从恭维语看中西(美)文化差异 Comparision between Chinese and

从恭维语看中西(美)文化差异ComparisionbetweenChineseandAmericancultures—FromthePerspectiveofComplimentsOutline1.Definitionofcompliment2.Aimofthestudy3.Thetopicsconcernedaboutthecompliments3.1Ontheappearance3.2Ontheachievementorability4.Thedifferentattitudesandresponsestowardsthecompliments5.ThedifferentculturesbetweenChinaandAmerica----[notes]6.Whatmakesthedifferences?7.Conclusion1.Definitionofcompliment•ComplimentisoneofthemostfrequentlyusedlanguagephenomenainbothChineseandAmericansocieties.ThedifferencesofsocialsystemsandculturalbackgroundsbetweenchinaandAmericaleadtothedissimilaritiesofcomplimentperformanceandresponse.•ThispaperdiscussesthesimilaritiesanddifferencesbetweenChineseandAmericanculturesfromtheimplementationofandresponsetocompliments.2.Aimofthestudy•Avoidmisunderstanding,trouble,andhelpus•Helptodealwiththeproblemscomingfromculturaldiversity3.Thetopicsconcernedaboutthecompliments•Whatcomplimentorssayareaffectedgreatlybytheirvalues,socialregulations,culturalbackgrounds,etc.•Bothdifferencesandsimilaritiesexist.3.1Ontheappearance•3.1.1Topraiseawoman•Amalewillsay:YouarethemostbeautifulwomanIhaveseen!•Afemalewillsay:Youcertainlylookeleganttoday!Thedifference...Men•Focusontheknowledgeofouterworld,theirthinkingiscreativeandoutgoing,thecharacterisstraight,independentandcompetitive.Women•Focusontheknowledgeofinnerworld,theyusetheinstinct,imaginationandinspirationtoseetheworldinawhole,theyareveiled,mildandharmonious.Somepunditsreckon…•Western(American)thinkingmodes•Closetoman•Chinesetraditionalthinkingmodes•WomanishExamples...3.1.2IntheUS,whenamanmeetsawomanwearingbeautifulclothes:•Toaclosefemalefriend:“Sexyskirt”•Toacommonfemalefriend:“nicesweater”Notes:Buttomalefriends,nocomplimentswillbeused.Similarly,inChineseculture,mostmenthink“Appearanceistowomenwhatabilityistomen.”3.1.3Moredifferencesaboutthecomplimentsinsocialoccasions•IntheEnglishandAmericanculture•Theyoftenpraisetheirownfamilies,includingtheirspouses,parentsandchildren.•IntheChineseculture•Thecomplimentsreceiversareusuallyothers’familymembersinsteadoftheirown.3.2Ontheachievements&ability•3.2.1Complimemtsthemselves…IntheUS•Thecomplimentsaremoreabouttheresultinsteadoftheconditionsoftheperson.InChineseculture•Thecomplimentsarebasedonsomeone’stalentandpersonality.3.2.2Complimentpurpose…IntheUS•Thecomplimentsoftencomefromthesuperiortothesubordinatestomaintaingoodrelationbetweenthem.Notes:•IntheUS,complimentonabilityandachievementsisaveryseriousthing,onlyonewhoisqualifiedenoughcanpaycomplimenttoothers.InChinese•Exactlythedifferent•ItisrareforChinesetopraiseother’sworkabilityandachievementsofthesamelevel,butit’scommontoflattertheirsuperiorsontheabilityandachievementstogetafavorableimpression.4.Thedifferentattitudesandresponsestowardsthecompliments•Generallyspeaking,people’sattitudesandresponsesarelimitedbytheruleof“agree”and“modest”,still,underthedifferentculturalbackground,theirresponsesaredifferent.4.1American’sresponses•Mostly,wehearAmericanreply“Thankyou!”tothecompliments.Still,someotherrepliesarealsotypical.4.1.1Thecomplimentreceivershowagreementfirst,thenevaluateitfromanobjectivewaytoavoidgettingcomplimentdirectly.Eg:•A:Ilikeyourshoes.Theyarelovely.•B:Igotthemthreeyearsago,butIstilllovethemverymuch.•4.1.2Complimentback•Inthisway,thecomplimentwillcomebacktothegiver.Eg:•A:Youarefunny.•B:No,youareagoodlistener.4.2Chinese’sresponses4.2.1Obscureandinexplicitreply.•MostChineseareintrovertedandveiled,theyusuallychoosenottounveiltheirinnerheart,andsometimesitisdifficultforustojudgethetruthfromaChinese’swordsorfacialexpression.So,somepeoplethinkChinesecultureisakindof“BlockCulture”(墙文化).Eg…Chinese•A:你的毛衣真漂亮！•B:还凑合吧，昨天买的。American•A:That’sanicesweater,Ilikeit.•B:Thanks,I’mgladyoulikeit.Notes:•Accordingtotheconversationsabove,wecansee,Americanreplyisstraight,frankandmakescomplimentgivercomfortable.WhileChinesechoosetosaysomethingelse,itsoundsratherwastingother’sgoodintention.4.2.2negativereply.•Inthiskindofreply,speakerthinkthepersonorsomethingisnotworththepraise,thereplysoundsthatthecomplimentdoesn’ttellthetruth.•Chineseoftenfocusontheveiledmeaning,andtheywillneverpraisethemselvesinpublic.So,whentheyhearthecompliment,theyarelikelytonegateorlowthemselvestoshowmodest.Belowisatypicalexampletoshowthis…•A:祝贺你荣获大赛第一名！•B:惭愧惭愧！我真不配得这个奖，我的作品其实比别人的差多了…4.2.3Weakeningreply.•Inthisway,thespeakerthinkthepraiseistooheavy,sospeakerpicksoutsomeweakpointsandexpressthepraiseisoverstated.Eg:•A:你做的新发型真漂亮！•B:哪里哪里，看起来人老了好多。Notes:•Hearingothers’compliments,Chineseareaccustomedtopicksomeshortcomings.Forthisisbasedonitsculturalbackground,sometimesit’shardforforeignerstounderstand.5.ComparisonbetweenChineseandAmericancultureshowedincompliments•5.1Similarity•A.Thecomplimentsonbeautifulappearancearemostlyforwomen.•B.BothChineseandAmericanfocusonpeople’sachievementandability.5.2DifferenceA.Differentattitudetooneself.•Chineserespectothersbutlowthemselves.ButAmericanrespectbothothersandthemselves.•不同之处在于中国人的恭维体现在“卑己尊人”上，而美国人则“尊人”不“卑己”。•“恭维语的社会功能必须以交往者共享的文化取向、价值观念以及社会结构特点为基础。而中美文化中恭维语实施方面的差异，说到底是文化差异