跨文化交际中的英汉礼貌语言差异【毕业论文】.doc

1、（20_届）本科毕业设计英语跨文化交际中的英汉礼貌语言差异THEDIFFERENCEOFENGLISHCHINESEPOLITELANGUAGEINCROSSCULTURALCOMMUNICATIONI摘要众所周知，不同的人对礼貌持有不同的观点,而不同的文化又会导致语用差异。由于英汉文化之间存在着差异，有时中国人认为礼貌的行为西方人未必认同。要使言语行为有礼貌，有些礼貌原则必须遵守，比如HPGRICE提出的言语交际中的合作原则，GEOFFREYNLEECH提出的礼貌原则，中国境内著名的有顾曰国教授在中国“礼貌”观念的基础上所提出的五条礼貌理念。本文简要的概述了这些礼貌原则，并且对中西礼貌原则做

2、了对比分析。此外，本文还试图指出英汉文化间存在的礼貌语用差异,比如称呼语，问候，感谢等等。虽然这些差异表明在自然生活中，英汉礼貌原则存在相似性，但是二者之间的差异在跨文化交际中也同样起着重要的作用。因此，对英汉礼貌原则进行对比分析就显得越发的重要。同时，在跨文化交际中，了解对方的文化背景，以及选择正确的礼貌原则也是非常重要的。关键词礼貌礼貌原则语用差异跨文化交际IIABSTRACTASWEALLKNOW,DIFFERENTPEOPLEHOLDDIFFERENTVIEWSABOUTPOLITENESSANDDIFFERENTCULTURESMAYLEADTOPRAGMATICDIFFERENCE

3、SBECAUSEOFTHECULTURALDIFFERENCES,SOMETIMESWHATTHECHINESEPEOPLECONSIDERTOBEPOLITEMAYNOTBETRUEACCORDINGTOWESTERNCULTURETOBEPOLITE,THEREARESOMEPRINCIPLESTOFOLLOW,SUCHASHPGRICESCOOPERATIVEPRINCIPLE,GEOFFREYNLEECHSPOLITENESSPRINCIPLE,ANDINCHINA,THEREAREPROFGUYUEGUOSFIVENOTIONSOFPOLITENESSBASEDONTHECHINES

4、ECONCEPTIONOFLIMAOTHISPAPERBRIEFLYDESCRIBESTHESEPRINCIPLES,ANDALSOMAKESACOMPARATIVESTUDYONPOLITENESSPRINCIPLEINCHINESEANDENGLISHCULTURESBESIDES,THISPAPERALSOATTEMPTSTOSHEDLIGHTONSOMEOFTHEPRAGMATICDIFFERENCESONPOLITENESSBETWEENCHINESEANDWESTERNCULTURES,SUCHASADDRESSING,GREETING,THANKINGETC,INDICATING

5、THATTYPICALCHINESEANDENGLISHPOLITENESSPRINCIPLESARESIMILARTOEACHOTHERINNATUREBUTTHEDIFFERENCESBETWEENTHEMAREALSOPLAYINGASIGNIFICANTROLEININTERCULTURALSPEECHINTERACTIONSOTHECOMPARATIVESTUDYOFPOLITENESSPRINCIPLEINCHINESEANDENGLISHCULTURESBECOMESMOREIMPORTANTMEANWHILE,TOBEFAMILIARWITHTHEDIFFERENTCULTUR

6、ALBACKGROUNDSANDTOCHOOSETHERIGHTPOLITENESSMAXIMSDURINGCOMMUNICATIONAREALSOVERYIMPORTANTKEYWORDSPOLITENESSPOLITENESSPRINCIPLEPRAGMATICSDIFFERENCESINTERCULTURALCOMMUNICATIONIIICONTENTSABSTRACTII1INTRODUCTION111RESEARCHBACKGROUND112SIGNIFICANCEOFTHESTUDY12POLITENESS221THEDEFINITIONOFPOLITEANDPOLITENESS

7、222THEDEVELOPMENTOFTHEPOLITENESSPRINCIPLE223CONSIDERABLEASPECTSRELATEDTOPOLITENESS43CULTURALDIFFERENCESBETWEENENGLISHANDCHINESE531ADDRESSING532GREETING733THANKING94REASONFORTHECULTURALDIFFERENCE1141PRIVACY1142INDIVIDUALISM125CONCLUSION13BIBLIOGRAPHY14ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS1511INTRODUCTIONASAUNIVERSALPHENO

8、MENONINALLSOCIETIES,POLITENESSISWHATPEOPLEOFDIFFERENTCULTURALBACKGROUNDSALLTRYTOOBSERVEFORTHEPURPOSEOFIMPROVINGCOMMUNICATIVECOMPETENCEBEINGANIMPORTANTELEMENTININTERCULTURALCOMMUNICATION,POLITENESSHELPSESTABLISH,MAINTAINORCONSOLIDATEHARMONIOUSINTERPERSONALRELATIONSHIPS,ANDREDUCESCONFLICTSANDMISUNDERS

9、TANDINGSTHEREFORE,PRINCIPLESOFPOLITENESSINDIFFERENTCULTURESSHOULDBEINVESTIGATEDTHISTHESISATTEMPTSTOMAKEACOMPARATIVESTUDYOFPOLITENESSBEHAVIORBETWEENTHEENGLISHANDTHECHINESEONTHECONTRASTIVEANALYSESONSUCHLINGUISTICBEHAVIORSASADDRESSING,GREETING,THANKINGOWINGTODIFFERENTBELIEFSANDVALUES,ANDDIFFERENTCULTUR

10、ALBACKGROUNDS,THESECULTURALDIFFERENCESOFPOLITENESSAREOFGREATIMPORTANCEINCROSSCULTURALCOMMUNICATION11RESEARCHBACKGROUNDPOLITENESS,ASOCIALCULTUREPHENOMENON,HASADEEPRELATIONWITHTHELANGUAGEONONEHAND,POLITENESSAFFECTSTHEUSEOFLANGUAGE,ANDONTHEOTHERHAND,LANGUAGEISAVERYIMPORTANTMETHODTOEXPRESSPOLITENESSINTH

11、EPASTTWENTYYEARS,SOMESCHOLARSHAVEMADEADEEPERSTUDYONTHEPOLITENESSPHENOMENAATHOMEANDABROADFOREXAMPLEIN1978,BROWNANDLEVINSONDELIVEREDATHESISNAMEDUNIVERSALSINLANGUAGEUSAGEPOLITENESSSTRATEGIESINSOCIALINTERACTIONWHICHSTUDIEDTHEPOLITENESSANDTHEFACEFORTHEFIRSTTIME,EXPLORINGTHATTHEPOLITENESSISTHECOMMONPHENOM

12、ENAINTHEUSAGEOFLANGUAGEBROWNANDLEVINSONAREAUTHORITIESONTHETHEORYOFFACETHEPROBLEMTOTHEPOLITENESSANDFACE,WHICHTHEYPROPOSED,ISBASEDONTHEPHILOLOGYANDLINGUISTICSHOWEVER,THEPUBLICATIONOFTHISTHEORYRAISEDMANYLINGUISTSINTERESTS,FOLLOWEDBYTHEGRICESCOOPERATIONPRINCIPLE,ANDTHEENGLISHLINGUISTLEECHSPOLITENESSPRIN

13、CIPLE,WHICHINCLUDESSIXMAXIMSANDISUSEDASTHEBASICRULESINOURDAILYLIFEHOWEVER,THETHEORIESOFBROWNANDLEVINSONANDLEECHDONTAIMATSTUDYINGTHEACTUALAPPLICATIONOFPOLITENESSINDIFFERENTCULTURES,BUTATEXPLORINGTHEUNIVERSALOFPOLITENESSPHENOMENAINFACT,POLITENESSITSELFHASADIFFERENCEOFCULTURETHECULTURALDIFFERENCESBECOM

14、ETHEOBSTRUCTIONOFCOMMUNICATION12SIGNIFICANCEOFTHESTUDY“EVERYTHINGFLOWS,NOTHINGSTAYSSTILL”CHANGEHASBEENHAPPENINGALLTHETIMEANDATALLPLACES,ANDITISTHECHARACTERISTICOFOURMODERNWORLDACURRENTTRENDOFTHEWORLDISGLOBALIZATION,WHICHISBROUGHTABOUTBYRAPIDDEVELOPMENTOFSCIENCEANDTELECOMMUNICATIONANDINFORMATIONSYSTE

15、MITISPEOPLEFROMDIVERSEBACKGROUNDSTHATHAVECOMEINTOMOREANDMORECONTACTWITHEACHOTHERWITHAREGULARITYTHATISUNIQUETOTHISPERIODOFHUMANHISTORY2ASARESULT,INTERCULTURALCOMMUNICATIONHASBECOMEINCREASINGLYIMPORTANTWHILEDIFFERENTCULTURESHAVEDIFFERENTPOLITENESSPRINCIPLE,INORDERTOHAVEASUCCESSFULCOMMUNICATION,WENEEDT

16、ODEALWITHTHEPROBLEM,MAKINGALLOFUSHAVEAGOODMANNER2POLITENESS21THEDEFINITIONOFPOLITEANDPOLITENESSTHEWORD,POLITE,INDICTIONARYHASTWOMEANINGS,ONEMEANINGISHAVINGORSHOWINGONEHASGOODMANNERSANDCONSIDERATIONFOROTHERPEOPLETHEOTHERONEMEANSTHATASUPERIORCLASSINSOCIETYANDTHENOUNPOLITENESSMEANSAQUALITYOFBEINGPOLITE

17、ORPOLITEACTWEALLKNOWTHATASAUNIVERSALPHENOMENONINALLSOCIETIES,POLITENESSISWHATPEOPLEOFDIFFERENTCULTURALBACKGROUNDSALLTRYTOOBSERVEFORTHEPURPOSEOFINCREASINGCOMMUNICATIVECOMPETENCEBEINGANIMPORTANTELEMENTININTERCULTURALCOMMUNICATION,POLITENESSHELPSESTABLISH,MAINTAINORCONSOLIDATEHARMONIOUSINTERPERSONALREL

18、ATIONSHIPS,ANDREDUCESCONFLICTSANDMISUNDERSTANDINGSTHEREFORE,PRINCIPLESOFPOLITENESSINDIFFERENTCULTURESSHOULDBEREALIZEDBYALLOFUSWHILEIFWEWANTTOBEFAMILIARWITHTHEPOLITENESSPRINCIPLE,WESHOULDKNOWTHEHISTORYOFHISDEVELOPMENT22THEDEVELOPMENTOFTHEPOLITENESSPRINCIPLEIN1978,ENGLISHSCHOLARSBROWNANDLEVINSONWROTEA

19、NARTICLE“UNIVERSALSINLANGUAGEUSAGEPOLITENESSPHENOMENA”ACCORDINGTOBROWNANDLEVINSON,POLITENESSINVOLVESUSSHOWINGANAWARENESSOFOTHERPEOPLESFACEWANTS,ANDFACEREFERSTOOURPUBLICSELFIMAGETHEREARETWOASPECTSTOTHISSELFIMAGEONEISPOSITIVEFACE,THEOTHERISNEGATIVEFACEPOSITIVEFACEREFERSTOTHEWANTOFEVERYMEMBERTHATHISWAN

20、TSBEDESIRABLETOATLEASTSOMEOTHERSMYEMPHASISNEGATIVEFACEREFERSTOTHEWANTOFEVERYCOMPETENTADULTMEMBEROFASOCIETYTHATHISACTIONSBEUNIMPEDEDBYOTHERSBROWNPMAXIMIZETHEBENEFITTOOTHERSOMEEXAMPLES3AHOLDONAMINUTEBCOULDIINTERRUPTYOUFORASECOND2GENEROSITYMAXIMINIMPOSITIONANDCOMMISSIONMINIMIZEBENEFITTOSELF,MAXIMIZECOS

21、TTOSELFSOMEEXAMPLESAYOUCANTAKETHISNEWSPAPERBDRIVEMYCARAWAYASYOUPLEASE3APPROBATIONMAXIMINEXPRESSIONANDASSERTIONMINIMIZEDISPRAISEOFOTHER,MAXIMIZEPRAISEOFOTHERSOMEEXAMPLESAYOUHAVEANIGHTINGALESVOICEBGRACE,IKNOWYOUREAGENIUSWOULDYOUKNOWHOWTOSOLVETHISMATHPROBLEMHERE4MODESTYMAXIMINEXPRESSIONANDASSERTIONMINI

22、MIZEPRAISEOFSELF,MAXIMIZEDISPRAISEOFSELFSOMEEXAMPLESASBELOWYOUHAVEAGOODVOICETHANKYOUIUSEDTOHAVEAGOODTEACHERINCOLLEGE5AGREEMENTMAXIMINASSERTIONMINIMIZEDISAGREEMENTBETWEENSELFANDOTHER,MAXIMIZEAGREEMENTBETWEENSELFANDOTHERSOMEEXAMPLESASBELOWCHONGQINGISTHEBIGGESTCITYINCHINAYES,ITISMAYBEITISTHEBIGGESTMUNI

23、CIPALITIESINSOUTHWESTANDEVENTHEWHOLECHINA6SYMPATHYMAXIMINASSERTIONMINIMIZEANTIPATHYBETWEENSELFANDOTHER,MAXIMIZESYMPATHYBETWEENSELFANDOTHERSOMEEXAMPLESASBELOWAIAMSORRYTOHEARTHATYOURFATHERISGONEBIVLOSTMYDOGIMSORRYTOHEARTHATLETSHELPYOUTOLOOKFORLEECH,1983183185INCHINA,STUDYOFPOLITENESSWITHINTHELINGUISTI

24、CCIRCLESDIDNOTBEGINUNTILTHEEARLY1980SBASEDONCHINESEHISTORYANDTRADITIONALCULTURE,MRGUYUEGUOOFBEIJINGFOREIGNSTUDIESUNIVERSITYHASCONTRIBUTEDTOTHESTUDYOFPOLITENESSINCHINAHEHASTRACEDTHEORIGINOFTHENOTIONOFPOLITENESSINTHECHINESECULTURE,ANDHASALSOFORMULATEDADIFFERENTKINDOFPOLITENESSMAXIMS,WHICHHETHINKSAREMO

25、RESUITABLETOTHECHINESEENVIRONMENTMRGU1990BELIEVEDTHATTHEREAREBASICALLYFOURASPECTSOFCHINESECONCEPTIONOFPOLITENESSWECALLINCHINESELIMAORESPECTFULNESS,MODESTY,ATTITUDINALWARMTH,ANDREFINEMENTRESPECTFULNESSISSELFSPOSITIVEAPPRECIATIONORADMIRATIONOFOTHERCONCERNINGTHELATTERSFACE,SOCIALSTATUS,ANDSOONMODESTYCA

26、NBESEEMEDASANOTHERWAYOFSAYINGSELFDENIGRATIONATTITUDINALWARMTHISSELFSDEMONSTRATIONOFKINDNESS,CONSIDERATION,AND4HOSPITALITYTOOTHER,ANDREFINEMENTREFERSTOSELFSBEHAVIORTOOTHERWHICHMEETSCERTAINSTANDARDSTHEORISTSHAVEDUGINEVERYWAYTODISCOVERTHEWAYSTOBEPOLITEBUTTHEREHAVEALWAYSBEENVIOLATIONINTHESTANDARDSPUTFOR

27、WARDBYTHEMANDCULTUREDIFFERENCEHASBEENAMAINREASON23CONSIDERABLEASPECTSRELATEDTOPOLITENESSTOACHIEVETHEGOALOFPOLITENESS,WESHOULDCONSIDERITFROMTHEFOLLOWINGASPECTS1CONSIDERINGTHESOCIALBACKGROUNDOFTHECOMMUNICATORGENERALLY,THEMOREEDUCATEDAMANIS,THEMOREHETENDSTOSHOWHISPOLITENESSTOOTHERPEOPLETHEMOREHEKNOWSAB

28、OUTTHESUITABLEWAYSTOSHOWPOLITENESS,THEBETTERHEUSESTHEWAYSTOBEPOLITETOOTHERSBESIDES,THEPERSONALITYOFTHECOMMUNICATORISALSOVERYIMPORTANTHEREGOODTEMPEREDPERSONPREFERSTOUSE“FACESAVINGACT”WHILEBADTEMPEREDPERSONPREFERS“FACETHREATENINGACT”WHENTHEYCOMEACROSSTHE“FACELOSINGCONDITION”2ACCORDINGTOTHECOMMUNICATIV

29、ECIRCUMSTANCES,COMMUNICATIONISAVERYCOMPLICATEDPROCESSINFORMALOCCASIONS,PEOPLETENDTOUSEFORMALEXPRESSIONSTOSHOWPOLITENESS,ESPBETWEENTHENEWACQUAINTANCESWHILEININFORMALSTATES,PEOPLETENDTOBECASUALTOSHOWINTIMACYEVENIFITISINTHEVERYMOMENTTHEYMEETANDTHATDOESNTMEANIMPOLITENESSLOOKATTHEFOLLOWINGEXAMPLEEXAMPLE1

30、AMANCAMEINTOABARANDSAIDTOTHEWAITER“HIBUDDYGIMMESOMEWHISKY,WOULDYOU”ALTHOUGHTHEYVENEVERMETBEFORE,THEMANUSEDVERYCASUALPHRASESTOENCLOSETHEIRRELATIONSHIPTHISISAUSUALWAYTOSHOWFRIENDLINESSTOSTRANGERSINSIMILARENTERTAININGPLACES3“INSITUATIONSOFSOCIALDISTANCEORCLOSENESS,SHOWINGAWARENESSFORANOTHERPERSONSFACEW

31、HENTHEOTHERSEEMSSOCIALLYDISTANTISOFTENDESCRIBEDINTERMSOFRESPECTORDEFERENCESHOWINGTHEEQUIVALENTAWARENESSWHENTHEOTHERISSOCIALLYCLOSEISOFTENDESCRIBEDINTERMSOFFRIENDLINESS,CAMARADERIE,ORSOLIDARITY”YULE,1996BUTTHEREAREEXCEPTIONSFOREXAMPLE,PEOPLEOFTENUSEFAMILYNAMESTOCALLTHEIRCLOSEFRIENDS,ANDWHENTHESEPEOPL

32、ESPEAKTOEACHOTHER,THEYWILLUSEDIRECTOFFERORREQUESTBUTSOMETIMESTHEYUSEVERYFORMALEXPRESSIONSINTHEIRSPEECHLOOKATTHEFOLLOWINGEXAMPLEEXAMPLE2HUSBANDTOHISWIFE“WOULDYOUBESOKINDASTOHANDTHEBREADOVERTOME”SURELYWEKNOWTHATTHEWIFEHASJUSTQUARRELEDWITHTHEHUSBANDANDTHEHUSBANDISTRYINGTOAMUSEHERINACERTAINWAY5BESIDESAL

33、LTHEASPECTSDISCUSSEDABOVE,THERESANOTHERIMPORTANTPOINTTOCONCERNWITHTHATISTHECULTURALDIFFERENCESBETWEENENGLISHANDCHINESE3CULTURALDIFFERENCESBETWEENENGLISHANDCHINESEDIFFERENTCULTURESHAVEDIFFERENTVIEWSOFVALUES,WHICHAFFECTSTHECRITERIAOFPOLITENESSANDLEADSTODIFFERENCESINVARIOUSASPECTSINTHISPART,THEAUTHORWI

34、LLDISCUSSSOMEPARTSOFTHEDIFFERENCESOFPOLITENESSBETWEENENGLISHANDCHINESEINADDRESSING,GREETING,THANKING31ADDRESSINGADDRESSINGTAKESPLACESOFREQUENTLYINSOCIALINTERACTIONSTHATITBECOMESANIMPORTANTCOMPONENTOFCOMMUNICATIVECOMPETENCEINPRINCIPLE,ONECANNOTEXPECTTHATTHELITERALTRANSLATIONOFTHEROUTINEEXPRESSIONSOFH

35、ISOWNLANGUAGEINTOANOTHERWILLHAVETHESAMEEFFECTINTHETARGETLANGUAGEBUTINPRACTICE,THEINTERFERENCEOFONESMOTHERTONGUESEEMSTOBEINEVITABLEFORFOREIGNLANGUAGELEARNERSWHENTHEYUSEAFOREIGNLANGUAGEFOREXAMPLEAYOUNGLADYMARILYN,AMAJORCHARACTERINFAMILYALBUM,USA,ADDRESSESHERMOTHERINLAWBYHERFIRSTNAME,ELLENHOWDOYOUACCOU

36、NTFORTHISCOULDITHAPPENINOURCHINATHEANSWERISABSOLUTELYNONOWADAYS,MOREANDMOREENGLISHSPEAKINGPEOPLEADDRESSOTHERSBYUSINGTHEFIRSTNAMETOM,MICHAEL,LINDA,JANE,ETCITISCOMMONTOHEARACHILDCALLAMUCHOLDERPERSONJOE,BEN,HARRYETCACHILDMAYEVENCALLHISORHERPARENTSORGRANDPARENTSNAMEDIRECTLYINTHECASEOFMARILYN,THETWODAUGH

37、TERINLAWANDMOTHERINLAWAREVERYCLOSEANDONINTIMATETERMSPEOPLEOFDIFFERENTSOCIALSTATUSSTARTTOFOLLOWPOLITENESSFOREXAMPLE,MANYCOLLEGESTUDENTSCALLTHEIRPROFESSORSBYTHEIRFIRSTNAMESTHEPROFESSORSDONOTREGARDTHISASASIGNOFDISRESPECT,BUTRATHER,ASANINDICATIONTHATTHEPROFESSORISCONSIDEREDBEINGAFFABLEANDEQUALDENGPENG,A

38、PROFESSORFROMHIGHPOINTUNIVERSITY,NORTHCAROLINA,TOLDASTORYONTHEDAYHEWASGRANTEDTHEDOCTORSDEGREE,DENGSPROFESSORWHOMDENGHADALWAYSADDRESSEDASDRSOANDSOASKEDDENGTOUSEHISFIRSTNAME,BECAUSETHEYWERENOWEQUALSSOMEOTHERELDERLYPROFESSORSWOULDLIKEUNDERGRADUATESTOADDRESSTHEMASPROFESSORORDOCTOR,BUTTHEYDONTMINDPOSTGRA

39、DUATESUSINGTHEIRFIRSTNAMESWHILEINCHINA,THECUSTOMINTHISASPECTSEEMSDIFFERENTFROMWHATISPRACTICEDINTHEUKINCHINA,SENIORITYISHIGHRESPECTEDBYJUNIORSANDTHEYSHOULDADDRESSSENIORSINAPROPERWAYTHEUSEOFGIVENNAMESISNOTALLOWEDBETWEENHUSBANDANDWIFE,CLOSEFRIENDS,JUNIORSANDELDERSORSUPERIORSHIERARCHYINCHINAPROBABLYACCO

40、UNTSFORTHISANOTHERCASEISTHATWECHINESEALWAYSADDRESSASTRANGERWHOSEEMSOLD“GRANDPA”OR“GRANDMA”WHYDOWEADDRESSTHEMINTHISWAYSINCETHATSTRANGERISNOTCONNECTEDTOUS6THEREASONISTHATTHECHINESEOFTENEXTENDKINSHIPTERMSLIKE“大爷”,”大妈”,“大叔”,“大婶”,“叔叔”,“阿姨”,“大哥”,“大姐”,ETCTOPEOPLENOTRELATEDBYBLOODORMARRIAGETHESETERMSAREUSED

41、AFTERTHESURNAMETOSHOWPOLITENESSANDRESPECTTHEABOVECASEEMBODIESONEOFTHEPOLITENESSSTANDARDSOFMRGUADDRESSINGSTANDARDS,WHICHSUGGESTSTOBEGREETEDEACHOTHERWITHAPPROPRIATECALLSITREFLECTSCHINESECULTUREAMONGPEOPLEINTHESOCIALRELATIONSANDINTHEMODERNCULTURALACCUMULATIONANDRESPONSEUSINGAPPROPRIATECALLLANGUAGEISCON

42、SIDEREDTOBETHEBASICPOLITENESSPRINCIPLETOADDRESSSTRANGERS,ENGLISHSPEAKERSSOMETIMESUSE“SIR”OR“MADAM”INENGLAND,PEOPLEAREUSUALLYADDRESSEDACCORDINGTOTHEGENDERMRFORADULTMALES,MRSFORMARRIEDWOMEN,MISSFORUNMARRIEDWOMEN,MSFORWOMENWHOSEMARITALSTATUSISUNKNOWNWITHSURNAMEMOREEXAMPLESINCHINESEARE“警察叔叔”FORTHEPOLICE

43、MANOR“护士阿姨”FORTHENURSE,ETCTHEENGLISHEQUIVALENTSOFTHEABOVEKINSHIPTERMSARENOTUSEDEVENWITHRELATIVES,ENGLISHPEOPLETENDTOUSEJUSTTHEFIRSTNAMEWEMAYFINDBROTHERJOSEPHORSISTERMARYINENGLISH,BUTTHESETERMSWOULDCOMMONLYBEUNDERSTOODASREFERRINGTOPERSONSBELONGINGTOCATHOLICGROUPORSOMERELIGIOUSORPROFESSIONALSOCIETY张爱琳

44、,2003176INADDITION,KINSHIPTERMSINCHINESEAREMORECOMPLICATEDTHANTHOSEINENGLISHINCHINESE,“大伯”ELDESTBROTHEROFFATHER,“二姐”SECONDELDERSISTER,AND“三哥”THIRDELDERBROTHERAREOFTENUSED,WHILEINENGLISH,“SISTER”,“UNCLE”AND“GRANDMA”AREUSEDALONEOREVENBEFORETHEIRFIRSTNAMESMEANWHILEWECHINESEROUTINELYUSEMANYPOSITIONLINKE

45、DOROCCUPATIONLINKEDTITLESTOADDRESSPEOPLE,SUCHAS“王经理”MANAGERWANG,“马组长”DIRECTORMA,“张主任”CHAIRMANZHANG,“李医生”DOCTORLI,ETCHEREMODESTYINMRGUSPOLITENESSPRINCIPLEISAPPLIEDINCHINA,WHENONEMEETSAPERSONWHOHASAHIGHERLEVELTHANHIM,HEWILLADDRESSHIMORHERBYHISORHERPOSITIONINORDERTOSHOWRESPECTHOWEVER,INENGLISHITISMUCHM

46、OREDIFFERENTENGLISHPEOPLESELDOMUSESUCHTITLESLIKEDOCTOR,PROFESSOR,BUREAU,DIRECTOR,SENATOR,GOVERNOR,MANAGER,GENERAL,COLONEL,CAPTAIN,FATHER,ETCINCOMMONLIFE,PEOPLESELDOMHEARENGLISHSPEAKERSADDRESSINGOTHERSAS“BUREAUDIRECTORSMITH”,“MANAGERJACKSON”OR“DOCTORMORRIS”FORTHEIRPART,ITSNOTIMPORTANT,NOMATTERHOWISHI

47、SLEVELORGRADEORRANK,THEYOFTENCALLTHEIRNAMEDIRECTLYINENGLANDDENGYANCHANGTHEIRCONVERSATIONMAYINCLUDEAGE,MARRIAGE,FAMILY,OCCUPATIONANDEVENINCOMES,ALLOFWHICHARECONSIDEREDASPRIVACYTOWESTERNERSTHECHINESETHINKTHATTHEYAREBEINGPOLITEBYSHOWINGCONCERNFOROTHERPEOPLE,ANDASKINGALLTHESEQUESTIONSWILLHELPSHORTENTHES

48、OCIALDISTANCEBETWEENTHEMSELVESANDTHEIRINTERLOCUTORSBUTSPEAKERSOFENGLISH,SHOULDTHEYBEASKEDABOUTALLSUCHQUESTIONS,WOULDFEELTHEIRINTERLOCUTORISRUDELYENCROACHINGUPONTHEIRPRIVACYLOOKATTHEFOLLOWINGCONVERSATIONIHOWOLDAREYOUHENINETEENIHOWLONGHAVEYOUBEENINTHEARMYHEONEYEARIHOWDIDYOUJOINTHEREVOLUTIONHEIFOLLOWED

49、THEARMYVOLUNTARILYWHENTHEYRETREATEDTOTHENORTHIWHOELSEAREINYOURFAMILYHEMYMOTHER,FATHER,BROTHER,SISTERANDMYAUNTIAREYOUMARRIED顾曰国,1992,78THISSEEMSTOBEANINTERVIEWORANINTERROGATIONFORAWESTERNER,OTHERWISEITMAYBETAKENASANINSULT,BUTITSADAILYCONVERSATIONINCHINAINCHINA,PEOPLELIKETOTALKABOUTTHEIRAGE,MARRIAGE,CHILDREN,SALARIESETCEVENONTHEIRFIRSTMEETTHATMAYSEEMSOMEWHATRIDICULOUSFORTHEWESTERNERS,WHONEVERLIKESUCHTHINGSTOBEASKED,FORTHEYLOOKONTHEMAS11PRIVACYINWESTERNCOUNTRIES,THEHOMESANDOFFICES,DESKSANDDESKDRAWERSAREPRIVATETERRITORYTHELETTERS,DOCUMENTS,JOURNALSOREVENNEWSPAPE