中西方日常交际中的文化差异THE CULTURAL DIFFERENCESBETWEEN CHINESE AND WESTERNDAILY COMMUNICATION二零一一年十一月AbstractWith economic globalization, the globalization of information era, China and the West exchanges and cooperation between the countries are getting closer. Yet, due to the lack of culture background of western countries, there exists some barriers and misunderstandings during the communication between Chinese and western people. This article focuses on the everyday communication easy misunderstanding of cultural differences in the analysis and comparison.Key Words: daily communication, cultural difference, greeting, praise and complimentsContentsPartⅠ Differences in terms of call (3)PartⅡ Hello differences in terms (4)Part ⅢDifferences in terms of farewell (5)Part Ⅳ Differences in praise and compliments and the response (6)Part ⅤDifferences in table manners (8)Seating arrangement (9)Serving order (10)Tableware (11)Stop cooking method (12)Part VI Topic selection and differences in privacy (14)References (15)PartⅠ Differences in terms of callHello is the daily life of most ordinary things, but that it is quite common for things can reflect in the Western cultural differences. In China, people touching face each other and asked:" have you had dinner yet"" where to go"" no work today" This is the Chinese most familiar is the most common way of greeting, but if you take these words and Westerners greet,foreigners must be surprised, or even misleading. For example, Chinese friend asked a foreign friend: Have you had your meal It was just asking pleasantries, Westerners think you ask to invite him for dinner! While he waits for you invited him, but you talk about something else, which often make each other be rather baffling.They think: don't ask me out to dinner, why ask I had your meal For example: you ask foreign friends: where are you going This is a caring greeting, but Westerners misunderstanding and resentment, think you to interfere in others' affairs.In western countries people not familiar with the meeting say hello, just say: Hi, Hello or Good morning can be; first met with How do you do hello And do not say how you are If met familiar friend, can talk about the weather, traffic etc., but do not talk about personal things.PartⅡ Hello differences in termsWhether in China or abroad, to see friends or acquaintances say hello, is a common courtesy behavior.Chinese people like to use when they meet, "you eat it" Come and greet each other, butthe greeting phrase actually has lost its literal meaning, not to ask for information, but rather a way of greeting.Therefore, the answer is "eating" or "not eat" are irrelevant.However, if directly translated into English literally "Have you had your dinner" To greet the West, according to their cultural practices, means to invite each other to dinner;if you ask men and women are said to be dating each other or the desire to make friends.Another commonly used in Chinese language greeting is "Where are you going” This sentence is hello in Chinese, rather than asking people really want to know where to go.So, any other party can give an answer, also not feel embarrassed.However, the same way Westerners greet "Where are you going", "Where have you been" Westerners often understood as a message asking the questions, make them feel embarrassed, even angry they will feel the speaker interfere with their private affairs.Although they do not say lips, and my heart may think: "Why do you ask these questions It's none of your business."Perhaps more attention to high British and American people for reasons of efficiency, not between people as the Chinese enthusiasm, the same in the above case, the common greeting phrase is generally relatively simple, such as "Hi", "Hello", "How are you" or "Good morning!", "Good afternoon!", "Good evening!"And so on.Part ⅢDifferences in terms of farewellAccording to Chinese custom, the guests leave, the owner of the guests to the door, the guests of the owner said, "Please stay", the last director to say "go", "walking" kind of courtesy.If the American people we have in accordance with the Chinese people used to say "go slowly", "walk slowly" they will feel angry, "why should I go slowly I am strong enough!"Britain's etiquette is to tell the guests to the door "Bye, drop in again." Kind of thing, the guests will answer "yes, I will." Or "ok, bye." Or "see you" and so on.Also say goodbye to the Chinese people is generally very simply, is often the first look at the watch, and then stand up and say something "I am leaving now." Anglo-American countries in this way will make people feel very abrupt, surprised.Generally in accordance with their habits, usually said to be ten minutes ahead of his intention to leave.A Chinese student to the teacher there to ask questions of the United States, American teachers received him warmly, but also patiently answered all the questions of students.Leave, the student said: I am sorry to have wasted a lot of you time, Iam leaving. “The syntax of these two words completely correct, the U.S. has caused the teacher's hard to understand, he does not understand why he answered the question and the student identified as a waste of time, do the students think that he actually spent time no harvest According to Western custom, on such occasions to leave, first to thank each other's help, and then said goodbye, and often to find an excuse, it can be said: "Thanks a lot for your help. I am afraid I must be leaving now.Part ⅣDifferences in praise and compliments and the response" The American people 's mode of thinking is linear, like direct expression;Therefore, when communication with the Chinese people, foreigners are often surprised to find that, when they praise or compliments, when the Chinese people, Chinese people always know what to do, too humble or demean themselves, even repeatedly denied, and not as frankly as foreign language gratitude.When someone praised you say: "That's a beautiful dress you have on!" Modesty of the Chinese people is likely to say: "No, no, it's just a very ordinary dress." Or “No. In fact I've worn it for several years. “A Chinese man took his wife to an American friend's house dining; meeting, American friendswho praised his wife said "Your wife is very beautiful!"The Chinese people was very pleased, but his mouth said "Where, where." The Americans surprised a moment, hesitated a moment and said "Eyes, nose, mouth ⋯⋯."According to British and American people's habits, when they praise others, people always want to thank or straightforward manner acceptable answer, do not want the other to humble, polite way to answer. Similarly, when Westerners praise and congratulations by others, they often openly accepted the praise and compliments will come right to say: "Thank you!" That they think the other side of the praise is sincere; the commendable thing is to be commended.Part Ⅴ Differences in table mannersSeating arrangementIn table manners in China: first call the guests seated on the seats, and then please order the elderly seated next to seated guests. When entering from the left side of the chair seat, seat post does not move Chopsticks, not to sound to come up, get up and do not move around.If there's anything to the master greet. Guests should be invited to sit down to wait for the owner, theowner must be careful not to call the guests sit in a seat near the serving, this is a taboo.If sitting round the table, facing the door is the main seat. Higher grade hotels, will be distinguished with a napkin, napkins, not just the tallest position to sit, unless you intend to better treat.The more popular Chinese food feast of modern etiquette is to continue the traditional ritual with reference to foreign countries on the basis of evolved. The banquet seating to the right by the West as the law, the first guest of honor sat in the owner the right, the second guest of honor guest of honor at the first host on the left or right side of the door to face the master, of course, is greeted errands Pieria sitting Table manners in the West: the hostess announced that dinner is ready, the man of the house in turn will lead the guests seated, while the hostess is walking at the end. Some owners will be careful to place the name cards on the table to show seating, if not this arrangement, then the principle is generally seating arrangements: separate seating arrangements for men and women sitting on the principle, priority seating male subject and object, its location in the hostess the right, while the female subject and object in the male subject and object on the right, the other couple seated diagonally places.Men and women showeda couple sit in the open and lively American banquet hope that with a feast on the seating arrangements to enhance each other's familiar, but also can dine topic diversification, atmosphere and music.Serving orderWay serving the whole of the following: First, the side dish market self-created by the people; second is holding a dinner plate by the waiter points to each to each; third is in full bloom with small dishes, each A. In a formal banquet, eat dishes like the slide show, each dish.So how do you call it a meal of Chinese food Be called a cold to stimulate the appetite, then called a pot of soup, hot soup will help increase the body temperature began to drink hot soup after tasting main course, usually called the main course according to their own tastes, but it is necessary is called a plate full of spicy dishes, was considered appropriate for the meal of Chinese food, to spicy rice dishes with light, so spicy and mild dishes, rice light and fragrant;The finale of a meal is a dessert food, usually soup, such as red bean paste, sesame paste, etc., there are other types, such as pudding, pancakes, ice cream, the same sweet and delicious.These programs not only make the wholefeast harmonious and orderly process, but also to subject-object identity and emotion to reflect and exchange. Therefore, the table manners can feast on the activities of a successful comprehensive, so that the cultivation of both subject and object has been fully demonstrated.TablewareChopsticks are the main lunch dishes. Use chopsticks, you usually have dual use. Use chopsticks to take food, meals, pay attention to the following minor problems: First, regardless of whether the remnants of food chopsticks, do not lick.Licked to take their food with chopsticks, poured appetite; second, and talking to people, to temporarily put down the chopsticks, not side to speak, while wildly dancing like a baton chopsticks; Third, do not put chopsticks on the food above the vertical interpolation. Because of this interpolation method, only the offerings to the dead when it is used; four functions are strictly chopsticks. Folder is used chopsticks to take food. To teeth, scratching or folders to take food to things that are beyond rude.The main role is to scoop a spoon to take food, food. Sometimes, when feeding with chopsticks, spoon can also be used to assist. Try not to pick a single dish with a spoon.Scoop the food in, you can place in the original "pause" moment, when the soup will not go down dirty, back again to enjoy. Not being spoon should be placed on his plate, do not put it directly on the table, or make it in the food "stand at attention."With a spoon to take food, to eat immediately, or on their dish, do not then it fell back into place. If access to food too hot, not with a spoon to scoop to scoop, and do not mouth the blow, you can first put it in your bowl so cool, and then eat. Do not spoon stuffed into his mouth, or repeatedly sucking, licking. Point of the plate is smaller plates, mainly to hold the food, and bowls come first in use. Plate on the table generally stay in place, and do not stack together. The main role of the food dish is used to temporarily put the food tray from the public access to enjoy the dishes.Do not eat the residue, bone, thorn do not spit on the ground, on the table, but should be taken lightly on the front of food dish, put the time can not be directly from the mouth spit in the food dish on the plate to use chopsticks into the next. If the food dish filled, so that attendants can change.Glass is mainly used in full bloom water, soft drinks, fruit juice, cola and other soft drinks use. Do not use it to hold wine, and do not upside down cup. In addition, the drink into his mouth and then spit back what is not glass.In the United States on the table: There are Western cutlery knives, forks, spoons, plates, glasses and so on. Methods in place, Chinese food is simple, and Western is more complicated. The Western world senior banquet table is the basic uniform swing.Soup should be to the inside scoop from the outer edge of the dishes, not to stay after drinking spoon in a bowl, should be placed on a plate. If the soup is used for deep dish, spoon should be placed on deep-dish, spoon handle toward the right. In tea or coffee, exhausted after the transfer should be placed on a plate spoon, directly pick up the coffee cup on the mouth, rather than transfer to scoop with a spoon.Stop cooking methodIn China the table, finished eating, chopsticks should be neatly put in a bowl on the right by the table, and so everyone should have put down the chopsticks, the only left their seats when the host signal, can not finish their meals, they dropped the chopsticks left the meeting.In the West on the table, the end of the arrangements and a meal in two ways: the end of the meal, you can fork up the following, a knife and fork in the blade side close together, placed in parallel on the plate, put the handle as far as possible into the plate, the touch and soavoid the drop, the waiter also easier to clean up.When attending wedding banquets, regardless of how the dishes put into the "dining in" position, as long as the end of the main guests dine, they should immediately put all the dishes put away. So dinner, remember that begin with the center of the main guests.At the banquet, each with a knife and fork to eat a dish, placed in front of the knife and fork, is accessible from the outside inward in turn, placed the order because the fork is the order of each dish served. Run out of knives and forks, serving also ended.Half-way conversation or rest is required, it should be eight-shaped flat knife and fork was mounted on both sides of the plate. On the contrary, the handle toward your knife and fork side by side on a plate, then the dish has been properly used; the waiter will put the plate removed.Appetizer or dessert, if it is directly eaten with a fork folded his food, definitely not necessary to deliberately use a knife. Never used the knife on the table so you can, the waiter will automatically be taken away.Part VI Topic selection and differences in privacyMany topics are Westerners and Chinese people can accept. Suchas personal hobbies, holidays, weather, local or national events, professional movies or books. But many Western think the following topics related to personal privacy, therefore, when dealing with them, talk about these topics must be cautious.1.Age. In Western society, people are reluctant to talk about their age, not willing to tell others about this inquiry, particularly women, whether young or old. Of course there are exceptions, some elderly people will be glad to tell other people their age, especially when they think they were also relatively very young. But not how to directly ask people age, are unwise, unless someone voluntarily talking about.2.Income. Chinese people ask each other how much money is a common occurrence. But the West that a person's income is entirely a private matter, even among family members, may not know each other monthly salary, so you should avoid asking such questions.3.The price. In the West people can talk about price, but usually will not ask each other how much was spent to sell things, to ask such questions have to use indirect expression, I really like it! Was it expensive Because such an indirect question is asked so that the other some room for maneuver, she not onlycan tell how much money you can generally say "oh, It 'not cheap." and so on.4.Westerners talk about family usually asks the question: Is your family a large one Are there in your family This question is more flexible, the other party can talk about their parents, brothers and sisters; if a married person can talk about their spouses and children.If you ask the question: Is your husband with you How many children have you got Had not been married or divorced person will feel very embarrassed to talk. If we then asked: What are you planning to start your family More appropriate.Because it may interfere with others suspected of private life, to know that the Anglo-American concept of privacy people have serious, they think everyone has to keep their secrets from infringement of rights, and the Anglo-American who also non-Cheng sensitive private matter, so with them exchanges, the best try to avoid the topic.End-notes:Difference is a very rich and extremely complex issue. To communicate between the two languages, communication, expression, in addition to proficiency in the language of the two countries, but also must have a strong cultural foundation of the two languages, a deep understanding of cultural differences. The only way to not only do the equivalent on the meaning of language, culture and sense of truly equivalent, it can be handy in daily communication with ease.References1. 邓昌言、刘润清，《语言与文化》外语教学与研究出版社，1989.2. 陈林华，“文化差异与教学”，《山东外语教学》，1991,3.3. 王得杏，《英语话语分析与跨文化交际》，北京语言文化大学出版社，1998.4. 王福祥、吴汉樱，《文化与语言》，外语教学与研究出版社，1994.。
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