中西跨文化交际课程情景案例分析

Unit1LanguageandCultureinCommunicationTheoryCommunicationissomethingwedoeveryday.Ittakesplacesonaturallythatwesimplyfailtonoticeituntilithiccupsorbreaksdown.Thoughitiscommonplace,itisnoexaggerationtosaythatcommunicationislifeandlifeiscommunication.1.Whenyoujoinasocialgathering,youmustbeawareofrulesandproceduresthatgovernthewaythingsaregoingtoproceed.Thereisatechnicaltermforsuchrulesandprocedures—schema.2.Faceandpolitenessaretwootherareaswhichareextremelyvalue—sensitive.OneofthedistinctivefeaturesofChinesepolitenessisself—denigrationandother—elevation.Case1:Litzisaprofessorofcross—culturalcommunicationinauniversityinFinland.SheinvitedherChinesestudentshomeforaneveningparty.TheschemafromLitz’spointofviewincludesthefollowing:1.Givinginvitation:byphone/bymail2.Prepareeverythingbeforethearrivalofguests3.Receivingguests:openthedoor/expresswelcome/taketheirovercoats/introduceguests/offerthemdrinks/makethemcomfortable4.Servingfood:setthetable/soupfirst/maincourse/desert5.Postdinneractivities:chat/playmusic/offermoredrinks6.Seeingguestsoff:thankthemforcoming/goodnightLitz’seveningpartywasnotverysuccessful,becauseshewasupsetbyoneofherguests.HerewastheinitialconversationbetweenLitzandLin:Litz:(opensthedoor)Oh,Lin,howniceyoucouldcome!Lin:It’snotdifficulttofindyourhouse.Litz:Comeonin.Lin:(comesin)Litz:CanItakeyourcoat?Lin:No,thanks.Litz:Ok,thiswayplease.Lin:(takeoffhercoatandhangsit)Analysis:LitzwashurtbecauseLindidnotletherhanghercoat.Litz’sofferingtohangLin’scoatisoneofLitz’sways(it’sonLitz’sschema).OnLin’sside,shethoughtthatLitzwashersupervisorandthatitwasinappropriatetolethersupervisorhanghercoat.Herewehaveaninstanceofoneactionattachedwithdifferentculturalvalues.Case2:FindinganInterestedBuyerGeorageHallwasinBeijingattendingatradefairandlookingforanopportunitytodobusinessinChina.HehadbeenverysuccessfulinhisbusinessdealingsintheUSandpridedhimselfonhisability“togetthingsmoving.”Hisfirstdaywasgoingwell.Helookedaroundatthedisplaysofsportingequipmenttogetsomeideaofwhomhemightapproach.Hewassurethathisproducts,tennisracketswithanunusualnewdesign,wouldarousesomeinterests.Ontheseconddayheapproachedthecompanywhichhefeltwouldbemostresponsivetohisproducts.Heintroducedhimselftothegeneral,aMr.Li.SincehehadreadthatChinesefindgettingdowntobusinessimmediatelytooabruptandrude,hebeganacasualconversation,eventuallyleadinguptothetopicofhisproductsandsuggestinghowMr.Li’scompanymightbenefitfromusingthem.GeorgethensuggestedthathecouldarrangetogettogetherwithMr.Liandprovidemorespecificsanddocumentationonhisproducts.Mr.LirespondedinfairlygoodEnglish,”Thatwouldbeinteresting.”KnowingthathehadonlyafewdaysleftinBeijing,Georgewantedtonaildownatime,”Whencanwemeet?”askedGeorge.“Ah.Thisweekisverybusy,”repliedMr.Li.“Itsureis,”saidGeorge,”Howabout10o’clock?Meetyouhere.”“Tomorrowat10o’clock?”askedMr.Lithoughtfully.“Right,”saidGeorge,“I’llseeyouthen?”“Hmm,yes;whydon’tyoucomebytomorrow,”wasthereply.“OK,”respondedGeorge,”Itwasnicemeetingyou.”Thenextdayat10o’clockheapproachedMr.Li’scompany’sexhibitonlytofindthatMr.LihadsomeimportantbusinessandwasnotabletomeetwithGeorge.HecalledbacklaterinthedayandwastoldthatMr.Liwasnotavailable.Analysis:英美人士做事情讲究守时。而中国人不太重视这方面。本案列中，李先生不仅没有准时接见预约的客户，甚至放了他“鸽子”。Case3:ProfessorLianghaswrittenabookonChinesecultureinChinese.HisbookisputondisplayinBeijingInternationalBookFair’96.ProfessorLiangwouldliketohavehisbooktranslatedintoEnglishandsubmittedtoThompsonPublishers.ProfessorLianghasaskedLiYan,whomhemeetsregularlyintheEnglishCorner,tohelphimtotalktoPeterAllright,aThompsonrepresentative.Prof.Liang:奥莱特先生，这是鄙人的拙作。LiTan:Mr.Allright,thisaclumsybookwrittenbyyourhumbleservant.MrAllright:No,no,no,you'renotmyhumbleservant.WedonotpublishbooksinChinese.LiYan(toProfessorLiang):不，不，不，你不是我的仆人，我们不出中文书。ProfessorLiang:我要请李艳翻译成英文。LiYan(toMr.Allright):ProfessorLiangwillaskmetotranslateitintoEnglish.Mr.Allright:Mmthat’sinteresting.Analysis:Chineseauthorsalmostalwaysbelittletheirworksbydescribingthemasclumsywritings,andtheyusethesamedescriptionwhentheypresentthemtoChinesepublishers.Butthiswillbecounter—productiveinEnglish.Instead,authorsshouldpointoutthemeritsoftheirworksratherthan“clumsiness”.Unit2CultureShockTheory:1.Cultureshockcanbedescribedasthefeelingofconfusionanddisorientationthatoneexperienceswhenfacedwithalargenumberofnewandunfamiliarpeopleandsituations.2.Thereisadesireforindependenceandseparateness,foundinforeigners'needsfortheirownprivacyandautonomy3.Hospitalitymeansthecordialandgenerousreceptionofordispositiontowardguests.4.Politenessreferstotheconsiderationforothers,tact,andobservanceofacceptedsocialusage.5.Privacycouldbeunderstoodastherightofanindividualtoself-determinationastothedegreetowhichtheindividualiswillingtosharewithothersinformationabouthimself.Case1:Jane,anAmericanteacherintheUS,hadjuststartedteachingEnglishtoagroupofJapanesestudents.Shewantedtogettoknowthestudentsmoreformally,sosheinvitedthemtoherhouseforparty.Thestudentsallarrivedtogetheratexactly8:00p.m.Theyseemedtoenjoytheparty:theydanced,sang,andatemostofthefood.Atabout