The Cultural similarities and Differences of Body Language between China and Western Countries英语本科毕业论文.doc

存档编号 The Cultural similarities and Differences of Body Language between China and Western Countries教学学院 外国语学院届 别 2010 届专 业 英语教育学 号 姓 名 指导教师 完成日期 2010年4月19日 ContentsAbstract .2Key words .2Introduction.3I. The brief introduction of body language.3 1.1 The definition of Nonverbal communication.31.2 The features of body language.3 1.3 The classifications of body language. 41.4 Communicative Functions of body language.6II. A comparative study of Chinese and English Body Language.8 2.1 Gestures .82.2 Contrastive study of posture .122.3 Contrastive study of facial expression .132.4 Contrastive study of eye contact .14 2.5 Contrastive study of physical distance15III The necessity and importance of learning body language.163.1 When foreigners are traveling to China, they want to learn Chinese culture.173.2 without body language, our world would be static and Colorless.17IV. Guidelines.18 4.1 Eye contact .18 4.2 Facial expression .18 4.3 Gestures .18 4.4 Posture and body language.18 4.5 Touching .18V. Conclusion.18Bibliography .20The Cultural similarities and Differences of Body Language between China and Western CountriesAbstract: In human communication, people use body language to communicate, as well as verbal language. It is the important part of nonverbal communication. Body language, like verbal language, is also a part of culture. But in different cultures body language means the different things because of different regions, races and cultural customs. Different people have different ways of making nonverbal communication. Understanding the different cultural implication of English and Chinese body language can promote peoples cross-cultural communication competence, reinforce the heart-to-heart understanding and in the end will benefit the communication between English and Chinese people. This article devotes to a comparison and contrast of body language in different cultures in terms of eye contact, gestures, postures, facial expressions and touch, presents the meanings of body language in different cultures, and discusses how to deal with the different implication of body language. The research of English and Chinese body language in nonverbal communication is helpful for people to diminish or avoid misunderstandings caused by the cultural differences of body language.Key words: body language Functions Cultural Differences Guidelines China Western Countries IntroductionBody language is an important part of nonverbal behavior. Some scholars even considered it as the basis of the nonverbal communication. Birdwhistll, an expert of body language research in the western countries, considered that more than 65 percent of the emotive expressions are finished by postures, gestures, facial expressions, eye contact and other kind of body language. He also pointed out that man could make out about 250,000 kinds of expressions on his face. Mr. Yang Xiaoli, after the analysis of the Chinese idioms, indicated that nearly 160 of them are made to express the body movement. Therefore, body language plays an important role in the intercultural communication.I. The brief introduction of body language Body language is an important part of nonverbal communication and it is connected with culture. In order to make successful exchange in cross-cultural communication, we should know the body language from different cultures. In order to illustrate the differences and similarities of body language and put forward the principles of reducing barriers in communication so as to achieve efficient communication and to avoid misunderstanding，first we should know about some basic information of body language.1.1 The definition of Nonverbal communication “Nonverbal communication is a process in which communicators use the natural features of their bodies to deliver information and express specific meaning instinctively to the other communicator.” The study of nonverbal communication covers three major parts: Proxernics, Kinesics or Body Language, and Paralanguage. Kinesics is also called body language, the mainly part of the Nonverbal communication, which studies the meanings of the movement of all parts of body and it includes many nonverbal behavior such as eye language, gestures, postures, facial expressions, touch and so on. 1.2 The features of body language A great number of the body behaviors are of multi meaning. Taking gestures for example, most gestures have more than one meaning in different cultures. In order to master the body language in different cultures so as to communicate smoothly among the different countries, it is necessary learn the features of body language. According to Demond Morris analysis, we can summarize his idea into the following aspects.1.2.1 Most of the body behaviors cross cultures, cross countries, and cross regions. It may have one meaning in this culture, while have the other meaning in another culture.1.2.2 Only few body languages are belonging to only one culture, one country, and one region.1.2.3 Some body behaviors have different meanings in the same culture. Taking tapping the temple for example, it not only means cleverness, but also means an idiot.1.2.4 The geographical distribution of body language is of a regular way. There are a number of language regions, each of which has its own features.1.2.5 Some of the body language, which is of special use, will be given wide popularity by the radio or TV. After that, these signs will be used by the people all over the world, such as the “V” signThere are many body language behaviors that convey the same meaning all over the world, people will make their eyebrows move when greeting; people will smile when happy and cry when sad; people will call for help in danger, and so on. However, owing to the cultural differences, different body language will convey different information to others. The same body behavior may convey different meanings in different countries, while different body behavior may convey the same meaning in different countries. These differences, sometimes, may make misunderstanding in the intercultural communication; even have bad influences if not deal with in a correct way. Therefore, it is important to learn the different body language in different cultures in order to avoid misunderstanding.1.3 The classifications of body language.There are various forms in body language and much content in it. So we are required to analyze and classify it, to put its various forms in order to master it skillfully and scientifically；thus we can make it more systematic, standard and operational. The classifications are as follows:1.3.1 DistanceDifferent people have different culture about the proper distance between people conversing. According to studies, there are four main distances in American social and business relations: intimate, personal, social, and public. The important thing to keep in mind is that most English-speaking people do not like people to be too close. Being too far apart, of course, may be awkward, but being too close makes people uncomfortable, unless there is a reason, such as showing affection or encouraging intimacy. But that is another matter.1.3.2 Physical contact The appropriateness of physical contact varies with different cultures. Figures from a study offer interesting insight into this matter. Pairs of individuals sitting and chatting in college shops in different places were observed for at last one hour each. The number of times that either one touched the other in that one hour was recorded, as follows: London, 0; Gainesville, Florida, 2; Pairs, 10; San Juan, Puerto Rico, 180. These figures speak for themselves.1.3.3 Eye contact Eye contact is an important aspect of body language. One could draw up quite a list of “rules” about eye contact: to look or not to look; when to look and how long to look; who to look and who not to look. Rules about eye-language are numerous and complex. We will discuss detailed later. 1.3.4 Facial Expression “The face has been called an organ of emotion, because we constantly read facial expressions to understand what others are feeling. The face provides vital clues to our own feelings and those of the people around us. We may be able to hide our hand, and may choose to be silent; however, we cant hide our face without making people feel we are attempting to deceive them. Since we cannot put the face away, we control the expressions we reveal to others.” A facial expression deserves special treatment in interpersonal communication.1.3.5 GestureGestures can be particularly troublesome, for a slight difference in making the gesture itself can mean something quite different from that intended. A wrong interpretation of a gesture can arouse quite unexpected reactions. A well-known case is a gesture made by Winston Churchill, the doughty prime minister who led Britain through the Second World War. As he appeared before a large crowd, he was greeted with cheers and applause. The occasion was a momentous one and Churchill flashed the “V for victory” signwith the forefinger and middle finger raised to form a “V”. Whether by mistake or ignorance, instead of facing the palm of his hand to the front, he made the “V” with the back of his hand towards the audience. Some in the crowd applauded; some gasped; some broke out in laughter. The prime ministers gesture, as given, meant quite something else. Instead of “V for victory”, it meant something dirty; it was an obscene gesture!1.4 Communicative Functions of body languageBeing a kind of signs, body language plays a significant role in communication. Some functions of body language are clear and specific, while others are vague. Some body language can show general information, while others are reflecting individual properties and attitudes. So we should learn these functions detailed so as to let us know the necessity and importance of studying body language.1.4.1 Substituting We use substitutions in nonverbal communication when we perform some action instead of speaking. If your smile and throw open your 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, you might place your index finger to your lips as an alternative to saying, “please calm down so that I can speak.”1.4.2 Complementing Body languages can also explain conversational implications, while the use of body language in this way must be accompanied with the use of verbal language. While delivering a speech, the lecturer has to employ different gestures to support the speech, and make the speech stronger, otherwise the lecture will be a dull one, and fails to attract the interest of the audience.1.4.3 Repeating In the United States, people often use nonverbal message to repeat a point they are trying to make. We might hold up our hand in the gesture that signifies a person to stop at the same time we actually use the word “stop”. Or we might point in a certain direction after we have just said, “The new library is south of that building.” The gesture and words have a similar meaning and reinforce one another. 1.4.4 ContradictingOn some occasions, our nonverbal actions send signals opposite from the literal contained in our verbal messages. You tell someone you are relaxed and at least, yet your voice quavers and your hands shake. It also is a contradictory message when you inform your partner that you are glad to see him or her, but at the same time you are sulking and breaking eye contact. Because people rely mostly on nonverbal messages when they receive conflicting data, we need to be aware of the dangers inherent in sending opposing messages.1.4.5 Regulating Body language can regulate conversations, especially in face to face ones. More specific forms for this function are the regularities occurred in turn-takings of a conversation, and self-regularity. Self- regularity means the speaking might relax himself or herself through some body language actions so as to regulate himself or herself. Actions of self-regulating are done subconsciously, and they are external expressions of inner feelings. So if there are clefts between body language and verbal language, the use of body language is more preferable.1.4.6 AccentingThe accompanying body language very often can add force to the verbal messages. A forceful gesture, exaggerated facial expressions all give “accent” to the intended messages. Body language also can be used alone to express certain meaningIn general, there is no doubt that body language can transmit information, and otherwise they can not come even earlier than verbal language (for in the primitive time, man didn't have language, and the only communicational means was expressed by signs which belongs to the scope of body language), and it will be impossible for it to be used frequently in communications. II. A comparative study of Chinese and English Body LanguageBecause different nations root the different cultures. Further, its not easy for people to absorb the signs which are contrary to their habits. So, they cant ignore the influence exerted on body language by cultures and they must pay attention to the different meanings of body language in different cultures and contexts. If people dont understand its cultural connotation, they will not interact properly. Sometimes they will make themselves or others embarrassed. So body language plays an important role in communication. Since body language can express certain meaning and it is conventional, it can become the effective way of interaction. People who live in the same culture believe that the same gesture indicate the same meaning. However, different countries have different cultures, so the comprehension of body language will not be the same in different countries. If people dont realize this, it will affect their communication and cause misunderstanding. In English study, the comparative study of body language between China and western countries is very important to master and understand the diversity of cross-cultural communication.2.1 Gestures Gesture language is a kind of language in which people use their hands and fingers instead of making a speech to convey on