英文跨文化交流论文(中国和美国饮食文化对比).doc

The Comparison Study about Chinese and American Food Cultures 09级医学英语专业一班2009170012唐果果Thesis statement: Thesis statement: This paper is intended to make a comparison between American food culture and Chinese food culture in the aspects of food resoures, food etiquette and food contents, at the same time possible reasons for the differences will be presented, so that we can find a way to complete the Trans-Culture communication better.Outline:I. IntroductionII. Difference on Food resources in Chinese & American Food Cultures and cultural differences reflected.IIIDifference on Etiquette in Chinese & American Food Cultures and cultural differences reflected.1. The styles that Chinese and Americans eat are very different too. 2. The dining tools between the two countries are different.IV. Differences on Contents in Chinese & American Food Cultures and cultural differences reflected. 1. Exquisiteness and taste in Chinese food2. Nutrition and balance in Western food.ConclusionThe paper：IntroductionFood, as essential prerequisite for existence, is any substance that provides the nutrients necessary to maintain life and growth when ingested. It plays an irreplaceable role in the development of society and in the progress of human beings, whether in ancient times when primitive man ate the raw flesh of birds and beasts or in modern times when humans have entered the new era of information, and whether in East or in West.There are great disparities between China and America in etiquette and content of food cultures, so the comparative study of Chinese & American food cultures will help us increase cross-cultural awareness that tolerating, understanding, and furthermore, appreciating and respecting cultural difference is essential if we are to achieve cross-cultural competence during the interaction. Moreover, as we communicate with people from different cultures, we will learn more about them and their way of life, including their history, values and the substance of their personality, and eventually, we will understand them better, or feel empathy with them. Based on the above-mentioned purposes, the author of this thesis hopes this research, to some extent, be of significance both theoretically and practically. Difference on Food resources in Chinese & American Food CulturesMost of people in China are used to have rice and wheat as their daily main food resource. Meat is not the major food for us. Chinese people always believe that rice, wheat, vegetable, fruit are the best for our health. In contrast, meat would give more troubles to our health, for example, heart attack, high blood pressure, and etc.It is because the population pressure, we should have the rice and wheat for the main food, we do not have enough meat to eat. We eat vegetable to help pharynx the main food, for the main food is not delicious, the function of vegetable in china is like salt. Chinese cook should decorate the food, so the food which is not delicious becomes more delicious and wonderful. Because of handicraft industry in china is develop, the technology of processing the food is the second to none in the world.These are the characters of Chinese food culture. The technology of processing the food in China is very develop, a lot of food that the foreigner thought is unable to eat can be made when you see it, your appetite will develop at once. We eat every thing if possible. American people mostly have meat as their food resource. The most important is that they mostly have beef, chicken, shrimp, turkey, instead of pork and lamb.For meat is delicious in nature, American do not need to decorate their food, it limits the development of the cook. Americans do not daintily the details of the food, it is not excessive too, it is in a popular style, it is voluntary the whole day. In restaurants, you can easily find hamburger, steak, ribs with a little rice and a piece of bread, because their live style are so fast. The method we drink tea is the quintessence of our country, it has a long standing. When we drink tea, we emphasize clear and elegant. We daintily the matching of the tea and tea cups. There are many kinds of tea cups in China. Chinese rarely hold on tea party, if there are some, the hosts themselves pour tea for the guests.Chinese like drinking tea instead of drinking coffee. But Americans like drinking coffee, they also drink tea, they hold tea parties sometimes. The conversation is the core of the party. The tea party is a place where can train the diplomat.Difference on Etiquette in Chinese & American Food Cultures1.The styles that Chinese and Americans eat are very different.In China, any dinner party has a form that everyone sits around the table. We use round table in the banquet, it means solidify, manner and having the common habits. The delicious dinner is placed in middle of the table. People toast for each other and take dishes to others. It shows the respects and comity among people . Although this kind of eat method has obvious shortages in sanitation, it matches the common thought “reunion” of our race.In American dinners, though the food and wine are important, actually that is a setoff. The purpose of the party is making friends. They make friends by chat with their neighbor. It also represents Americans personality and respect.2. The dining tools between the two countries are different.Chinese use chopsticks. The thin and long chopsticks cannot be used to cut food, so we usually use our teeth to act as knives. We hold our food, meat or vegetable, with the chopsticks, send them to the mouths, bite off a part of it and remain the other part on the chopsticks. Thats the usual way we eat. We are also used to hold up our bowls when having rice or soup.The etiquette in the America requests that when eating, bowls and plates cannot leave the tables. Food should be cut by knives to fit into the mouths. Of course your mouth cannot touch the plates or bowls. So the regular process is like this. You cut your steak on the plate with fork and knife, send the meat cube into the mouth with fork and nothing will be returned back but the fork alone.When Americans have meals, they do not allow people make a noise, they do not allow take dishes for others, do not allow smoking, do not allow compelling others drinking wine, do not allow take off clothes in public, do not allow discuss sickening. If you have finished food in a restaurant, you should leave a ten per cent tip for lunch, fifteen per cent for dinner. The tip should be calculated on the basis of the total before the addition of tax.Differences on Contents in Chinese & American Food Cultures1 .Exquisiteness and taste in Chinese food As we all know, China enjoys a good reputation for its plentiful and splendid cuisine. So farm China has developed four major cuisine groups, based on the localities of their origins: Su (Su Zhou, Yang Zhou and Hang Zhou). In addition, since ancient times, the Chinese have employed many cooking methods, such as braising, boiling, braising with soy sauce, roasting, baking, grilling, scalding, deep-frying, steaming, drying, salt-preserving, etc. Thus, one common feature among these cuisine groups or systems is the emphasis on exquisiteness, which leads to the inclination of artistry in Chinese cuisine making. That is to say, cuisine making is a creative art and demands the co-presence of color, fragrance and taste. A finely designed cuisine gives customers not only the good taste, but also a visual, and even auditory enjoyment to arouse their appetite. Confucius once pointed out, “He did not dislike to have his rice finely cleaned, nor to have his meat finely minced” His statement actually represents Chinese peoples awareness of exquisiteness and it is a vivid summary of the internal quality of Chinese cuisine, too.2. Nutrition and balance in Western foodTraditional American cuisine is boring and limited, and many foods or cuisine were actually introduced from other countries. For example, tomatoes, were introduced to Europe in 1523 from the New World; chopped beef steaks were introduced to the United States from the German city of Hamburg in the late nineteenth century. Besides, as far as cooking methods or skills are concerned, Western countries are too far behind to catch up with China. Because of different factors, the features in Western cuisine are quite different from those in Chinese cuisine discussed above.An interesting phenomenon in America is the nutritional information on the food label, from which peoples concern about nutrition is clearly reflected. A look at the information, like the number of calories preserving, grams of fat, sodium, cholesterol, fiber and sugar content will make you more knowledgeable in selecting foods to reduce your nutritional health risk. As a matter of fact, in America, food habits are often identified as the most important way in which a person can maintain healthy. For example, as pointed out by some nutritionists, breakfast is c