跨文化交际案例分析

Case1:SheHasThreeHandsInthefollowingscenario,aChinesedoctor,apatientandaphysiotherapistinteract.AfemaleneurologistfromBeijingwasworkingonaresearchprojectinaTorontohospital.ShesharedasmallofficewithayoungCanadianmalefromalargefamily,wholovedpeanutbutter.Hewassofondofpeanutbutterthathekeptajarintheoffice.Onedayhecameintotheofficeandexclaimed,“Whotookmypeanutbutter?”ButtheChinesewomanimmediatelyfeltaccused.Afterall,therewereonlytwoofthemintheoffice.Shewasdeeplydistressed,buttruetoherlearnedculturalbehaviorofnevershowingangerinpublic,shesaidnothing.Laterthatdayshewasworkinginaroomwherethephysiotherapistwastreatingapatientwhosufferedparalysisofhislegsandarmsfromamotorcycleaccident.Thephysiotherapistmovedoneofthepatient’slegsinawaythatcausedhimpain.“Ouch!”hecried.“Oh,Ididn’tdothat,”saidthephysiotherapist.“Itwasthatdoctoroverthere,”andhepointedtotheChinesewoman.“Howcouldshehavedoneitsinceshe’sontheothersideoftheroom?”thepatientpointedout.“Ah,shehasthreehands.”thephysiotherapistreplied.AtthesewordstheChinesedoctorbecameevenmoreupset.Shewassodisturbedthatshebehavedinawayuncharacteristicofherculture.Shewaiteduntilthepatienthadgone,andthensaidtothephysiotherapist,“I’mveryupsetbywhatyousaid.”Thephysiotherapistwastakenaback.“WhathadIsaid?”“YousaidIhadthreehands,”theChinesedoctorfinallychoked.“YouthinkItookthepeanutbutter.”Answerthefollowingquestions:1.Howdoyouunderstandthephrase“tohavethreehands”?(3分)2.Whatcausedtheircommunicationconflicts?（7分）Case1:ThiscasecanreflectthedifferentcommunicationstylesbetweenChineseandCanadians.Inwesterncultures,communicationisthemeansoftransmittingideas.Westernpeopleusuallycommunicatedirectlywitheachother.ThatiswhytheCanadianinthiscasesayswhatisinhisminddirectlyinfrontoftheChinesewomanwithouthidinganything.WhileChineseculturestressesharmonyandemphasizestherelationshipsbetweenthecommunicators.Chinesepeopleviewcommunicationasaprocesswhereallpartiesaresearchingtodevelopandmaintainasocialrelationship.SotheChinesewomaninthiscasetriesnottoarguewiththeCanadianfacetofacetokeepthe“harmoniousrelationship”betweenthem.Case2:LeftintheColdKatherinecametoBeijingin1998andfoundajobasanEnglishteacherinaforeignlanguageinstitute.Soonafterherclassesbeganshefoundthatherstudentsshowednointerestinherteachingstyle.Quiteafewofthemavoidedattendingherclass.ShewasfeelingquiteupsetanddiscouragedsoshedecidedtoasktheDirector,Prof.Wangforhelp.Prof.Wangreviewedhistimetableandsuggestedtheymeetatteno’clockonThursdaymorning.WhenThursdaycame,KatherinearrivedatProf.Wang’sofficeattheexactlyteno’clockfindinghimtalkingwithanotherteacherinChinese.Seeingthatshehadcome,Prof.Wangsmiledandgesturedhertositdown.Katherinesatdownandtheprofessorexcusedhimselfandcontinuedtotalkwiththeotherteacher.Afterfiveminutes,hefinishedhisconversation,andapologizedtoKatherine,andbegantofocushisattentiononhersituation.Prof.Wangshowedgreatconcernandaskedherwhattheproblemwas.Justasshewasdiscussingherproblem,anotherChineseteacherinterrupted,withaformthatrequiredtheDirector’ssignature.TheDirectorsmiled,apologizedtoKatherineagain,andturnedtotalkwiththeChineseteacherinChinese.Katherinebecameimpatient,andwonderedwhytheirdiscussionshouldbeinterruptedsinceshehadmadeanappointment.Also,shewasupsetandfrustratedthattheycontinuedtospeakChineseinfrontofher.Althoughtheirtalkcontinued,shewasapparentlyunhappyaboutwhathadhappened.Answerthefollowingquestions:1.HowwouldyouexplaintheDirector’sbehaviortowardKathrine?（5分）2.HowwouldyoumaketheDirectorunderstandwhyKatherinefeltfrustratedandangry?（5分）Case2:CommentThisisatypicalculturalclashbetweenChineseandWesterners.Thereisagreatdifferenceintheconceptofappointmentanditsbehaviorpatternindifferentcultures.ToAmericans,anappointmentisaconfirmationtomeetataprecisetime.Ifanappointmentisscheduled,bothpartiesshouldrespecttheappointmenttime.Forexample,ifaprofessormakesanappointmentwithastudentatacertaintime,itshouldnotbeinterruptedbyotherthingsorpeople.Inaddition,Westernersaregoodtimekeepers;theyadherestrictlytoschedules.However,Chineseviewappointmentsinamoreflexiblemanner.Theyaremorecasualaboutcommitments.ThisdifferenceinattitudestowardappointmentwastherootofKatherine’sunhappiness.SincetheDirectormadeantena’clockappointment,heshouldhavetriedtoavoidanyinterruption.However,whenKatherinearrivedontime,theDirectorwasstilltalkingwithanotherteacher.Whentheirmeetingfinallybegan,itwasinterruptedagain.ThereisnowonderKatherinebecamefrustratedandangry.Case3:PersonalSpaceMarkhadrecentlymovedfromDenmarktoSydneytoworkasasalespersonforalargeAustraliancompany.Afterthreeweeks,hewasinvitedtojoinalocalclub.Duringthefirstfewweeksattheclub,Markwouldeitherstandinthecornertalkingwithsomeoneorsitonasofalisteningtootherpeopletalkandchat.Astimewentby,hecametoknowmostoftheclubmembersandseemedtoenjoytalkingwiththem.Oneday,ataneveningpartyoneofthefemalemembersapproachedhim.Markimmediatelyshowedhisinterestbytalkingabouttheatmosphereoftheparty.Atfirst,theconversationbetweenthemseemedtogoquitesmoothly,butasitprogressedtheladyseemedtostepfurtherandfurtherawayfromMarkasheha