跨商务文化交际

Chapter2CommunicationBetweenCultures:VerbalCommunicationIntroductoryCase一位刚到美国的中国企业经理，被美国朋友请去做客。这位经理到这位美国人家里后，觉得其房屋陈设很奇怪。突然他发现一个台子上竟摆着一尊泥塑的孙悟空，他很兴奋，连忙问女主人：“你怎么会有这尊孙悟空？是从中国买的吗？花了多少钱？用的是人民币还是美元？”女主人只是笑了笑，没有回答。这位中国经理也没有再问下去。分析：美国人的价值观念和中国人不同，价钱的高低往往与身份密切相关。中国经理无心提出的价钱问题，却使得这位美国人不知如何回答是好。在言语交际(verbalcommunication)的过程中，交际双方必须考虑语言的语音层面和语用层面，承认不同的文化背景和差异，增强理解和信任，才能通过语言促进沟通，实现交际的目的，建立良好的关系。VerbalcommunicationDefinition:Thecommunicationthatiscarriedouteitherinoralorinwrittenformwiththeuseofwords.Thetransferringofthoughtsbetweenindividualsviaspokenorwrittenmessages.Itisatthecoreofwhatmostofusdo---whetheryouarebuildingabiz,dealingwithdifficultsituations,revitalizingateam,copingwithcomplaintsorprovidingcustomerservice.AttributesofVerbalCommunicationExpressallkindsofideaswewanttoexpressEg:Amanagertalksmarketdevelopmentplanwithhissubordinatesinameeting.KeepanddisseminateinformationEg:Amanagercanbereachedbytelephoneoremailifyoucan’tfindhiminhisoffice.TelephoneandEmailarethemosteffectivewaysforbizcommunication.Beclearerandmoreefficientthanotherways.LanguageandCultureLanguageisasetofsymbolsandtherulesforcombiningthosesymbolsandrulesthatareusedandunderstoodbyalargecommunityofpeople.Itiscloselyrelatedtoculture.Languageandcultureinteractwitheachotherandshapeeachother.Languageisthecarrierofculturewhichinturnisthecontentoflanguage.Itispartofculture.Cultureenrichesandinfluenceslanguage.Differentculturegeneratedifferentlanguages.TheInfluenceofCultureonLanguageLanguageasareflectionoftheenvironmentLanguagereflectstheenvironmentinwhichwelive.Welabelthingsthatarearoundus.Theenvironmentinfluencesthedevelopmentoftechnology,products,andtheappropriatevocabulary.LanguageasreflectionofvaluesLanguagereflectsculturalvalues.Languageisamirrorofculture,becauselanguagereflectshumanrelationships,reflectsthewaythesocietyoperates.亲属称谓是语言反映文化的一个突出例证。例如，在英语中的是“兄”或“弟”，是“姐”或“妹”，汉语中没有一个字与或完全相等。在我们的文化中严格区分“兄”与“弟“、姐与“妹”，因为“长幼有序”。英语中一词“uncle”相当于汉语中的“伯父、叔父、舅父、姨父、姑父,”“aunt”相当于汉语中的“伯母、婶母、舅母、姨母、姑母”。这反映了汉族不仅注重长幼顺序，而且对于是父系、母系或姻系亦十分重视。ChinesewayofgreetingForthousandsofyears,about75%oftheChineselivedinvillagesandtherestinsmalltowns.Acommunitygenerallyconsistsoffamiliesdescendedfromoneancestor,bearingthesamesurname.Inthiscommunity,peopleknoweachotherwell,keepingtrackofeachother’slives,beingawareofhappeningsineachother’shouseholdsandhavingagenuineconcernforeachother’swell-being.Therefore,familiarity,considerationforeachother’scomfortandhealth,andaninterestineachother’sbusinessandactivitiesarefoundinthelifeoftheChinesepeople.ThatiswhywhenChinesepeoplemeet,theyoftenexchangegreetingssuchas“Haveyoueatenyet?”“Whereareyougoing?”“Wherehaveyoubeen?”etc.ButinAmerica,thereisasaying“goodfencesmakegoodneighbors”revealingthattheytendtokeepasafedistancefromeachother.DenotationalmeaningConnotationalmeaningWordMeaningandCultureDenotationalmeaning(指示意义)Itreferstoadefinitionalmeaningdependinguponourchoiceofwordselection.Denotationmeansadictionarydefinition.Connotationalmeaning(隐含意义)Itreferstoextendedmeaningsorassociatedmeanings.Connotationalmeaningshavedevelopedovertimethroughusebypeopleandespeciallybypoetsandwriters.Example:TheColorofRedInChineseredimplies“happy,joyous,auspicious,flourishing.”TheChineseuseredlanterns,redantitheticalcouplets,reddresses,redcandles,redflowersandthelikewhenweareincelebration.InEnglish,redisusuallyassociatedwithsth.undesirable,e.g.,“redflags”denotes“danger”,“inthered”means“deficitinfinance.”SpringFestivalChristmasDayComparisonbetweenEnglishandChineseSomewordshavethesamedenotationalandconntationalmeanings.Therearealsomanywordswiththesamedenotationalmeaningsbutdifferentconnotationalmeanings.Bothdenotationalandconnotatinalmeaningsaredifferentinmanyotherwords.ExamplesDove:peaceFox:cunningOwl:wisdomBat:anevilanimalCricket:ahappyinsectDragon:fierceness鸽子：和平鸽狐狸：像狐狸一样狡猾猫头鹰：坏运气蝙蝠：福，幸福，洪福蟋蟀：哀愁龙：龙袍，龙的传人(ChineseDragon)CultureRedYellowGreenBlueEuropeandNorthAmericaDangerCautionCowardiceSafetyGrowthandrebirthMasculinitySweetnesscalmJapanAngerDangerGraceNobilityChildishgaietyFutureYouthEnergyVillainy(邪恶)ChinaJoyCelebrationPowerHonorRoyaltyNospecialassociationNospecialassociationArabiccountriesNospecialassociationHappinessprosperityFertilityvirtueStrengthFaithTruthBusinessImplicationsInternationalbusinesspersonsmayencounterproblemswithsuchconnotationalmeaningsofcolors.Internationalmarketersneedtoknowwhatassociationscertainculturehasintermsofcolorsandhowtheymightaffectproductdesign,packaging,andadvertisingmessages.在不同语言之间可能出现几种不同的情况：（两种语言分别以A,B代替）1）A,B概念意义相同，内涵意义相同或大致相同。例如：Fox与“狐狸”不仅概念意义相同，内涵意义也相同，都包括了“狡猾”cunning这一层意思。Pig与“猪”在概念上都指同一种动物，在英语中用于指人时具有“肮脏”dirty、“贪婪”greedy、“令人讨厌”disgusting等意思，“猪”（或猪猡）在汉语中也有类似的含义。2）A,B概念意义相同，内涵意义不同。如：“狗”：在西方人们通常将狗作为宠物来养，狗被认为是人类最好的朋友，因此西方人对于食狗肉十分反感。在英语中有时含有贬义，但总的来说属中性或含褒义的情况居多。在成语treatsomeonelikeadog（虐待某人）中含贬义，但在以下的例句中都属中性或含褒义：Youluckydog.（你这家伙真幸运）。Everydoghasitsday.（凡人皆有得意日）。Heworkslikeadog.（他工作很卖力）。Youcan’tteachanolddognewtricks（人年纪大了学新东西不容易。）在汉语中，“狗”一般用于贬义，这从汉语中的成语可以看，例如，狗急跳墙、狗仗人势、鸡鸣狗