including its tradition, habits, social customs, morals, laws, and social relations.
Sociologically, every society, on every level, has its culture;
the term has no implications of high development.
cannot understand easterner’s over-modesty. The reaction of the restaurant is nothing unusual. Li may change his words like this: “The cuisine of your country is really great. It is
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America is a country with highly valued individualism.
They express themselves rather directly. They tend to hear words literally, therefore they
Literally, Li’s words are inappropriate, but they do convey the meaning of respect.
Here the language form is different from its content, a phenomenon which can only be found in eastern culture.
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(今天承蒙各位光临，不胜荣幸。我们略 备粗馔，聊表寸心，没有什么可口的东 西，不成敬意，请大家多多包涵……)
