论文

学士学位论文

中英体态语对比研究

A Contrastive Study on Body Language in

English and Chinese

学院、专业 外国语、英语 研 究 方 向 语言文学 学 生 姓 名 邢迎迎 学 号 20080501131 指导教师姓名 张荣萍 指导教师职称 讲师

2011年8月

A Contrastive Study on Body Language in

Abstract

With the rapid development of economy and technology, people have more opportunities to communicate with others who come from different cultures. Intercultural communication has become an important part of human communicative activities.

Two basic means of communication are included in people

English and Chinese

communication,one is verbal communication and the other is nonverbal communication. People usually pay more attention to the verbal aspect of communication, on the contrary, the nonverbal means of communication are ignored. As a matter of fact, nonverbal communication plays a significant role in people communication. In a way, nonverbal communication is more important than verbal communication.

Generally speaking, nonverbal communication can be divided into

four types, that is, Body Language, Paralanguage, Object Language, Environmental Language, in which body language , the most popular means of nonverbal communication, includes eye contact, touch, gesture, facial expression and posture.

This thesis intends to explore the significance of intercultural

communication of body language and cultural differences in body

language between Chinese and English so that it can help people reduce or avoid cultural misunderstangdings and conflicts in intercultural communication caused by the cultural differences of body language to make communication successful.

Key Words: Intercultural Cutural Differences

Communication; Body Language; 中英体态语对比研究

摘要

随着社会经济、科技的飞速发展，文化交往日益频繁，跨文化

交际已成为人们交际活动必不可少的重要组成部分。

在人类社会中，人们的交际方式有两种，即有声的言语交际和无

声的非言语交际。然而人们却忽视了非言语交际，事实上，非言语交际在人类交际中起着举足轻重的作用，甚至在某种程度上，非言语交际比言语交际更为重要。

大体上，非言语交际可分为四类，即体态语、副语言、客体语、

环境语。其中体态语是人类交际中最常见的一种非言语交际手段，它包括目光接触、体触、手势语、面部表情、身势语。

本文拟通过对体态语的跨文化交际作用进行探讨以及对英汉体态

语的文化差异进行比较，来帮助人们减少或避免在跨文化交际中因体态语的文化差异而引起的文化误解和冲突，从而达到交际的成功。

关键词：跨文化交际；体态语；文化差异

Contents

1 Introducction…………………………………………….

1.1 Background……………………………………….. 1.2 Purpose of Research……………………………… 1.3 Organization of the Thesis……………………….. 2 Significance of Body Language and Studies on Body

Language………………………………………………... 2.1 Significance of Body Language………………….. 2.2 Studies on Body Language……………………….

2.2.1 Chinese Body Language Studies…………… 2.2.2 Overseas Body Language Studies…………..

3 Cultural Differences in Body Language Between Chinese

and English……………………………………………… 3.1 Culture,Communication and Body Language….. 3.2 The Relationship Between Culture and Body

Language………………………………………… 3.3 Cultural Differences in Body Language Between

Chinese and English……………………………. 3.3.1 Eye Contacts……………………………….. 3.3.2 Touch……………………………………….. 3.3.3 Gestures……………………………………..

3.3.4 Facial Expressions………………………… 3.3.5 Postures……………………………………. 4 Conclusion……………………………………………... References………………………………………………….. Acknowledgements………………………………………...

1 Introducton

1.1 Background

Nowadays, people have more chance to contact with people who are

from different culture due to the rapid development of science,technology and economy.The world is becoming smaller and smaller, in a way, which has become a global village.The communication between people from various cultures and countries is increasing. Intercultural connection involves communication among people who are from different countries.They consist of verbal and nonverbal communication. A lot of people prefer to put emphasis on the demand of having good verbal communication skills. However, we often ignore the importance of nonverbal communication. In any case,to expect the nonverbal behaviors of other cultures to match our own is unrealistic. Abereomile says:‖We speak with our vocal organs,but we converse with our whole body‖(Bi Jiewan,1995,p.72).

Body language，which includes gestures，facial expressions，posture，

eyecontact，touch，body movements，etc.,is a most important part of nonverbal communication.

Body language is used in a wide sense,we can not ignore the

importance of body language communication.

Nonverbal communication plays an important role in our

communication with others. This is because people use it to express

ourselves and show our attitude as well as create impression.Nonverbal communication

has

very

important

part

in

the

human

communication.When we talk about human communication, people will think of the verbal communication only. While the meaningful purpose of the nonverbal communication will be neglected by most people.

Researchers have showed that most parts of people’s communication is

conveyed by nonverbal communication.

There are differences in nonverbal communication of cross culture,

which are obvious in many aspects. The same body language have different interpretation because of different cultures. Different body language can be used in different background, on the contrary, they can express the same significance.For instance, behavioral communication such as crying,smiling,and so on, which are inclined to have similar significance from different country.

To master the nonverbal communication is a necessary part for those

who are from different culture. Some people find that it is difficult to understand the nonverbal code. They do not know the background of body language.

Following are some of the reasons that this thesis addresses the

importance of body language communicative behaviors within intercultural communication.First, globalization is developing very quickly,which potentially can lead to cultural conflicts. Second, it is

essential for all of us to become more sensitive and more observant to the cultural differences of every day communication. What's more, much more effort has been made towards the study of verbal communication in connection with intercultural communication, while the study of nonverbal communication has been all but neglected, especially the intercultural study of body language.

1.2 Purpose of Research

The purpose of this thesis is to give a detailed and systematic analysis

of body language between Chinese and English, to demonstrate the differences between two systems and intend to help people reduce or avoid cultural misunderstandings and conflicts in intercultural communication caused by the cultural differences of body language to make communication successful.

Body language plays a large part in our everyday communication.We

use body language in a wide sense, therefore, more and more people realize its importance in our communication with people who come from different culture. Actions speak than words. Nowadays, the intercultural communication has become more and more important.

It is known that body language is connected closely with culture.

Sometimes, the body language can cause certain misunderstanding for people of different behaviors who send the same message with different gestures of the body. Misunderstanding and misinterpretation can lead to

the feelings of offence, insult and suspicion on the part of the individuals involved. Based upon the above reasons, we can see that it is highly necessary to make intercultural studies of the body language. Thus this thesis make a tentative intercultural study of body language between Chinese and English with a view to helping people remove or break down the barriers caused by the misuse of body language in intercultural communication. We should try to raise intercultural consciousness, overcome ethnocentrism, and reduce negative cultural transfer, finally reach the aim of successful communication.

1.3 Organization of the Thesis

The thesis is composed of the following three chapters:

Chapter one states the introduction and the focus of the importance of

body language

Chapter two gives a literature review and the key points of body

language: the importance of body language, the classification of nonverbal communication, the characteristic of nonverbal communication,the function of nonverbal communication.

Chapter three explores the intercultural differences of body language

communication between Chinese and English in terms of eye contacts, touch, gestures, postures, facial expressions.

English cultures differ,combined with the knowledge of how specific body language behavior differs,will help us interact effectively with Englishmen with whom we have contact.First,such knowledge can be a source of strength

and

an

asset

from

which

we

can

discover

ourselves.Second,understanding about such differences is helpful to make body language behavior less confusing and more interpretable.We can better understand English nonverbal behavior and reactions if we realize that what we are hearing and seeing is a reflection of English culture.

References

Bi Jiwan.1995.Nonverbal Communication.In Hu Wenzhong(ed.)A Dictionary of British and American Culture.Beijing:Foreign Language instruction and Research Press.

Ekman,P.1999.Facial Expression.Chichester,England:John Wiley&Sons Ltd.

Gao,Yihong.1999.The Tao and Qi of Intercultural Communication Competence

in

Aspects

of

Intercultural

Communication.Hu

Wenzhong,Ed.Foreign Language and Research Press.

Hu Wenzhong.1988.Intercultural Communication and What Is Means to Us.In Hu Wenzhong(ed.)Intercultural Communication-What It Means to Chinese Learners English.Shanghai:Shanghai Translation Publishig House.

JohnC.Condonetal.1975.InterculturalCommunication.Indianapolis,IN:Bobbs-Merrill. Knapp

M.L.1978.Nonverbal

Communication

in

Human

Interaction.2ed.New York:Holt,Rinehart and Winston. Edward T. Hall.1959.The Silent Language.USA

Ray Birdwhistell.1970.Kinesics and Context:Essays on Body Motion Communication,Philadelphia:University of Pennsylvania.

毕继万.1999.跨文化非言语交际[M].北京：外语教学与研究出版社. 邓炎昌,刘润清.1989.语言与文化[M].北京：外语教学与研究出版社. 高一虹.2000.语言文化差异的认识与超越[M].北京：外语教学与研究出版社.

顾嘉祖.2000.跨文化交际——外国语言文学中的隐蔽文化[M].南京：南京师范大学出版社.

胡文仲.1996.跨文化交际面面观[M].北京：外语教学与研究出版社. 胡文仲.1999.跨文化交际学概论[M].北京：外语教学与研究出版社. 贾玉新.1997.跨文化交际学[M].上海：上海外语教育出版社. 李杰群.2002.非语言交际概论[M].北京：北京大学出版社.

周国光.1997.《体态语》[M].中央民族大学出版社.

朱永涛.2001.《英美文化基础教程》[M].外语教学与研究出版社.

Acknowledgements

First and foremost,I owe special gratitude to my supervisor,Professor Zhang Rongping,who aroused my interest in intercultural communication and has been encouraging me to probe into the academic research.In the course of writing this thesis,I benefited greatly from her advice.I am indebted to her not only for her meticulous guidance,insightful comments and warm-hearted encouragements on this thesis,but also for her constantly patient attitude toward education and academic research,which

impresses and stimulates me to learn from her.Upon the completion of this thesis,I feel a compelling urge to express my appreciation for both her invaluable guidance and further inspiration in academic research. I would like to thank my friends and my classmates who helped me to do the experiments and looked for the materials I need.They also gave me their constructive advice.

Finally I am also grateful to my parents for their encouragement,support and help throughout my research work.

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