跨文化交际(共6页).doc

精选优质文档-倾情为你奉上 Nonverbal communicationAbstract: In cross-cultural communication studies, people tend to focus on language content, but ignored the communication process nonverbal behavior. In fact, the meaning not only through words and language, but also through non-verbal communication system to pass. The non-verbal communication system including the person's body language, eye contact, physical distance, clothing, touch and body odor, etc., they are face to face communication with people with language to help convey the message of their importance in the successful communication has caused many scholars. Commandments as David Abercrombie said: "We speak with the vocal organs, but we talked the whole body." People's behavior constitutes a non-verbal parts of communication. Key Word: nonverbal communication; cultural difference; function IntroductionSince language has been come into being, it becomes the most important communicative tool for human being, but not the only one. When we are involved in communicating, we need to mobilize our facial expression, time, space and many other ways to communicating with each other, besides using language to transmit information. These means for communication without words are so-called nonverbal communication. Recently nonverbal communication has received more and more attention.1. The Importance of Nonverbal CommunicationNonverbal communication is so subtle that a shifting of body zones can also send message. The first time you move from holding hands with your partner to touching his or her face, you are sending a massage.Nonverbal communication is also important because we use the actions of others to learn about their affective or emotional states. Our emotions are reflected in our posture, face and eyesbe it fear, joy, anger, or sadnessso we can express them without ever uttering a word. For this reason, most of us rely heavily on what we learn through our eyes.Nonverbal communication is significant in human interaction because it is usually responsible for first impressions. Think for a moment of how often your first judgments are based on nonverbal messages. More importantly, those initial messages usually color the perception of everything else that follows. The magnitude of nonverbal behavior is apparent if we realize that in one form or another all of our actions convey information about our psychological and physical states. And just as significant, these actions reflect the moment, be it turning away from someone with whom we feel uncomfortable or aimlessly shifting from leg to leg. Because of this, it becomes crucial for us to interpret accurately the movements of people of other cultures.2. Definition of nonverbal communicationWe propose that nonverbal communication involves all those nonverbal stimuli in a communication setting that are generated by both the source and his or her use of the environment and that have potential message value for the source or receiver. It is not by chance that our definition is somewhat lengthy: we wanted to offer a definition that would not only mark boundaries of nonverbal communication, but also reflect how the process actually works. Our definition also permits us to include unintentional as well as intentional behavior in the total communication event. This approach is realistic because we send the preponderance of nonverbal messages without ever being aware that they have meaning for other people.3. Functions of nonverbal behavior in communication Nonverbal communication encompasses more than one activity, and it is not limited to one set of messages. This multidimensional aspect of our nonverbal behavior also carries over to the many uses and functions of this form of communication. 1) Repeating Americans often use nonverbal message to repeat, clarify, and emphasize the point they are trying to make. They might hold up their hand in the gesture that signifies a person to stop at the same time they actually use the word “stop”. Or they might point in a certain direction after they have just said,“The new library is south of that building.”The gestures and words have a similar meaning and reinforce one another.2) Complementing Closely related to repeating is complementing. Although messages that repeat can stand alone, complementing generally adds more information to messages. For example, you can tell someone that you are pleased with his or her performance, but this message takes on extra meaning if you pat the person on the shoulder at the same time.3) SubstitutingAmericans use substitution when they perform some actions instead of speak. If they see a very special friend, they are apt to throw open their arms to greet him or her, which is a substitute for all the words it would take to convey the same feeling. If a group of people is boisterous, one might place ones index finger to ones lips as an alternative to saying, please calm down so that I can speak.4) RegulatingWe often regulate and manage communication by using some form of nonverbal behavior: we nod our head in agreement to indicate to our communication partner that we agree and that he or she should continue talking; or we remain silent for a moment and let the silence send the message that we are ready to begin our speech. Our nonverbal behavior thus helps us control the situation.4. Verbal and Nonverbal symbol SystemsTo better understand the workings of nonverbal codes, we will review some of the similarities and differences between verbal and nonverbal systems.The most obvious similarity between verbal and nonverbal communication is that both use a culturally agreed upon set of symbols. The words we use or the marks we put down on paper are intended to stand for something. A second between verbal and nonverbal systems is that they are both produces of individuals. Whether we speak, laugh, point, touch or remain silent, we are still generating a message that someone else uses to infer something about us. The third similarity might well be a corollary of the first two, but it is significant enough to justify some additional discussion.One important difference between verbal and nonverbal communication is found in the biological distinctions at the core of each system. That is, biological forces govern many of our nonverbal actions. A second difference deals with the stage in life at which we learn these two systems. We learn nonverbal communication much earlier in life. Third, nonverbal messages can be more emotional in their appeal and impact than verbal ones.5. Nonverbal communication and CultureCulture is all-pervasive, multidimensional, and boundless; it is everywhere and in everything. The same is true of nonverbal behavior. Another parallel between culture and nonverbal behavior is that, with a few exceptions, we are not born with itwe learn it. The alliance between culture and nonverbal behavior is meaningful to students of intercultural communication for a number of reasons. First, by understanding important cultural differences in this behavior, you will be able to gather clues about underlying attitudes and values. Second, the study of nonverbal behaviors can assist us in isolating our own ethnocentrism.6. Body BehaviorBody language is the most noticed one in nonverbal communication. It includes the facial expression, eye contact, hand sign, action language, touching, dress etc. We can discuss them in two groups. One is expression (eye and facial contact), the other is action (hand action and touching).1) General appearance and dress     In intercultural communication, appearance and objects are important because the standards we apply and the judgments we make are subject to cultural interpretations. In the United States, people tend to value the appearance of tall, slender women. In Japan, diminutive females are deemed the most attractive.    Clothing-how much, how little, and what kind-is also a reflection of a cultures value orientation. For example, modesty is highly valued among Arabs. Muslim girls usually wear scarves to cover their heads, and in most instances, girls are not allowed to participate in swimming classes because of the prohibitions against exposing their bodies. 2) Posture    Posture offer insight into a cultures deep structure. In many Asian cultures, the bow is much more than a greeting. It signifies the cultures concern with status and rank. In Japan, for example, low posture is an indicator of respect. Although it appears simple to the outsider, the bowing ritual is actually rather complicated. The person who occupies the lower status begins the bow, and his or her bow must be deeper than the other persons. The superior, on the other hand, determines when the bowing is to end. When the participants are of equal rank, they begin the bow in the same manner and end at the same time. 3) Facial expression Facial expression also has the same function as eye contact. If one is angry or happy, we can easily discover it through his or her facial expression. It is well known that the westerners are good at expressing all kinds of facial expression. While Chinese people always make slight action, such as ladies smile without showing the teeth or smile with hand covering her mouth. The reason lies in that Chinese people are more implicit than the westerners, as the westerners are educated to be individual in their childhood.4) Eye contact Eye contact transfers ones emotion; people usually make eye contact to gain information. In intercultural communication, different eye contacts transfer different meanings. In China, we seldom look at ones eyes directly when we talk with her or him. That is because Confucianism shape the way which Chinese people behave. Unlike Chinese people, the westerners always believe “Dont trust anyone who wont look at you in the eyes.”  The reason that the westerners behave is that individualism and equality are highly valued.5) TouchTouch is a sensitive topic for many people. It also expresses ones culture background. Therefore, different cultures have their own meaning for touching. People live in Asia touch less than those in western. The fact may lie in that Asian is influenced by convention. They always control their behavior especially in public. While the westerners think they are free to express, thus they emphasize more on the right of human. Conclusion Non-verbal behavior is very subtle and difficult to identify. 这给跨文化交际带来困难,而且也影响交际质量,有时甚至会造成一些不必要的误会和难堪。This has caused difficulties in cross-cultural communication, but also on the communication quality, and sometimes even cause unnecessary misunderstanding and embarrassment. 因此,在跨文化交际中,必须清楚地了解非语言交际和文化之间的关系;要认识到由于人们生活在不同的语言环境下,非语言交际都带上了名族的独特性,具有很大的文化差异。Therefore, we must be clear about non-linguistic communication and cultural relations; People live in different language environment, non-verbal communication bring big cultural differences. To correct deal with differences in nonverbal communication, improve cross-cultural awareness, different not-verbal communication to be understanding, tolerant attitude, the right treatment, mutual respect, equality and interaction, is the only way to make cross-cultural communication smoothly.要正确对待非语言行为的差异,提高跨文化意识,对不同的非语言行为采取理解、包容的态度,正确对待、相互尊重、平等交往,只有这样,才能使跨文化交际顺利进行。correctingccorrccccccccoqwfjei 姓名：孙倩 学号： 班级：08级英语潇湘四班专心-专注-专业