CulturalDifferencesinPoliteSpeechesbetweenEastandWes.doc

Cultural Differences in Polite Speeches between East and West

1. Introduction

Polite Speeches are widely present in our daily life. It not only embodies a person's accomplishment, but also embodies a nation, a nation's civilization. Every country and every nation has its own history of civilization, so we can clearly hear the different Polite Speeches from around the world. As an observable phenomenon, politeness is something superficial and is recognized as a norm in all societies. People in every culture are trying to be polite when communicating. But if you know more about them, you will find differences between East and West. Only by fully understanding their own culture, understand and respect his country's culture in order to achieve successful communication. 2. Analysis & Usage a. What is Polite Speeches?

“Polite” is the idea and acts of harmony between people, and conversation and behavior on other people respect and a friendly expression. It can be obtained, Polite Speeches is language form of expression about“Polite”.

b. The Influences of Differences between Chinese and Western Cultures on Polite Speeches.

I.Comparison of Chinese and Western cultures

Nations of the world's geographical and lifestyle are different, have different cultures. Today, the type of world culture in general can be divided into East and West two categories. Eastern culture with Chinese culture, followed by Indian culture; Western culture, to European and American cultures. Many similarities and differences between each other, where the main areas only in respect simple comparison. ①History

During the five thousand years of Chinese culture, origin consistent, since the Yao, Shun and Yu to Confucius before into Orthodoxy, enduring, rare in the world. Han and Tang later, though subject to external cultural influences, the core has not as yet been fixed.

Western culture from three sources: the Greek culture (which originated from ancient Egypt, Babylon and Aegean culture), the Roman culture, the Hebrew culture (it consists of Judaism and the Evolution of the Christian culture.)It later added the Italian Renaissance thought, and became the modern Western culture. So it's the source complex and changing. ②National character

China's geographical environment and multi-ethnic composition of the same ethnic characteristics of the Chinese people easily create man and nature, respect for nature, formed within, mean character.

Western kind of complex, changing and more good fight with nature, and character, distinct personality. ③Economy

Chinese culture, the economy is agriculture-based culture. So they like the static, light commercial, the lack of expansion of psychological.

Western culture began in a small and poor in Greece can not rely on living resources. However, the sea surface adjacent to facilitate trade. Therefore, the commercial develop earlier and faster and mercantilism greater impact. ④Ethics

Ethics of Chinese culture is based on father and son ，and then it expanded to monarch and his subjects, couples, young and old, friends. With particular emphasis on filial piety. Asians are very particular about the title on illustrates this point.

Different from Western ethics, the main two things: first, the most important is not self-cultivation, but to play a character. Second, there are no loyalty and filial piety ethical concepts. Few Seniority Rules, respectively, as everyone is equal, heavy majority. ⑤Politics

Chinese people always advocate the rule of man. For demands of people are more than demands of law.

The ancient Greek tradition of the rule of law, a thousand years after the middle of twists and turns, and finally gradually evolved into the modern rule of law. ⑥Language

The characteristics of Chinese characters are a sound word that has a Pronunciation and a shape. Its disadvantage is not easy to master, spread of education; advantage is with art, thus the development of unique Chinese character calligraphy.

Western text of letters spell Easy to read and write, easy to spread, is conducive to the spread of science and culture. But it is difficult in endowing its artistic quality.

⑦Academic thought

Chinese culture with Confucianism as the center, even if there was contending, but is \

Western cultural emphasis on science，and it make material become the main object. It aimed to conquer nature, but it is less emphasis on self-cultivation. ⑧Religion

China's less developed religion and the West more developed. ⑨Arts

A man and Nature idea in China is far-reaching. In China, poetry, calligraphy, painting isn’t divided, so they went in for harmonious beauty.

The West is different, their culture mainly from Christianity, advocated separation between nature and man, the pursuit of individual liberation. C. The main scenarios differences between East and West

Polite Speeches between East and Western have differences mainly in the daily

greeting and farewell, sympathy language, all call, taboos and privacy and the attitude when praised by other. ⑴Greeting and Farewell i. Greeting：In the West, acquaintances and friends greeting commonly used term is \ In Chinese, although in recent years by the influence of Western culture, people, especially among young people also used \去哪儿?\\吃了吗?”If the Chinese greeting direct translation into English of the West, said: \” will find out who they think is their privacy and that the Chinese people rude.

ii. Farewell：In the West，farewell commonly used term is“Bye！”，“See you！”，“It's been a pleasant day”，“I wish you good luck”and so on. In Chinese, Chinese people when parting usually say\好走\\慢走\\一路顺风\to show courtesy. However, if we say in English \，it will make foreigners very confusing. In this way, we want to express the meaning of courtesy and not to understand other side; therefore, we lost the real meaning of communication.

⑵ Sympathy Language

In order to distinguish between Ease and Western, we look at two simple examples. Seeing others pale, weak comparison, the Chinese people will care to say: \ In the English would say: \her pale, are you ok?” It is not simply translated from the Chinese \you sick?\give rise to resentment of others. Similarly, to the station or to the airport to meet people, especially when not known, the Chinese man said politely say: \have been very tired!\ However, the English would not say so. Say so, it make foreigners unhappy listening, they will think we feel that his body was not strong enough. In English, they would say \trip?” and so on. From these differences, we can see that China's sympathy language is more direct than English, and the English expression is more euphemistic than Chinese. ⑶ All Appellations

The appellation in Chinese is more complex than the English appellation. Chinese people call older people than their own age, to show courtesy and

respect will often call with relatives’ appellations , such as %uncle,\ But in English, there are simply no such appellations. If you see a similar age with his father and you call him “uncle”, that will make foreigners think you got the wrong person in, or you are neuropathy. And in Chinese, among acquaintances use always

“old/little+ family name”, as expressed feel of affability. However, in west, age is secret. So that is taboo. Besides, we often use “family name+ occupation”, such as

“Li doctor”, “Wang manager” and so on. In west, except for few occupations，such as doctor, professor, they use basically “Mr. , Mrs. ,

Miss. ,Ms. ,sir…”.Chinese polite principle about introducing yourself and other people is that we firstly respect other, and then turning in ourselves. But in west, there have nothing about it. ⑷ Taboos and Privacy

It is very important for us to know their taboos and privacy, when we

communicate with people in west. Whether in English or in Chinese, the \is a very taboo word. English has \euphemism to replace the words \ There are, for example, people use

\\’ room\ In addition, some topics to talk about in China are normal, but in the West are seen as invasion of privacy, rude, such as: marriage, family, age, income, politics, religion.

⑸ the attitude when praised by other

Chinese and Westerners are complimented the performance of the attitude from the language is very different. We give a simple example: \

beautiful!”--\ I'm flattered. \ In general, when be praised, the Chinese language will not be used to answer with \

implicit, or shirking ways; while Westerners hear the praise and say \They thank to other through saying “Thank you”. 3. Conclusion

From the above analysis, we can see Polite Speeches in the East and the West is a considerable difference. In a certain extent, it can influence our communication. But whether Western or Eastern, courtesy is a symbol of civilization. It to maintain social harmony and good human relations play an important role.

Although the eastern and western cultures have different, but the mainstream of development are mutually inclusive. Therefore, we believe that through careful understanding of each other's culture, communication can be successful.

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(4)罗宁霞，英汉礼貌语言与文化价值观[J]，宁夏社会科学，2000（6）. (5)韦琴红,从礼貌特征看中西文化差异[J].临沂师范学院学报,2001(3).