Cultural Differences between China and the West <Communicative Phrases>.

The Difference between Chinese and Western Communicative Phrases

Chinese Abstract

With China's social and economic development, international communication and cooperation have become increasingly close. The process of communication between people of different cultural backgrounds is cross-cultural communication. Language is the most basic and important medium for cross-cultural communication. Therefore, as a foreign language learner, while learning the language, we must also fully understand the culture carried by the language. It is an indisputable fact that language and culture are closely related. Language is the carrier of culture, the process of learning a foreign language is also the process of understanding the cultural background of the target country. The degree of mastering the cultural background knowledge of the target country directly affects one's ability to use the language knowledge and is the prerequisite of whether one can use the language appropriately. This paper starts from the relationship between language and culture, and reveals the differences between Chinese and Western cultures by briefly analyzing the differences between Chinese and Western daily communicative phrases. It clarifies that language learning is cultural learning, emphasizes the importance of focusing on the differences between Chinese and Western cultures, and introduces several ways to understand the background cultural knowledge of English-speaking countries.

Keywords: cross-cultural communication, language and culture, Chinese and Western cultural differences, overcoming communication barriers

On Differences of Communicative Expressions Between Chinese and Western

Abstract

With the development of our country's economy, international exchange and cooperation becomes closer and closer. The process of The process of communication in which people in different cultural backgrounds are engaged is Intercultural Communication. The process of communication in which people in different cultural backgrounds are engaged is Intercultural Communication. Language is the carrier of culture. The process of learning a foreign language is also the process of understanding this culture. The process of learning a foreign language is also the process of understanding this country's culture. The degree of mastering this country's cultural background knowledge influences directly one's capability of using the language. Then it reveals differences between the Chinese and Western culture by analyzing the differences of everyday expressions between the Chinese and Western culture. This paper talks about the relationship between language and culture. Then it reveals differences between the Chinese and Western culture by analyzing the differences of everyday expressions between the Chinese and Westerners. It clarifies that language learning means culture learning and emphasizes the importance of paying attention to this cultural difference. It also recommends several ways to know the culture background of English countries.

Key words: intercultural communication, language and culture, cultural differences between the Chinese and Westerners, overcoming the obstacles in communication

I. Introduction

In recent years, as China's reform and opening up continues to deepen the development, especially after joining the WTO, the interaction with other countries is becoming more and more frequent, and people are beginning to pay attention to economic and cultural exchanges with different countries and nationalities. The process of people from different cultural backgrounds engaging in communication is cross-cultural communication. (Hu Wenzhong, 1999) The culture of each ethnic group has its own soil, history of development and status of group identity. Different geographic environments and different historical backgrounds determine different cultural status quo. Different cultural status quo means different customs and behavioral norms. There exists an invisible cultural barrier between Chinese and Westerners, which leads to the inability of cross-cultural communicators to correctly translate the code in the communication, making the communication obstacles.

Language, as an important medium of cross-cultural communication, has a very close relationship with culture. American linguist Rosalie Maggio in her article Bias-Free Language: Some Guidelines talks about: "Culture shapes language and then language shapes culture."( "Language both shapes culture and is shaped by culture.") [1] (P91) Language is an important part of culture, a carrier of culture and plays an important role in culture. The formation, development and change of language are in turn influenced by culture. On the one hand, language is the cornerstone of culture - without language, there is no culture. On the other hand, language is influenced by and reflects culture. "Through the language of a nation, what is revealed is the colorful and varied culture of the nation and its ideas, way of thinking and way of life. As culture is distinctly ethnic, it is natural that different ethnic groups have very different cultures. Such differences in cultural forms will inevitably present themselves in language." [2](P82-83) At the same time, culture constrains the form of language, constantly injecting its own essence into the language, enriching and updating the cultural connotation of the language, and making the language more precise and meticulous. In short, language and culture are interdependent and inseparable. Because of the creation and development of language, human culture can be created and passed on. There is no culture in the world that is detached from language, nor is there a language that is detached from a specific cultural background and connotation. To learn a language, you must learn a culture, and vice versa.

The differences between Chinese and Western languages in daily communication

China and the West (especially China and Britain and the United States) use two different languages--Chinese and English, each of which reflects its own unique cultural background and strong historical traditions, and thus there are many differences in language expression. Here, we will focus on the differences in the most common everyday language used in Chinese and Western language communication.

(1) Differences in terms of address

The first and foremost condition for normal communication is to address each other correctly and appropriately. Decent address can make both sides narrow the psychological distance, so that the smooth progress of communication. In Chinese and Western cultures, there is a big difference in the way they address each other due to the difference in their language expressions.

The first thing to note is that the order of names in China and the West is different. "Chinese people address each other with their "surname" first, while Anglo-Americans address each other with their "first name" first." [3](P30) As a result, when Chinese people address Westerners, they often unknowingly refer to them by their "family name" rather than their "first name". For example, when they see the name Jim Green, they may call him "Green" or "Mr. Jim", which makes Westerners feel uncomfortable and should be "Jim" or "Mr. Green". " or "Mr. Green" would be correct.

In daily communication, Chinese people pay more attention to etiquette and usually address each other first before speaking. According to the status of the other party and their relationship with their own affinity as well as different occasions, the use of different kinship titles and social titles. Their address focuses on respect. However, in the West, people pursue equal and close interpersonal relationships and prefer to address others by their first names (e.g., Tom, Joy, Peter, etc.), whether in formal or informal settings. This practice is especially common among Americans, even the first time we meet, we can address by name, not only between people of similar age, this way, the age difference between people can also be called this way, no disrespect at all, and even the children of their own grandparents, parents can be called by name, the social status of the different people also called this way, such as students to teachers, employees to their supervisors, teachers and supervisors Teachers and supervisors are not considered to be disrespectful or too casual, but on the contrary, they are considered to be friendly and easy to get close to. From this it can be seen that "Chinese people are accustomed to non-reciprocal types of address, while Westerners revere reciprocal forms of address." [4](P53)

"When Chinese people address family members, relatives, or neighbors, they can use kinship titles." [5](P30) For example, between non-relatives, children address elders as, "Uncle," "Auntie," "Uncle," etc.; and to their peers as, "Big brother It is common for children to call their elders: "uncle", "aunt", "uncle", etc.; and their peers: "big brother" and "big sister". However, "Words used in English to express kinship titles are generally not used to express non-kinship." [6](P30) If you say "Uncle Green" or "Auntie/Aunt Brown" to an elder whose mother tongue is English, the other person may find it unpleasant. This is because in the English culture, such kinship titles are used only when the relationship is very close, and they are not followed by "surname", but only by "first name", such as "Uncle Tom". Mr. Tom". It is also possible to use "Mr.", "Mrs.", "Miss/Ms" with the last name, or just "Sir", "Lady" or "Mr.". "Lady (女士)". Furthermore, the kinship in Chinese is more specific. Typical examples are: in Chinese, there are uncles, uncles, aunts and aunts, but in English, they are represented by the word "Uncle"; in Chinese, there are aunts, aunts, uncles, aunts and uncles, but in English, they are represented by the word "Aunt"; another example is: "Sir" plus the last name or "Lady". The word "Aunt" is also used in English to represent aunts, uncles, aunts, aunts, aunts, and so on, and the word "Cousin" also includes all of them in English. Who exactly these three words refer to, we have to figure out the situation to know.

In addition, in China, people's hierarchical concepts are y rooted, and in order to show respect, they often add the person's title, social position, etc., to the end of the last name, such as "Principal Guo," "Manager Yang," "Director Zhou," "Director of the Chinese Academy of Sciences," "Director of the Chinese Academy of Sciences," "Director of the Chinese Academy of Sciences," and "Director of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Director", "Mr. Liu"

and other titles. However, "Principal Guo", "Manager Yang", "Bureau Director Zhou", "Teacher Liu" and other epithets do not conform to Anglo-American habits. In the West, only a few professions and positions can be used for address. For example, a professor can be called Professor; a doctor or a person with a doctoral degree can be called Doctor; a governor and a mayor can be called Governor and Major, and so on. In English, this form of address, profession/position title + surname, has a narrow scope of use and is very limited. Westerners dislike this form of address and consider it hypocritical.

(2) Difference in greeting terms

Whether in China or in a foreign country, it is a common polite behavior to greet friends or acquaintances. Because of the differences in cultural traditions and customs between China and the West, the terms and habits of greeting when they meet are very different.

China has a strong food culture, and since ancient times there has been a proverb that "food is the most important thing for the people". Therefore, Chinese people like to greet each other with "Have you eaten? However, this greeting has actually lost its literal meaning and is not used to ask for information, but just a way of greeting. Therefore, it does not matter whether the answer is "yes" or "not yet". However, if you literally translate into English "Have you had your dinner?" to greet a Westerner, according to his culture, it means to invite the other person to dinner; if a man asks a woman, it means that he wants to make friends with the other person or to go on a date. However, when Chinese people say this phrase, they usually do not mean "invite" or "date". Another common greeting in Chinese is "Where are you going?" and "Where have you been? and "Where are you going?" These two phrases are used in Chinese as a way of greeting, not as a way of asking where someone is going. Therefore, the other person can give any answer they want without feeling embarrassed. However, if you greet Westerners in the same way, "Where are you going?" or "Where have you been?", Westerners will often interpret it as a question asking for information, which will make them feel embarrassed and even angry. They may feel embarrassed or even angry, and they may feel that the speaker is interfering in their private affairs. Though they don't say it with their mouths, in their hearts they may think, "Why do you ask these questions? It's none of your business."

Another " Chinese way of greeting is to say something when you see someone doing something." [7](P97) For example, when a Chinese person meets someone he or she knows washing a car, he or she might greet them like this, "You're washing a car?" Chinese people find it natural and normal to hear such a greeting. But to a Westerner, "You are cleaning your car, aren't you?" will sound very strange and awkward to him. He will think to himself, "You obviously saw me washing my car, but you still have to ask such a question? It's just a load of crap.

Perhaps the British and Americans are more concerned about the efficiency of the cause, people are not as enthusiastic as the Chinese, in the same situation as the above, the common greeting language is generally more simple, such as "Hi", "Hello", "How are you?" or "Good morning!", "Good afternoon!", " Good evening!" and so on. Sometimes they also greet each other by talking about the weather, such as "It's a nice day, isn't it? However, these greetings sound too foreign to Chinese people, and they feel too rusty with each other, so they are generally less often used.

(3) Difference in Farewell Phrases

People usually don't break up or leave in a hurry without giving any signals when they are communicating. Before leaving, they always use certain farewell phrases to indicate that they are leaving. The Chinese usually say, "Goodbye." This is equivalent to "Good-bye" or "Bye-bye" in English. But before saying "Good-bye", "Bye-Bye" or "Goodbye", you have to say some polite words, China and the West due to social and cultural customs are not the same, goodbye The first is to say "goodbye" to a person who has been in the country for a long time, and the second is to say "goodbye.

"In Chinese farewell etiquette, people often attribute the reason for saying goodbye to each other." [8](P71) For example, when Chinese people visit someone's home, they say goodbye mostly with the phrase "I've got to go, you must be very tired." ("I'd better be going now. You must be very tired.") or "You will have to get up early tomorrow, I should go." ("You will have to get up very early tomorrow. I should go now.") and so on to bid farewell to the host. However, "if an American goes to another American's home as a guest, he will most likely find reasons to say goodbye that relate to himself and do not involve the host's side" [9] (P71), e.g., "Well, I'd better let you have some sleep." , "Tomorrow, I have to get up early. I must go now." ("Tomorrow, I have to get up early. I should go.") Or: "I'll have to go . Tomorrow I'll go to work."; "I must be say good-bye. My wife is waiting for me at home." and so on. As Alan Maley says, "In typical western context the guests would usually find reasons to leave related to themselves rather than to their hosts .". In typical western context the guests would usually find reasons to leave related to themselves rather than to their hosts." Alternatively, "We have to say goodbye now. We enjoyed the evening very much. We enjoyed the evening very much. Thanks a lot.") Or "I think I'd better be leaving now. It's very nice to have a talk with you." ("I think I'd better leave.") It's very nice to have a talk with you. It's very nice to have a talk with you.") It's very nice to have a talk with you. The British and Americans think it is more polite to say so. In China, however, such farewells are generally not used.

According to Chinese custom, if a guest comes to visit, when the guest leaves, the host will send the guest to the door of the house. The guest will say to the host, "Please stay" and "Don't send me far away", and the host will say, "Good day" and "Take care! "

The host will say: "Good day", "Take care", "Take care", and so on. None of these sayings can be directly translated into English. If you use "Stay here.", "Don't come

any further with me ,please." and so on, to say goodbye to the British and Americans, they will feel very embarrassed. Because they don't mean to send you too far away. Don't expect them to send you very far unless you invite them. It's not that Westerners are unfriendly, it's just that they're not in the habit of doing so. If you say "Go slowly." or "Walk slowly." to a foreign guest, their response is likely to be: "Why should I walk slowly? " ("Why should I walk slowly?"). They are likely to respond with "Why should I walk slowly? Foreigners see "Go slowly." and "Walk slowly." as demands, but in fact it is a very common expression used by Chinese people when saying goodbye. In such cases, the British and Americans often drop their guests off at the door and say, "Do come around again when you have time." or "Give my best regards to your parents.".

Additionally, when a Chinese student asks a teacher for advice, and the problem is solved, the Chinese student may say goodbye to the teacher in this way before he or she leaves: "Sorry for wasting so much of your time, it's time for me to go." This is a polite, self-effacing remark that shows respect for the teacher. But if the teacher is a Westerner, he/she will feel awkward.

He/she will think that in your mind, his/her help is just doing something useless. He/she will feel very upset and will not help you in the future. In fact, at this point, Chinese students just need to say "Thank you for your help! I think I should go now. Goodbye!".

(4) Differences in Response to Praise and Compliments

"Anglo-Americans tend to think in straight lines and like to express themselves directly, while Chinese people mostly think in spirals and like to express themselves euphemistically and implicitly." [10](P49) Therefore, when socializing with Chinese people, foreigners are often surprised to find that when they praise or compliment Chinese people, Chinese people are always at a loss for words, being too humble or demeaning, or even denying it repeatedly, instead of expressing their gratitude in words as foreigners do very frankly.

For example, when someone compliments you by saying, "That's a beautiful dress you have on!" ("That's a beautiful dress you have on!") A modest Chinese person would probably say, "No, no, it's just a very ordinary dress."("No, no, it's just a very ordinary dress.") Or "No. In fact I've worn it for several years."("No, in fact I've worn it for several years.") Again, when others praise or compliment your ability or skill, such as "Oh, your English is really good." ("Your English is really good.") , "Your handwriting is very beautiful."("Your calligraphy is really beautiful.") ("Your calligraphy is very beautiful."). In response to these two compliments, regardless of whether they are factually correct or not, Chinese people usually dismiss the compliment and may say, "Well, it's just so so." ("Generally.") ("No, you flatter me."). ; and some of them even put themselves down by saying, "Oh, no. My English is very poor. I must study hard."("Oh, no, my English is not good. I must still work hard.") , "No, no, not at all. You are joking."("No, no, not at all beautiful. You are joking.") ("No, no, not at all. You are joking."). On the other hand, Westerners usually accept such praise and compliments openly, saying "Thank you!" to show that they think the praise is sincere and that the thing being praised is praiseworthy.

In the above case, because Westerners don't know much about China's traditional culture, which emphasizes modesty as a virtue, they often don't accept Chinese people's modest answers and think they are very impolite. And sometimes they interpret the excessive modesty of the Chinese as a sign of dishonesty. Therefore, it is important to understand the British and American custom of responding to praise and compliments in order to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings in the process of communication between China and the West.

(E) Differences in the language used at the table

The cultural differences between Chinese and Westerners in inviting guests to dinner should also be noted, otherwise it will cause jokes.

The Chinese people are hospitable, and when they invite guests to dinner, the table is usually full of dishes, but no matter how sumptuous the dishes are, their mouths always say modestly, "Nothing to eat, the dishes are not well done, just eat." However, when Anglo-Americans hear this kind of politeness, they find it offensive: "There's nothing to eat, so why invite me? If the food is not well cooked, why entertain me?" . According to Chinese custom, in order to show courtesy, it is customary to repeatedly advise guests to eat more, and Chinese people are often "words do not mean it", obviously hungry, but the mouth said: "I'm full, no need."; until the host invited again and again. Until the host invited again and again, and then slowly and methodically "respect is better than to comply with orders. The British and Americans are generally not so elaborate to entertain guests, simple three or four dishes can be. When eating, the host will usually say: "Help yourself, please! (That is, you can eat whatever you want.) British and American hospitality respect for personal will, pay attention to the truth, and repeatedly ask the guests want food or forced food to the guests, is very impolite. Therefore, when the host adds food to your dish or asks you what you want, such as: "Would you like another piece of meat pie?" ("Would you like another piece of meat pie?") A piece of meat pie." If you really don't want to eat anything, you can simply say: "If you really don't want to eat anything, simply say "No. Thank you. And during the meal, guests must praise their hosts for the good food they have prepared and for their skill, otherwise they will be upset no matter how full you are. Typical English guest phrases are:

Guest: It's delicious. / This meat is beautifully tender.

Host: Thank you. I'm glad you like it. (谢谢，我很高兴你喜欢吃。)

Some Chinese who don't know the habits of British and Americans are polite when they visit a British or American home, but when they ask you once, or at most twice, they think you really don't want to eat. The second time the British and Americans often ask: "Are you sure? It's no trouble. It's no trouble.") Note that this is the last please, if you are polite, you have to go to drink the northwest wind. In addition, the British and Americans believe that the dish is not eaten to stay on the plate, is very uncivilized behavior, so I would rather ask for some of the first time less, not eat enough, can be generous with the host and said: "Oh, this is delicious." ("Oh, this is really delicious ah.") ") And ask for some more of the dish you just ate, the host will be happy that you appreciate their dish.

(F) Differences in Topic Selection

Intercultural communication is usually carried out through the interaction of speaking. Many foreign language learners are also eager to practice English by communicating with foreigners, however, they are often rejected by foreigners because they can't choose appropriate topics.

Chinese people often like to talk about their age, family situation, home address, physical condition, salary, marital status, and so on, to show their concern for each other in their private conversations, even when they meet for the first time. However, all these are regarded as personal privacy by Westerners. In Western countries, "special emphasis is placed on the protection of and respect for one's private life, and it is considered very indecent to pry into other people's affairs." [11](P55) As an English proverb says: A man's home is his castle. Meaning: A man's home is his castle, which is sacrosanct. Westerners do not realize: "For thousands of years, the vast majority of Chinese people have lived in the countryside, and a few in small cities, where they live in clusters, meet frequently to take care of each other, and talk about almost nothing." [12](P87) These phenomena are rare in Western industrial societies, where people are independent, non-interfering, and very private. Whether in the city or in the countryside, it is "Good fences makes good neighbors." (Robert Frost) Therefore, when having a conversation with Anglo-Americans, choose appropriate topics and avoid asking questions such as "Where are you from?", "How old are you?", How many children do you have?", "Are you married?", "How much do you earn?", "What religion? ", "What religion do you believe in?", "How much is your watch?", "Where did you buy your shoes?", "How much do you want to buy? Where did you buy your shoes?" and so on, so as not to make Westerners feel that their privacy has been violated or their feelings hurt. In the West, the first topic of conversation is the weather, because the weather in Britain and the United States is very changeable and has a great impact on people's life and work. In addition, weather is a neutral topic, no matter how to talk about it, it does not involve each other's privacy. In addition to the weather, British and American people often talk about sports, work, study, hobbies, vacation arrangements, the international situation, movies/television programs and so on. When communicating with British and Americans, you can choose the above topics, and I believe that you will have a lot to gain.

Three, learning the background cultural knowledge of the target country, to overcome the obstacles of cross-cultural communication

From the above analysis, it can be seen that the language and culture are closely linked, and there are great differences between Chinese and Western cultures, and these cultural differences have an important role and influence on cross-cultural communication. In order to eliminate the obstacles of cultural differences in cross-cultural communication and get the success of communication, we must pay attention to learning and mastering the background cultural knowledge of the target country. The author believes that the following methods can be used to strengthen the understanding of the background cultural knowledge of English-speaking countries in order to overcome the obstacles in cross-cultural communication.

(1) Make clear the relationship between language and culture, and establish the concept of language learning as cultural learning

Language is the most important tool for cross-cultural communication. Language responds to culture, and culture penetrates into language, language and culture are interconnected unity. (Gao Baohong) The relationship between language and culture is so close that it is no exaggeration to say that one cannot properly understand, master and utilize a language without knowing its culture. Therefore, while learning English itself, such as grammar, lexicon, syntax, chapter structure and other language rules, it is also necessary to pay attention to the study of knowledge about the cultural background of English-speaking countries.

(2) Read a lot of books to accumulate the background cultural knowledge of the target language

For most people, understanding the cultural knowledge of English-speaking countries mainly depends on indirectly reading related materials. You can read more modern English literature, original English novels, English newspapers (e.g., China Daily, Times) and English magazines (e.g., English World, English Learning, etc.), as well as articles and books that introduce the background cultural knowledge of western countries. In addition, while reading such books, newspapers and magazines, we should also pay attention to and accumulate materials about national habits, social customs, social relations, values, thinking patterns, etc., so as to continuously learn and accumulate background cultural knowledge of English-speaking countries.

(3) Watch more English movies, TV and videos to absorb foreign cultures

Foreign language learners can have a more intuitive experience of the cultures of English-speaking countries by selectively watching some meaningful English TV, movies and videos. For example, families who want to learn about the United States can choose to watch Growing Pains the 1st Season; and if they want to learn about the society and culture, they can watch Walking Across America published by Peking University Press. When watching the film, pay attention to the content of the characters' conversations, the way they speak, and the scenes of their daily lives, and observe the characters' gestures, facial expressions, behavioral actions, and other means of communication other than language. Pay attention to look for and gather knowledge about various aspects of culture from what is shown in the movie.

(4) Actively thinking in English to better understand the culture of the target country from the language

Different peoples in China and the West have different ways of thinking due to the differences in their cultural backgrounds. And the way of thinking of a nation is widely and y reflected in the language of that nation. Therefore, while learning and using the English language, we can actively think in English and understand the culture behind the language more y. For example, if you want to express in English, "Last Friday in front of the theater, I ran into my high school classmate whom I haven't seen for many years", you can use the linear thinking of English, that is, when you express your thoughts, you put the main points at the beginning of the sentence, and then make additions to the sentence. Therefore, it is clear that it should be expressed as "I met with my high-school classmate at the entrance of the theater last Friday, whom I hadn't seen for years. "Then we dig deeper and realize that this way of thinking is mainly because in the West, "the capitalist system of free competition has created a social culture of the strongest being the weakest, which has led to the honoring of the strong and capable, while the lack of self-confidence has not been reused" [13](P30), which has formed the blunt character of Westerners, and has led to the development of the Westerners' personality. Westerners are straightforward and like to express themselves directly. If foreign language learners can use English thinking when reading English books or communicating in English, not only can they better master the correct way of expressing themselves in English, but also it is easier to grasp and understand the background culture of English-speaking countries.

(E) Comparison and classification of cultural differences to facilitate learning and memorization

Foreign language learners can analyze the differences between foreign cultures and their own cultures on the basis of learning and mastering the knowledge of foreign cultural traditions, customs, customs, values, ways of thinking, etc., so that they can have a clearer knowledge and understanding of both foreign cultures and their own cultures at the same time. For example, when learning about the customs of Christmas in the West, such as Santa Claus giving gifts, Christmas holidays, Christmas dinner, family gatherings, etc., we can compare them with the Chinese customs of Spring Festival, such as paying New Year's greetings, giving New Year's money, taking winter vacation, having reunion dinner, etc., so as to better understand the differences between the customs of Christmas and Spring Festival and their significance to the Westerners and the Chinese people. Another example: Westerners have self-centered individualistic values, while Chinese people have collectivistic values. After comparing, we can understand that Westerners pay more attention to the protection of their privacy compared with Chinese people. At the same time, cultural differences can be categorized and collected for easy recognition and application. For example, in the habit of language expression, Chinese people often use some idioms according to their own habits: to laugh off one's teeth, to spend money like sand, to cast pearls before cattle and so on. to spend money like sand, cast pearls before cattle, and so on. These idioms are understandable to Chinese people, while Westerners with different cultural backgrounds will find them strange. This is due to a lack of knowledge of the background culture of the English language. The correct way to say it in English is: to laugh off one's head, to spend money like water, cast pearls before swine, etc. If foreign language learners can summarize these idioms, not only will it be easier to learn and memorize them, but they can also learn a lot of allusions and legends and understand the culture of English-speaking countries better. The first is to spend money like water, cast pearls before swine.