lovelva=fun的论文.doc

On Body Language in Intercultural Communication云南大学旅游文化学院本科生学年论文题 目： On Body Language in Intercultural Communication 专业班级： 英语专业四班 作者姓名： 侯思远 作者学号： 20071201648 指导教师： 李迎春 撰文时间： 2010.8 ContentsAbstract摘要Introduction11. Some Information about Body Language2 1.1 Functions of Body Language2 1.2 The Important Role of Body Language in Communication2 1.3 Necessities of Studying Body Language in Intercultural Communication3 1.3.1 For the Opening to the Outside World3 1.3.2 For the Communication of the Different Culture32. The Relationship between Body Language and Culture43. Analysis on Some Commonly Used Body Language in Intercultural Communication5 3.1 Eye Contact5 3.1.1 Direct and Indirect Eye Contact5 3.1.2 Eye Contact in Various Cultures5 3.2 Body Distance6 3.2.1 Different Types of Body Distance6 3.2.2 Cultural Difference about Body Distance7 3.3 Physical Contact8 3.3.1 The Scope for Physical Contact8 3.3.2 The Different Views about Physical Contact between Chinese and American9 3.4 Facial Behavior10 3.4.1 “Smile” and “Cry”10 3.4.2 The Different Understanding of Smile between the China and the West10 3.5 Hand Gesture11 3.5.1 Different Meanings of Hand Gesture in Different Cultures114. How to Develop Positive Body Language12Conclusion15Bibliography16Abstract: As a communicative tool, language is very important in many situations. However, body language also takes a complementary role to help people transfer information to improve communication, which will be an indispensable power to break up language obstacles in intercultural communication. In the 21st century, as the economic and cultural exchanging of all countries becomes more and more frequent, there appear more obstacles caused by the differences of language and culture. In intercultural communication, one of the most useful ways to deal with the obstacles is to master the meaning of body language. However, even if we understand the meaning of some general body language, there are also some difficulties to master. Because even the same body language have great differences in different couture background. Using body languages wrongly not only makes you fail in interpersonal communications, which would cause conflict in international communication. So what are the differences of the same body language in different country? How to apply body language correctly? In this essay, after borrowing and studying the experience of the forefathers, the author analyzes the various usages and functions of body language in different culture background.Key Words: Body language intercultural communication cultural difference【摘要】：语言是一种交流工具，但是起辅助作用的身势语在人类交流中也起着不可忽视的作用。在跨文化交际中它帮助人们传情达意，突破语言障碍，促进交流。21世纪， 随着国际经济文化交流的加深，由于语言，文化的差异而产生的障碍随时都可能存在，在跨文化交际中，消除障碍的最有效的方法就是了解身势语的含义。 然而即使我们对常用的身势语有所了解，我们仍然面临着一些困难，身势语含义千变万化，即使同一身势语在不同的文化背景都有不同的含义。错误地用身势语不仅会使我们在跨文化交际中失败，而且会造成和外国朋友之间的冲突，所以怎样正确地使用身势语，怎样理解身势语的差异都非常重要，该篇论文中作者在借鉴前人成果的基础上分析了各种身势语在不同文化背景下的用法和功能。【关键词】：身势语 跨文化交际 文化差异IntroductionIn modern society, most countries in the world communicate with each other frequently, at the same time, the people speaking different languages have different cultural background, way of living, faith of religion, personal values and so on, which take intervene to the communication of people coming from different country.When a Chinese meet an American friend, would the kissing each other be offensive for the Chinese? If two young friends of the same sex walk with their arms around each others shoulders would this be regarded as being proper by English-speaking people? Does nodding head mean yes and shaking means no in all cultures? Im afraid nobody can give a positive or negative answer about the above questions .because the same behavior in different culture has different meanings. Language is an important tool in intercultural communication, but not the only communicating means, when people talk with each other, there always accompany with some gestures and poses, which we call body language, which is composed of body distance, facial behavior, eyes contact and so on. So the study of body language should not only be the complementary to the study of language but also can help us go out of misunderstanding zone in intercultural communication.The traditional culture and national spirit of every nation come out from specific culture environment, we cant copy simply. We must understand the specific meaning under their background of culture firstly, and then we can understand the meaning of body language under different culture background1. Some Information about Body Language When talking about body language, people often think about standing, sitting, and lying. In fact people can make over 1000 kinds gestures. The commonly used body languages include eye contact, physical contact, sound, facial behavior and so on. Western scholars have made a lot of definitions about it, the most vivid and specific definition is that body language is the non-verbal language which can express information that language cannot express and the actions most people can understand. Body language is the complementary of language, and it cooperates with language to express information more accurately. 1.1 Functions of Body LanguageAlthough language is a chief tool to help people communicate, yet body language cant be replaced by verbal language, especially in interpersonal communication. The study of psychology shows when two people do faceto-face communication, more than 50% information of communication are finished by mute body language. Moreover, body language is international, so people coming from different countries can communicate with each other by body language even if they cant speak each others language. someone find that the time of a man on an average talking with the others each day takes up 10% of his total communicating time with others, at the same time, when people communicate with others, they always communicate by body language now and then. Sometimes people even find body language can express all information. 1.2 The Important Role of Body Language in Communication Nonverbal communication, or body language, is a vital form of communication. When we interact with others, we continuously give and receive countless wordless signals. All of our nonverbal behaviorsthe gestures we make, the way we sit, how fast or how loud we talk, how close we stand, how much eye contact we makesend strong messages.The way you listen, look, move, and react tell the other person whether or not you care and how well youre listening. The nonverbal signals you send either produce a sense of interest, trust, and desire for connectionor they generate disinterest, distrust, and confusion. Nonverbal communication cues can play five roles:Repetition: they can repeat the message the person is making verbally Contradiction: they can contradict a message the individual is trying to convey Substitution: they can substitute for a verbal message. For example, a persons eyes can often convey a far more vivid message than words and often do Complementing: they may add to or complement a verbal message. A boss who pats a person on the back in addition to giving praise can increase the impact of the message Accenting: they may accent or underline a verbal message. Pounding the table, for example, can underline a message. 1.3 Necessities of Studying Body Language in Intercultural Communication1.3.1 For the Opening to the Outside WorldWith the further opening to the outside world, more and more people go abroad or stay in motherland to go in for the work of intercultural communication. In intercultural communication people often feel confused and baffled because they cant immerge into the same background of culture and then result in failure in communication.1.3.2 For the Communication of the Different CultureThis “body language” just like verbal language is also a part of culture. The specific meanings of body language originate from specific culture background. People can take advantage in conversation if only they master it well. In most situations, nodding ones head means agreement yes. Waving an outstretched hand with open palm is the gesture for goodbye. Leaning back in ones seat and yawning at a talk or lecture shows lack of interest, boredom. The meanings of these gestures have come to be accepted by most people, at least by Chinese and Americans. But the same gesture or body languages have different meaning in different background of culture. Even nodding the head may have a different meaning. To Nepalese, Sri Lankan, some Indians and some Eskimos it doesnt means “yes” but “no”. So if somebody wants to succeed in international business, if they want to have a good personal relationship with the foreign friends, and if they want to go out of mistaking zone, they must learn and master the practical skill of dealing with people coming from different background of culture. Because body language is one of the most useful ways to salve the problems mentioned above.2. The Relationship between Body Language and CultureAlthough we may not realize it when we talk with others we make ourselves understood not only by words. We send messages to the people around us also by expressions and body movements. We call it body language , which is a kind of communication, noverbal communication. A smile and handshake show welcome ,Waving ones hand is to say goodbye, nodding the head means agreement, while shaking it means disagreement .Putting up a hand means May I ask a question?. Kissing means love. Waving ones arms show happiness. These gestures are accepted both by Chinese and Americans as having the same meanings. Because culture influences communication. Different country has different culture. So the way people in different countries communicate is different too. FOR EXAMPLE, Arab man often greet by kissing on both cheeks. In Japan men greet by bowing .In the Unite States, people shake hands to show their greeting. And the gesture of putting a hand on a person neck is different for Chinese and Americans. For Chinese, it is to say someone will be killed. For Americans, it shows Im full” .And in Thailand, If you want to signal a person to come near, you should move the fingers back and forth with palm down. But in the United States, you ask someone to come by holding the palm up and moving the fingers towards our body. And crossing ones legs in the United States is a sign of being relaxed. But in Korea , its not allowed. In Chinese, people hand everything with both hands to show their respect, but for Muslims, they think the left hand is unclean and do not eat or pass something with it. Because of special culture influences some counties, some body languages should attract our attention. In Turkey , putting ones hand in ones pockets is a sign of disrespect, In some Asia countries, you must not touch the head of another person. And in China, people dont kiss or hug each other , except hisher lover. For an Arab, it is a good manners to stand close to his friend when they are talking, but for English people, they dont like to be close to one another. And in parts of Asia, you must not sit with your foot pointing at another person. All above show that it is important to know the meaning of gestures and movements in foreign country, foreigners should follow these customs, should learn their culture. So we can communicate with them in a correct way, not only by words, but also by body language. I think that it is important in our lives to show and learn body language3. Analysis on Some Commonly used Body Language in Intercultural CommunicationThere are many body languages with various meaning, and some of them are common in peoples daily life, but which are useful and meaningful to help us to communicate. 3.1 Eye ContactEyes are important aspects of body language. People often compare eyes to the window of mind, and eye contact plays important part in interpersonal communication, However, There is much knowledge and question during communication about eye contact. For example, could speakers look at their partner directly when talking? How to look? How long could be looked at ? Which part could be looked at? And which part couldnt to be looked at?3.1.1 Direct and Indirect Eye ContactThere are different habits in different nations and areas. For example, when two Arabs talk with each other, they like gazing at the partner enthusiastically and directly, in their minds, eyes are keys of two speakers existing. In American, if an orator only bend his or her head during lectures but faces the audiences as what many Chinese do, they would be thought of indifference and impoliteness to audiences. Americans think the people who dont dare to communicate by eyes lack sincerity or dishonesty. Also the educated Englishman takes directly looking at the partners eyes as gentlemen; in public of French, Frenchmen think gazing at ladies as norm of culture.3.1.2 Eye Contact in Various CulturesEye contact is a way of communicating with others. Depending on which cultural situation an individual is in, eye contact gives out different signals. Appropriate eye contact levels differ from culture to culture.Diverse Eye Contact Cultures:America: Visual contact is encouraged in the United States of America. If you look at someone in the eye, while speaking to him or her, you come across as confident, trustworthy and interested. Frequently glancing away from the person or refusing to make contact can signal low self-confidence, disinterest and a suspicious character. However, in Mexico, eye contact sustained too long is viewed negatively and suspiciously.Europe: In most areas of Europe, looking into a persons eyes while conversing is seen as a mark of respect. However, this is brief contact. In many areas, consistent contact may be negatively viewed. In England, some amount of contact is necessary, but too much makes people uncomfortable. In other areas such as France and Spain, visual contact customs are similar to those in America.Middle East: Middle-Eastern societies, largely Muslim, require less contact than those in the European and American societies. Many cultures have laws dictating that women should not make visual contact with men. However, intense visual contact between two people of the same gender, usually men, signals sincerity and a plea to believe.Asia, Africa and Latin America: Here, sustained contact can be perceived as a challenge or affront to authority. Students are not encouraged to hold visual contact with teachers, children with parents or inferiors with superiors. This is simply to show respect and not disinterest.Eyes are the windows to the soul and thus, visual contact is a powerful means of communication. To avoid misunderstandings, one must know the culture he/she is interacting with and accordingly has to adapt the eye contact. 3.2 Body Distance Psychologists discover any person needs personal space, yet skins are not the boundary of personal space, their personal spaces are encircled by bubbles and other people cant break in at will.3.2.1 Different Types of Body DistancePeople always carry personal space with them no matter how far they will go, and they always have a kind of instinctive common sense of self-guard. So the speakers talking with him need to keep a distance during conversation to avoid offence. The anthropologist and socialist Doctor Hall advanced 4 kinds of definitions for it. 1. Intimate distance (0-45cm)proper for spouse and lovers; 2.personal distance(5-120cm)Proper for friends, acquaintances, and relatives; 3.social distance (120-360cm)proper for dealing with impersonal thing; 4,public distance(360-750cm)proper for informal party. Actually these concepts are deep-rooted in the whole society, but in some degree which are effected by many factors: density of population in specific unit space; influence of accept level and intimate extent.influence of different custom and culture background.influence of social status.(E.T.Hall, 47) Here author mainly talk about the use of body distance in different custom and culture background. The people of different countries, ethnic, races and areas have different habit when they talk with each other in intercultural communication; we can choose proper body distance according to the above definition of body distance during conversation with different people. 3.2.2 Cultural Difference about Body DistanceArab and Spanish try to stand close to show friendliness. In their culture standing closely is the manner of the people when they converge. They stand close as possible as they can as if they want to smell the smells of the partner; Englishman wants to keep their personal space when they talk with the others, so pay attention not to taking up the partners space ; Chinese people conform with the principle of non-touching culture during the conversation. They keep a moderate distance when talking with others. There is a very interesting picture when Englishmen talk with Arab. The Arab, showing amicable to Englishman, will walk close to the Englishman, but the latter continues moving back. The Arab moves forward to be closer again, but the Englishman keeps moving backward. By the end of the conversation, the two people may be quite a distance from the place where they were originally standing! We have just talk about the personal space above. Everyone needs specific personal sp