中英文化差异论文AnanalysisontheEffectsoftheCulturalDifferencesbetweenChineseandEnglishontheEnglishUse.doc

An analysis on the Effects of the Cultural Differences between Chinese and English on the English Use of ChineseA Thesis Presented to theFaculty of Binhai School of Foreign Affairs Tianjin Foreign Studies UniversityIn Partial Fulfillmentof the Requirements for the Degree Bachelor of ArtsBy Deng Xue May，2011ContentsAbstract (in Chinese) .IAbstract (in English) .III. Introduction .1II. Literature review.1 2.1 A brief introduction to culture.1 2.2 The cultural differences between Chinese and English .22.2.1 Chinese culture and English culture.2 2.2.2 The differences between the two cultures.3 2.2.2.1 In value concept .3 2.2.2.2 In thinking mode .4 2.2.2.3 In code of conduct .4 2.3 The relationship between culture and language.5III. The negative effects of the cultural differences between Chinese and English on the English use of Chinese. .63.1 On the correct linguistic use of English-Chinglish.63.1.1 Definition of Chinglish.63.1.2 The manifestations of Chinglish.73.2 On the correct communicative use of English.93.2.1 On appellation.93.2.2 On praise.93.2.3 On privacy.103.2.4 On face-concept.10IV. How to eliminate the negative effects to correctly use English114.1 To have the knowledge and understanding of English culture.114.2 To increase English input by various media, absorption and experience of English culture124.3 To learn English social etiquette and customs .134.4 To figure out the gesture.13V. Conclusion.13References.15摘 要随着中国社会经济以及综合国力的不断发展，学习英语在我们日常生活中日趋重要。长久以来，英语作为国际通用语言，已经在世界上确立了其统治地位。而且，英语是加强中国与世界交流非常有用的工具。反过来，它又可以促进各国的理解及经济和文化的合作。然而，事实上, 大多数中国人在英语学习上都很费力，因此他们的英语水平也相对较低。在中国，英语的总体水平是跟不上时代的需求的。在英语的使用过程中不同的问题接踵而至。不同的文化背景会有不同的语言体系。这篇文章主要通过分析中英文化差异对中国人使用英语所造成的负面影响来探索怎样消除负面影响，使中国人正确的学习和使用英语进行交流。关键词：中英文化差异；中国人使用英语；消除负面影响；正确学习和使用英语 AbstractWith the continuous development of Chinese society, economy, as well as comprehensive national strength, learning English in our daily life becomes increasingly important. English, as the international language, has established its dominant status in the world for a long period of time. Whats more, English is a useful tool to enhance communication between China and the world, which can in return promote understanding and financial and cultural cooperation. However, as a matter of fact, Chinese people tend to have a hard time in learning English and therefore, their English level remain in a relatively low level. The English of Chinese is at a lower level than required by the times. Different types of errors are still made during the process of English using. Different cultural backgrounds have different language systems. Therefore, this article analyses the negative effects of the cultural differences between China and the English speaking countries on the Chinese English users, and then try to explore how to eliminate the negative effects, so that Chinese people can learn and use the correct English for communication. Key words：Chinese and English; Chinese use English; eliminate the negative effects; correctly learn and use EnglishI. IntroductionWith the economic globalization, and the frequent communication of China with the rest of world, it is becoming increasingly evident that Chinese people are deficient in English. It is really a problem for Chinese people, because tons of vocabularies and solid knowledge of grammars never bring them flexibility along with effectiveness; instead, it is particularly true that individuals are more likely to keep their mouth shut. Sometimes the Chinese people in China use Chinglish and probably also create misunderstandings or even conflicts, which may cause a series of jokes. All of these are owing to cultural differences, such as the differences in value concept and moral criteria, the differences in thinking mode, the differences in code of conduct. Therefore, the article will explain the negative effects of the cultural differences between China ans the English speaking countries on the Chinese English users and to eliminate the negative effects and find out the English development history, read more English books, and acknowledge the background of English speakers deeply to figure out their habitude is the way to learn and use English correctly.II. Literature review2.1 A brief introduction to cultureCulture is an extensive concept. Every country, including every region, due to different historical and geographical factors, has a different culture. From the general standpoint, culture can be divided into: historical culture, sociological culture and academic culture. However, the word culture is most commonly used in three basic senses: excellence of taste in the fine arts and humanities, also known as high culture; an integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for symbolic thought and social learning; the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution, organization or group. When the concept first emerged in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Europe, it connoted a process of cultivation or improvement, as in agriculture or horticulture. In the nineteenth century, it came to refer first to the betterment or refinement of the individual, especially through education, and then to the fulfillment of national aspirations or ideals. In the mid-nineteenth century, some scientists used the term culture to refer to a universal human capacity. But in the twentieth century, “ culture” emerged as a concept central to anthropology, encompassing all human phenomena that are not purely results of human genetics.Apart from the definition of culture, anthropologists generally agree on some components of culture. Culture has two major components: the material and the non-material. For the material part, it refers to tangible items such as computers, cars, air-conditioners and houses; and the non-material part refers to intangible items like language, valuse, nom, customs, religions and laws. Both of them play an important role in shaping peoples behaviors. In this thesis, the writer will mainly focus on the non-material components of culture, and illustrate in details from the aspects of language, value, custom and thinking mode etc.2.2 The cultural differences between Chinese and English2.2.1 Chinese culture and English cultureIn Chinese culture, in Chinas feudal history of two thousand years, confucianism always occupy the entrenched and deep-rooted dominance, which has a profound and far-reaching impact on Chinese society. Chinese people since ancient times regard self-deprecatory thoughts as a classic attitude of life. People often are proud of being humble and against the excessively self-revealing. Therefore, Chinese culture reflects the characteristics of group; the cultural identity of group does not allow people to put personal interests above group interests.On the other hand, English culture advocates individualism, freedom and self-expression. The concept of modesty in British values tend to be negligible, on the contrary, in real life, individuals are more likely to worship or adore winner and hero, those who have the confidence and strong sense of competition. Thus, it is apparent that English culture reflects the individual cultural traits, which advocate personal interests over group interests.2.2.2 The differences between the two cultures2.2.2.1 In value concepts Chinese culture protests about showing off personal honor but it is to promote modesty. Chinese are against self-glorification which is dissatisfactory or even absolutely opposed in the eyes of westerners. “Youve done an excellent job,” “ No, I do not agree with you,” “you are good at English,” “ Oh, no, my English is just so-so.” What have been shown above, as westerners see, not only is a denial of yourself, but also pays tribute to those who deny the taste, just as Li xing (2003) claims in the book “ An Introduction to Chinese and Western culture.”In contrast, westerners encourage personal struggle, especially for personal achievements and never to cover up their confidence, sense of competition, as well as access to self- revealing. Morever, in the western view, everyones quality of life and survival depend on their ability, and they have a hard time in acceping others help which is considered to be incompetence. So they have to be self-struggle and personal interests first. Just as a popular proverb of the United States says: If enough efforts are made, a cowboy can be a President.2.2.2.2 In thinking modeFirst of all, the Oriental culture attaches great importance to circular thinking. It means when Chinese speak or write articles, they prefer to talk about the theme in a repeated and developed way rather than in a direct way. However, western culture puts emphasis on linear thinking. As they see it, everything in the world is independent so that they get use to expressing directly instead of using unrelated information to cover the real point of view. Second, the Oriental culture gives preference to integrated thinking, that is, the ideology will target all the various parts as a whole. That is to say, its ideology will combine all the components of an object as a whole, meanwhile uniting its various properties, sides, and relations. On the other hand, western cultural preference is given to analysis thinking, which means material and spiritual world are separated, and they tend to consider in accordance with certain procedures, derive from the know to unknow, and finally, make a logical conclusion. Third, Asians focus on intuition and experience, but westerners pay attention to positivism,and ratonalism. 2.2.2.3 In code of conductThe specific meaning of a code of conduct refers to the commonly accepted social standards and ethical conduct. Simply, it is to tell people what to do and not do according to the norms. It is often a phenomenon that occurs where the society is to apply its own code of conduct to determining the reasonableness of other acts. For example, in China, if one rackets the head of a child friendly, it means love or care. While in Western countries, it is extremely disrespectful practice of children, so that the childrens parents are extremely angry.Besides, Chinese people are willing to take the initiative to care for others, which the West would suggest “Mind your own business.” Western culture encourages people to develop innovation and do something his predecessors did not do. On the contrary, the traditional Chinese culture requires people to take a medium way, and Chinese people are good at risking for the foreseeable future and more willing to maintain the status quo and harmony.2.3 The relationship between culture and langugeLanguage is an important part of culture because the characteristics of language stem from culture. Firstly, from the cultural connotation point of view, it includes both material wealth and spiritual wealth. Language is created in the cultural evolution as the spiritual wealth. Secondly, like culture, language is not a biological genetic process but acquired through continuous learning. Whats more, culture and language are Common wealth of the nation and shared by the whole society. As H. Good-enoygh (1975: 283) points out about the obvious relationship between language and culture in his book, “cultural- anthropology and linguistics”. He said: The language of a society is an aspect of the culture of the society, they are the relations between the part and the whole. Besides, Language not only reflects the nation as a mirror of all cultures, but also is like a window revealing the contents of the culture. Through a national language, one can understand the nations customs, habits and ways of thinking and other cultural characteristics. Language and culture are mutually influenced and restricted. As a tool for communication, language, in some way, influences and restricts the way of exchanging ideas, together with the scope and depth.On one hand, communication is the vitality of culture, and language as a vital tool of communication is naturally playing an overwhelming role during cultural communication. On the other hand, due to the cultural communication, especially the alien cultural transmission, some new phrases and expressions for a certain language emerge accordingly, and in this way culture in return affects and constrains language.III. The negative effects of the cultural differences between Chinese and English on the English use of Chinese 3.1 On the correct linguistic use of English-Chinglish3.1.1 Definition of ChinglishChinese people usually, first of all, map what they want to express in chinese or list outline of Chinese during a writing process, and then convert it into English sentences mechanically, which show obvious signs of Chinese, and therefore can not be accepted by the native speakers of English. Chinglish refers to spoken or written English language that is influenced by the Chinese language. The term Chinglish is commonly applied to ungrammatical or nonsensical English in Chinese contexts, and may have pejorative or deprecating connotations.In using English, due to the effectiveness of Chinese way of thinking and cuture, Chinese people create the Chinese-style English which does not meet habits of English expression. It happens in the process of learning English and meawhile it is a necessarily linguistic phenomenon. 3.1.2 The manifestations of ChinglishFor a long time, many people think as long as one learns English grammer, speaks or writes something that obeys grammatical rules, it is equivalent to mastering English proficiently, but it is not ture. The reason is that only demonstrating linguistic exterior according to grammer is not necessarily correct, but if means of expression and habit of expression can not reflect what one want sto express, it still will lead to communicational failure, cause antipathy and the embarrassed scenes. In addition, Chinese and English are different not only in ethnic culture, but also in way of thinking, thinking characteristics, thinking style, which will further lead to differences of language expression of people. For example:A. This proposal was generally considered impracticalB. We generally considered this proposal impractical.As is clearly seen, compared with A, sentences B is Chinglish in terms of thinking mode. In Chinese thinking mode, people often focus on topic-prominence, while in the west, people often place emphasis on subject-prominence like sentence A. Specifically, English tends to employ objective thinking mode, attaching improtance to influence which things make on human and focusing on objective, fair and rigorous expression. With the result of using inanimate nouns as the subject. On the contrary, Chinese pay attention to subject thinking mode, and believe people-oriented instruction so that they prefer to put life term as a subjrct and meanwhile use the active voice. Apparently, sentence A is more in accordance with English expression, more incline to objectivity and fairness, as well as earier to accept. Since language reflects a nations culture, language symbols of a nation provide a rich means of expression. Therefore, the vocabulary of a language system, such as words, idioms and sentences are inevitable with cultural connotations. They record a nations social culture. Through language, we can, to some extent, understand the social culture of a nation, and on the other hand, language is affected and constrained by culture. Language and culture enjoy a pretty close relationship. Chinese culture belongs to the Oriental culture, much different from Western culture. The differences between Oriental and Western culture can be reflected in the English use of Chinese English learners (Zhang, 2004). If one can not figure out the cultural differences between Chinese and English, he or she will frequently make some mistakes by using Chinese culture when speaking English, which even leads to cultural conflics. For example:A. imports of automobiles have declines sharply this yearB. imports of foreign automobiles have declines sharply this yearSentence B is culturally typical of Chinglish. In Chinese, people always translate what in their mind into English mechanically with Chinese- style, never taking English culture and habit into consideration. Since, others can understand what you are talking about in China, individuals always neglect the cultural differences between Chinese and English which will, thus, lead to linguistic mistakes. However, that is not the case in English, where no one agrees that a person can import a domestic product, and therefore, the word “foreign” is absolutely redundant. If Chinese speak such a sentence to English, they will feel quite confusing and regard the communication as a useless experience. Therefore, sentence B must be changed into sentence A, which conforms to t