英语专业毕业论文-中西文化差异对称赞语的影响(英文版)

湖南省娄底职业技术学院学生毕业设计（论文）中文题目中西文化差异对称赞语的影响英文题目THEINFLUENCESOFCULTURALDIFFERENCESINCOMPLIMENTSBETWEENENGLISHANDCHINESE姓名李玉萍学号200949135151系部外语系专业应用英语指导老师黄珍开题时间201110完成时间201112湖南省娄底职业技术学院教务处制THEINFLUENCESOFCULTURALDIFFERENCESINCOMPLIMENTSBETWEENENGLISHANDCHINESE中西文化差异对称赞语的影响LIYUPING李玉萍SUPERVISORVICEPROFHUANGZHENCLASS09CLASSONEMAJORAPPLIEDENGLISHSTUDENTNUMBER200949135151FOREIGNLANGUAGEDEPARTMENTLOUDIVOCATIONAL称赞语称赞语应答CONTENTSABSTRACTI摘要IICONTENTSIIIINTRODUCTION11DEFINITIONSOFCOMPLIMENTANDITSRESPONSES311THEDEFINITIONOFCOMPLIMENT312THEDEFINITIONOFCOMPLIMENTRESPONSES42CULTUREDIFFERENCESOFCOMPLIMENTINENGLISHANDCHINESE521CULTURALDIFFERENCESINEXPRESSINGCOMPLIMENT522CULTURALDIFFERENCESINCOMPLIMENTTOPICS6221CHINESECOMPLIMENTTOPIC6222ENGLISHCOMPLIMENTTOPIC723SUMMARY83CULTURALDIFFERENCESOFCOMPLIMENTRESPONSEFORMULASINENGLISHANDCHINESE1031CHINESECOMPLIMENTRESPONSEFORMULAS1032ENGLISHCOMPLIMENTRESPONSEFORMULAS1133SUMMARY11CONCLUSION13BIBLIOGRAPHY15ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS16INTRODUCTIONTHANKSTOTHEMODERNTECHNOLOGYOFCOMMUNICATION,ANDTHEGLOBALIZATIONOFWORLDMARKETPLACES,PEOPLESTARTTALKINGABOUTTHEGLOBALVILLAGEONEOFTHEMOSTSIGNIFICANTFEATURESOFTHISGLOBALVILLAGEISINTERCULTURALCOMMUNICATIONCOUNTRIES,ASWELLASINDIVIDUALS,AREGETTINGCONTACTSWITHEACHOTHERMORECONVENIENTLYANDFREQUENTLYTHEFLOURISHINGEXCHANGESBETWEENCHINAANDOTHERCOUNTRIESCALLFORTHOSEWHOARENOTONLYPROFICIENTINENGLISH,BUTALSOINTERCULTURALLYSENSITIVEANDCOMPETENTTHUSTHEDEVELOPMENTOFINTERCULTURALAWARENESSANDTHECULTIVATIONOFCOMMUNICATIVECOMPETENCEHAVEBEENANURGENTTASKFORLANGUAGETEACHINGANDLEARNINGJIAYUXIN,2000INSHORT,INAWORLDOFINTERNATIONALINTERDEPENDENCE,THEABILITYTOUNDERSTANDANDCOMMUNICATEEFFECTIVELYWITHPEOPLEFROMOTHERCOUNTRIESTAKESONEXTREMEURGENCYASISKNOWNTOALL,COMPLIMENTSAREFREQUENTLYAPPLIEDINSOCIALCOMMUNICATIONHOWTOGIVECOMPLIMENTSANDRESPONDTOTHEMCONSTITUTESASIGNIFICANTPARTOFTHECOMMUNICATIVECOMPETENCEOFEVERYMEMBEROFASPEECHCOMMUNITYOWINGTODIFFERENTCULTURALBACKGROUNDS,THEREAREDIFFERENCESEXISTINGINTHECOMPLIMENTSUSEDINENGLISHANDCHINESECHINESESPEAKERSOFENGLISHAREOFTENEMBARRASSEDBYENGLISHCOMPLIMENTSTHEYDONTKNOWHOWTOPAYCOMPLIMENTSANDRESPONDAPPROPRIATELYCONSEQUENTLY,COMMUNICATIONISVERYLIKELYTOBELEDTOBREAKDOWNHOLMES1987POINTEDOUT,PAYINGAPPROPRIATECOMPLIMENTSANDIDENTIFYINGTHEMACCURATELYISANASPECTOFCOMMUNICATIVECOMPETENCEWHICHMAYDIFFERINAVARIETYOFWAYSFROMONECULTURETOANOTHERANYSPEECHACTREFLECTSAVARIETYOFCULTURALNORMSANDVALUES,ANDSODOCOMPLIMENTINGBEHAVIORSSINCECOMPLIMENTSAREABUNDANTINBOTHENGLISHANDCHINESEANDTHEYACTASAMIRRORTHROUGHWHICHPARTICULARCULTURALVALUESAREREFLECTED,THESELECTIONOFTHISSUBJECTISPARTICULARLYSUITABLEWHENCULTURALCOMPARISONSAREMADE,WHICHISALSOTHEMAINREASONWHYTHESPEECHACTOFCOMPLIMENTSISCHOSENASTHECURRENTRESEARCHFOCUSTHISPAPERTRIESTOMAKEASYSTEMATICCOMPARISONBETWEENCHINESECOMPLIMENTSCCSANDENGLISHCOMPLIMENTSECSINASPECTSOFFORMULAS,TOPICS,TARGETSANDRESPONSESTOFINDTHEDIFFERENCESASWELLASSIMILARITIESINTHISLINGUISTICROUTINEOFCOMPLIMENTS,THUSREVEALINGTHEUNDERLYINGNORMSOFTHETWOCULTURESINTHISATTEMPT,ITISHOPEDTODRAWACONCLUSIONTHATCHINESEANDENGLISHCOMPLIMENTSARE,TOALARGEEXTENT,INFLUENCEDANDDETERMINEDBYTHEIRRESPECTIVECULTURESANDTHOUGHTS,THUSPROVIDINGSOMEPRACTICALPEDAGOGICALSUGGESTIONSSTUDYINGCOMPLIMENTSANDCOMPLIMENTRESPONSESINENGLISHANDCHINESECANCOMPARETHETYPESOFCULTURESTHELANGUAGEUSERSHAVE,HENCEMAKEITCLEARERABOUTWHATREALLYINFLUENCESTHECOMPLIMENTINGBEHAVIORSINBOTHLANGUAGESANDTHEREBYIMPROVEPEOPLESINTERCULTURALCOMMUNICATIVECOMPETENCE1DEFINITIONSOFCOMPLIMENTANDITSRESPONSESTHECOMPLIMENTSPEECHEVENTHASTHESTRUCTUREOFANADJACENCYPAIROPERATIONSCHEGLOFFBUTMOREIMPORTANTISTOSAVEOTHERSFACE,THEREFORETHEYADOPTMANYSTRATEGIESTOPERFECTLYPRESERVEOTHERSFACEGIVINGANDACCEPTINGCOMPLIMENTSINCHINESESOCIETYAREGREATLYINFLUENCEDBYTHECONFUCIANTRADITIONWITHINTHETRADITION,CHINESEPEOPLELIVETHROUGHCOOPERATIONBYWORKINGFORTHECOMMONGOOD,BYSUPPORTINGEACHOTHER,ANDBYSAVINGOTHERSFACEANDNOTELEVATINGTHEMSELVESABOVEOTHERSINTHISWAY,THEYMAINTAINWARMHUMANFEELINGS,PROMOTETHEGOODOFTHEGROUPABOVETHEIROWNINTEREST,ANDTHUSFOLLOWTHEPRINCIPLESOFHUMANISM,FAITHFULNESS,ANDPROPRIETYTHECONFUCIANTRADITIONPLACESAHIGHVALUEONEDUCATION,ANDPARTICULARLYONEDUCATINGTHEMEMBERSOFSOCIETYINTHEWAYSHUMANSSHOULDRELATEANDINTERACTWITHEACHOTHERINCONTRAST,THEFIRSTPERSONISUSEDFREQUENTLYINENGLISHCOMPLIMENTSENGLISHSOCIETYISORIENTEDBYTHEPRINCIPLEOFINDIVIDUALISMANDASARESULTEQUALITYBETWEENPEOPLEISHIGHLYVALUEDINDIVIDUALISMREFERSTOTHEBROADVALUETENDENCIESOFACULTUREINEMPHASIZINGTHEIMPORTANCEOFINDIVIDUALIDENTITYOVERGROUPIDENTITY,INDIVIDUALRIGHTSOVERGROUPRIGHTS,ANDINDIVIDUALNEEDSOVERGROUPNEEDSININDIVIDUALISTICCULTURE,PEOPLEARESELFORIENTEDANDTAKEMUCHCAREOFTHEMSELVESUNDERTHEGUIDANCEOFINDIVIDUALISM,PEOPLEBEHAVEACCORDINGTOTHEIROWNNEEDSWITHOUTCONSIDERINGTHEHEARERSSOCIALSTATUSITISREFLECTEDINTHEMOSTFREQUENTLYUSEOFTHEFIRSTPERSON“I“INGIVINGCOMPLIMENTS22CULTURALDIFFERENCESINCOMPLIMENTTOPICS221CHINESECOMPLIMENTTOPICINCONTRASTTOENGLISHSPEAKINGPEOPLE,CHINESE，SEEMTOVALUENATURALAPPEARANCE“INHERENTBEAUTY“HASBEENTHEHIGHESTAPPEARANCEINTHISSTUDY,MORETHANHALFOFCHINESECOMPLIMENTSONEVALUATIONONFEMALEAPPEARANCEPRAISEDNATURALATTRIBUTES,ENGLISHCOMPLIMENTSUSEWORD“LOOK“,BUTINCHINESEEXPRESSIONTHEYUSEWORD,“长相”。CHINESECOMPLIMENTSFOCUSMAINLYONTRAITS/TALENTSANDABILITY,CONFUCIANISMSTRESSESTHEBENEFITSOFFIXEDHIERARCHICALRELATIONSHIPSINWHICHRESPECTISSHOWNFORAGE,SENIORITY,RANK,ANDFAMILYBACKGROUNDTHISISWHYPEOPLECONCENTRATEONTHETOPICSOFTALENTSANDABILITYITISOBSERVEDTHATPEOPLEOFHIGHSTATUSSEEMTOENJOYBEINGFLATTEREDEXTENSIVELYINADDITIONTOSPECIFYINGTHEPROPERNATUREOFRELATIONSHIPS,CONFUCIANISMSETFORTHFOURPRINCIPLESASGUIDESTOPROPERHUMANBEHAVIORSHUMANISMREN,FAITHFULNESSYI,PROPRIETYLIANDWISDOMZHITHESEPRINCIPLESARECOMPLETELYREFLECTEDINTHEWAYSCHINESEPEOPLEGIVEANDRESPONDCOMPLIMENTSTRAITS/TALENTSANDABILITYISSOMETHINGRELATEDTOONESSUCCESSANDFUTUREANDCANONLYBECOMMENTEDBYCERTAINQUALIFIEDPERSONSTHEYAREPRUDENTIALANDCAUTIOUSABOUTTHISTYPEOFTOPICS,ESPECIALLYBETWEENSTRANGERSSOASTOSHOWPOLITENESSTOOTHERSINDEED,ENCODINGANDDECODINGPOLITENESSISACHIEVEDINCULTURALLYSPECIFICWAYS222ENGLISHCOMPLIMENTTOPICINTHEENGLISHSOCIETYWHATISCOMPLIMENTEDGENERALLYAREASPECTSOFPERSONALAPPEARANCEWHICHARETHERESULTOFDELIBERATEEFFORT,NOTSIMPLYNATURALATTRACTIVENESSINDEED,THEYTENDTOAVOIDCOMPLIMENTINGONTHELATTERCOMPLIMENTSONHAIRSTYLEARECOMMONCOMPLIMENTSONHAVINGBEAUTIFULHAIRARENOTCOMPLIMENTSONATTRACTIVEDRESSORBLOUSEORONNOTICEABLEWEIGHTLOSSOCCURINALMOSTANYSITUATIONINWHICHACOMPLIMENTISATALLAPPROPRIATEOTHERSLIKE“YOUAREBEAUTIFUL“SELDOMHAPPENS,BUT“YOULOOKNICETODAY“AREMORECOMMONBECAUSETHEYPERCEIVETHE“ARTIFICIALBEAUTY“CANREPRESENTTHEIRINDIVIDUALISMMUCHBETTERFEMALESGIVEANDRECEIVEMORECOMPLIMENTSRELATEDTOTHISKINDOFTOPICSAPARTFROMTHAT,THEIRCOMPLIMENTSSEEMTOBELABELEDWITH“TIMELIMIT“,FORINSTANCE,“TODAY“INEXAMPLEYOULOOKNICETODAYWITHINTHECATEGORYOFAPPEARANCE,THERECOMETOTALLYDIFFERENTCULTURESPECIFICTOPICSFIRSTOFALL,WEIGHTLOSSISCONSIDEREDBYCHINESETOBEACAUSEFORCONCERN,WHEREASINENGLISHSOCIETYITISACAUSEFORCONGRATULATIONLOOKINGTHINORLOSINGWEIGHTISREGARDEDASAPOSITIVEATTRIBUTEINENGLISHSOCIETY,WHICHTHEYTHINKISASIGNOFGOODHEALTHWOLFSON,1989ATHUSTHEYFREQUENTLYMAKECOMPLIMENTAS“YOULOOKGOODYOUVELOSTWEIGHT“INCHINA,LOSINGWEIGHTMAYMEANTHATSOMEONEHASBECOMESICKWITHOUTNOTICINGTHESICKNESSFARFROMBEINGACOMPLIMENT,“YOUVELOSTWEIGHT“INCHINESEISOFTENAWARNINGFROMAFRIEND,WHICHIMPLIESTHATTHEPERSONSHOULDGOANDSEETHEDOCTORTOSOMEONEWHOUSEDTOBETHIN,“YOUVEPUTONWEIGHT“CANBEACOMPLIMENTINCHINESE,ASEXAMPLE你去深圳工作，可是发富了THISISWHYWHENACHINESELEARNERSAYSTOANAMERICAN“YOUHAVEGAINEDWEIGHT,“HEOFFENDSTHEAMERICANWITHOUTKNOWINGITONTHEOTHERHAND,WHENANAMERICANSAYSTOHISCHINESEFRIEND,“YOUVELOSTWEIGHT,“ITWILLONLYMAKEHIMWORRYABOUTHISHEALTHAGEANDSALARY,WHICHAMERICANSAREVERYCONSCIOUSOF,AREACOMMONCOMPLIMENTTOPICINTHECHINESESOCIETY,REFLECTINGTHEFACTTHATBOTHOFTHEMARETHESYMBOLOFEXPERIENCE,MORALVIRTUEANDSOCIALSTATUSINOURSOCIETYANUTTERANCESUCHASEXAMPLE别看他一把年纪了，可身体还好着呢，一点都不显老WOULDBEHEARDASACOMPLIMENTINOURCULTURE,WHILEITWOULDCERTAINLYNOTBEINTERPRETEDTHATWAYINTHEENGLISHSOCIETY,FORTHEOLDDONOTGETMUCHATTENTIONINTHATSOCIETYSALARYISALSOASENSITIVEPARTINENGLISHSOCIETY,BUTINCHINAWECANCOMPLIMENTOTHERSASEXAMPLE你每个月工资多少呀OFCOURSE,THEREARESTILLMANYCULTURESPECIFICTOPICSINCHINESECOMPLIMENTSANDENGLISHCOMPLIMENTSHOWEVER,ITISIMPOSSIBLETOCOVERTHEMALLTHEPURPOSEOFTHEBRIEFDISCUSSIONISTOMAKEINTERCULTURALINTERLOCUTORSAWAREOFTHECULTURALDIFFERENCESINCHINESEANDENGLISHCOMPLIMENTS23SUMMARYITISBELIEVEDTHATBOTHTASKSOFGIVINGANDRECEIVINGCOMPLIMENTSARENOTALWAYSTHATEASYCHINESECULTURESETSCERTAINLIMITATIONSTHATCANMAKETHECOMPLIMENTANDTHECOMPLIMENTEDFEELUNCOMFORTABLEINPERFORMINGTHEIRRESPECTIVEROLESTHEFORMERMIGHTBEUNCERTAINWHETHERTHEIRCOMPLIMENTSWOULDBEPOSITIVELYRECEIVEDORNOT,ANDTHELATTERMIGHTFEELSHYORSOMEWHATUNEASYBEINGCOMPLIMENTEDBYOTHERSINBOTHCASES,THEREISADESIRETOPROTECTTHEOTHERPERSONSFACETHEUSEOFAPPROPRIATESEMANTICANDSYNTACTICFORMULASINDIFFERENTCULTURESCANHELPTHETWOPARTIESRELATEMORETOEACHOTHER,THUSNARROWINGSOCIALGAPORSOCIALDISTANCESOCOMPLIMENTINGANDBEINGCOMPLIMENTEDTHENBECOMELESSEMBARRASSINGANDUNCOMFORTABLEEXPERIENCESDIFFERENCESINTHEDISTRIBUTIONOFTOPICSINCHINESECOMPLIMENTANDENGLISHCOMPLIMENTAREPOTENTIALSOURCESOFFAILUREININTERCULTURALCOMMUNICATIONTHATIS,THEREISFREQUENTLYINTERACTIONTROUBLEWHENMEMBERSOFONECULTURALGROUPCOMPLIMENTOTHERGROUPSTHEREFORE,ITISESSENTIALFORTHESECONDLANGUAGESTUDENTSTOKNOWASMUCHABOUTCOMPLIMENTSINBOTHLANGUAGESASPOSSIBLEINORDERTOBEAPPROPRIATEWHENGIVINGACOMPLIMENTININTERCULTURALSITUATION,HENCETOIMPROVETHEIRINTERCULTURALCOMMUNICATIVECOMPETENCE3CULTURALDIFFERENCESINCOMPLIMENTRESPONSEFORMULASTHEACTUALCOMMUNICATIONBEHAVIORSHOWSTHATTHEFUNDAMENTALDISCOURSESTRUCTUREOFCOMPLIMENTISAKINDOFADJACENCYPAIRWARDHAUGH,1986THEFEATUREOFTHISSTRUCTUREREVEALSTHECOOCCURRENCEOFTHETWOCATEGORIESOFUTTERANCEBEHAVIORSCOMPLIMENTANDRESPONSESHOULDBECOOCCURREDTHATIS,IFAPRAISESB,BMUSTGIVEAVERBALRESPONSECOMPLIMENTISSUPPOSEDTOBEAKINDOFSUPPORTIVEACTIONPOMERANTZ,1978FROMTHEVIEWPOINTOFSOCIALBEHAVIORTHESTUDIESONCOMPLIMENTINGBEHAVIORWILLNOTBETHOROUGHWITHOUTTHESTUDIESONCOMPLIMENTRESPONSESWHICHACTUALLYHAVEBEENRECEIVEDMUCHATTENTIONFROMLINGUISTSASWEALLKNOW,THECHINESEANDTHEWESTERNERSAREQUITEDIFFERENTINCULTURALBACKGROUNDS,WORLDVIEWSANDTHINKINGPATTERNSSUCHDIFFERENCESAREALSOREFLECTEDINTHEIRDIFFERENTTYPESOFRESPONSESTOCOMPLIMENTSSOTHISCHAPTERFOCUSESRESPECTIVELYONCOMPLIMENTRESPONSESTRATEGIESINENGLISHANDCHINESEANDFINDINGSINTHISAREAOFFERVALUABLEINSIGHTSINTOTHECOMPARATIVERESEARCHESONENGLISHCOMPLIMENTRESPONSESANDCHINESECOMPLIMENTRESPONSES31CHINESECOMPLIMENTRESPONSEFORMULASCHINESEPEOPLETENDTOUSEMOREINDIRECTRESPONSESTRATEGIES,MOSTPEOPLEAREINTUITIVELYAWARETHAT,BECAUSECOMPLIMENTGIVINGANDRESPONDINGBEHAVIORISUSEDTOPROMOTESOCIALIDENTITIESANDRELATIONS,INAPPROPRIATECHOICEOFRESPONSECANLEADTOFACELOSSINDIRECTRESPONSESTRATEGIESINCHINESECOMPLIMENTSCANBEEXPLAINEDBYLEECHS1983MODESTYMAXIMMINIMIZEPRAISEOFSELFANDMAXIMIZEDISPRAISEOFSELFITACCURATELYCAPTURESTHECHINESENORMTHATSEEKSHARMONYAMONGTHESOCIALMEMBERSMOREOVER,SELFDENIGRATIONMAXIMDENIGRATESELFANDELEVATEOTHER,CANBEUSEDTOACCOUNTFORMOSTOFTHECHINESECOMPLIMENTSRESPONSESTHEMOTIVATIONOFALLTHESEINDIRECTSTRATEGIESCANBEEXPLAINEDAS“IKNOWYOUARESAYINGSOMETHINGGOODABOUTMEANDICANTSHOWMYARROGANCE,SOISAYTHATSOMETHINGABOUTMEISNOTTHATGOODORTHATIMEMBARRASSED“THEREAREINDICATIONSTHATSOMECHINESEPEOPLESTILLPOSSESSTHEEARLIERGENERATIONSTIMIDNESSCHARACTERISTIC,WHICHORIGINATEDFROMAVERYCONSERVATIVECULTURE,ASREFLECTEDINTHEIRUSEOFMORE“NONACCEPTANCE“AND“NONAGREEMENT“TYPESOFRESPONSESTOCOMPLIMENTSINADDITION,THEIRUSEOFSUCHTYPESOFRESPONSESINDICATESTHEIRDESIRETOMAINTAINSOCIALBALANCEWITHTHEIRRESPECTIVEINTERLOCUTORS,AS“NONACCEPTANCE“REPLIESENABLETHEMTOSHIFTTHECOMPLIMENTARYFORCEWHILE“NONAGREEMENT“RESPONSESHELPTHEMTOWEAKENORDENYTHATFORCECHINESESOCIALNORMSREQUIREAMUCHHIGHERLEVELOFINDIRECTNESSINSOCIALINTERACTION32ENGLISHCOMPLIMENTRESPONSEFORMULASAMERICANPEOPLEUSEMOREEXPLICITRESPONSESTRATEGIESTHEPRIMARYCONSIDERATIONFORAMERICANSWHENTHEYRESPONDTOCOMPLIMENTSISLEECHS1983AGREEMENTMAXIMMINIMIZEDISAGREEMENTSBETWEENSELFANDOTHERSANDMAXIMIZEAGREEMENTSBETWEENSELFANDOTHERSBROWNANDLEVINSONS1978NOTIONOFFACE,INDIVIDUALISTICINNATURE,CANBEAPPLIEDTOAMERICANCULTURE,WHICHEMPHASIZESINDIVIDUALAUTONOMYRATHERTHANGROUPHARMONYITSEEMSREASONABLETOASSUMETHATPEOPLEFACEWITHTHEDIFFICULTTASKOFRESPONDINGINASECONDLANGUAGEINASOCIALLYACCEPTABLEWAYTHEREFORE,INDEVELOPINGINTERCULTURALCOMPETENCE,ITISIMPORTANTTOLEARNTHERULESOFHOWTOGIVEANDACCEPTCOMPLIMENTSINAMERICANSOCIETYSOASTOAVOIDPRAGMATICTRANSFERININTERCULTURALCOMMUNICATIONSTUDENTSHAVETOBECOMEFAMILIARWITHTHECULTURALNORMSASSOCIATEDWITHPOLITENESSANDFACETHEORYASSHAREDBYMEMBERSOFAMERICANCOMMUNITY33SUMMARYTHEDIFFERENCESOFCOMPLIMENTRESPONSESINTHECHINESECULTURE,MODESTYMAXIMISMUCHMOREHEAVILYWEIGHTEDANDFREQUENTLYOVERRIDESTHEAGREEMENTMAXIM,BECAUSE“贬己尊人”DEGRADINGONESELFANDUPGRADINGTHEOTHERSISTHECHARACTERISTICOFCHINESEPOLITEPRINCIPLEGUYUEGUO,1990THECHINESEEQUIVALENTOF“MODESTY“ISQIANXU,WHOSECULTURALCONNOTATIONISQUITEDIFFERENTFROMTHATOFTHEWORDINENGLISHCULTUREINMANYWAYSCHINESEQIANXUINVOLVESPUTTINGDOWNONESELFANDELEVATINGOTHERSWHILE“MODESTY“ASLEECHSPOLITENESSPRINCIPLEPUTS,ISTOAVOIDSELFPRAISECHINESEQIANXUREMAINSATTHECOREOFCHINESEPOLITENESSWHILE“MODESTY“ISNOTSOVALUEDBYENGLISHSPEAKERSQIANXUISREGARDEDASAVIRTUEOFSELFCULTIVATION,WHICHSERVESASTHEFOUNDATIONONWHICHCHINESEPOLITENESSISBUILTWHEREAS“MODESTY“FUNCTIONSASASTRATEGYOFMINIMIZINGSELFPRAISEHOWEVER,INTHEAMERICANSOCIETYTHEREISAPREFERENCEFORAGREEMENTININTERACTION,ANDDISAGREEMENTSAREPARTICULARLYFACETHREATENINGTHISSUGGESTSTHATTHEYGIVEPRIORITYTOTHEAGREEMENTMAXIMOVERTHEMODESTYMAXIMASLONGASTHECONTENTOFTHECOMPLIMENTISBASICALLYTRUE,THEYTENDTOACCEPTITSOASTOCONFIRMTHETASTEOFTHESPEAKER,THUSOFFERINGSOLIDARITYCONCLUSIONTHISPAPERTHOROUGHLYCOMPARESCHINESEANDENGLISHCOMPLIMENTDIFFERENCESFROMTHECOMPLIMENTEXPRESSING,TOPICS,RESPONSES,ANALYZINGTHEDIFFERENCESANDSIMILARITIESBETWEENTHEMBASEDONTHECULTURALFACTORSTHECROSSCULTURALCOMPARISONOFENGLISHANDCHINESECOMPLIMENTSDEMONSTRATEDIFFERENCESINAMERICANANDCHINESECULTURESCONFUCIANISMSTRESSESTHEBENEFITSOFFIXEDHIERARCHICALRELATIONSHIPINWHICHRESPECTISSHOWNFORAGE,SENIORITY,RANK,ANDFAMILYBACKGROUNDTHISISWHYCHINESEPEOPLECONCENTRATEONTHETOPICSOFTALENTANDACHIEVEMENTITISOBSERVEDTHATPEOPLEOFHIGHSTATUSSEEMTOENJOYBEINGFLATTEREDEXTENSIVELYTHECOMPLIMENTINGEVENTSINCHINAAREROOTEDINTHEHIERARCHALTRADITIONANDCONFUCIANISM,ESPECIALLYTHECONCEPTOFLI礼AND,CONFUCIANISMSTRESSESTHEBENEFITSOFFIXEDHIERARCHICALRELATIONSHIPINWHICHRESPECTISSHOWNFORAGE,SENIORITY,RANK,ANDFAMILYBACKGROUNDTHISISWHYCHINESEPEOPLECONCENTRATEONTHETOPICSOFTALENTANDACHIEVEMENTITISOBSERVEDTHATPEOPLEOFHIGHSTATUSSEEMTOENJOYBEINGFLATTEREDEXTENSIVELYONTHEOTHERHAND,THECOMPLIMENTINGSPEECHACTSINDICATETHATTHEAMERICANCULTUREISINDIVIDUALORIENTEDANDTHATINDIVIDUALISMANDEQUALITYARETHECORESOFSOCIALNORMSANDHEREMODESTYHIGHLYVALUEDINCHINESECULTUREISCONTRASTEDWITHHONESTYTHOUGHTOFHIGHLYINENGLISHENGLISHCOMPLIMENTSISACCEPTANCEWHILETHEMAJORITYOFCHINESERESPONSESDENIGRATETHECOMPLIMENTBECAUSE“MODESTY“INENGLISHCULTURESTRESSESOTHERELEVATING,BUTNOTNECESSARILYANDVERYRARELYSELFDENIGRATINGWHEREASCHINESE“MODESTY“EMPHASIZESBOTHSELFDENIGRATINGANDOTHERELEVATING,BUTWITHAMORESTRESSONSELFDENIGRATINGTODENIGRATETHESELFISAIMEDTOSHOWRESPECTTOTHEOTHERCHINESEMODESTYORMOREPRECISELYSELFDENIGRATION,ENCOMPASSI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