tense social occasions. People may laugh to release the tension or embarrassment, to express their concern about you, their intention to put you at ease or to help you come out of the embarrassment. In this case, the people there were actually wishing to laugh with the American rather than laugh at her. Their laughing seemed to convey a number of messages: don’t take it so seriously; laugh it off, it’s nothing; such things can happen to any of us, etc. Unfortunately the American was unaware of this. She thought they were laughing at her, which made her feel more badly and angry, for in her culture laughing on such an occasion would be interpreted as an insulting response, humiliating and negative.Case 24It is obvious that there exists some difference between the British and Germans in their use of touch. The lack of touch that seems to be natural in Britain may be considered strange by Germans. What is required (in this case, shaking hands with each other) in one country could be taken as unnecessary in another.The appropriateness of contact between people varies fromcountry to country. Figures from a study offer some interesting insight into this matter. Pairs of individuals sitting and chatting in college shops in different countries were observed for at least one hour each. The number of times that either one touched the other in that one hour was recorded, as follows: in London, 0; in Florida, 2; in Paris, 10; in Puerto Rico, 180. These figures indicate that touch is used very differently in different cultures.。

Summary of chapter sixThis is a chapter about family and friendship.In terms of hierarchy, Americans are different from Chinese. The center of the family is husband and wife; the children are regarded as an individual part. While in china, the parents and children are regarded as a family. The author raised a question in the book: if his wife and mother have a fight, which side should the son with. In the book it pointed out in traditional china the son should always side with the mother, otherwise the son can be regarded as “有了媳妇忘了娘”(once you got you wife you have totally forget your mother). And there is always a classic question in china from the wife or girlfriend: if I and your mother fall into the river at the same time, who will you save first? The duty of parents and children is also different in different culture. In china, the kids are supposed to take care of the parents when they are too old to take care of themselves after their years of sacrifices, because the parents pay the expensive tuition fee for the kids. If the kid was a boy, the parents are also supposed to buy him a house, because that is the base for marriage in china. Otherwise, there is some possibility to remain single when he is in his 40s. At that time the kid will definitely blame the irresponsible parents.As for friendship, I think, both Americans and Chinese regard it as pretty important. I disagree about what the author says in the book. She thinks that Chinese have more responsibility to their friend than Americans. But I cannot agree with her. In the American play Friends and The Diary of V ampire, we can see their way of treating friends also involves a lot of commitment.As to the dating part, I have to say that Americans are much more open about sex and less responsible to their date. It maybe a little wrong to make one’s judgment on the base of the movies, but it somehow reflect the real situation in America. While in china there are still some arranged marriages, which mean the parents pick up the girls for their children. And Chinese are always seeking some forever relationship in their whole life.。