An Analysis of the Differences in Forms of Address between China and Western Countries.doc

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1、中 西 方 称 谓 对 比 分 析 研 究An Analysis of the Differences in Forms of Address between China and Western CountriesAbstract: Address forms, as important components in the process of communication, are special language mark for interaction. The speaker will always choose the appropriate forms of address beca

2、use of the hearers age, occupation, status, identity and the degree of emotion. Address forms in China and western countries belong to different addressing systems and also have different usages of address terms. The paper will discuss the differences of several types of address forms between China

3、and western Countries. This study will be helpful for people to overcome the cultural obstacles and misunderstandings between the east and west.Key words: address forms; comparison; differences 摘要：称谓语是一种特殊的语言符号，是言语交往过程的重要组成部分。由于年龄、职业、地位、身份及感情程度，说话者总会选择合适的称谓语。 但是由于中国和西方国家的称谓语是不同称谓系别，应用起来也会不同。文章将论述中西方

4、的几种称谓的差别，这对人们克服东西方文化障碍，避免造成误解有一定帮助。本文将对四种称谓形式的不同应用及原因进行讨论，分别展现中西方不同的文化特点。本文将重点探讨亲属称谓的异同。关键词：称谓语；比较；差异 ContentsI. Introduction1A. Necessity and importance of studying address forms1B. Situation of studying address forms.1 1. Situation of studying address forms in China.1 2. Situation of studying addr

5、ess forms abroad.2C. Some essential concepts concerning address forms3II. Classification of Address Forms.3A. Classification of address forms in English.3B. Classification of address forms in Chinese4III. The Similarities of Address Forms in Western Countries and China.5IV. General Introduction of T

6、hree Address Forms.5A. Address names5B. Address of courtesy.6C. Address forms based on social relations.7V. Address of Kinship.7A. Definitions of address of kinship.7B. similarities in address of kinship.7C. Differences of address of kinship between China and western countries81. The degree of defin

7、itude.8a. The differences of kinship address in ages and generation.9b. The differences of addresses in paternal and maternal relationship.9c. The diversity in the gender of addresses.10d. A contrast in-law relationship.102. The differences of extensiveness10D. Reasons and the origin of the differen

8、ces of address of kinship.111. Differences of family schema.112. Differences of relationship between people.113. Differences of social values system12VI. Conclusion.12Works Cited.13 I. IntroductionA. Necessity and importance of studying address forms Address forms are the important components in the

9、 process of speech communication. In most cases, addressing is the first message sent to the people. Different address forms not only reflect the speakers social status, but also express the speakers emotion and attitudes towards the listener. In a sense, implications in the communication may be exp

10、ressed only by address forms. On the one hand, different address forms reflect the differences in the communicators social status; on the other hand, they may indicate the speakers feelings and attitudes towards the listener. When we study any aspect of language, we will inevitably have certain ling

11、uistic theories. So it goes the same thing to the study of address. In order to express concepts, communicators will definitely choose a proper address form. “In the study of English address system, Aph Fasold differentiated two kinds of address forms in pragmatic functions, that is, the address for

12、m of indicating social relationship and the summonses of getting the interlocutors attention”(杨维忠 12). Ervin-Tripp held the view that “if an individual of the specific status was once titled with an accepted normal form of address, then any departure or shift in the referred address form would signi

13、fy a certain message”(132). As a matter of fact, the traditional sociology, anthropology, ethnology and linguistics mainly do search on the structure of address systems and the various traditions in societies, peoples, culture and historical traditions.In contrast, the modern sociolinguistics, in re

14、gard of the applications of address forms, not only pays more attention to the different speech participants in different social contexts, but also studies the motivations and regulations that the speaker chooses.Through categorizing and comparing, the paper distinguishes Chinese and English address

15、ing forms, and concludes that proper use of addressing is of vital importance to any successful intercultural communication.B. Situation of studying address forms1. Situation of studying address forms in ChinaIn China, there have been several works of address terms, which are mainly on the address o

16、f kinship. Some famous scholars ever criticized that some overseas papers on the Chinese address of kinship merely listed the nouns of the kinship, but not explained the social significances. With the development of sociolinguistics these years, scholars started to notice the usages of address forms

17、 in the daily communication of speech. Chen Yuan has put forwards some forms and semantics of address that occurred in Mainland of China since 1949. He illustrated it with an example of 爱人and a fresh usage of friend (78-82). “Ti Yongshun pointed out in his Address and Its Usage that there are some r

18、elations between the two terms: address forms and summonses” (杨维忠13). Another kind of research on address form was to collect some real examples in the communication of daily life, and study the changes of Chinese address resulting from the social reforms. Scollon and Zhu Wanjin studied the address

19、forms of comrade and 师傅 in their paper, and the similar research was done in Chen Songqins article. Zhu Wanjin studied the various factors that influenced the choices of address forms in different Chinese colonies. “Hu Wenzhong also analyzed such factors in different Chinese colonies, such as age, p

20、osition”(杨维忠 14). To sum up, many scholars in China have come to study the address system either from the different perspectives or some concrete issues in application. Such studies are generally static and descriptive. In fact, the address terms in address system are really varied with the features

21、 of region and community. In other words, different social communities or social classes from varied regions may utilize their own address system. Therefore, to study the various classifications of address systems and their characteristics in application will be surely important for us to find out t

22、he key issues, for which some appropriate explanations can be given accordingly. 2. Situation of studying address forms abroad .The research about the address system of western countries was the classic work that Roger Brown and Marguerite Ford published in 1960s. In addition, Ervin-Tripp took a qui

23、te different approach to the study of the application of address forms. She presented the address form system, with the help of a flow chart developed by Geoghegan. The Ervin-Tripps computer flow chart format of address system outlines the general rules of choice in a nearly ideal linguistic situati

24、on and it possesses the real generalization. Meanwhile, it shows that the choice and certainty of the address semantic are not as simple as expected commonly.As a matter of fact, we have noticed that Ervin-Tripp, Zhu Wanjin and other scholars in domestic and overseas had not provided in the flow cha

25、rt any evidence associated with the thought process when speakers chose the relative forms of address, but regarded it as a logic module that could cover the application situation of all address forms.C. Some essential concepts concerning address formsAddress forms are frequently used in daily commu

26、nications. People use address forms subconsciously and naturally and few ever think over it. Actually People in ancient times did not give a complete definition for address forms. Not until modern times, with the arising of sociolinguistics, address forms become a spirited topic for linguistics. Peo

27、ple make attempts to definitely define address forms. However，to define address forms is not an easy task because they involve many aspects. There are various definitions made from different perspectives. 1) “The terms used to refer to some one indirect linguistic interaction”(Crystal 19). 2) “An ad

28、dress term is a numerically and attitudinally marked designator which(a) functions as a particle to pronominal you to form a notionally paradigmatic phrasal you; (b) consists of names, words, or a combination of both; (c)is used for the benefit of a speaker, addressee，or a third party hearer either

29、optionally or necessarily for grammatical, practical, social, emotional or externally imposed reasons”(Dunkling 22). 3) “Address term is a form used to refer to, or to name a person directly in speech or writing” (Wales 9).4) “A name or a title, especially one that is formal and descriptive” (Longma

30、n Dictionary of Contemporary English 245).5) “Address forms are the words speakers use to designate the person while they are talking to them” (Fasold 201). II. Classification of Address FormsAs for the classification of address forms，different researchers have different opinions.A. Classification o

31、f address forms in western countriesFasold (200) has pointed out that there are two kinds of address forms: names and second person pronouns. Names are further divided in to kin terms, terms of reference and summons for the convenience of studies. Hudson (184) divides address forms into vocatives an

32、d referring names in order to show that Power-solidarity relationship is central to the grammar. Firedirke Braun (123) has generally divide address forms into three categories, namely Pronouns of address, verb forms of address and nouns of address in most cases, when we say address forms, only nouns

33、 of address forms are intended. B. Classification of address forms in Chinese While classification of address forms is a bit more complicated in Chinese than that in English, they are divided into various categories by scholars from different perspectives. According to Tian Huigang(16), address syst

34、em is divided into four groups that is kin term system, social address form system, names of address system, and pronouns of address system for the purpose of comparison between Chinese and other languages. Zhu Wanjing(56)has classified address forms into two parts: to address somebody face to face，

35、and to refer to a third person. Gu Yueguo(24)has made a thorough description about address system in Chinese, including official title，the title of a technical or professional post, occupational title, honorifics, general address, and intimate address, name and kinship term.According to Cui Xiliang(

36、112)，address forms fall into nine categories according to their communicative functions: pronouns of address, kin terms, social address form, relational address forms, occupational titles, courtesy titles, names, terms of endearment, and terms of prank.However, most of the Chinese and English resear

37、chers classify address forms into two categories: kinship terms and social address terms. This classification is the type characteristics of address generality of the majority of languages in the world(曲彦斌 78). For example, Leslie Dunkling analyses “terms of address” from both the angle of family an

38、d that of society. Some Chinese researchers also tend to classify address forms into “kinship forms” and “non-kinship forms”. “Generally speaking, Chinese appellation words can be classified into two systems. One is kinship appellation system. Terms form this system are mainly used among people who

39、are kin. The other is social appellation system. Terms from this system are chiefly used among people who are not kin, that is, used in social communication”(马宏基，常庆丰 142). In both cultures, address forms can be categorized into similar types: First is the general tile. The titles which can be used i

40、n most social occasions, without referring to specific identity and status are called general tiles. Such as Mr., Miss, Mrs., 同志，先生，and小姐etc. Second is the professional title. In English, there are not many professional titles, such as Professor, Doctor, etc., and there are many professional titles

41、in Chinese, except 教授 医生. and most commonly used ones are 书记，主任，经理etc. Third is the kinship term. The kinship terms are quite few in English, such as Mum, Dad, grandma, grandpa, uncle, aunt, and they are only used between family numbers. In Chinese, there are many kinship terms and they are quite co

42、mplicated.In this paper, there are four address forms referred to: address of kinship, address names, addresses forms based on social relations and address of courtesy. And this paper will focus on address of kinship. Further elaboration about address of kinship will be given in part four.III. The S

43、imilarities of Address Forms in Western Countries and ChinaThe address forms of both western and eastern culture have the same functions as maintaining, enforcing and stabling the interpersonal relationships. By using the address forms people can define ones relationship to another and identify ones

44、elf as a part of a social group, etc. Second, T/V distinctions are quit similar. According to Brown and Gilmans study they used T/V to denote the two kinds of pronouns: the T form is described as the “familiar” form and the V form as the “polite” form. Power semantic and solidarity semantic dominate

45、 the choices between the T and V forms. That means the upper classes or the elder address the lower classes or the younger with T, while the lower classes or the younger address the upper classes or the elder with V. these principles are universal in both cultures. In modern Chinese address system w

46、e can find the equivalent second person pronouns “你” and “您” with Brown and Gilmans “T” and “V”. Third, the categories of address forms are quite similar.IV. General Introduction of Two Address FormsA. Address namesAddress names are often used among such people, including the elder to the younger, b

47、y the senior to the junior or acquaintance.Address names, the symbol of the specific league member of the human society, include first name and family name. Address names in China are formed by first name pulsing family name, just the other way round in western countries. In China, the family name is far more important than first name. In ancient times, personal identity is firstly distinguished by his family name, which is