A-Contrastive-Study-of-Politeness-in-English-and-C

第1页共11页AContrastiveStudyofPolitenessinEnglishandChineseCultureAbstract:Differentlanguagesandculturesofacountryhavedifferentkindsofexpressionofpolite.AdeepunderstandingofthedifferencesbetweenChineseandEnglishpolitenessprincipleanditsorigin,whichishelpfulforcross-culturalcommunicationandimprovingtheabilitytocross-culturalcommunicate.Inthispaper,itisbeginwiththedifferentculturebackgroundofpolite;discussestheoriginofpoliteness;analyzesthereasonsforthesedifferences,andsummarizesthedifferencesinEnglishandChineseculture.LearningthedifferentusagesofEnglishandChinesepoliteisaimsatpointingoutthatpeoplecanputthepolitenessintorightusageonlyifpeopleunderstandcorrectlyabouttheusageofthepolitenessprincipleindifferentcultures;onlyinthisway,wecanavoidsomemistakes,misunderstandingorevenconflicts;thus,wecanpromotethecross-culturalcommunicationgoingeffectivelyandtobeinthebestcondition.Keywords:polite,differentculture,use,communication1.IntroductionProbably,insubconsciousmind,everyonemayhavestrongdesireforotherpeople'srespectandadmiration.Asaresult,politenessappeared.Asoneofthebasiccriterionsofcommunicativeactivities,politenessisatooltomaintainharmoniousinterpersonalrelationshipanditisanimportantsymbolofhumancivilization.Duetotheculturaldifferences,differentnationalitieshavedifferentunderstandingsofpoliteness,andthepoliteprinciplestheyfollowedaregreatlydifferent,too.Thesefactors,suchaslanguagecourtesy,valueorientationandmodeofthinkingarecloselylinked.Itisnecessaryforpeopletoknowclearlyaboutthedifferencesofpolitenessprinciplesincross-culturalcommunication.IfweunderstandthedifferencesbetweenEnglishandChinesecultureandgettheunderstandingofthetargetlanguageculture.Thenweareabletoavoidpragmaticfailurecausedbytheculturaldifferencesduringthecross-culturalcommunication;ultimately,wecanavoidunnecessaryconflictsand第2页共11页misunderstandingscausedbyculturaldifferencestoimprovetheinterpersonalskillsincross-culturalcommunicationandpromotethedevelopmentofharmonioussociety.1.1BriefIntroductionofPolitenessinEnglishThemeaningofpolitenessinEnglandhaschangedalot.Duringthepastfiftyyears，manywesternresearcherstriedtodefinepoliteness.AccordingtoOxfordAdvancedLearner’sDictionaryofCurrentEnglish,politenessmeanstheattempttoestablish,maintain,andsavefaceduringconversation(1997:1531).Lakeoffholdstheviewthatpolitenessisamethodusedinordertoreducefrictionininterpersonalcommunication(1974:292-305).Leechexplainspolitenessasformsofbehavioraimedattheestablishmentandmaintenanceofcomityandfriendship(1983:104).Thatistheabilityofparticipantsinasocio-communicativeinteractionengagedininteractionorcommunicationinarelativelyharmoniousatmosphere.Thispointofpolitenessistominimizetheeffectsofimpolitestatementsandtomaximizethepolitenessofpolitewords(LiuR.Q.1997).SociolinguisticsResearchGroupfromtheEnglishDepartmentofJapanWomen’sUniversitydescribepolitenessas“oneoftheconstraintsonhumaninteractionorcommunication,whosepurposeistoconsiderothers’feelings，andtoestablishlevelsofnaturalcomfort,andpromoterapport”(1957:273).BrownandLevinsonviewpolitenessas“acomplexsystemforsofteningface-threateningacts”(1978a:56-289).Politenessisthereforeatermtorefertostrategiesavailabletointeractionstodefuseandreducethedangerandtominimizetheantagonism.Itiswell-knownthatpolitenessisasocialculturalphenomenon;itcanbedefinedasshowingorappearingtoshowconsiderationofothers.1.2BriefIntroductionofPolitenessinChineseInChina,theconnotativemeaningofpolitealsohasalonghistory.Atthebeginning,theconceptofpolitenesscanbetracedbacktothenotionof礼(rite).ItreferstothesocialhierarchyandorderoftheslavesocietyoftheZhouDynasty.In礼记(abookofrite),whichisoneofthesixConfucianclassicscompiledbyDaiShen,theclassicalChinesenotionof礼wasdescribedas“tohumbleyourselfbutshowrespecttoothers”(1386).ThepolitenessinmodernChinaisbelievedtobederived第3页共11页fromthisnotion.Chinahaslongbeenknownasalandofcourtesyandcivilization.Itisreallyenoughtoestimatethequalityofapersonbypolite.ProfessorGufromBeijingInternationalStudiesUniversityputsitthattherearebasicallyfournotionsunderlyingtheChineseconceptionof礼貌(1990:237-257).Theyare：respectfulness,whichreferstoself’spositiveappreciationoradmirationofotherconcerningface,socialstatusandsoon;modesty,whichisawayofshowingself-denigration;attitudinalwarmth,whichinvolvesself’sdemonstrationofkindness,considerationandhospitalitytoother;andrefinement,whichreferstoself’sbehaviortootherwhichmeetscertainstandards.ThesearethekeycomponentsofChineseconceptofpoliteness.2.DifferentOriginsofPolitenessTheoriginalconceptsof“polite”invariouscultureshavesomethingincommon.However,indifferentcultures，theexpressionsofpolitenesshavesomedifferences.Thesedifferencesaregraduallyformedbyinfluenceofsociety,history,culture,geographyandsoon.ThusitisimportantforustolearnaboutthedifferentoriginsofpoliteinEnglishandChineseculture.2.1TheOriginalConceptofPolitenessinChineseInChina,theconceptpolitenesshasalonghistory.Itoriginatedintheancient礼(theritual),namely礼制(ritualsystem).Asisknowntoall,the礼ofancientChinesephilosophyisanimportantpartofConfu