标准英语论文.doc

闽江学院本科毕业论文(设计)题 目：对跨文化交际中非言语语的探析学生姓名： 苏有根 学 号： 120060201107 系 别： 外语系 年 级： 2006级 专 业： 英 语 指导教师： 宋鸣华 职 称： 讲 师 完成日期： 2010-02-25 iv闽江学院毕业论文（设计）诚信声明书本人郑重声明：兹提交的毕业论文（设计）对跨文化交际中非言语语的探析，是本人在指导老师 宋鸣华 的指导下独立研究、撰写的成果；论文（设计）未剽窃、抄袭他人的学术观点、思想和成果，未篡改研究数据，论文（设计）中所引用的文字、研究成果均已在论文（设计）中以明确的方式标明；在毕业论文（设计）工作过程中，本人恪守学术规范，遵守学校有关规定，依法享有和承担由此论文（设计）产生的权利和责任。声明人（签名）：苏有根2010 年 02 月 25 日摘 要随着全球化的不断发展，世界变得更小了，来自不同文化的人们之间的交流正日趋频繁。为了跨文化交际者彼此间能够顺畅地、高效地交流，跨文化交际的研究显得格外的重要。但是，在跨文化这一背景下，成功的交流不但要求能够理解言语信息而且还要能够理解非言语信息。非言语交流非常普遍，它是人类沟通交流中必不可少且不可分割的一部分。它是一个符号系统，人们利用它来交流意见，传递信息，表达情感。然而非言语行为各式各样，而且在不同的文化下它们蕴含着不同的意味。由于非言语交流的文化差异，交流者很难真正彼此理解。所以我们有必要提出一些方法来解决跨文化交际中可能碰到的问题。因此，本篇文章将对非言语交流及其文化差异进行分析和学习，以减少或避免跨文化交际中不必要的误解，进而引导人们成为跨文化交际的能手。关键词：非言语交流；文化差异；方法策略AbstractWith the development of the globalization, the world is getting smaller, and the communication between people coming from different cultures is getting more and more frequent. In order to communicate smoothly and efficiently with each other, it is very important to study intercultural communication. But successful communication in intercultural settings requires the understanding of not only verbal messages but also nonverbal messages. Nonverbal communication is universal. It is an indispensable and inseparable part of human interaction and communication. Nonverbal language is a symbol system that people use to exchange ideas, transmit messages, and express feelings. However, nonverbal behaviors are various and carry different meaning in different cultures. And because of the cultural differences of nonverbal communication, neither of the communicators can understand each other correctly. Thus, it is necessary for us to make some strategies to solve the problems that may happen in intercultural communication. Therefore, this thesis will analyze nonverbal communication and its cultural differences，to reduce unnecessary misunderstanding and guide people to be good communicators in intercultural communication.Key words：nonverbal communication; cultural differences; strategiesContents1. Introduction(1)1.1 The significance of the study(1)1.2 The current status of the study(1)1.3 The structure of the study(2)2. Overview to Nonverbal Communication(2)2.1 The definition and classification of nonverbal communication(2)2.2 The characteristics and functions of nonverbal communication(3)3. Culture and Nonverbal Communication(3)3.1 The role of culture(3)3.2 The connection between culture and nonverbal communication(4)4. Cultural Differences and Nonverbal Communication(5)4.1 Cultural differences of body language(5)4.2 Cultural differences in paralanguage (11)4.3 Cultural differences on space and time(13)4.4 Cultural differences on silence(17)5. Nonverbal Communication and Intercultural Competence(18)6. Conclusion(20)Bibliography(21)Acknowledgement(22)An Analysis of Nonverbal Language in Intercultural Communication1. Introduction1.1 The significance of the studyModern society with its advancing cultural fusion has brought people from all over the world considerably closer, and the communication between people from different cultures has been frequent than ever before. Thus communication between cultures has become so important. Usually, people think of language first when they are talking about communication, seldom realizing the role of nonverbal communication played in their communication. But actually the nonverbal element, as a communicating tool, plays a very important part in our daily communication. Nonverbal communication is universal, and it carries as much as 70% of the social meaning of a message. But as a silent language of communication, nonverbal communication is culture-bound and often ambiguous. Culture affects nonverbal communication to a large extent. So it is essential for intercultural communicators to learn cultures and understand the nonverbal messages.1.2 The current status of the studyFor a long time, experts have paid most attention to verbal language study, overlooking the research of nonverbal language. But nowadays this situation has been changed, and the research of nonverbal language has come into its own. In the 1950s, some experts have made a breakthrough in this field. Edward T. Hall, an anthropologist who had his masterpiece The Silent Language, was often considered to be the founder of theintercultural communication. Birdwhistell, who wrote Introduction to Kinesics, also achieved a great success on nonverbal language. In addition, Larry A. Samovar, Richard E. Porter and Edwin R. McDaniel published Communication between Cultures, which has its sixth edition in 2007. All these works have done further study in nonverbal communication. And since 1980s, experts and scholars in China also have paid close attention to nonverbal communication. Bi Jiwan (毕继万) is one of them, who published his book Intercultural Nonverbal Communication in 1999, researching the functions of nonverbal communication in intercultural communication and foreign language teaching. Although considerable progress has been made in the study of nonverbal intercultural communication in the last few years, there are still many deficiencies. Such as, how to interpret the nonverbal messages in intercultural communication is still a tough work. Therefore, this thesis will add some points to improve the communication between cultures.1.3 The structure of the studyThis thesis consists of six parts. The first part introduces the significance, current status, and the structure of the study. The second part examines the major aspects of nonverbal communication such as its definition, classification, characteristics, and functions. The third part reviews the relationship between nonverbal communication and culture. The fourth part explores the cultural differences in nonverbal communication. In the fifth part, some suggestions are put forward for effective nonverbal communication and intercultural competence. And a general conclusion is provided in the last part.2. Overview to Nonverbal Communication2.1 The definition and classification of nonverbal communicationWhat is nonverbal communication? There are mainly two definitions of it. At the earlier research stage nonverbal communication is defined literally as communication without words. The second definition is more complicated, covering more characteristics of nonverbal communication. Samovar (2007:197) proposes the following definition from a cultural approach: “Nonverbal communication involves all those nonverbal stimuli in a communication setting that are generated by both the source and his or her uses of the environment and that have potential message value for the source or receiver.”In addition, there are several ways used by scholars to classify nonverbal behavior, but in this thesis, nonverbal behavior is discussed form four primary types. The first type of nonverbal behavior is concerned with body, including appearance, body movements, facial expressions, eye contact, and touch. The second one is paralanguage. The third one refers to those that the individual combined with the setting，space and time. The last one is keeping silent.2.2 The characteristics and functions of nonverbal communicationAfter discussing the definition and classification of nonverbal behavior, it is now necessary to generalize its characteristics and functions.Generally speaking, nonverbal behavior has the following three major characteristics. Firstly, nonverbal communication seldom occurs in isolation. It always accompanies with verbal communication and the setting. For example, we might point at a certain direction and say that “The bus station is south of that building.” when someone asks the way. Secondly, as the silent language of communication, nonverbal communication is ambiguous and culture-bound. Individual and cultural differences make nonverbal communication more complicated. The same nonverbal behavior may convey different meaning in different cultures, even in the same culture because of the individual differences and the different context. But nonverbal behavior embodies rich cultural information because communicators grow in a certain cultural background and are deeply influenced by characteristics of their own culture. Thirdly, nonverbal behavior spontaneously reflects the subconscious, so we tend to believe it, even if it contradicts the verbal.Now let us have a look at another aspect of nonverbal communication, that is, how it actually functions in our daily communication. First, nonverbal behavior may complement a verbal message. If you smile and say, “Hi, how are you?” These behaviors complement each other. Second, nonverbal behavior may contradict other messages. Breaking eyes contact while saying, “Nice talking to you,” contradicts a speakers positive verbal message. Thirdly, a nonverbal message can repeat a verbal one. For example, a librarian says, “Lets be quiet” and places a finger to the lips. Fourthly, nonverbal communication serves to regulate communication. It is the major means of controlling the flow of conversation between communicators. By head nods, eyes contact, and vocal inflection, we can tell if it is our turn to enter a conversation. A fifth function of nonverbal communication is to substitute. For instance, a small child may point to a toy instead of saying, “I want that.” 3. Culture and Nonverbal Communication3.1 The role of cultureCulture is an abstract term that defines a broad range of activities in which individuals express themselves. Culture can be viewed as an organized body of rules, allowing for individual differences, concerning the ways individuals bound together by such things as common boundaries, customs, institutions, values, languages, arts, and nonverbal behavior. Culture is important because it tells us in different degrees what we are expected to think, believe in, say, resent, wear, honor, laugh at, and fight for in typical life situations (Brooks 1968). Culture like nonverbal behavior tends to be elusive, normally out of our awareness, difficult to control, and has a potent influence on intercultural communication.3.2 The connection between culture and nonverbal communication Culture is invisible, omnipresent, and learned. Nonverbal communication also has these same qualities. Hall alerts us to the invisible aspect of culture and nonverbal communication by employing phrases such as “silent language” and “hidden dimension”. Also, culture is all-pervasive, multidimensional, and boundless; it is everywhere and in everything. The same is true of nonverbal behavior. The fact that nonverbal behavior carries as much as 70% of the social meaning of a message can fully demonstrate this point.Another parallel between culture and nonverbal behavior is that both need to be learned. Although much of outward behavior is intimate, we are not born with the knowledge of the communication dimensions associated with nonverbal messages. Most experts agree that cultures formulate display rules that dictate when, how, and with what consequences nonverbal expressions will be exhibited (Burgoon 1996). We are born with the capacity to cry, yet what makes us cry and who is allowed to see us cry need to be learned as part of our cultural education. Moreover, culture is primarily a nonverbal phenomenon because most aspects of ones culture are learned through observation and imitation rather than explicit verbal instruction or expression. The primary level of culture is communicated implicitly, without awareness, by primarily nonverbal means.Based on the process that nonverbal communication is learned, cultural determinism is advanced. It holds the view that patterns of nonverbal behaviors, Samovar (1985) says, can be categorized in two ways: “Firstly, culture tends to determine the specific nonverbal behaviors that represent or symbolize specific thoughts, feelings or states of the communicator. Thus what might be a sign of greeting in one culture could very well be an obscene gesture in another. Secondly, culture determines when it is appropriate to display or communicate various thoughts, feelings or internal states; this is particularly evident in the display of emotions.” Although there seems to be little intercultural differences in the behaviors that represent emotional states, there are great cultural differences in which emotions may be displayed, by whom, and when or where they may be displayed.4. Cultural Differences and Nonverbal Communication As what we have discussed above, culture has a subtle and pervasive influence on nonverbal communication, and communicators coming from different cultures have different rules for nonverbal communication. In the following sections, this thesis will give considerable examples to illustrate the cultural differences of nonverbal communication.4.1 Cultural differences of body language4.1.1 Cultural differences in general appearanceIn our life, people show their concern for how they appear to others and make judgments of other people based on personal appearance, dress, and the objects they carry around or place on their bodies, by which people make inferences about others intelligence, gender, age, financial well-being, class, tastes, values, and cultural background.In intercultural communication, general appearance is important because the standards we apply and judgments we make are subject to cultural interpretations. And, as you would suspect, they vary from culture to culture. In the United States, people tend to value the appearance of tall, slender women and men with muscular bodies. This notion of lean and trim as a sign of attractiveness is not the rule in all cultures. In Japan, diminutive females are deemed the most attractive. In Africa, we can see yet another definition of physical attractiveness. In traditional African societies, plumpness is considered a sign of beauty, heath, and wealth, and slimness is evidence of unhappiness or disease or that a woman is being mistreated by her husband. Among Chinese, you can see yet another cultural standard for female attractiveness that many Chinese women keep their hairstyles simple and make little attempt to draw attention to themselves through self-decoration such as colorful scarves, jewelry, or makeup.The use of clothing is often a form of communication and also a reflection of a cultures value orientation. Attire, whether used as military dress, signs of status, or costumes, offers dues into a cultures view of world. For example, modesty is highly valued among Arabs. To Muslim women, the main garment must be a flowing one, that is, Muslim women must avoid tight or clinging clothes which exaggerate their figure, or any part of it, such as breasts, legs or arms. Arab women also cover their hair with scarves and in some very orthodox areas even their entire face. And Arab men do not wear shorts or unfastened shirts in public. As signs of status, clothing tells the cultural values of different cultures. In Germany, correct behavior is symbolized by appropriate and very conservative dress. The Spanish also link appearance to ones rank. In Spain, it is not uncommon to see people of high status wearing a suit and tie in very hot weather. In much of the world, people still dress in their traditional garments. For Arab men, correct business attire would include a long loose robe called a disdasha or thobe and a headpiece, a white cloth kaffiya banded by a black egal to secure it. Whether it is Sikhs in white turbans, Japanese in kimonos, Hasidic Jews in blue yarmulkes, Africans in white dashikis, or the black attire of the Amish in the United States, we need to learn to be tolerant of differences so that we do not let these differences impede communication.4.1.2 Cultural differences of body movementsPeople have always known that actions communicate. How people hold themselves, stand, sit, and walk communicates strong nonverbal messages. These nonverbal messages show about our attitude, emotional state and the desire to control environment towards others. But culture also affects a lot in body movements. In the following sections, we will check the cultural differences in posture and gestures.4.1.2.1 PosturePosture offers insight into a cultures deep structure. We can see the bond between culture and values by simple looking at the Japanese, Thai, and Indian cultures. In Japan and other 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 outsider, the bowing ritual is actually rather complicated. 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. 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. We can see yet another greeting pattern in India. The namaste (Indian greeting) is carried out by a slight bow with the palms of both hands together, the fingertips at the chin. Here the posture when greeting someone is directly linked with the idea that the Hindus see God in everything. 4.1.2.2 GesturesWe can see the importance of gesture