语言文化论文-浅谈身势语-A Brief Discussion on Body Language.doc

语言文化论文-浅谈身势语-ABriefDiscussiononBodyLanguageAbstractBodylanguageisanimportantpartofnonverbalcommunicationanditisconnectedwithculture.Inordertomakesuccessfulexchangeincross-culturalcommunication,weshouldknowthebodylanguagefromdifferentcultures.Andweshouldrealizethatbodylanguage,likeverbalcommunicationandculture,alsohasmanysimilaritiesallovertheworld.However,bodylanguagefromdifferentcultureshasmanydifferencesbecauseofdifferentregions,racesandculturalcustoms.Anditisrestrictedbyitscultureandhasdifferentculturalconnotations.Thatistosay,thesamebodylanguagehasdifferentmeaningsindifferentculturesandhasdifferentsocialfunctions.Thisarticledevotestoacomparisonandcontrastofbodylanguageindifferentculturesintermsofeyelanguage,gestures,postures,facialexpressionsandtouch.Itaimstoillustratethedifferencesandsimilaritiesofbodylanguageandputforwardtheprinciplesofreducingbarriersincommunicationsoastoachieveefficientcommunicationandtoavoidmisunderstanding.KeyWordsNonverbalCommunication；BodyLanguage；CulturalDifferencesandSimilarities；Principles【摘要】身势语是非语言交际的重要组成部分并和文化紧密联系在一起。为了在跨文化交际中能够成功地进行交流，我们应该了解不同文化的身势语，必须承认世界各国的身势语与语言和文化一样，也有相似之处。然而，由于地域，种族，文化习俗的差异，不同文化的身势语有许多差异。它们由文化制约并拥有独特的文化内涵。也就是说，同样的身势语在不同文化背景下有不同的含义，行使着不同的社会功能。本文致力于从目光语，手势语，身体姿态，面部表情，体触语方面对不同文化的身势语进行对比。目的在于通过列举身势语的文化差异与共性，并提出交际中遵循的原则，从而促进有效交流，避免误解。【关键词】非语言交际；身势语；文化异同；原则1.IntroductionPeoplecancommunicatewitheachotherthroughnotonlyverbalcommunicationbutalsononverbalcommunication.Moreover,thelatterplaysanessentialroleinhumancommunication.Nonverbalcommunicationisconnectedwithculturesanditistheresultofcultures.Butmanypeoplepaygreatattentiontotheacceptanceandcorrectnessoftheverbalcommunicationandoverlooktheinfluenceandculturaldifferenceofnonverbalcommunication.Thenthemisunderstandingandculturalcrashoftenoccurinthecross-culturalcommunication.Sointheprocessofcommunication,itisnotacompletecommunicationwhileignoringtheculturaldifferencesofnonverbalcommunication.AfamousanthropologistE.T.Hallpointedout“Silentlanguageexpressesmoreinformationthanverballanguage.Becauseitcontainsmuchinformation.”Accordingtosomeresearchersabroad,inpeoplesdailylife,nonverbalcommunicationtakespartover65%inallofinformationexchange.Andbodylanguageisanimportantpartofnonverbalcommunication.Manyexpertshaveshowntheimportanceofbodylanguageinthecross-culturalcommunication.“Apsychologistproposedaformula:thetotalimpactofmessage=7%verbal+38%vocal+55%facialexpressionsandbehavior.”1p89Itisclearwithoutbodylanguagewecantfinishourinformationalexchange.Bodylanguage,likeverballanguagecanexpressemotions,exchangeideasanddeliverinformation.Sowemustknowtheculturaldifferencesofbodylanguagetoachieveefficientcommunication.2.DefinitionandFunctionsofNonverbalCommunication2.1DefinitionofNonverbalCommunication“Nonverbalcommunicationisaprocessinwhichcommunicatorsusethenaturalfeaturesoftheirbodiestodeliverinformationandexpressspecificmeaninginstinctivelytotheothercommunicator.”2p90Thestudyofnonverbalcommunicationcoversthreemajorparts:Proxernics,KinesicsorBodyLanguage,andParalanguage.Proxernicsrefersthatpeoplekeepcertainspacewitheachotherwhentheycommunicateandthemeaningitsuggests.Forexample,ArabiansliketokeepclosewhileEnglishmenliketokeepacertaindistance.Itisfunnytoseetheyareinconversation.ArabianswillcomecloserandcloserbutEnglishmenwillwithdrawfurtherandfurther.Whentheyfinishtheconversation,theyarefarawayfromtheplacetheystood.Kinesicsisalsocalledbodylanguage,whichstudiesthemeaningsofthemovementofallpartsofbodyanditincludesmanynonverbalbehaviorsuchaseyelanguage,gestures,postures,facialexpressions,touchandsoon.Wewilldiscussitindetailslater.Paralanguagereferstoallkindsofsoundsignalsmadebymouth,whichcanexpresscertainemotionsandideas.Paralanguageisnotthephrasesandsentenceswithclearmeanings.Itistotransforminformationbysound,suchas“Ouch”.Besidesthis,thepitchoftoneandloudnessorquietnessofvoicealsobelongstoparalanguage.Andsomeresearchersbelievethatclothingbelongstoparalanguage,too.2.2FunctionsofNonverbalCommunicationNonverbalcommunication,likeverbalcommunicationisalsoapartofcultureandthecarrierofacertainculture.Thefunctionofnonverbalcommunicationinthewholecommunicationcantbeoverlooked.“Inthedailycommunication,wecanseepeoplecantcommunicateefficientlybyverballanguagealone.Andnonverbalcommunicationwillexpressclearmeaningsinacertaincontext.Andacertainnonverbalcommunicationshouldbeconnectedwithverbalcommunicationortheothernonverbalcommunicationtoprovidecorrectinformation.”3p37Soincommunicativeactivities,nonverbalcommunicationalsoplaysagreatrole.Ofcourse,weshouldpaycloseattentiontothefunctionsofnonverbalcommunication.“Inanycase,whenverbalcommunicationconflictswithnonverbalcommunication,peoplearewillingtoaccepttheinformationnonverbalcommunicationdelivers.Becausenonverbalcommunicationsoundsmorenatural,moreinstinctiveanditishardtopretend.”4同1p90Obviously,weshouldmakefulluseofnonverbalcommunicationtoachieveefficientcommunication.Now,wewilldiscussthefunctionsofnonverbalcommunication.Repetition.Forexample,whenwetellpeoplehowtogettothenearesthospital,wearenotonlytellingthemthedirectionbutalsopointingtothedirectionwithhands.Supplement.Forinstance,wegreetpeoplewithasmile.Smilefunctionsasasupplementtothepleasureofmeetingpeople.Replacement.Whenwecommunicatewithothers,wewillfrowninsteadofaskingdirectlytohintthatwedontunderstandandexpectrepetitionorexplanation.Emphasis.Whenwearetalkingormakingaspeech,weoftenraiseourvoicetostressthecontent.Andsometimes,wesay,“Itismyfault”whilehungdownourheads.Wesmileandsay,“Welcome”.Weshoutouttothepeoplewhilewavingourfists.Allthenonverbalcommunicationhereemphasizeswhatwesay.Adjustment.Weoftensuggestthatourtalkisoverbyourtone,eyes,headnoddingandothernonverbalcommunicativebehaviors.Forexample,themanagerstandsuptoshowtheendoftheinterview.3.ClassificationofBodyLanguageWehavediscussedtheimportanceofnonverbalcommunication.Andwealsoknowbodylanguagereflectsacertainculturalbackground.Ontheonehand,inacertaintradition,bodylanguageisdeterminedbyitscustomsandtraditions.Violatingthemwillcausecommunicativedisconnectionandmisunderstanding.Ontheotherhand,themeaningsofbodylanguageinacertainculturearedevelopingandchanging.Withthedevelopmentoftechnology,trafficandcontactallovertheworld,themeaningsofbodylanguagearerenewingeveryday.Inthisessay,weintendtomakeacomparisonandcontrastofthesimilaritiesanddifferencesonbodylanguageinordertoavoidmisunderstandingandmakeefficientcommunication.Ingeneralsense,thestudyofbodylanguagebeganin1950s.Andduring1970s,thestudyofbodylanguageenteredafullydevelopingperiod.Fromthelateof1970stotheearlyperiodof1980s,bodylanguagecontainedmorecontents,andhadagreatinfluenceontheotherfields.AndDoctorR.L.BirdWhitellistherepresentiveofstudyofbodylanguage.Hisresearchindicated:eyebrowscouldchangefor23positionsandpeoplecouldmake250,000differentfacialexpressions.“AndpsychologistDavidAberconbiealsopointedout:wespeakwithverbalorgansbutwetalkwithourbody.”5p34Bodylanguagecontainseyelanguage,gestures,postures,facialexpressions,mannersandbehaviorsandtouchandsoon.Asthemostimportantpartofnonverbalcommunication,bodylanguage,likeverballanguage,hasnotableculturalfeatures.Somepartsofbodylanguageareinnate,someareacquiredandothersareconscious.Forexample,(1)Ababycancrywhenitisborn.Itcansuckitsfingerswhenitishungry.Whenweareexcited,ourpupilswillenlargedistinctively.Oureyebrowswillmoverapidlywhenwegreet.Andwewillfrownwhenweareunsatisfied.Weareyawningwhenwefeelsleepy.Andacquiredbodylanguageisgreatlyaffectedbysocialenvironmentandacceptedthroughcommonpractice.Itoftenbecomesadistinctiveculture.Everycountry,everynation,andeveneveryregionhasitsownhistoricalandculturalbackground.Sothebodylanguagepeopleuseisquitedifferent.Forexample,(2)Americansliketoshrugwhentheyhavenoideaaboutsomething.ButChinesedontdothesamething.StretchingoutonestonguemeanscontemptinAmerica,butinChinaitmeanssurpriseandrespectforguestsinTibet.Wecancontrolsomebodylanguageandwecandosomeposturesconsciously.Forexample,(3)Ifapublicspeakerisfiddlingwithapencilorwithhisglassesallthetimewhileheistalking,heistellingquiteclearlythatheisnervous.Butsomeexperiencedspeechmakerwillpretendwellandshowconfidence.4.CulturalDifferencesofBodyLanguageDifferentbelievesarethecausesofthedifferencesofbodylanguage.AccordingtothetheoriesproposedbyAmericananthologistsBarnetttPearce,VerrionCronent,peoplesbehavior,thewayofthinkingandsoonareaffectedbytheirbelieves.Andeveryculturehasitsdistinctivebeliefsystem.Anormalactioninthisculturewillbeabnormalinanotherone.Apositivebehaviorinoneculturewillbenegativeinanother.Peoplefromeasternworldadvocatemodesty,tolerance,mutual-supportandresponsibilityforthegroup.Butwesternpeopleadmireindependence,self-respect,freedevelopment,andrequiringindividualspaceandsoon.Next,wewillgotothedifferencesofbodylanguagefromfiveparts.4.1EyeLanguageAssayinggoes“Theeyesarethewindowofthesoul”.Thatistosay,wecanreadonesmindthroughhis/hereyes.Eyelanguagecanexpresscomplicatedfeelingsanditisanimportantwaytojudgetheintimacyofcommunicators.PeoplefromEnglishspeakingcountrieshavemoreeyecontactwhentheyareinconversation.AccordingtoAmericantradition,communicatorsmustgazeateachother.“Buttherearemanyrulesabouteyelanguage:Whethertolookattheothercommunicatorornot；whenitisthetimetolookatthem,howlongwecanlookat；whowecanlookatandwhowecant；theyallimplydifferentmeaningsincommunication.”6p94InJulietsFastersbook“BodyLanguage”,thereisaparagraphwhichcanexplaintheproblem.“Twostrangerssitfacetofaceinthedinningroominatrain；theycanintroducethemselvestoeachother.Whentheyareeating,theycantalkanythingelse.Theyalsocanavoideyecontactanddonotshowinterestineachother.Awriterdescribedthissituationinanarticle“Theylookoverthemenuagainandagain,playwithknivesandlookattheirnails.Itseemsthattheylookatthemforthefirsttime.Iftheireyesmeet,theywillturnawayimmediatelyandlookoutofthewindow.”(4)Americanspaygreatattentiontothetimeandthewayofeyecontact.Incommonconversation,theywilllookateachotheraboutoneminuteandthentheywilllookaway.IftwoAmericansgazeateachother,whichindicatetheyareintimate.InNorthAmerica,thechildrentherehavelearnedtolookattheothercommunicatordirectly.Iftheydont,theyareregardedlackofenthusiasmorconfidence.Theybelievethesaying“Nevertrustapersonwhocantlookyouintheeyes.”7p36(5)IftwoArabiansareinconversation,theywilllookateachotherwarmly.Becausetheythinkeyesarethekeyoftheirexistence.ButinAmericaneyes,theythinkthisbehaviorisunsuitableorahomosexualbehavior.TheeducatedEnglishmenbelievedirecteyecontactwithourcommunicatorsisgentlemanly.ButSwedeniansuseeyelanguagemoreoftenthanEnglishmen.AndtheFrenchespeciallyliketolookattentivelyattheothercommunicatorswithadmiration.Japaneseoftenlookattheothercommunicatorsneckwhentheyareinconversation.Theybelieveeyecontactisimpolite.AndChineseconsidergazingpeopleisanunfriendlybehavioranditisachallenge.SomeSouthAmericanIndiansusedtolookatdifferentdirectionswhentheyaretalking.IntheMiddleEast,itisconsideredextremelyprovocativeforawomantoletamancatchhereyes,letalone,returnhisgaze.(6)Anotherexample,Americanshaveatriptoavillageandthelocalpeoplestareatthem.Theyareannoyedandthinkthelocalpeoplearerude.Infact,itisnormalinthevillage.Theyarejustcurious.“AmericansocialpsychologistMichaelArgylefoundout:Peoplewholikeeachotherhavemoreeye-contactthanpeoplewhodislikeeachother.”8同5p35Incommunication,lookingdownfrequentlycanindicatesubmissivenessorembarrassment.Lookingawayconstantlymayexpressdissatisfaction.Femalesarelikelytocommunicatewithmoreeyecontact,especiallyamongfemales.Buttoolongeyecontactwillcauseembarrassment.Mostpeoplefeeluneasyanduncomfortableunderthestrongstaring.Whenpeoplealwaysstareatus,wewillfeelwearethreatenedorsuspecttheirsincerity.Fromwhatismentionedabovewecanconcludethatdifferentculturalbackgroundhasagreatinfluenceonbodylanguage.Andeyelanguagealsoreflectsdifferentculturesandbelieves.Soweneedtoobserveandcompareandcontrastcarefullysoastoimproveculturalexchangeandtoblendwell.4.2Gestures“Gesturemeanswecommunicateandexpressbythemovementandmannersofourhandsandfingers.”9p123“Withoutgestures,ourworldwillbestaticandcolorless.Wemayliterallyrollupoursleeveswhentalkingaboutcleaninguptheroomandruntomeetthepersonweareeagertosee.Itseemsnaturaltoclenchourfistorperhapsevenpoundtothelecterntoleteveryonerealizetheimportanceofourmessagewhentryingtocommunicateastrongfeeling,whichemphasizeourwords.”10p64Inourdailylife,everyonemakesgestures,butmanygestureshavedistinctregionalandculturalfeatures.“Dontassumethateveryoneintheworldunderstandsonegestureinthesameway.”11p44Forexample，(7)Americansoftentouchtheirtemplestoexpresssomebodyscleverness.ButthisactionmeansthereissomethingwrongwithonesmindoroneisstupidtoChinese.ChineseareoftensurprisedtoseeAmericanslaytheirhandsontheirneckswhentheyarefull.BecauseitisansuicideactiontoChinese,whousedtoexpressfullnessbypattingtheirstomachs.Andanotherexample,(8)Inwesternculture,peoplestretchoutonesforefingerandswingitleftandright,whichsignalstowarnsomebodynottodosomething.Thephrase“crossonesfingers”meansblessingsomebodysgoodluck.Thegestureofthumbingaridesignifiesaskingforafreerideinmotorvehiclebystretchinguponesthumb.InAmerica,peopleholdtheirthumbsandforefingersintoacircleandstretchuptheotherfingers,whichmeans“OK”inAmerica,butitmeanssomebodyisfiredbybossinJapan.InChina,holdinguponesthumbmeansgood,andraisingoneslitterfingermeansbad.ButJapanesewillholduptheirlittlefingerstoexpressoneistheirlover.InAmerica,wavingoneshandmeansgoodbye.ButSouthAmericanswillnotleavewhentheyseethisgesture,inturns；theywillruntowardsyou.(9)PeoplefromEnglish-speakingcountriesturnaroundtheirringsconstantlytoshownervousnessoruneasiness.NowpeoplefromTaiwanandHongKongalsohavethisgesture.ButifpeopleinthemainlandofChinaactlikethis,theywillberegardedtheyareshowingoffrichness.Itiscleartoseethesamegesturewithdifferentmeaningsindifferentcultures,andpeoplefromdifferentcultureswillexpresssamemeaningbydifferentgestures.Soitisnecessaryforustoknowtheculturaldifferencetoavoidmisunderstanding.4.3Postures“Postureisamatterofhowpeoplesit,walk,standandmove.”12同8p65Whatkindofposturepeopleusealsocanreflecttheculturaldifferencesbetweeneastandwest.“Hewespointedoutculturemost