中美文化差异概况(英文版)

CulturesinContrast---SomeDifferencesBetweenAmericansandChineseRobertBoldingSchillingFarmsMiddleSchoolGeneralRemarksAnunderstandingofthedifferencesbetweenpeoplefromdifferentculturesisofvitalimportanceforharmoniousrelationships.Ourexperiencetellsusthatarulewhichispassionatelyheldtobecorrecttodaywasequallyandfirmlyfrownedonatsomeothertimeorinsomeotherplace.GeneralRemarksItisprobablythedifferentwaysofthinkingthatleadthedifferentpeopletothedifferentunderstandingsofacertainphenomenonintermsofculture.DifferentWaysofThinkingThecommentsonthepictures:Thebluepictureindicatesthewayofthinking,“callaspadeaspade”.Theredpictureindicatesthe“implicit&mild”wayinthinking.DifferentWaysofThinkingThe“implicit&mild”wayinthinkingcouldbedatedbacktoaliteralworksofartentitled“ZhongYong”byZiSi(ShenKong,483-402BC),thegrandsonofConfucius,inWarringTimes.“ZhongYong”referstotheDoctrineofMean,ortheHappyMedium,aimingatthepromotionofmildnessandmoderationinthoughtandbehavior.Fourintentionsrelated:A.notoverworkedwhileworking,B.notoverjoyedwhileentertaining,C.nottootoughonothers,D.nottoomuchluxury.ExampleNottootoughtoothers:Chinesestyle:Evenifacriticismisgiventosomeonewhomakesamistake,itwouldbeputinamildandroundaboutwaysothatthepersonwouldacceptiteasily.Americanstyle:Ifacriticismisgiventosomeonewhomakesamistake,itwouldbeadirectonetotheperson,whichmakeshimknowhisfaultimmediately.FocusesTherefore,wewouldrestrictoutperspectivestosomeaspectsthatmightarousethemiscommunicationandmisunderstandingbetweentheAmericansandtheChinese.Someaspectsarerelatedto:Dailycommunication;Hospitality;Tablemanners;Romanceandsexuality;Privacy;Others.DailyCommunicationLanguageUseforGreetingsMeetingpeopleisoneofthedailyactivities.Intheuseoflanguage,thedifferentgreetingsbetweenthepeople:InEnglish:Howdoyoudo!Nicetomeetyou!Howareyou?Etc.LanguageUseforGreetingsInChinese:Xinghui,Xinghui!(Happytomeetyou!Happytomeetyou!)Chifanlema?(Haveyouhadyourmeal?)Chilemeiyou?(asabove)TheChinesestyleofgreetingwouldbringsomepuzzlestoAmericans.InterpretingaSmileItmaybedifficultforAmericanstobelievethatsmilingfortheChinesenotonlymeansthatsomeoneishappybutsometimesalsomeansthatsomeoneissorryfortheerrorhe/shehascommitted.InterpretingaSmileItisdesirableforaChinesetoapologizewithasmile,whichindicateshumblenessandembarrassment.Abeliefin“asmilecankillanger”couldaccountforthephenomenonthattheChinesesmileswhenhe/shewantstoapologize.GirlorWomanAChineseteacheroflanguagetalkedaboutagroupoffemaleinternationalstudentsinclassandreferredtothemas“girls”.Oneofthefemalestudents(American)complained“whyitwasso.”GirlorWoman?Chineseperspective:InChina,“girl”meanssomeonewhoisyoungandsingle.“Woman”referstothefemalewhoismarriedandmightnotbeyoung.Itisinsultingtocalltheyoungfemales“women”inChina.GirlorWoman?TheAmericanperspective?ComplimentsAnycomplimentiswelcomebothinUSandChina,solongasitcontainsnohintofsurpriseorhiddencriticism,andisn’ttoointimatefortherelationship.ComplimentsItisn’teasytohandlecompliments.Fromtimetotime,complimentsinonecountryarenotthoseinanother.(e.g.complimentsaboutthebeautyofawoman)MisunderstandingofCompliments(AnAmericanTeacher&aChinesestudentareataparty)DearLisa,youlookveryprettytonight.No,no…(shyness)Yes,reallybeautiful.No,I’mnot!...(shynessgrowsstronger)MakinganAppointment?ManyChinesesometimeswouldliketodropintheirfriends’homewithoutanappointment.Itdoesn’tmeanthattheyarerudebutindicatesthecloserelationshipbetweentruefriends.Somepeopleareoverjoyedtohavefriendsrollupuninvited;othersregardunexpectedvisitsasaviolationofprivacy.DroppingInDroppinginwithoutanyappointmentwouldmakeAmericansuncomfortable.Evenarefusalcouldoccurtotheunexpectedguest.DroppinginInChina,ifsomeonedropsinuninvited,itisn’trudetosayyou’dlovetoseehimbutit’snotagoodtime.However,arelationwhodropsindeservesmoretolerancethanadropping-inneighbor.Hospitality---OverdoneorUnderdoneChinesehospitality---overdone:Asaveryhospitablepeople,theChineseattachalotofimportancetotakingcareoftheirguests.Theywouldtrytohelptheirguestswithalmosteverythingandfeelbadifaguesthadanycomplaint.OverdonehospitalityAfamilydinnerpartyasanexample:20dishesofdifferentkinds;Pleasanttotheeyes;Deliciousintaste;Specialinaroma.OverdonehospitalityThehostwouldsaytotheguest,“itisverysorrythatwecouldnotofferyouasmanyaspossibledishesbecauseofashortnoticeofyourvisit.Pleasehelpyourself.”Thisstatementgaveasurprisetotheguest.“Thereissomuchfood,why,howcouldwefinish?”OverdonehospitalityMoreover,theChinesehostwouldtryhisbesttopersuadethegueststoeatmorethantheycould.Thiswouldbeagreatshowofthehospitalityandtheperfectrespecttotheguests.HospitalityinUSAmericanpeoplealsokeeptheirhospitalitytowardstheirguests.Atafamilydinnerparty,anappropriateamountoffoodwouldbeofferedtotheguest.(notasmanykindsastheChinesedo,butquiteenoughtoeat)AGifttoFriendsGiftisonlyasymbolofperson-to-personcommunicationaswellasareminderforthepastexperienceintermsoffriendship.ItisnormalbothinU.S.orinChinathatpeopleliketooffergiftstotheirfriends.AGifttoFriends