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摘 要 ............................................................................................................................ Ⅱ Introduction .................................................................................................................. 1 1 Time Concept .......................................................................................................... 2 1.1 The Definition of Time Concept ....................................................................... 2 1.2 The Significance of Time Concept .................................................................... 2 2 Contrast of Differences in Time Concept ............................................................. 3 2.1 Differences in Time Recognition ........................................................................ 3 2.1.1 Cyclic Time Concept in China ....................................................................... 3 2.1.2 Linear Time Concept in America ................................................................... 3 2.2 Differences in Time Orientation .......................................................................... 4 2.2.1 Past-time Orientation in China ....................................................................... 4 2.2.2 Future-time Orientation in America ............................................................... 5 2.3 Differences in Time Use ...................................................................................... 5 2.3.1 Poly-chronic Time Concept in China ............................................................. 6 2.3.2 Mono-chronic Time Concept in America ....................................................... 6 3 The Manifestations of the Differences of Time Concept ..................................... 8 3.1 Manifestations in Cyclic and Linear Time Conscious ........................................ 8 3.1.1 Psychological State ........................................................................................ 8 3.1.2 Circularity and Directness .............................................................................. 8 3.2 Manifestations in Past-time and Future-time Orientation ................................... 9 3.2.1 Attitude towards Ancestors ............................................................................ 9 3.2.2 Movie and Television Subject ........................................................................ 9 3.3 Manifestations in P-time and M-time System ................................................... 10 3.3.1 Appointment and Deadline........................................................................... 10 3.2.2 Negotiation Mode ......................................................................................... 11 4 The Causes of the Discrepancies between the Two Countries .......................... 12 4.1 Beliefs................................................................................................................ 12 4.2 Historical Background....................................................................................... 12
4.3 Cultural Values .................................................................................................. 13 5 Suggestions for Time-related Cross-cultural Communication ......................... 15
5.1 Learning Target Culture Knowledge ................................................................. 15
5.2 Trying Interpersonal Adaptation ....................................................................... 15
Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 16 References ................................................................................................................... 17 Acknowledgments....................................................................................................... 18
Introduction
As Edward T. Hall believed that “Time talks. It speaks more plainly than words. The message it conveys comes through loud and clear”(1959, p. 1). In the long cognition and practice of the objective world, people gradually understand the existence of time and slowly transform it into a concept, which is the time concept. However, the performance of this concept will be different under different cultural backgrounds.
It can be said that China and the United States are completely different countries. Deeply influenced by their respective cultures, people's thinking styles, behavior patterns and concepts in this two countries are very different. And these discrepancies will directly affect the allocation and arrangement of time and form different views of time by degrees. People from different cultural backgrounds often have some misunderstandings in cross-cultural communications because of differences in time concepts and that led to the formation of barriers. Therefore, the study and comparison of the differences in time concepts between China and America are conducive to the smooth progress of intercultural activities and the purpose of mutual understanding and respect.
中美时间观念差异对比-毕业论文
