论文非语言交际

1、。大学外国语学院学 年 论 文The Comparisons of Body Language Between English Culture and Chinese Culture英汉文化中关于肢体语言的比较 班 级 专 业 商务英语 院 系 外国语学院 授 课 语 种 英语 学 生 姓 名 指导教师姓名 2011年 12月10日Abstract Body language plays an essential role in nonverbal communication and intercultural communication. It is universal that peopl

2、e everywhere make use of body language to express their fellings and emotionsto to convey some messages. Ignoring body language, one may commmit generous errors with undesirable consequences, so the sharing of body language makes it possible for people from different parts of the world understand ea

3、ch other better. In order to perform well in cross-cultural communication, we should learn different even somesame body language have different meanings in different cultures, some same meanings are signified by different body languages. In the following paragraphs, the component of body language an

4、d some differences between Engliah and Chinese body languages will be presented by comparisions and instants.摘要肢体语言在非语言交际和跨文化交际中起着非常重要的作用。世界各地都存在着很普遍的一种现象，人们通过肢体语言来表达自己的情感以此传达给对方一些信息。如果忽略了肢体语言的信息人们很可能会犯严重的错误并且导致无法想象的后果，因此了解不同文化的肢体语言有助于来自五湖四海的人们更好地理解对方。为了能够应对跨文化交际中的一些细节，我们必须知道在不同的文化中一些不同的肢体语言甚至相同的蕴含着

5、不同的意义，还有一些相同的意思会通过不同的肢体语言来表达。接下来，我将要就英汉文化中肢体语言的不同进行对比和举例。Key words: body language , intercultural communication , facial expression , gesture posture关键词： 肢体语言 跨文化交际 面部表情 手势 姿势The Comparisons of Body Language Between English Culture and Chinese CultureIntroductionBody languageDesignation for instinct

6、ive, conscious and conventional expressive movements of the body, including posture, head movements, facial expression and gestures, etc.Necessity and significancesince body language is effected by cultural rules, it is difficult for us ot observe the diversity in the use and interpretation of body

7、language when we communicate with foreigners, the same body language may be interpreted diffierently by people from different cultures, different body language may be used to convey the same idea or emotion.International development has made intercultural communication and body language significant,

8、 including new technoology and information systems, change in worlds population, a shift in the worlds economic arena, even our commen people always meet travelling foreigners who ask help from you, if we can not understand what they are saying they will try their best to use some body language to m

9、ake you understood. It is fairly important for us to learn their body language as well as their cultures. Facial expressions and eye conbehavious Since facial expressions and eye behavious are always visible during face to face interaction, they are the most significant areas of body language. Chine

10、se people have always said that a persons character is clearly written on his or her face.The facial expresssion is a good indicator of emotions-happiness, surprise,sadness,fear,anger,disgust,intrest and many more. Facial expresssion have diffeent cultural meanings. Laughing, for example, a native E

11、nglish spesker suddenly stumbled and fell when he is walking along the street. The Chinese person who saw this laughed butI it does not mean offend, just nean it dosent matter, while English people think laught on this occasion are very implite and offensive. Smiling may also cause some misunderstan

12、ding in different cultures, both Chinese and American would smile when they meet their frients, colleagues however, American tend to smile to even strangers to show friendliness, but our Chinese will not do unless they have to, if a female smile to a strange male, it will be viewed as frivolous. A s

13、tory says that an English traveller in Chiana wrote to a hotel manager because the waitress smiled at him when he complained that he was not treated well. Sometimes we will smile if we are being criticized to show that you accept the criticism, for in English culture, it was considered improper or e

14、ven offensive. In many cultures, if people are surprised, they may open their eyes widly and also open their mouth. When they like something, their eyes may beam and they may smile. When they are angry, they may frown and marrow their eyes. Shakespeare said,“there is language in her eyes,her cheek,

15、her lip.” The chinese saying gose,“the eye is the window of the soul.”In America, you are expected to meet others eye when communicate, if you fail to do this, you can be interpreted as being deceptive, weak, bored or angry., and Elglish people are told“not to trust anyone who wont look you in the e

16、ye。” But there is a little difference about eye contact in the United States. That is , white America tend to look at their communication partner more when they are lisening than they are talking, while Africa America use more eye contact when they are talking than they are listening. In Chinese cul

17、ture, people always feel shame to look at others even try to avoid eye contract.Gestures Gestures varies from culture to culture, it is important to be aware that gestures have different meanings in other cultures. In the following paragraphs, some comparison of English and Chinese gestures will be

18、made.In Chinese culture, touching ones own nose with raised finger signifies Its me, it seems a little funny to westners, instead they raised thumb to convey the same meaning, but it is considered vulgar by many educated Chinese.When signifying come here, we always extend our opened hands, toward th

19、e person with all fingers crooked in a beckoning motion, while English people palms up, only with their forefingers moving back and forth.I am full is signified in Chinese culture by one or both hands slightly patting ones own stomach, however, the same meaning in English culture by a open hand, pal

20、m down, raised to ones throat, means I am full up to here.Kill oneself is ofen signified by a Chinese spesker by moving quickly his open hand, palm down, across his throat. In contrast, the same meaning is conveyed by an English speaker by raising his closed hand to his head with the forefinger and

21、thumb stretching out and forefinger pointing to his temple.When English people are shocked, sad or in trouble, they draw a cross by touching the forehead, breast and shoulders to invoke the bless of Christ, while our chinese will put our palms together before our chest as a Buddhism.For westerners,

22、cross ones forefinger and middle finger with forefinger stretching out and middle finger couved and placed onto the forefinger signifies good luck. The OK gesture looks quite similar in shape to OK, and the victory gesture is shaped like the letter V, the initial letter of the word victory.PosturesP

23、ostures refers to how you position your body ofen indicating your fellings and attitude at the same time. Postures can be open or closed. In English being casual and friendly is valued, people often fall into chairs or slouch when they stand, even putting their feet on the writing table in a crowded

24、 office, in Chinese culture, these postures seems arrogance and considered as bad manners. Some Chinese people put his hands into his pockets and keep head up to show pride and confidence, or indicate that Iam not afraid of anything, on the other hand, it is related to a persons stadus and power in society, but for English culture, it is disrespect.Both English and Chinese women show shrinkage in their postures, they often hold their arms closer to bodies, feet together and put hands on knees and seldom cross their legs in mixed, this is also more restricted and less relaxed than the