跨文化交际 案例分析Case analysis.doc

Li Hong is a new teacher in a middle school. One day, one of her Chinese colleague Yang Zhen introduces her to their middle-aged foreign teacher Maggy.Yang: Li Hong, this is Maggy, our English teacher from America. And Maggy, this is Li Hong, our new colleague.Li and Maggy: How do you do?Maggy: Your sweater is so smart.Li: Oh, it is only an old one, I bought it last year.Maggy: You are so young and smart, I am sure you are a good teacher.Li: No, no. I am just a newcomer, I should learn from you old teachers.Maggy looks surprised and thinks, Am I really so old?三步法分析 （注：为了详细阐述三步法如何运用，此案例分析的文字远远超过100字。学生分析每个案例的篇幅在100字左右即可。）1. Li Hong comes from a collectivist culture which emphasizes deference paid to people older than self and modesty displayed on the part of the young. Maggy comes from an individualistic culture which values assertiveness and free expression of feelings. 2. As a young and new teacher, Li Hong showed her respect to Maggy with a formal greeting. When Maggy complimented Li on her sweater and herself, Li reacted in a typical Chinese way by overusing modesty in front of a teacher older than her. She displayed her humbleness by saying that her sweater was an old one and she should learn from Maggy, an old teacher. Lis responses are perfect between Chinese people but terrible in cross-cultural situations like this. She did not realize that her expression of respect could be translated into offence since individualistic cultures do not associate as much deference with age as collectivistic cultures do. Therefore, Maggy, coming from an individualistic culture, was surprised when Li called her old teacher. Maggy did not understand that the word old here meant as a compliment, meaning that she had richer teaching experience. Both Li Hong and Maggy communicated only from their cultural perspectives and thus caused miscommunication. 3. To avoid miscommunication, Li Hong and Maggy should learn more about each others culture and adjust their behaviors accordingly. When Maggy complimented Li on her sweater and herself, Li could simply reply thank you. She could use her non-verbal language to show her respect to Maggy, for instance, with a smile, a handshake, etc. As to Maggy, she could use fewer complimentary words or more objective questions to reduce Lis nervousness. She should also understand that one of the key values in collectivism is deference paid to experience and old age.Susan Wood, a young American mother of a four-year-old boy, came to China for the first time. She wrote a letter to her parents for help. Dear Dad and Mom, I dont feel happy in China. I am scared by how the Chinese treat Tommy. Tommy is already four years old. Whenever I take him outside, a lot of Chinese whom I dont know would fondle him, touching, patting, hugging or even kissing him. It seems that the Chinese are treating Tommy as a pet. I think they are very rude. What should I do? Best wishes, Susan 要用三步法分析，三步法就是下面这个 Please note: 1. In this new assignment, you are encouraged to apply your cross-cultural knowledge to cross-cultural case analysis. 2. The marking criteria for this assignment are different from what you used before. 3. The focus of assignment marking will not only be on your language appropriateness but also be on your ability to apply cross-cultural knowledge to cross-cultural problem solving. 4. A “three-step approach” to case analysis is recommended in this course. You may follow the three steps below when analyzing cross-cultural cases. Step 1: Normative-level analysis At this step, these questions need to be addressed: what cultural differences made the involved parties behave in this way? What normative cultural attributes caused the cross-cultural clash? Step 2: Behavioral-level analysis At this step, this question needs to be addressed: what behaviors of each party caused the clash? Step 3: Giving behavioral-level suggestions At this step, these questions need to be addressed: what should have been done by each party to avoid the clash? What might be done by each party to save the situation? Step 1: Normative-level analysisPersons with different cultural background express their attitude to one stuff in different ways. Chinese treat Tommy in Chinese style because they think that four-years old child is cute and need more care while American thinks Tommy is older enough and should be treated in the ways helping him grow. (I am sorry i cannt answer your two questions in first step)Step 2: Behavioral-level analysisfondling, touching, patting, hugging or even kissing casued the clash to a four-years old American child.Step 3: Giving behavioral-level suggestions Let Tommy know that the behaviors Chinese done are to express their feeling and accept that.And also communicate with Chinese around you about American culture and ways on child. Respect each others culture and behavior or style and try to act as Chin