跨文化交际英美习俗不同(英文)
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不同国家的不同礼仪英语作文Etiquette is a set of unwritten rules and customs that guide social behavior in various cultures. While some basic etiquette principles may be universal, such as being polite and respectful, the specific ways of expressing etiquette can vary greatly across different countries and regions. Understanding and respecting these cultural differences in etiquette is essential for effective cross-cultural communication and interaction.One prominent example of cultural differences in etiquette is the concept of personal space. In Western countries like the United States and United Kingdom, people generally value a larger personal bubble and feel uncomfortable with excessive physical closeness. Standing too close to someone or touching them without permission can be seen as intrusive. In contrast, in many Middle Eastern and Latin American countries, a closer physical proximity is the norm and even expected during conversation. Maintaining a larger distance may be interpreted as being cold or disinterested.Another area where etiquette varies is eye contact. In the West,making direct eye contact is generally considered a sign of confidence, honesty and engagement. Avoiding eye contact can be seen as being evasive or disrespectful. However, in some Asian cultures, prolonged eye contact is viewed as confrontational or rude. Averting one's gaze can be a sign of respect, deference and humility. For instance, in Japan, it is considered polite to look at the other person's chin or neck area rather than directly into their eyes during conversation.Dining etiquette also differs significantly across the globe. In Western countries, it is generally expected to use utensils like forks, knives and spoons to eat. Picking up food with one's hands, even for finger foods, can be seen as impolite and uncivilized. Conversely, in many parts of Asia and the Middle East, it is customary and even preferred to eat with one's hands, especially for dishes that are meant to be consumed this way. Using utensils in these contexts may be viewed as overly formal or even offensive.Gestures and body language can also carry vastly different meanings in different cultural contexts. In the United States, the "OK" hand sign, with the thumb and index finger forming a circle, generally conveys a positive message of approval. However, this same gesture is considered highly offensive in some countries like Brazil, where it is associated with an obscene meaning. Similarly, the thumbs-up sign, which is a common positive gesture in the West, is interpreted as aninsult in countries like Iran and Afghanistan.Greetings are another domain where etiquette varies greatly. In many European countries, a formal handshake is the standard greeting, even between casual acquaintances. In contrast, in parts of Asia, a slight bow or nod of the head is more common, and handshakes may be reserved for more formal occasions. In the Middle East, it is customary for men to greet each other with a kiss on the cheek, while in many African cultures, an elaborate, multi-step handshake is the norm.Punctuality is another area where cultural expectations differ. In Germany and Switzerland, for example, being punctual is highly valued, and it is considered disrespectful to arrive even a few minutes late to a scheduled meeting or event. Tardiness is often seen as a sign of irresponsibility or lack of regard for others' time. Conversely, in many Latin American and Caribbean countries, a more relaxed attitude towards time is the norm, and it is not uncommon for people to arrive 15-30 minutes late without it being considered rude or unacceptable.Gift-giving etiquette is another domain that varies across cultures. In some Asian countries, such as China and Japan, it is customary to present gifts with both hands and to refuse the first offer of a gift before accepting it. Failing to follow these protocols can be seen asdisrespectful. In contrast, in the United States and many European countries, gifts are often opened immediately in the presence of the giver, and there is no expectation of refusing the first offer.Religious and cultural practices can also influence etiquette. For example, in many Muslim-majority countries, it is considered disrespectful to use one's left hand for eating or passing items, as the left hand is traditionally associated with personal hygiene. Similarly, in Hindu and Buddhist cultures, it is impolite to point the soles of one's feet towards others, as the feet are considered the lowest and least pure part of the body.In conclusion, the diverse cultural etiquette practices around the world highlight the importance of being culturally aware and adaptable when interacting with people from different backgrounds. What may be considered polite and respectful in one country may be seen as rude or inappropriate in another. By understanding and respecting these cultural differences, we can foster more effective and meaningful cross-cultural communication and relationships. Ultimately, the key to navigating etiquette in different countries is to approach each interaction with an open mind, a willingness to learn, and a genuine respect for cultural diversity.。
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 communicationChapter 7: 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. In general, if there is communication, there must have 4 cases: there are at least two or more people, some contact between communicators, a language shared by communicators, an exchange of information has taken place. I just take the fist one for example. Suppose there is one person, there can’t be communication. Otherwise, he may talk to himself.Communication not just exist in human-beingsThere are five kinds of communications they are human communication, animal communication, human-animal communication, human machine communication, machine communication. So, Animals and machines can also communicate with each other.For human beings, how can we communicate with each other?Experts say that there are various kinds of communication. Nowadays, there are different kinds of tools for us to communicate .For people we can use telephone and computer to communicate with each other. By them, finally we can receive message.What is social situation?When there are two or more people gather to do a job or an activity, then it creates a social situation. That is to say, an individual working alone can not constitute a social sA social situation may have two definitions. One is given by the community, and the other by the participants. Finally, we should notice that being polite plays a crucial role insocial situation.Chapter2: Culture shockWe should not only know what communication is but we should know what culture shock is.In contemporary society, as our country is developing faster and faster, more and more foreigners will come to our country. Communicating with foreigners is an interesting thing. However, there is no doubt that it can easily cause misunderstanding which is called culture shock. There are several kinds of culture shock.Hospitality: First of all, in Britain, hospitality can not be judged by whether hosts put the food into your dishes, in there, everyone has own dishes, everyone helps themselves. By contrast, in our country, when we have guests, hosts may put the food into guest’s dishes to show their hospitality, so this is different.Politeness: When it comes to this word, in many case, foreigners were described as being polite than Chinese. For example, when we finish work, foreigners may say thank you to us, although it is out duties. However, for Chinese, they seldom say thank you because they think someone who serves them are their duties.What’s more, when we get along with foreigners, we should avoid asking their salaries, jobs and religious and so on. For the young, it’s all right to ask their ages, for the adults, this question is not allowed, especially for the females. But in china, these questions are allowed.In conclusion, when we face these culture shocks, it is better to keep a cool head, and then make an adjustment toward it, finally, we can cope with it. As time goes by, we can adapt it. For example, American Jewish and Israel, the two groups are equal and integration. Both groups have positive attitudes toward one another. So I am sure that after learning this unit, we can know a lot about culture shock and can easily communicate with foreigners.Chapter 3: What’s in a name?The topic of unit three is “what’s in a name?” As is known to all, the English name is different from the Chinese name .The Chinese name consists of family name and given name ,with family name put first. But in contrast, the family name of English name is coming last. Most English people have three names. The last name , or surname is the family name .This is the family name of the father and is given to all his children. And the first name is given to the child at birth, which is called “given name”. And another name used to refer to them is Christian name.However, Chinese name can give all sorts of information about a Chinese people .they may give the address, the birthday ,and also tell us about the family relationship, ethic groups, sex and the parents’expectation for their children. At the same time, in Chinese the use of kin terms is closely related to age politeness, such as that children are expected to call an old lady, Granny and call a male adult who is older than their fathers, elder uncle. The appropriate and extend use of kin term according to age is taken as reflecting good manners.Chapter4: Social interactionWhat is “social interaction”. It is the topic of unit four. Social interaction is an important way of human existence, and it is different from other animals’communication. And it’s meaningful. Different countries have different social interactions. Many Chinese people tend to ask age, marital status, and evensalary when they meet each other first. To the Chinese people, these are open conversational topic. and Chinese people pay much attention to family life. So in their spare time, they will talk about the family member features as a common topic. It is so natural. And the salary is not a secret .and when a Chinese offers refreshments or drinks to his colleague, his colleague often declines the offer politely, because he don’t want to trouble the person who offers. And it also shows his politeness. But in western countries, if you ask the person who meet you first about these, they will feel so bad. They think it is not polite.Do you know how English native negotiate a time to meet .from the text I know that you may find their way of settling on a time is quite similar to our own, that is , normally one gives or suggests a time, then the other may find it is not suitable and suggest another time, and finally a time is fixed which suits both.Consequently, you can know from above, different countries have different habits.Chapter 7: In other words.Different languages cause some misunderstandings There are many countries that their language is the same. such as America , British, Canada, Australia,and so on, they all speak English, people from America and British speak different varieties of English. They usually find little difficulty in understanding each other. However, there are some differences which may cause some misunderstanding, because of profusion of synonyms that they use different words to refer to the same thing. But for other countries which do not speak English they hardly understand the idioms, for example “face the music” in America it means to accept the criticisms, unpleasant consequences, etc . it probably comes from the custom in some Western armies of punishing soldiers to the sound of beating drums, if a person who is come from China may comprehend that enjoy himself by listening to music. on the contrary,they can not understand the meaning of Chinese idioms.There are some similar in languagesWith the exception, both English and Chinese have many such idioms that refer to animals, and some animals have similar associations in both cultures: deer, for example , are bloodthirsty and cruel, ect . But some other animals have rather different associations, like dogs, in the eyes of English-speaking people,dog is loyal ,but in the eyes of Chinese it aways contains derogatory sense are seen rather differently from the way appear to us. About proverb, since human experiences and observations of the world are in many respect similar. in spit of the dissimilar cultural backgrounds of the Chinese and the English-speaking peoples, the number of proverbs or saying in two language that are equivalent or closely approximate is rather surprising.Swearwords is the taboo for every countriesEvery language contains a special group of taboo words which people avoid using because they find them embarrassing or offensive. In many languages, swearwords are taboo, this is generally true of both English and Chinese. In English, certain swearwords seem to be more offensive than others and consequently the social prohibition against their use is stricter.Chapter 8: From a primitive Tribe to a Global VillageAnimals might have astonishing ways of showing their emotions andfeelings.This unit takes us back in to history, inviting us to reflect upon how man has extended his limbs and senses by using new technologies. Nowadays, the technologies are so advanced that communication over long distance can be done in a split of a second. People all over the world are living, quite literally, in a global village. In the textbook, we have learned that animals might have astonishing ways of showing their emotions and feelings. The way different kinds of animals behave, have fascinated great minds since Plato and AristotleCommunication is covering everywhereOne point that is beyond doubt is that our ancestors were extremely handicapped --- in comparison with us now --- in communication. From the Stone Age, to the present day, over 2,000,000 years, man has done his best to extend himself in order to improve his way of communication. Writing, printing technology, postal services, telegraph, telephone, radio, picture communication, television, computer and laser technology, internet --- these have ex tended man’s mouth, eyes, ears, hands, legs, in short the whole body beyond a house, a village, a county, a province, a country, an ocean, a continent, and even beyond the mother earth to the moon and the Mars. Going global is great, but an entirely different tone was heard: Globalization is a menace to mankind. Globalization will make the powers more powerful but the weak is weaker and the poor is poorer.ConclusionDifferent countries have their own cultures, so it causes the different cultures .Consequently, sometimes the people come from different places may cause some misunderstandings. After learning this textbook we can get along well with people all over the world.Finally, through this paper, we can learn more knowledge.。
U3 Daily Verbal Communication一、案例Case 1美国爸爸和女儿来到菲律宾,举行首次领圣餐仪式,叫了菲律宾朋友,他不置可否,后来却去了别的朋友之间聚会。
美国人觉得很不尊重领圣餐仪式,因此关系不好了起来。
Comment:美国人把这种仪式,特别是关于自己的孩子的看的很重要;而菲律宾朋友忽略了美国人的习俗,而且清点人数是美国人开party 前要做的,为了确保食物数量。
Case 2新西兰人在公开场合对他的菲律宾朋友进行建议和批评,让他下不来台。
他的菲律宾朋友十分生气,并且取消了晚上的一起吃饭。
Comment:在菲律宾,不可以当面指出别人的错误(面子、);在新西兰,被看成是十分正常的。
选项:Jose thought that Stans actions during the meeting were not those of a true friendCase 3菲律宾夫妇遇见了英国熟人,又遇见了自己的菲律宾朋友,并且大声地用自己的语言进行寒暄,英国人因此十分不悦。
选项:He thought the Filipinos were very rude for introducing him to their friend.Case 4在澳大利亚“no etiquette”customno seeing out when guests leaves;no stand-up when leaders come in;no help for old people专题:Compliments and compliment responsesExamples:1.中国女士买了条裙子,美国女士说好看,中国女士说哎呀一般般;2.美国女主人向别人介绍中国学者,夸赞,中国学者却笑着说你不是真的这个意思?3.中国式谦虚反映了:1.the taste of the American lady is questionable,and poor judgement2.the hostess is not sincere3.“fishing for compliments”沽名钓誉,别人会接着夸你Social functions of complimentssituations: range from formal to casualIn formal situations—reinforce solidarity,connected with the appreciation of something that has been done to the speaker(尼克松访华:感谢中国人的好客和款待)In informal situations —achieve solidarity;make people feelcomfortable体现在:greeting people;expressing thanks ;getting over embarrassmentDifferences between Chinese and English compliments美国,女人不主动夸男人,但是男士应该通俗的对女士的打扮和衣着进行赞美但是在中国,如果男士夸奖女士,会被认为是调情,不尊重。
munication is a dynamic, systematic process in which meanings are created and reflected in human interaction with symbols.2.Culture: The deposit of knowledge, experience, beliefs, values, actions, attitudes, meanings,hierarchies, religion, notions of time, roles, spatial relations, concepts of universe, and artifacts acquired by a group of people in the course of generations through individual and group striving.3.Acculturations: occurs when a society undergoes drastic culture change under the influence of a moredominant culture and society with which it has come in contact.4.Intercultural communication:It is communication between people whose cultural perceptions andsymbols are distinct enough to alter the communication event.5.co-culture: when talking about groups or social communities exhibiting communication characteristics,perceptions, values, beliefs, and practices that are significantly different enough to distinguish them from the other groups, communities, and the dominant culture.nguage is an organized, generally agreed on, learned symbol system used to represent theexperiences within a cultural community.7.Perception: the process by which an individual selects, organizes, and information to create ameaningful picture of the world.8.Value: is an enduring belief that a specific mode of conduct or end-state of existence is personally orsocially preferable to another.9.Culture patterns: refers to both the conditions that contribute to the way in which a people perceiveand think about the world, and the manner in which they live that world.10.Collectivism:is characterized by a rigid social framework that distinguishes between in-groups andout-groups.11.Masculinity: is the extent to which the dominant values in a society are male oriented and associatedwith ambitions, differentiated sex roles, achievements, acquisition of money and signs of manliness. 12.A high-context (HC) communication or message is one in which most of the information is either inthe physical context or internalized in the person, while very little is in the coded, explicit, transmitted part of the massage. A low-context (LC) communication is just the opposite; i.e., the mass of information is vested in the explicit code.13.Context: the information that surrounds an event; it is inextricably bound up with the meaning of thatevent.14.World view is a culture’s orientation toward God, humanity, nature, questions of existence, theuniverse and cosmos, life, moral and ethical reasoning, suffering, death, and other philosophical issues that influence how its members perceive their world.15.Argot is a more or less private vocabulary peculiar to a co-cultural group, and a group must have anargot if it is to be considered a co-culture.16.Nonverbal communication involves all those nonverbal stimuli in a communication setting that aregenerated by both the source and his or her use of the environment and that have potential message value for the source or receiver.17.A learning style is a particular way that an individual receives and processes information.18.Stereotyping is a complex form of categorization that mentally organizes our experiences and guidesour behavior toward a group of people.19.Culture shock: when we are thrust into another culture and experience psychological and physicaldiscomfort from this contact we have become victims of culture shock.20.Ethnocentrism: the belief that one’s culture is primary to all explanations of reality.21.Seven characteristics of culture affect communication: learned, transmitted from generation togeneration, based on symbols, dynamic, integrated, ethnocentric, adaptive.22.Belief: our conviction in the truth of something. Learned and subject to cultural interpretation andcultural diversity.23.Individualism:refers to the doctrine, spelled out in detail by the seventeenth. The single mostimportant pattern in the US.24.Hofstede’s Value Dimensions:four parts: individualism-collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, powerdistance, and masculinity and femininity.25.Culture differs in their attitudes toward: individualism and collectivism, uncertainty avoidance,power distance, masculinity and femininity, human nature, the perception of nature, time, activity, relationships, context, formality and informality, assertiveness and interpersonal harmony.26.Religious Similarities: sacred writings, authority, traditional rituals, speculation, ethics.27.Five religious orientations: Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism.28.the family we are born into the family of orientation and take a spouse the family of procreation.29.problems of translation and equivalence:vocabulary or lexical equivalence, idiomatic and slangequivalence, grammatical-syntactical equivalence, experiential-cultural equivalence, conceptual equivalence.30.The use of argot reflects a co-culture’s need to have a language that permits them to 1.sharemembership,2. participate in their social and cultural communities,3. identify themselves and their place in the universe, 4. communicate with one another about their own social realities.31.Functions of communication: repeating, complementing, substituting, regulating, contradicting.32.The study of how movement communicates is called kinesics. Kinesic cues are those visible bodyshifts and movements that can send messages about 1.our attitude toward the other person 2. our emotional state 3. our desire to control our environment.33.Eyes serve six communication functions: 1. indicates degree of attentiveness, interest, and arousal 2.help intiate and sustain intimate relationships 3. influence attitude change and persuasion 4. regulate interaction 5. communicate emotions 6. define power and status relationships 7. assume a central role in impression management.34.kinds of vocalizations: vocal characterizers, vocal qualifiers, vocal segregates.。
Cultural differences on politeness between western and Chinese can be found in many aspects of daily communication, including addressing, greeting and parting,compliments, apologies, thanks, etc. In the following, we will look at some cultural different between China and western.1.Greeting and PartingWhen people meet acquaintances or friends, people usually greet each other. The purpose of greeting is to establish or maintain social contact. So formulaic expressions are often used, but such formulaic expressions often causes conflict because of the great cultural differences between Chinese and native English speakers. In English, people often employ the following expressions to greet each other “Good morning/evening/afternoon. “Fine day, isn’t it? ”How is everything going?” Have you eaten yet?” What are you going to do?” Where have you been?”etc. Westerners treat them as real question. While in Chinese, we always say “你吃了吗?”“你上哪里去?”“你干什么去?”to show our consideration. Parting may be divided into two steps. Before the final prating, there is usual a leave-taking. Western and Chinese cultures have diverse ways to deal with leave-takings. Firstly, in English society, during the closing phase of an encounter, from ”I” perspective, reasons for terminating the encounter are presented in mitigatory comments. Typical comments are associated with expressions of apology,such as “I” am afraid I must be off, I have to relieve the ba by-sitter” etc.Western people believe that to be willing to visit and converse with someone is to have respect for him.; to terminate the visiting is not of one’s own free will, but because of some other arrangements, therefore they always try to make their leaving sound reluctant by finding some reasons and apologize for it to make the leaving acceptable for both parties. English speakers often signal several times before leaving. “Well, it’s been nice to see you again. I do enjoy our talk and the lovely dinner, but I must be going soon”. Thank you very much forasking me over. I hope we’ll be able to get together again before long…” Consolidation in a wider range of common acquaintances also occurs, in expressions such as “Say hello to Jack for me” or “Remember me to John”. In Chinese society, during the closing phase of and encounter, usually, from a “you ”perspective, reasons for ending the encounter are set forth in mitigatory expressions. Such expressions include“你挺忙的,我就不多打扰了。
跨文化交际中西方文化交流的不同英语作文In cross-cultural communication, the differences between Western and Chinese cultures can often lead to misunderstandings and miscommunication. One of the main differences is in the use of language and communication styles.In Western culture, direct communication is often valued, and people tend to be more explicit in their speech. They may not hesitate to express their opinions or give feedback, even if it may be considered harsh by others. This can sometimes be perceived as rude or confrontational in Chinese culture, where indirect communication and maintaining harmony are often more valued.Another difference is in the use of body language and nonverbal communication. In Western culture, people may use more gestures and maintain more eye contact during conversation, while in Chinese culture, it is common to use less direct eye contact and to be more reserved in body language.Moreover, cultural values and beliefs also play a significant role in cross-cultural communication. For example, individualism is often emphasized in Western culture, while collectivism is more valued in Chinese culture. This can lead to differences in decision-making processes and conflict resolution styles.In addition, the concept of time also differs between the two cultures. In Western culture, time is often seen as linear and something to be managed efficiently, while in Chinese culture, time is often seen as more fluid and flexible. This can lead to misunderstandings in terms of punctuality and deadlines.Overall, these differences in language, communication styles, cultural values, and concepts of time can create challenges in cross-cultural communication between Western and Chinese cultures. It is important for individuals to be aware of these differences and to make an effort to understand and adapt to the communication styles and cultural norms of others.在跨文化交际中,西方和中国文化之间的差异经常会导致误解和沟通不畅。
不同的国家有不同的风俗英语作文全文共3篇示例,供读者参考篇1Different countries have different customs and traditions that make each nation unique. These customs can vary greatly from one country to another, and they often reflect the values, beliefs, and history of a particular culture. In this essay, we will explore some of the customs and traditions that are prevalent in different countries around the world.In Japan, for example, it is customary to bow when greeting someone. This gesture is a sign of respect and politeness, and the depth of the bow can vary depending on the social status of the person being greeted. In addition, in Japan it is considered rude to tip in restaurants, as it is seen as an insult to the staff's professionalism.In India, on the other hand, it is customary to remove one's shoes before entering a home or a temple. This practice is a sign of cleanliness and respect, as shoes are considered unclean in many Indian cultures. In addition, in India it is common to eatwith one's hands, as this is believed to enhance the connection between the diner and the food.In Russia, it is customary to bring a gift when visiting someone's home. This gift is usually a small token of appreciation, such as a box of chocolates or a bouquet of flowers. In addition, in Russia it is common to drink tea with every meal, as tea is believed to have many health benefits.In Brazil, it is customary to kiss on both cheeks when greeting someone. This gesture is a sign of warmth and hospitality, and it is often used to show affection towards friends and family members. In addition, in Brazil it is common to take a long lunch break in the middle of the day, as this is seen as a time to relax and socialize with colleagues.In the United States, it is customary to shake hands when meeting someone for the first time. This gesture is a sign of respect and equality, as it is believed to demonstrate that neither person is superior to the other. In addition, in the United States it is common to say "please" and "thank you" as a way of showing gratitude and politeness.These are just a few examples of the customs and traditions that exist in different countries around the world. While these customs may seem strange or unfamiliar to outsiders, they arean important part of the cultural identity of each nation. By embracing and respecting these customs, we can learn more about the diversity and richness of the world we live in.篇2Different countries have different customs, traditions and cultures that make them unique and special. These customs are an i mportant part of a country’s identity and help to define who they are as a people. From the way people greet each other to the types of food they eat, customs vary greatly from one country to another.In Japan, for example, it is customary to bow when greeting someone, rather than shaking hands. This gesture is a sign of respect and is expected in all social interactions. In addition, it is considered rude to eat or drink while walking in Japan, as it is seen as disrespectful to the food.In India, on the other hand, guests are often greeted with a traditional welcoming of applying a red mark on the forehead, called a bindi. This symbolizes hospitality and goodwill towards the guest. In addition, it is customary to remove your shoes before entering s omeone’s home in India, as shoes are seen as unclean.In the United States, a common custom is to tip service workers such as waiters and taxi drivers. This is not the case in many other countries, where tipping is either not expected or is built into the cost of the service. In addition, it is customary to make small talk with strangers in the US, whereas in other countries, such as Germany, people tend to keep to themselves and do not engage in small talk with strangers.In Russia, it is customary to bring a small gift when visiting someone’s home, such as a bottle of wine or a box of chocolates. This is seen as a sign of respect and appreciation for the hospitality of the host. In addition, it is considered rude to refuse food or drink that is offered to you in Russia, as it is seen as a rejection of the host’s generosity.These are just a few examples of the many customs and traditions that exist around the world. Each country has its own unique way of doing things, and these customs help to make each culture rich and diverse. By learning about and respecting the customs of other countries, we can gain a greater understanding and appreciation of the world around us.篇3Different countries have different customs and traditions that make them unique and set them apart from others. These cultural practices are an integral part of the identity of a nation and are passed down from generation to generation. In this essay, we will explore some of the diverse customs and traditions found in different countries around the world.One of the most well-known customs in Japan is the tea ceremony, known as Chanoyu. This ancient ritual involves the preparation and serving of matcha, a type of powdered green tea, in a highly choreographed manner. The tea ceremony is not just about drinking tea, but also about mindfulness, respect, and a deep appreciation of nature. Guests are expected to follow a set of specific rules and procedures during the ceremony, from the way they enter the tea room to the way they sip their tea. This tradition has been practiced in Japan for centuries and is considered a key part of Japanese culture.In India, one of the most important customs is the celebration of Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights. This five-day festival marks the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. During Diwali, houses and streets are decorated with colorful lights, candles, and lanterns. Families come together to pray, exchange gifts, and share traditional sweets.Fireworks are also a significant part of the celebrations, symbolizing the lighting of lamps to guide the way for the goddess Lakshmi. Diwali is a time for renewal, reflection, and the strengthening of family bonds.In Mexico, the Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos, is a tradition that honors deceased loved ones and celebrates their lives. Families create elaborate altars, known as ofrendas, to honor the spirits of the departed. These altars are adorned with photographs, candles, marigolds, and the favorite foods and drinks of the deceased. Families also visit cemeteries to clean and decorate the graves of their loved ones. Despite its macabre name, the Day of the Dead is a colorful and festive occasion, filled with music, dancing, and vibrant costumes. It is a time for families to come together, remember their ancestors, and celebrate the cycle of life and death.In China, the Lunar New Year, also known as Spring Festival, is the most important holiday of the year. This 15-day celebration marks the beginning of the new lunar calendar and is a time for families to reunite, eat together, and wish each other good fortune for the coming year. During the Spring Festival, streets are decorated with red lanterns and banners, symbolizing good luck and prosperity. Traditional customs include the givingof red envelopes filled with money, the lighting of firecrackers to ward off evil spirits, and the eating of dumplings for good luck. The Lunar New Year is a time for renewal, reflection, and the strengthening of family bonds.These are just a few examples of the diverse customs and traditions found in different countries around the world. Each of these customs is a reflection of the history, beliefs, and values of the people who practice them. Despite their differences, these customs serve to unite communities, foster a sense of belonging, and preserve the cultural heritage of a nation. By learning about and respecting these customs, we can gain a deeper understanding of the rich tapestry of human culture that exists in our world.。
中英文化习俗比较摘要:在跨文化交际的过程中,交际双方都有一种强烈的愿望:希望交际或沟通成功。
但愿望和现实是有距离的。
在跨文化交际过程中,交际受挫或失败,产生误解,甚至造成关系恶化的情况时有发生。
有不少人把这一点归结为语言不通。
但在许多情况下,语言并不是妨碍交际的原因。
跨文化交际中的许多问题,包括误解、不快、关系紧张,甚至发生了严重的后果都缘于交际双方不了解对方的文化习俗而造成的。
关键词:文化习俗文化习俗分类中西文化习俗比较与应用唐菊裳在《中外文化差异与贸易合作》一书中曾说:“语言仅仅是交流的一种工具,交流比语言的范围更广,它包含着传送一种思想和理解对方的思想。
一个能熟练地运用英、德、日三国语言的中国人,并不一定能从说这些语言的人的文化背景来理解和解释他们的思想。
”唐菊裳的话提到了“文化背景”,文化背景的范围是十分宽广和复杂的。
大至人人们的世界观、思维方式和价值取向,小至人们的言谈举止、风俗习惯都是文化背景的重要内容,都会影响跨文化交际的顺利进行。
而跨文化交际中的许多问题,包括误解、不快、关系紧张,甚至发生了严重的后果都缘于交际双方不了解对方的文化习俗而造成的。
因此,我们不难看出文化习俗方面的差异是文化交际是跨文化交际中的重要障碍之一。
文化习俗意识在人们的头脑中是根深蒂固的。
即使是许多有文化修养,受过良好教育的人们也难以摆脱文化习俗的羁绊。
文化习俗的内涵及其影响原比人们所想象的要大得多,深刻的多。
习俗的定义文化习俗是一个十分普遍、人们司空见惯的社会现象。
就其实质,习俗是一种文化现象,它属于民俗学的范畴,是文化的重要组成部分。
习俗是一种文化现象是确定无疑的。
那么,我们该如何界定习俗?它又具体包括些什么内容?关于这,从事文化研究的中外学者早有论述。
维基百科上对于习俗或风俗是这样解释的:风俗一词是指既定的思想方式和行为方式。
人们在使用这一术语时所关注的是俗又称作民俗(民间风俗)。
风俗的涵括范围很广,可以包括食、衣、住、行、育、娱乐、宗教、岁时、生命礼节、艺术等等。
Cultural practices, cultural differences, local manners, and mores: traveling the globe can be a behavioral minefield, even when you have the best intentions. Everything from greeting to eating can be an opportunity to do the wrong thing, and not only embarrass yourself, but offend your host countrymen. Look out for the following cultural mistakes and try to avoid them while going abroad。
文化习惯、文化差异、当地礼仪和风俗:即使你怀着良好的意愿,这些文化陷阱也可能让你的环球旅游险象环生。
从问候到饮食,稍不留神就会出差错,不仅让自己难堪,还有可能冒犯东道主。
到国外时要特别留心并尽量避免误入以下几种文化陷阱。
Touching Someone 触摸他人Where It's Offensive: Korea, Thailand, China, Europe, the Middle East。
禁忌地:韩国、泰国、欧洲、中东What's Offensive 禁忌:Personal space varies as you travel the globe. In Mediterranean countries, if you refrain from touching someone's arm when talking to them or if you don't greet them with kisses or a warm embrace, you'll be considered cold. But backslap someone who isn't a family member or a good friend in Korea, and you'll make them uncomfortable. In Thailand, the head is considered sacred--never even pat a child on the head。
A Contrastive Study on English-Chinese Social Customs Abstract:The thesis employs the method of the hidden core of culture and social interaction customs to analyze in the different customs of different countries. It is also point out the problems of different customs and recounted some ensamples can easily understand, social customs are an important key to understanding a country’s culture. Knowledge and practice of these customs can spell the difference between a beautiful experience and being branded a rude guest. Difference in social customs can cause misunderstanding, unsatisfactory interaction and even unpleasant physical reaction. It is a common thing for a foreigner to get confused by the local social custom. To learn a foreign language is not enough to men to really understand a country’s conventions and customs. And solve the unbelievable embarrass from difference in social customs. We had a better understanding of this proverb and obeyed it strictly; we will adapt ourselves to the environment in which we are.Key words: Values; Custom; CommunicationNowadays, the whole world is in the process of globalization, the ability of successful communication is quite needed. However, what’s the skill of communication. To be polite is an important part of co mmunication’ especially when we talk to others. It’s natural to most people during communicating with others in the same culture to use their own language. But when speaking another language, especially in a different culture which you know not that much, it’s important for one to be aware of the different meanings of the same sentence, and this was mostly decided by customs.As we all know, social customs are very important part of culture .No communication is done without involving some custom rules. Customs vary of course from culture to culture. The incidents referred above shows how difference lies in cultural conversions. And it can lead to difficulties in the communication between people with different cultural backgrounds. Such difference can cause misunderstanding, unsatisfactory interaction and even a fight. And this is why sometimes words that mean to show politeness can make people feel very embarrassed, courteous behaviors can also be misunderstood as absurd and vulgar. Therefore, studying intercultural communication manners and know the differences between others is essential.The intercultural communication is not only important in people’s communication, but also essential in other area. For example, when we negotiate with client in business, i t’s important to find out the foreign client’s likes and expectations and it’s also important to avoid being offence to their visitor through ignorance or Assumptions. So learn to be polite in intercultural communication is very important.One might also say they are rules that define the behavior that is expected, required, oracceptable in particular circumstances. They are learned by interacting in society. Even though what members of a particular culture value and how they perceive the universe explain a lot why people behave the way they do, we shouldn’t try to connect every human behavior with a certain value.Thinking is greatly influenced by culture and other elements. China and The United States show us great differences in terms of thinking pattern, which results in their different ways of dealing with problems. The thinking patterns of the different peoples in different nations are quite different as well. While different thinking patterns are bound to cause differences in the way that people view things and cope with things. For example, Chinese thinking pattern is figurative, intuitive and synthetic while the American one is individual, abstract and unique. Chinese dialectical thinking was well interpreted by the “Golden Mean”, which tends to se ek compromise and balance. However, the American thinking reflects their innovation, tending to explore the nature of things.Due to the differences of political system, cultural background and the way of being educated, there is great difference between China and the US in custom. This difference is shaped during a long-term history, some of which is deep-rooted, though it didn’t follow the rule of law, it restricts people’ speech and action in certain areas.A social custom is an act whose utility to the agent performing it in some way depends on the beliefs or actions of other members of the community. Social customs are very important part of culture. No communication is done without involving some custom rules, explicit or implicit. Social customs also are closely related to the deep structure of a culture that determines how a person responds to events and other people.Great changes have brought about the “shrinkage” of the earth in effect which, as the Canadian writer Marshall McLuhan rightly prop osed in the 1960s, has become a “Global Village”. This miracle is mainly attributed to the amazing development of science and technology in transportation and communication systems. However, People live in different world sometimes can hardly communicate with each other because of different social customs. So learn some principle of different social customs is a necessary for us. Before really get to it, we need to know the importance of understanding foreign customs.Difference in greetingAn American friend has invited you to visit his family. You've never been to an American's home before, and you're not sure what to do. Should you take a gift? How should you dress? What time should you arrive? What should you do when you get there? Glad you asked. When you're the guest, you should just make yourself at home. That's what hospitality is all about: making people feel at home when they're not.The question of whether or not to bring a gift often makes guests squirm. Giving your host agift is not just a social nicety in some cultures-it's expected. But in American culture, a guest is not obligated to bring a present. Of course, some people do bring a small token of appreciation to their host. Appropriate gifts for general occasions might be flowers, candy or-if the family has small children-toys. If you choose not to bring a gift, don't worry. No one will even notice.American hospitality begins at home-especially when it involves food. Most Americans agree that good home cooking beats restaurant food any day. When invited for a meal, you might ask, "Can I bring anything?" Unless it's a potluck, where everyone brings a dish, the host will probably respond, "No, just yourself." For most informal dinners, you should wear comfortable, casual clothes. Plan to arrive on time, or else call to inform your hosts of the delay. During the dinner conversation, it's customary to compliment the hostess on the wonderful meal. Of course, the biggest compliment is to eat lots of food!When you've had plenty, you might offer to clear the table or wash the dishes. But since you're the guest, your hosts may not let you. Instead, they may invite everyone to move to the living room for dessert with tea or coffee. After an hour or so of general chit-chat, it's probably time to head for the door. You don't want to wear out your welcome. And above all, don't go snooping around the house. It's more polite to wait for the host to offer you a guided tour. But except for housewarmings, guests often don't get past the living room.Americans usually like to have advance notice when people come to see them. Only very close friends drop by unannounced. This is especially true if the guests want to stay for a few days. Here's a good rule of thumb for house guests: Short stays are best. As one 19th century French writer put it, "The first day a man is a guest, the second a burden, the third a pest." Even relatives don't usually stay for several weeks at a time. While you're staying with an American family, try to keep your living area neat and tidy. Your host family will appreciate your consideration. And they may even invite you back!Most Americans consider themselves hospitable people. Folks in the southern United States, in particular, take pride in entertaining guests. In fact, "southern hospitality" has become legendary. But in all parts of America, people welcome their guests with open arms. So don't be surprised to find the welcome mat out for you. Just don't forget to wipe your feet.The difference in New YearChinese New Year Celebration is the most important celebration of the year. Chinese people may celebrate the Chinese New Year in slightly different ways but their wishes are almost the same; they want their family members and friends to be healthy and lucky during next year. Chinese New Year Celebration usually lasts for 15 days. Celebratory activities include Chinese New Feast, firecrackers, giving lucky money to children, the New Year bell ringing and Chinese New Year Greetings. Most of Chinese people will stop the celebrating in their home on the 7th day of New Year because the national holiday usually ends around that day, howevercelebrations in public areas can last until the 15th day of New Year.House CleaningTo clean houses on the New Year Eve is a very old custom dating back to thousands of years ago. The dust is traditionally associated with “old” so cleaning their houses and sweeping the dust mean to bid farewell to the “old” and usher in the “new”. Days before the New Year, Chinese families clean their houses, sweeping the floor, washing daily things, cleaning the spider webs and dredging the ditches. People do all these things happily in the hope of a good coming year.House decorationOne of the house decorations is to post couplets on doors. On the Spring Festival couplets, good wishes are expressed. New Year couplets are usually posted in pairs as even numbers are associated with good luck and auspiciousness in Chinese culture.People in north China are used to posting paper-cut on their windows. When sticking the window decoration paper-cuts, people paste on the door large red Chinese character “fu”A red "fu"means good luck and fortune, so it is customary to post "fu"on doors or walls on auspicious occasions such as wedding, festivals.Waiting for the First Bell Ringing of Chinese New YearThe first bell ringing is the symbol of Chinese New Year. Chinese people like to go to a large squares where there are huge bells are set up on New Year’s Eve. As the New Year approaches they count down and celebrate together. The people believe that the ringing of huge bell can drive all the bad luck away and bring the fortune to them. In recent years, some people have begun going to mountain temples to wait for the first ringing. Hanshan Temple in Suzhou, is very famous temple for its first ringing of the bell to herald Chinese New Year. Many foreigners now go to Hanshan Temple to celebrate Chinese New Year.Staying up late ("Shousui")Shousui means to stay up late or all night on New Year's Eve. After the great dinner, families sit togeth er and chat happily to wait for the New Year’s arrival.New Year FeastSpring Festival is a time for family reunion. The New Year's Feast is "a must" banquet with all the family members getting together. The food eaten on the New Year Eve banquet varies according to regions. In south China, It is customary to eat "niangao" (New Year cake made of glutinous rice flour) because as a homophone, niangao means "higher and higher every year". In the north, a traditional dish for the feast is "Jiaozi" or dumplings shaped like a crescent moon.Setting FirecrackersLighting Firecrackers used to be one of the most important customs in the Spring Festival celebration. However, concerning the danger and the negative noises that lighting firecrackersmay bring, the government has banned this practice in many major cities. But people in small towns and rural areas still hold to this traditional celebration. Right as the clock strikes 12 o'clock midnight of New Year's Eve, cities and towns are lit up with the glitter from fireworks, and the sound can be deafening. Families stay up for this joyful moment and kids with firecrackers in one hand and a lighter in another cheerfully light their happiness in this especial occasion, even though they plug their ears.New Year Greetings(Bai Nian)On the first day of the New Year or shortly thereafter, everybody wears new clothes and greets relatives and friends with bows and Gongxi (congratulations), wishing each other good luck, happiness during the new year. In Chinese villages, some villagers may have hundreds of relatives so they have to spend more than two weeks visiting their relatives.On the first day of the new year, it’s customary for the younger generations to visit the elders, wishing them healthy and longevity.Because visiting relatives and friends takes a lot of time, now, some busy people will send New Year cards to express their good wishes rather than pay a visit personally.Lucky MoneyIt is the money given to kids from their parents and grandparents as New Year gift. The money is believed to bring good luck, ward off monsters; hence the name "lucky money". Parents and grandparents first put money in small, especially-made red envelopes and give the red envelopes to their kids after the New Year's Feast or when they come to visit them on the New Year. They choose to put the money in red envelopes because Chinese people think red is a lucky color. They want to give their children both lucky money and lucky color.Christmas is one of the most beautiful holidays of all time. It is the day when God's son was born on earth. Hence, this day is sacred for all Christians around the world. The Christmas season gives rise to a number of Christmas traditions that come along. Here are a few of them that are celebrated with zest and enthusiasm worldwide for centuries.Preparation of the Christmas cakeThis was an English tradition which started centuries ago. On Christmas eve, plum porridge was served to the people. As years passed, various other things like dry fruits, honey and spices were used. Soon this porridge got replaced with the Christmas cake. Christmas cakes are made using eggs, butter, confections, fruits, etc. Today a Christmas cake is an integral part of a Christmas menu.Sending gifts to loved onesThis tradition comes from the story of the three wise men who got gifts for baby Jesus on Christmas. Every Christmas, gifts are exchanged among loved ones, especially children. The story of Santa Claus also comes from this tradition.Decorating the Christmas treeThis refers to the tradition of decorating a pine tree using lights, tinsels, garlands, ornaments, candy canes, etc. Today, a Christmas tree is an indispensable part of Christmas celebration.Lighting up the Christmas candleThis refers to the tradition of placing a lighted candle outside houses during the Christmas season. A candle signifies hope as it brings light even to the darkest room. In the earlier times, when Christians were persecuted, they were not allowed to practice prayers. Hence, a single candle used to be placed outside the house as a sign that Christian prayers were being conducted inside.Singing Christmas carolsIt refers to the age-old custom of enchanting a number of traditional Christmas songs during the Christmas season. It adds to the joy and fun to the atmosphere. Different Christmas hymns or carols like The First Noel, Jingle Bells, Joy to the world, etc are sung every Christmas as a part of the Christmas celebration.Making of CribsThis is yet another age-old tradition of Christmas. A crib refers to the Nativity Scene that is prepared using small statues. The first crib ever was made outside a church of St. Francis of Assisi for children to show them how the Nativity scene was like. Since then, this tradition became very popular.Distributing Christmas candiesThis is one of the most wonderful traditions of all. Christmas candies are distributed to neighbors during the Yuletide season. On the day of Christmas, all misunderstandings and grudges are forgotten and the community comes together to celebrate the birth of Christ.These traditions have been carried out for decades, yet they are celebrated with more and more exuberance each year. The level of excitement has never gone down. It just keeps getting better and better with time.AnalysisSocial customs are very important part of culture, and communication with others as well, especially with people from distinct cultural background.Social customs are an important key to understanding a country’s culture. Knowledge and practice of these customs can spell the difference between a beautiful experience and being branded a rude guest. Difference in social customs can cause misunderstanding, unsatisfactory interaction and even unpleasant physical reaction. It is a common thing for a foreigner to get confused by the local social custom. To learn a foreign language is not enough to men to really understand a country’s conventions and customs.Both Chinese custom and American customs are essential for their peoples, and for thosewho want to have a better understanding of their cultures as well.There are to many differences between different countries. Sometimes it may cause unbelievable embarrass .However no one should be blamed, just because of the varied culture custom. As a saying from The Three char acter Classic goes “Human beings draw close to one another by their common nature, but habits and custom keep them apart.” The first part of the quotation means that humans are social animals and no one in normal circumstances can live without any contact with others .The second part tells us that there are differences in individuals and groups as well. These diverse habits and customs may cause problems in people’s communication, especially when this communication takes place between people with distinct cultural backgrounds. Therefore, to improve our intercultural communication competence, we need to understand differences regarding social customs. Social customs are closely related to the deep structure of a culture and that determines how a person deal with problem and get along with other people. So when communicating, we should others’ background, custom and their value. We shouldn’t try to connect every human behavior with certain value.Bibliography[1]Zuo biao. 2001. Lines and Circles, West and East culture education press.[2]Xu Lisheng.2004. Intercultural Communication in English. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.[3]汪德华.英汉文化差异及思维方式[J].西安外国语学院学报,2002.。