肢体语言-论文

1、山西师范大学本科毕业论文（设计）Body Language姓 名 徐帆 系 别 外国语学院 专 业 英语双学位 班 级 1206班 学 号 1290010618 指导老师 梁恩莉 答辩日期 成 绩 Body LanguageAbstract：Body language as a part of the language, and is an important content of the cultural exchange and communication, when language communication obstacles and difficulties, body langu

2、age can express in the effective time because of the information and content. Body language in addition to the expression of the body such as shaking hands, posture, movement of the head, also contains a rich facial expressions, such as a smile, eye contact, etc. Of course, in different countries an

3、d region, some body language in the cultural field is interlinked, but because of cultural differences, also can appear many of the same body language shows different meanings. This needs us to fully understand the cultural differences of body language, to avoid cultural differences caused by misund

4、erstanding.Key words: body language expression way cultural differences肢体语言内容摘要：肢体语言作为语言的一部分，也是文化交流与沟通的重要组成内容，当语言沟通遇到障碍与困难时，肢体语言便能够在有效的时间里表达出所蕴含的信息与内容。身体语言除了肢体的表达如握手、姿势、头部的动作，还包含了丰富的面部表情，如微笑、眼神的交流等。当然，在不同的国家、地域、文化领域里有些身体语言是相通的，但由于文化差异，也会出现许多相通身体语言所表现出来的不同的含义。这就需要我们充分了解文化差异中的身体语言，避免文化差异所带来的误会。关键字：肢体语

5、言 表达方式 文化差异CONTENTS1Introduction 12. Definition of body language13. History of body language 14. Body gestures and movements24.1 Handshake 24.2 Gestures 34.3 Head movement 35. Facial expressions 35.1 Smile 35.2 Eye contact4 5.3 Other facial expression46. Position and relationship to bodies, objects

6、and surroundings 5Acknowledgements6Body Language1.Introduction With the progress of society and the increasing of the openness, cross cultural communication has become increasingly frequent. Many people began to go out of the country. At the same time, more and more foreigners are coming to china. I

7、n different cultural environment, language learning is important. However, the language learning and use need to spend time and energy to learn. By comparison, body language is simple and convenient. Body language contains many aspects of the body, and even some body language is expressed by the emo

8、tion can not be replaced by the words of the language. Body language has a long history, from the birth of occasion of the body, the body language is born. So many body language in different cultural areas can be interlinked. However, due to the differences in cultural differences, there are some bo

9、dy language can not be shared. Some body language can express different meanings or even opposite meanings. Therefore, it is very necessary to understand and learn body language for our communication in different cultural fields.2.Definition of body languageIts widely-considered that body language i

10、s body positions and movements, as the traditional, narrow definition of body language in the Oxford English Dictionary: “body language noun-the conscious and unconscious movements and postures by which attitudes and feelings are communicated for example: his intent was clearly expressed in his body

11、 language.” Obviously, Body language is more than body positions and movements and concludes position bodies，closeness to and space between people, facial expressions, eye contact (movement and focus), connect non-bodily things, ,less noticeable physical effects (breathing, heartbeat and perspiratio

12、n). Additionally, the volume, variation, pauses, pace, etc., of voice could also be seen as one part of body language. Controversially traditional opinions hold that body language must have body or limbs movement or change, as one part of communication, body language includes reaction of body, chang

13、e of facial expression, etc., not only body movements. Voice type is most likely to be ignored as one kind of body language like making voice, control voice, and it is an indispensable element in communications and helping communications. Additionally, some unconscious body reactions and facial expr

14、ession belong to body language, for example a mans face will be white and sweat when he is nervous or frightened.Therefore，more exact definition of body language in summary is the conscious and unconscious transmission of attitudes and feelings by movements, postures, physical state, relationship to

15、 things, facial expression and eye movements.”3.History of body languagePhilosophers and scientists have paid interested in body language for thousands of years and they connected human behaviors with meaning and personality. But those findings are not as sophisticated and detailed as today. Works o

16、r writings about body language were very sparse until mid-1900s. According to the relevant records, the first expert at study of body language is ancient Greek, Hippocrates and Aristotle, who explored relationship between human personalities and behaviors, and Romans, notably Cicero discussed how ge

17、stures work in feelings and communications. Early studies focused on significance of body language in leadership and government.More isolated and sophisticated findings appeared after sixteenth Century. 1605, Francis Bacon in Advancement of Learning indicated gestures as reflection extension is supp

18、lement of spoken-communication. John Bulwers Natural History of the Hand published in 1644 involves hand gestures. Gilbert Austin suggested suitable body language could improve quality of speech in his 1806 publication, CHIRONOMIA. In late 1800s, Charles Darwin is accepted the earliest scholar in st

19、udying body language systematically and scientifically. The next more than 100 years, the study of body language seems to stagnate. Charles Darwin is pioneer of ethological, which focused on animal behaviors. After 1990s, more experts paid attention to connection of human behaviors and social organi

20、zation. Ethology is a science about animal behaviors, starting early 1900s, and expanding field to human behaviors and social organization. Ethlolgist progressively applied their findings to study of human behaviors. Julius Fast as an American writer who is awarded for his fiction and non-fiction wo

21、rk about human physiology and behaviors, suggesting that body language is too new to be seen as a science. 4. Body gestures and movementsBody gestures and movements play an important role in humans daily communication, to transmit humans thought, emotion and mental activity as supplement of verbal c

22、ommunication. The same with voice, transmission of information from body gestures and movements is influenced by linguistic knowledge and cultural background of both sides in one communication. Therefore, understanding information transmitted by body gestures and movements in different cultures is o

23、f extreme importance. Gestures and movements as the most vividly body language represent different implications and expression, different from other body language.4.1 Handshake“Handshake” is one of the most important manners in peoples social life. People from different culture and contrary have dif

24、ferent habits or norms on handshake. People from some Nordic countries view quick firm “one-pump” handshake. Some people from southern Europe, Middle and Southern America tend to shake hands wormer and longer, meaning the left hand usually touches the clasped hands, the elbow, or even the lapel of t

25、he shake, while this kind of handshake represent provocation or rudeness. “Limp handshake” is the standard in African countries. Handshake for people with same gender from Islamic state shows sincerity and trust, however, no handshake between different genders. Additionally, meaning of handshake wou

26、ld be influenced by certain historical events. For example, Soviets would like to shake hands with two hands firmly for expressing friendly since World War 2. Former Soviet President Brezhnev shake hands firmly using two hands with American President Nixon When he visited America. This kind of hands

27、hake angered the American because they thought the Soviets throw contempt on them.4.2 GesturesThumb-up has different implications or meanings in different countries. It implies agreement or satisfaction in North America, Great Britain and Russia, implies offence in Iran, implies rudeness and impolit

28、eness in Australia, implies praise in China and implies begging a ride in America and France. While changed the thumb to opposite directiondownward, its meaning is disagreement or not good in North America and rudeness or impoliteness in Greek culture.The finger is a rude behavior in America and som

29、e European countries, implying contempt or despise. However, it means nothing in China and some African countries.The OK sign implies going-well, agreement and very good in North China and Germany. Its viewed as 3 in China and money in Japan. In France and other European countries, OK sign means not

30、hing or zero.People from Great Britain or North American countries snap his fingers for the purpose of drawing others attentions, while it may contain meanings of rudeness or press sometimes. If one man snaps his fingers to women, it will make women uncomfortable. Most Chinese snap of fingers just f

31、or fun.Nipping nose usually means bed smell in China and other Asian countries, while it implies drunkenness in France.The Chinese wave hands for calling people over, while the British wave hands downward for making people slow down and wave hands left and right for greeting and saying Hello.Fist me

32、ans power or making ones mind for the Chinese. People from North America or Great Britain clench fist for expressing anger. People cant do it in the public in Islamic states because it means obscene. 4.3 Head movementNod transmits different information at different cultural background. People form E

33、nglish-speaking countries nod heads for saying yes, shake heads for saying no. The meanings will exchange for people from Middle East. For the Indian, nod or shake head have on regular meanings.People scratch heads when they are trying to remember something or in the troubles. For example, people wi

34、ll scratch heads when they have trouble in making decisions or giving answers, expressing that they need more time to think it over. Beating temple has similar meaning in China and African, implying thinking, however, when a English-speaking man do this, he will be seen crazy or head broken.People f

35、rom America will shout to others “heads up”, when they feel others are in danger or in trouble, drawing others attentions for situations. Head-up usually means thinking for the Chinese.5. Facial expressionsFace conveys peoples emotions consciously or unconsciously, providing a way of expressing peop

36、les feelings. Facial expressions are the most effective and simplest body language to transmit peoples altitudes and feelings.5.1 SmileSmile symbolizes goodness and friendly in most countries, like China, America, etc. People are used to greet to each other with smile to convey friendly. Also people

37、 smile to guests to express welcome. People from some conservative Asian countries like Japan are deeply influenced by traditional cultures, unwilling to show feelings easily. Smile to strangers are excluded by some traditional courtesy, therefore we seldom see conservative Japanese smile to strange

38、rs. Interestingly, the Indians usually cry to welcome guests. In addition, smile could be used as apology or sorry in China, otherwise the Western consider this kind of apology as humiliation. Similarly, smile means astonishment, embarrassment, etc. in Africa, thats source of “black laughter”. Sneer

39、 is different from smile at any backgrounds. The Chinese never sneer at anyone because it implies mock or despise. 5.2 Eye contact Eye contact is extremely important in peoples daily communication. The norm or standard of eye contact are decided by places, feelings, needs and backgrounds of both sid

40、es in communication. Different occasions need different eye contact.The norm and standard of eye contact is decided by peoples social hierarchy, age, places, race, countries, etc. as mentioned above. People from North America, especially America and Canada, would like to have eye contact with others

41、 when they want to draw others attention. For example, a speech maker should have to have a tight and suitable eye contact with audience for the purpose of drawing their attentions. On the contrary, if the speaker lowers his head and has no eye contact with audience, he or she will be seen as unconf

42、ident and impolite. The form of eye contact is decided by peoples distance in big city of America. Its widely accepted that comfortable distance for eye contact is about 16-32 feet, within which people would have a brief eye contact rather than longer and tight eye contact. However, people even stra

43、ngers would like to greet each other with a wormer and longer eye contact on rural area in America. Longer or unfit eye contact means provocation or even arise misunderstanding or conflict in Asian countries, African countries and Latin countries. People cant have stare at each other in communicatio

44、n in China, because longer eye contact is viewed as an impolite behavior. Similar with Chinese, the Japanese dislike eye contact even a brief and short eye contact, so they would like to look at others throat other than their eyes. Therere differences of eye contact between genders in some countries

45、. Its considered in Puerto Ric that women cant look into others eyes for the sake of courtesy. However, eye contact between same genders implies trust and sincerity in Middle East countries, especially in Islamic states. Additionally, other eye movements have different implications in different coun

46、tries and cultures. For example, blink eyes means distrust in America but irritability in China. Winkle of eyes at someone means going-well in America while its viewed as an impolite behavior in France and Australia.5.3 Other facial expressionEyebrow and tongue is another important part of face and

47、facial expression. For example, frown means depression or disagreement in North America and Great Britain but doubt or think in China. Raise eyebrow means astonishment in North America but disagreement or worry in Great Britain. The Chinese women will stick tongues and lower heads slightly when they are embarrassed. However, its viewed as one kind of