跨文化交际案例分析(共7个)

1、跨文化交际案例分析（共7个）跨文化交际学概论第七章社会交往五、宴请招待p132Case 1: : Setting Rules for a Gues tAmerican Hospitality 案例：When Zhang Tao traveled in America, he lived in the home of his American friend, Bill. Once after he had traveled back, he found Bill was in a bad mood. When he asked what the problem was, Bill told Zh

2、ang Tao that his son Adam got furious about the noise Zhang made when walking upstairs and also because he was using too much water in the solar powered shower and Adam had to have his shower in cold water. Bill told Zhang Tao that he should walk more softly in future, and have a fast shower to save

3、 water. Zhang Tao felt uneasy. How could the host set such rules for his guest!Question: Why did Zhang Tao feel uneasy?分析：1) In China, when people host someone, they put the guest in the place of honor to show hospitality. They try to take care of the gue，stand try to make the guest feel comfortable

4、 and at ease.2) In America, people tend to give the guest great freedom and treat a guest more casually, naturally and truthfully.3) Zhang Tao knew he was a guest, and thought in terms of Chinese expectations of hospitality. He thought Bill should treat him courteously instead of setting rules for h

5、im.4) Since Zhang Tao lived in American surroundings, he should have known about the customs there sooner.Case 2: :案例：Lin had traveled 20 hours from Beijing to New York. He needed a good meal. His American friend, Mike, met him. But Mike only offered him a plate of roasted chicken and a glass of ora

6、nge juice. Lin was used to having a main course, and asked Mike if he had any rice. Mike said he only had fried noodles, and Lin had to make do with it. Though Lin knew Americans didn t care very much about what food they ate, he still felt surprised because he had taken Mike to the most famous duck

7、 restaurant in Beijing - Quanjude - when he arrived in Beijing.Question: Why did Lin feel surprised? Offer some advice to him aboutadjusting to his new environment in America.分析：1) 0n the topic of hospitality, the Chinese stress on warmth and demonstrating friendship. They take the guest to a famous

8、 or luxurious restaurant to have a very good (expensive) meal to show their hospitality. And the Chinese are used to having a big meal. The more dishes they put out， the greater the warmth and friendship they show.2) In western countries, people stress on freedom. They give the guest great freedom t

9、o choose their own foods. And westerners tend to have only one main course and some juiceor dessert， which is viewed as casual in the eyes of the Chinese.3) Lin lived in American surroundings and should have adjusted himself quickly to the new world (lifestyle). He should have known the custom there

10、 first, and felt more at ease in Mike . s homeCase 3: ee: Equality or Hospitality for Table Manners 案例：Lin Hua has accompanied an American delegation to visit China. They have experienced the hospitality of the Chinese people. After returning to America, Linhua once visited them. They were so glad t

11、o meet again. Linhua offered to host the meal, but they refused. They ordered their own dish, and Linhua ordered her own. When footing the bill, they only paid their part ， and no one wanted to pay for Linhua. Linhua found them so inhospitable, though she knew the Americans would usually pay for the

12、ir own food.Question: Why did Linhua find them inhospitable?分析：1) In China, to show hospitality, people tend to host the meal. And if they cannot do this, they at least will struggle to pay for the guest.2) In America, people tend to pay for themselves to show equality and independence.3) Linhua kno

13、ws this custom, but from a Chinese point of view, she still finds this hard to accept, and feels it a little inhospitable.Case 4: r:案例：I have an American friend. I have invited him several times, and at long last he invited me to his home one day. He told me to get there at 3 p m. I thought we could

14、 chat and have a meal together. I gave him a Chinese calendar,a womans scarf and a bottle of Chinese white wine. He only took out a dish of nuts, a plate3of bread and a bottle of wine. After two hours chat, I found there was no hint of a meal and said good-bye to him. He only gave me a box of chocol

15、ate as a present for the New Year. After I got home, I found the box already been opened. I was very surprised, Question: What surprised me?分析：1) In China, a visit to home always includes a meal. And the guest always brings a relatively expensive present to the host. And the present should be well w

16、rapped or untouched.2) In the west, a visit to home only means a meeting, not necessarily including a meal. And the present is treated not as importantly as it is in China.3) I acted in a way that was based on Chinese customs, so I felt the American way was very interesting (unusual).Case 5: e: Way

17、of Entertaining Guests in China Drink more and more案例：Tom, an American, went to a Chinese home for the first time. He was offered some tea. Just when the first cup was about to finish, more tea was added. He drank the second cup. Then the cup was filled the third time. Then he drank it, then ? until

18、 he was quite full. Tom was totally confused by the way of entertaining.Question: Why was Tom totally confused?分析：1) Traditional Chinese custom requires that during the course of entertaining, the host has to always pour more wine or tea to the guest s glassor cup, and always adds more food to the g

19、uest s plate or bowl without asking whether it s wanted.2) Chinese guests know how to respond to this type of hospitality. They simply leave the wine, tea, or food in the container and stop having any more. But Tom, the American guest in the case didn t know this.3) He followed the politeness rule o

20、f his culture: its not good manners to leave food in one s own plate at a dinner table. Therefore, without any knowledge of the differencesbetween the two cultures, an American guest would very likely suffer from either drinking or eating too much in such a situation.As a foreign student at the Univ

21、ersity of Wisconsin in Madison, Keiko Ihara (Japanese) was on a strict budget. She had all her tuition and books paid for by scholarships and grants and until recently was comfortably housed in the dormitory. Wanting to live in the community rather than in the dormitory, she found a small apartment

22、to share with a friend. Her college friends, knowing of her situation, offered to round up some of the necessaryitems for apartment living. Keiko politely declined, saying she could manage. Wanting to help out her friends found some old but still usable household appliances and furniture. Mary had a

23、n old desk that was in her garage. Ed had some chairs from his uncle, and Joe and Marion had a few extra dishes. They cheerfully brought them over one day. Keiko seemed very embarrassed, but gracefully accepted them, sincerely and profusely thanked them.The following week they were each presented wi

24、th a gift from Keiko. Mary got an ornate jewelry box, Ed a volume of woodcuts by a famous Japanese artist, and Joe and Marion a beautiful Japanese vase, all of which were of considerable worth and value, much more than the old things they had donated to her. They all protested that she could not aff

25、ord to give such elaborate gifts; they really expected nothing as the householditems were not really being used and they would rather have her use them. Keiko, however, insisted that they take the gifts. In the end, they accepted the gifts, although they all felt uncomfortable as they knew she was r

26、eally sacrificing to give them.Questions:1. What do you think of Keiko insisting on giving valuable gifts to her college friends?2. Why did Keiko s friends feel very uncomfortable when they received valuable gifts in return?分析：Keiko insists on giving valuable gifts to her college friends, because in

27、 countries like Japan, exchanging gifts is a strongly rooted social tradition. Should you receive a gift, and don t have one to offer in return, you will probably create a crisis. If not as serious as a crisis, one who doestnoffer a gift in return may be consideredrude or impolite. Therefore, in Jap

28、an, gifts are a symbolic way to show appreciation, respect, gratitude and further relationship.Keiko obviously has taken those used items from Mary, Ed and Marion as gifts, for she probably does nt know that Americans frequently donate their used householditems to church or to the community. Mary, E

29、d and Marion would never consider those used householditems given to Keiko as gifts. No wonder they felt very uncomfortable when they received valuable gifts in return.Selma, who is from the US, is in a student exchange program in Indonesia. One day, she was asked to attend a birthday party and she

30、was delighted, for she was curious to know what an Indonesian birthday party was like. To her surprise, she was the only one that dressed in typically Western clothes. Although she had no strong reason to become uneasy, her uneasy feeling prevailed as the party was going on. To make herself feel bet

31、ter, she went to the food table and began to help herself. But, upon leaving the table, she tripped on the leg of a chair and spilled her drink on the floor. One of the girls stoopeddown to mop up the spill and everyone else laughed out loud. Selma, uncertain what to do next, quietly moved out of her way with her head lowered in shame.Questions:3. What functions does laughi