《新编跨文化交际英语教程》复习资料U5

1/6Unit5CultureandVerbalCommunicationSomeIdeasRelatedtoverbalcommunicationandculture1.DifferentorientationstocommunicationpatternsEastAsianorientation1.processorientation—communicationisperceivedasaprocessofinfiniteinterpretation2.differentiatedlinguisticcodes—differentlinguisticscodesareuseddependinguponpersonsinvolvedandsituations3.indirectcommunicationemphasis—theuseofindirectcommunicationisprevalentandacceptedasnormative4.receivercentered—meaningisintheinterpretation,Emphasisisonlistening,sensitivity,andremovalofpreconception.NorthAmericanorientation1.communicationisperceivedasthetransferenceofmessages2.Lessdifferentiatedlinguisticcodes—linguisticcodesarenotasextensivelydifferentiatedasEastAsia3.Directcommunicationemphasis—directcommunicationisnormdespitetheextensiveuseofindirectcommunication4.sendercentered—meaningisinthemessagecreatedbythesender.Emphasisisonhowtoformulatethebestmessage,howtoimprovesourcecredibilityanddeliveryskills2.DirectandIndirectVerbalInteractionStylesThetoneofvoice,thespeaker’sintention,andtheverbalcontentreflectourwayofspeaking,ourverbalstyle,whichinturnreflectsourculturalandpersonalvaluesandsentiments.Verbalstyleframes“how”amessageshouldbeinterpreted.Thedirect-indirectverbalinteractiondimensioncanbethoughtofasstraddlingacontinuum.Individualsinallculturesusethegradationsofalltheseverbalstyles,dependingonroleidentities,interactiongoals,andsituations.However,inindividualisticcultures,peopletendtoencountermoresituationsthatemphasizethepreferentialuseofdirecttalk,person-orientedverbalinteraction,verbalself-enhancement,andtalkativeness.Incontrast,incollectivisticcultures,peopletendtoencountermoresituationsthatemphasizethepreferentialuseofindirecttalk,status-orientedverbalinteraction,verbalself-effacement,andsilence.Thedirectandindirectstylesdifferintheextenttowhichcommunicatorsrevealtheirintentionsthroughtheirtoneofvoiceandthestraightforwardnessoftheircontentmessage.Inthedirectverbalstyle,statementsclearlyrevealthespeaker’sintentionsandareenunciatedinaforthrighttoneofvoice.Intheindirectverbalstyle,ontheotherhand,verbalstatementstendtocamouflagethespeaker’sactualintentionsandarecarriedoutwithmorenuancedtoneofvoice.Forexample,theoverallU.S.Americanverbalstyleoftencallsforclearanddirectcommunication.2/6Phrasessuchas“saywhatyoumean,”“don’tbeataroundthebush,”and“gettothepoint”aresomeexamples.ThedirectverbalstyleofthelargerU.S.cultureisreflectiveofitslow-contextcommunicationcharacter.3.Person-OrientedandStatus-OrientedVerbalStylesTheperson-orientedverbalstyleisindividual-centeredverbalmodethatemphasizestheimportanceofinformalityandrolesuspension.Thestatus-orientedverbalstyleisarole-centeredverbalmodethatemphasizesformalityandlargepowerdistance.Theformeremphasizestheimportanceofsymmetricalinteraction,whereasthelatterstressesasymmetricalinteraction.Theperson-orientedverbalstyleemphasizestheimportanceofrespectingunique,personalidentitiesintheinteraction.Thestatus-orientedverbalstyleemphasizestheimportanceofhonoringprescribedpower-basedmembershipidentities.Thosewhoengageinstatus-orientedverbalinteractionusespecificvocabulariesandparalinguisticfeaturestoaccentuatethestatusdistanceoftherolerelationships(e.g.,inparent-childinteraction,superior-subordinaterelations,andmale-femaleinteractioninmanyLatinAmericancultures).Whilelow-contextculturestendtoemphasizetheuseoftheperson-orientedverbalstyle,high-contextculturestendtovaluethestatus-orientedverbalmode.4.Self-EnhancementandSelf-EffacementVerbalStylesTheself-enhancementverbalstyleemphasizestheimportanceofboastingaboutone’saccomplishmentsandabilities.Theself-effacementverbalstyle,ontheotherhand,emphasizestheimportanceofhumblingoneselfviaverbalrestraints,hesitations,modesttalk,andtheuseofself-deprecationconcerningone’seffortorperformance.Forexample,inmanyAsiancultures,self-effacementtalkisexpectedtosignalmodestyorhumility.InJapan,whenoneofferssomethingtoanotherpersonsuchasagiftoramealthatonehasprepared,verbalself-deprecationisexpected.Therearesetexpressionsforverbalhumilitysuchas“It’snotverytasty”and“It’snothingspecial.”Thehostesswhoapologizestohergueststhat“Thereisnothingspecialtoofferyou”hasprobablysentthebetterpartoftwodaysplanningandpreparingthemeal.Ofcoursetheguestshouldprotestsuchadisclaimerandreemphasizeherorhisgratitude.Self-effacementisanecessarypartofJapanesepolitenessrituals.IntheU.S.culture,individualsareencouragedtosellandboastaboutthemselves,forexample,inperformancerevieworjobinterviewsessions,orelsenoonewouldnoticetheiraccomplishments.However,thenotionofmerchandizingoneselfdoesnotsetwellwiththeJapanese.InJapan,onedoesnotliketostandoutorbesingledout,evenbyothers;itisfarworsetopromoteoneself.InmanyAsiancultures,individualsbelievethatiftheirperformanceisgood,theirbehaviorwillbenoticed,forexample,bytheirsupervisorsduringpromotionreviewsituations.However,fromtheWesternculturalstandpoint,ifmyperformanceisgood,Ishoulddocumentorboastaboutitsothatmysupervisorwillbesuretotakenotice.Thisdifferenceisprobablyduetotheobserver-sensitivevalueofthe3/6A