Unit 6 跨文化交际.pdf

1 Unit 6 Culture and Nonverbal Communication Those who know do not talk. Those who talk do not know. -Lao Zi Theres language in her eye, her cheek, her lip, Nay, her foot speaks” -William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida Speech is silver; silence is golden. -English proverb ACTIONS SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS! 1. An Overview of Nonverbal Communication (p.191-199) We communicate with more than the words we speak. Psychologist Albert Mehrabian has come up with the following formula: Total communication = 7% verbal + 38% oral + 55% facial. Studies show that over half of your message is carried through nonverbal elements: Your appearance Your body language The tone and the pace of your voice. In face-to-face communication 65% of the information is communicated through nonverbal means (Samovar, 1981; Ross, 1974; Ray L. Birdwhistel, 1970) Support 1: Charlie Chaplin swept the world with his silent films. (Modern Times) Support 2: Robinson Crusoe “talked” with Friday without knowing his servants language. In the communication of attitudes, 93% of the message is transmitted by the tone of the voice and facial expressions, whereas only 7% of the speakers attitude was transmitted by words (Levine, 1981, Mehranbian, 1968) Support: Lovers express emotions with sparkling eyes and blushing faces or touching, hugging and kissing. Words are too pale for them! The quality of a voice can communicate as much as the words. The same words can be tender, mocking, sarcastic or angry, depending on how they are said. e.g. Steven!; Steven?; Steven. (more p.191-192) When you speak, you communicate. When you dont speak, you may still be communicating. A person who truly knows two languages uses both body languages too. A good example of this is New Yorks famous mayor, Fiorello La Guardia (p193), who communicated in English, Italian and Yiddish. When films of his speeches are run without sound, its not too difficult to tell from his gestures the language being spoken. Class observation In class, how can the teacher identify the concentrated students? 2 They may show an interested look, wear a smile, make some notes or keep their eyes on the teacher. On the other hand, how can the teacher know the students are not interested in her class? They may consciously or unconsciously twist the body, bury the head, avoid the teachers eyes, wear a blank expression, knit the eyebrows or bite the pen. 2. What is nonverbal communication? Nonverbal communication involves all nonverbal stimuli in a communication setting that are generated by both the source (speaker) and his or her use of the environment and that have potential message value for the source or receiver (listener). - (Larry A. Samovar, 1998) In other words, it is communication without words. 2. What is nonverbal communication? It refers to communication through a whole variety of different types of signal come into play, including: the way we move, the gestures we employ, the posture we adopt, the facial expression we wear, the direction of our gaze, to the extent to which we touch and the distance we stand from each other. Classification Body language/Kinesics(体态语/身势语): posture, head movement, facial expressions, eye behavior, gestures, handshaking, arm movement, leg movement, kiss, hug, touch etc. Paralanguage( 副语言): sound, pitch, tempo of speech, tone, volume, pause, silence, turn-taking etc. Classification Object language ( 客体语、物体语) : clothing, personal artifacts (adornment, jewelry, perfume, personal gear etc.) , hair, furniture, 3 vehicle etc. Environmental language(环境语): time language/chronemics , spatial language/ proxemics (interpersonal distance), space, seating, territoriality, color, light, signs and symbols, architecture etc. Body language/Kinesics The study of how movement communicates is called Kinesics. Kinesic behavior refers to communication through body movements like posture, head movement, facial expressions, eye behavior, gestures, handshaking, arm movement, leg movement etc. Posture -bow Posture and sitting habits offer insight into a cultures deep structure. In many Asian cultures, the bow is much more than a greeting. It signifies that cultures concern with status and rank. In Japan, for example, low posture is an indicator of respect. Although it appears simple to the outsider, the bowing ritual is actually rather complicated. -Bow in Japan The person who occupies the lower station begins the bow, and his or her bow must be deeper than the other persons. The superior, on the other hand, determines when the bowing is to end. When the participants are of equal rank, they begin the bow in the same manner and end at the same time. -Wai in Thailand The Thai people use a similar movement called the wai. The wai movement-which is made by pressing both hands close together in front of ones body, with the fingertips reaching to about neck level-is used to show respect. The lower the head comes to the hands, the more respect is shown. -Crossing legs (1) The manner in which we sit also can communicate a message. In U.S.: normal to cross legs while seated; women cross at the angle while men cross with angle on the knee; Middle East: crossing the leg with angle on the knee is inappropriate; -Crossing legs (2) In Ghana and in Turkey, sitting with ones legs crossed is extremely offensive; People in Thailand believe that because the bottoms of the feet are the lowest part of the body, they should never be pointed in the direction of another person; In fact, for the Thai, the feet take on so much significance that people avoid stomping with them. -Slouching In US, where being casual and friendly is valued, people often fall into chairs or slouch when they stand. In many countries, such as Germany and Sweden, where lifestyles tend to be more formal, slouching is considered a sign of rudeness and poor manners. -Feet on desk In U.S. and Britain: lean back in the chair and put feet on the desk to convey a relaxed and 4 informal attitude. Middle East, Swiss and Germany: putting feet on the desk is rude. -Hands in pocket Everywhere in Europe, it is rude to talk with your hands in pocket. Its something only a guilty child would do. In Turkey, putting ones hands in ones pockets is a sign of disrespect. In Germany, “it is impolite to shake someones hand with your other hand in your pocket. This is seen as a sign of disrespect” In China In Japan and Korea, it means money; In France, it means zero or worthless; In Russia, it means zero/rudeness; In Brazil, Turkey, Venezuela, it means insult/vulgar; In Tunisia “Ill kill you.” In Malta, it is an invitation to have a homosexual sex. Among Arabs this gesture is usually accompanied by a baring of teeth, and together they signify extreme hostility. In Mexico and Germany, it has a vulgar connotation. In Argentina, one twists an imaginary mustache to signify that everything is okay. The single finger beckon sign In U.S. also used as a sign for hitch-hiking. To Chinese: excellent, number one. To Japanese: boss, father, husband. To Persian: discontent. To people in the Middle East: obscene gesture. In Greece it is an insult. In France, it means to show approval. In Afghanistan, Iran, Greece and most part of Italy: get out. Yet, to show approval, it is by raising ones eyebrows in Tonga, by tilting ones head in France, and by having two thumbs up in Kenya. The thumb-down sign To most Asian countries: Bad, dislike U.S. Victory, peace or friend (around the world by peace and counter-culture groups) a gesture used in photographs (by many others, especially in Japan) In Greece: hold up the palm to someones face means insult. palm to yourself(palm inward): the number 2 offensive gesture, meaning insult, is often compared to the offensive gesture known as the finger. (This usage is restricted largely to Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the UK) is equivalent to “the finger” (in countries where Spanish, Portuguese, or French are spoken, and especially in Spain, Portugal, Brazil, France, and also Italy, Poland, and countries under the influence of Russian culture, such as Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine, but the majority of young people in these countries use the finger as an insult. the finger (the middle finger) In U.S. Venezuela, good luck; U.S. subculture: devils horn; In China, means number 6. Clasped-hands-over-the-head gesture used by Former Soviet Premier Khrushchev when visiting the US in the 1960s. -for Russians is a sign of international brotherhood; -for Americans it is an arrogant gestures usually used by prize-fighters after defeating an opponent. Left-handers-be careful The left hand is not used for eating, (even if you are left-handed) this is considered offensive and unclean in Middle East, India, Sri Lanka, Africa, Bangladesh because left hand is for toilet functions. Mannerly in India to break your bread only with your right hand (sometimes difficult for non-Indians) . Pointing In the U.S. by extending the index finger; Germany with little finger; Japanese with entire hand (in fact most Asians consider pointing with index finger to be rude) In Mongolia, by pointing with the lips. In India, by pointing with the chins. In Guinea-Bissau 几内亚比绍共和国, by pointing with the tongue. Counting Thumb = 1 in Germany, 5 in Japan, middle finger for 1 in Indonesia. Chinese 8 gesture means 2 in Japan. 8 Chinese 9 gesture means pick-pocket in Japan. Head movements Head movements denoting acceptance and rejection take opposite forms in Thailand and the U.S. Greeks express “yes” with a nod similar to the one used in the U.S. ,but when communicating “no”, they jerk their heads back and raise their faces. Lifting one or both hands up to the shoulders strongly emphasizes the “no”. To Nepalese, Sri Lankans, some Indians and some Eskimos, nodding the head means not “yes”, but “no”. The Indians have a habit of shaking their heads slightly when they talk to somebody. It doesnt mean No, but Yes. Facial Expressions (p194-199) In a very real sense, when it comes to using our faces, we are all actors because we all wear a variety of masks. To quote the poet T.S. Eliot, we “ put on a face to meet the faces that we meet.” Cultural norms often dictate how, when, and to whom facial expressions are displayed. In many Mediterranean cultures, people exaggerate signs of grief or sadness. It is not uncommon in this region of the world to see men crying in public. Yet in the U.S., white males suppress the desire to show these emotions. Japanese men even go so far as to hide expressions of anger, sorrow, or disgust by laughing or smiling. In one study, Japanese and American subjects revealed the same facial expressions when viewing a stress-inducing film while they were alone. However, when viewing the film in the presence of others, the Japanese manifested only neutral facial expressions. The Chinese also do not readily show emotion for reasons that are rooted deeply in their culture-the Chinese concept of saving face being one of the most important. For the Chinese, displaying too much emotion violates face-saving norms by disrupting harmony and causing conflict. The smile is yet another emotional display that is rooted in ones culture. In Korean culture, too much smiling is often perceived as the sign of a shallow person. Dressers notes that this “lack of smiling by Koreans has often been misinterpreted as a sign of hostility”. Thais, on the other hand, smile much of the time. In fact, Thailand has been called the “ Land of 9 Smiles.” Eye Contact Eye contact is an important aspect of body language. One could draw up quite rules about eye contact: to look or not to look, when to look and how long to look, who to look at and who not to look at, etc. And these rules vary from culture to culture. Cultural Differences in Eye Behavior In English speaking world/Western cultures see direct eye to eye contact as positive (advise children to look a person in the eyes) , if you fail to meet other peoples gaze, you can be interpreted as being deceptive, weak, bored, or angry. ( Dont trust anyone who dont look you in the eye.) But within USA, African-Americans use more eye contact when talking and less when listening. A prolonged gaze is often seen as a sign of sexual interest. Arabic cultures make prolonged eye-contact believe it shows interest and helps them understand truthfulness of the other person. (A person who doesnt reciprocate is seen as untrustworthy). Japan, Africa, Latin American, Caribbean avoid eye contact to show respect. Respect and attention is shown by looking away from the speakers in Latin America. Answer questions 5 (2) vocal qualifiers (volume, pitch, rhythm, tempo, resonance, tone); (3) vocal segregates (“un-huh,” “shh,” “uh,” “oooh,” “mmmh,” “humm”). For Israelis, increased volume reflects strong beliefs toward the issue under discussion. The Germans conduct their business with a “commanding tone that projects authority and self-confident. For Thai people, “a loud voice is perceived as being impolite.” In Japan, raising ones voice often implies a lack of self-control. For them, a gentle and soft voice reflects good manners and helps maintain social harmony-two important values in Japanese culture. When interacting with Americans, people from cultures that speak softly often believe that Americans are angry or upset because of their relatively loud speech. Silence p.225-226 Silence is a powerful communicator. It can communicate Agreement. Disagreement. Confusion. Respect. Sadness. Thoughtfulness, or any number of meanings. “Silence in Asia has commonly been entirely acceptable whereas in the West silence has generally been considered socially disagreeable.” Oliver(1971) Examples-p.225-226 11 Object Language Object language refers to communication through material artifacts, e.g. office design, furniture, clothing ,cars, flowers, tie, knife and fork etc. Furniture arrangement within the home communicates something about the culture. For example, people from France, Italy, and Mexico who visit the U.S. are often surprised to see that the furniture in the living room is pointed toward the television set. For them, conversation is important, and facing chairs toward a television screen stifles conversation. In their countries, furniture is positioned to encourage interaction. The Battle of the Ties: Romneys Red VS Obamas Blue (posted on October 4, 2012http:/www.tie-a- ) Fashion in Politics: Obama “Out-Styles” Romney 4:2 “Dress for Success” should have been on both candidates mind while getting dressed for last nights first Presidential debate. Overall both did a good job, but a closer look does indeed show some minor differences. After looking at how their suits fitted, what tie they chose to wear, how the ties were tied, how the shirt cut complemented the rest of the outfit, as well as a few other key points, I give the slight edge to President Obama winning 4:2 over his opponent Governor Romney. In other words: Obama was the better dressed of the two. Hair Cut: Point Goes to Romney Obama showed up in his usually short buzz-cut while Romney impressed with his well manicured coif. Without doubt, Romneys more “high maintenance” hair took at least 20 minutes to style time that was, at least from my point of view, well spent. The Suit: Obama Takes This One Both men wore the classic charcoal gray, American cut suit (2 button, notch lapels, double vented, and pleated pants). While both men wore pants that were slightly too long, it was Obamas suit that fit a bit better around the shoulders. It was a close call, but point goes to Obama. The Tie: Romneys Red “Power Tie” Takes it Consistent with their parties colors, Obama wore a royal blue tie while Romney decided to dress up with a bold red striped piece. While I personally prefer the color and fine texture of Obamas tie, Romney did a better job choosing a bolder and more attention-grabbing color. Romneys red “power tie” exudes confidence without being overly flashy. The stripes on the tie also added a more “business professional” look that is consistent with Romneys persona. While Romneys red tie was bold and attention grabbing it did not distract from his face. The clear winner here: Governor Mitt Romne. 12 The Tie Knot: Obama Takes it Obama tied his royal blue tie with a perfectly dimpled Four in Hand while Romney tied a slightly sloppy half Windsor. The shape of Obamas tie knot perfectly complemented the collar style and the dimple gave the tie a nice textured look and better drape. Romneys knot on the other hand appeared a bit sloppy. The knot was a tad too large for the collar, and the lack of the dimple certainly was an eyesore for every tie aficionado. Thus, the clear winner here is President Obama. The Dress Shirt: Points to Obama It should come to no surprise that both men wore the classic white dress shirt featuring classic medium spread collars and traditional barrel cuffs. While both shirts initially looks the same, a closer look shows Romneys shirt having shorter collar points. While shorter collar points are more modern, it is a style that requires to be worn with the right suit and tie: a slim fit narrow lapeled suit and slightly narrower necktie something Romney failed to do. Thus, points to Obama. Accessories: Romney Wins Here As already seen on the campaign trail, both men keep accessories at a bare minimum. Neither man wears cufflinks, tie bars, or pocket squares (something JFK would have done), but instead opted for a simple and sleep look of wedding ring, wrist watch, and American flag pin. Because Romney chose a slightly larger and more visible flag pin, he deserves to win this point. Accessories: Obama Take