跨文化交际中的英汉体态语分析On Body Language in Intercultural Communicative

论文总字数：36409字

摘 要

随着经济全球化和社会的发展，跨文化交流日益频繁，人们逐渐认识到文化对交流的影响微妙而深刻。交往过程当中的曲解尤其是非言语交际产生的文化矛盾更是很多。在非言语交际中，体态语又是其首要组成部分，在跨文化交际的过程当中，对言语交际发挥着帮助、支持的重要作用，在获得成功交际的背后占有非常重要的位置。在不同文化中，体态语的意思并不一定一样。

本文将英汉体态语的对照放在跨文化交际的视角下来分析，将跨文化交际学理论、社会文化学理论和体态语联合，使用对比语言学的有关理论和方式，对英汉背景下的体态语进行了对比分析，使人们意识到体态语在交际中的重要性，提高体态语交际的能力。

关键词：跨文化交际；非言语交际；体态与交际

Contents

1. Introduction 1

2. Literature Review 2

3. Analysis of English and Chinese Body Language in Intercultural Communication 4

3.1 The Definition of Body Language 4

3.2 The Classification of Body Language 5

3.3 Body Language and Intercultural Communication 6

3.4 Case Study 7

4. The Findings of Comparison of English and Chinese Body Language 9

4.1 The Characteristics of English and Chinese Body Language in Intercultural Communication 10

4.2 Cultural Factors Contributing to the Differences 10

5. The Application of Body Language in Intercultural Communication 11

5.1 The Barriers of Intercultural Communication 11

5.2 The Principles of Using Body Language in Intercultural Communication 13

6. Conclusion 15

Works Cited 16

1. Introduction

Traditionally, many Chinese believe that as long as in the process of learning English pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary, one can master this language. Now, more and more people learn that, if they want to gain the purpose of communication, they should put their language and culture together. One who knows well of English vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar, but knows little about cultural barriers of English-speaking countries may have troubles when communicating with native English speakers. In fact, language, a part of culture, is the carrier of culture and closely related to culture.

With the integration and understanding of cultural, intercultural communication is widely used. Among them, the nonverbal communication plays a certain role. Body language is a vital part in the nonverbal communication. In different cultures, the meanings of body language are not entirely the same. Therefore, while making some kind of verbal communication, we also need to understand the meanings of speaker’s gestures, movements, facial expressions and body language, so as to make the communication smooth and graceful.

We ought to pay more attention to the nonverbal communication in cross-cultural communication. On the one hand, although the early theoretical results in the study of nonverbal communication were available for reference, some conclusions were not mature enough or changed because of the development of the times and strengthened communication. The study of nonverbal communication needs synchronic study (Saussure had proposed language research including the synchronic and diachronic study) to update the results of previous studies; on the other hand, nonverbal communication has its unfixed characteristics compared with verbal communication, especially the study of nonverbal communication in intercultural communication. Chinese and foreign scholars rarely did the systematic and comprehensive study on nonverbal communication in intercultural communication. In cross-cultural communication, the study of nonverbal communication can help to establish a good communication relationship, to capture the information of the communication objects, and to timely adjust the communicative activities. The development of study on nonverbal communication in intercultural communication has helped foreigners and Chinese carry out better business communication. Nonverbal communication in business is also a very important and practical role that language can not replace. In the economic globalization today, it can be helpful to facilitate transnational cooperation if we can make full use of non-verbal language. Because the enterprise with different cultural background cooperate with each other more frequently in the international market and the staff come from different countries, it will be the most economic way to learn cultures of different countries and use the language and nonverbal language integrated.

This paper uses the theory and methods of comparative linguistics, discourses of the body language within English and Chinese cultural background of a comprehensive, bi-directional, multi-angle comparative analysis. Comparative analysis of the material is mainly based on the daily life examples where the body languages are actually used, as well as the examples collected from the Western classics. This thesis collects large numbers of examples, selects typical cases, and analyzes them in-depth.

This paper will compare English and Chinese body language from the perspective of intercultural communication and combine the social culture theory and intercultural communication theory to analyze the similarities and differences of English and Chinese body language. And also this paper will explain the reasons from two aspects of religious culture and national culture. Finally, this paper will summarize the barriers in intercultural communication and put forward some communicative principles in the use of body language.

This paper will compare and analyze the English and Chinese body language in detail from many aspects such as the comparison of similarities and differences, the reasons, the barriers and the principles, hoping to give the readers a systematic and comprehensive look. I hope that this paper can be of great help to later researches and provide reference for cross-cultural communication.

2. Literature Review

Many scholars believe that Aristotle is the originator of the study of human body language, but in fact, the official research began with Charles Darwin. His research on body language was reflected in the “emotional expression in human and animals”, which was published in 1872. The book explains the relationship between the action of animals and the behavior of human. Early twentieth century, some semioticians in Europe and the United States conducted the research on body language from the perspective of symbol, the main works included “Physique and Character” by Kreschmer, marking the official start of study on body language. (Barthes,1967:5)

From the 1950s, the study of body language made rapid and unprecedented progress. In 1952, Birdwhistell published “Introduction to Kinesics”, the author first put forward the term---Kinesics. He studied the body language systematically and put forward a set of symbols to record body language, which triggered the scholars’ extensive research on body language. American anthropologist Hall published the “The Silent Language” and “Beyond Culture”, in which he described the phenomenon --- using body language to communicate, and he put forward the effect of paying attention to cultural factors in communication. These theories provide a unique perspective to the research of body language. (Brosnahan,1952:43)

In 1960s and 1970s, academic circles began to do researches on body movements of each part of the human body as the researches on body language became further refined. Ekman and Friesen proposed the functions of body language: symbolic action, instructive action, emotional behavior, regulatory action and adaptive action. “Body Language” by American behavior linguist Fast aroused strong reaction both in the western and eastern academic circles. Desmond Morris visited more than 40 regions of 25 countries to investigate and analyze in detail and written the “Sign Language” with his personal investigation. (Dou Weilin,2007:24)

Since 1980s, the study of body language got further development and gradually became mature. American author Lake Brosnaan wrote a book named “A comparison on Chinese and English nonverbal communication”. In this book, he used a systematic and comprehensive comparison to analyze the Chinese and English nonverbal communication on the whole for the first time. During this period, the scope of body language had gradually expanded, theories and methods had become more and more mature and more closely with other subjects. (Bi Jiwan, 1999:2)

With the opening of our country and strengthen exchange of China and foreign countries, many domestic researchers had begun to turn their attention to the study of nonverbal communication in intercultural communication. From the late 1980s, China had emerged a large number of work, translation and papers about nonverbal communication. The main work were: “Body and Communication” translated by Meng Xiaoping, “Comparison on Chinese and English nonverbal communication” translated by Bi Jiwan; this suggested that many scholars began to introduce the foreign latest research results to promote the development of domestic research on nonverbal communication. “Outline of Body Language” (1988) written by Geng Erling, “The Action Linguistics” written by Zhuang Jiyu, Li Zhonghang, “Nonverbal Communication -- the Art of Interpersonal Communication” (1991) by Zhang Libin and Li Zhongxing, “Magic of the Silent Language” written by Wang Fuxiang and other books were constantly beginning to show Chinese characteristics. Chinese scholars began to form their own research systems on body language and action language and so forth. (Geng Erling1988:57)

3. Analysis of English and Chinese Body Language in Intercultural Communication

3.1 The Definition of Body Language

Body language is the expression and action when passing communicative information including posture, gestures, facial expressions and other nonverbal means such as nodding and shaking the head, waving, staring and so on. Although body language is a silent language, it has a clear definition and expressive function just as the sound language.

Body language is a very important way of communication in a variety of human communication. Whether it is from the evolution of mankind as a whole, or from a personal point of view, the use of body language was earlier, more instinctive and more frequent. After we have mastered the sound language, body language is still in our communication, we subconsciously and actively use this information to increase the color we speak and convey some emotions which can not fully expressed by words. Successful interpersonal communication largely depends on their abilities to express themselves silently and understand others’ body language accurately. Combining and complementing with body language and spoken language can be able to achieve the best effect of communication. Body language --- like various spoken language, is also the carrier of all kinds of culture with rich cultural connotation. In cross-cultural communication, body language will cause more misunderstanding because of cultural differences. For example, foreign language teachers often communicate with foreign exchange students through facial expressions, gestures, posture, and eye contact and so on.

Body language is a visual symbol system which can express and exchange information. It consists of human facial expressions, body posture, body movements and posture changes and so forth. Or you can say, when human action can transfer information, these actions will have the function of language, and it can be called the body language.

3.2 The Classification of Body Language

Human body language is very rich, it is estimated that the human body can make up to 270,000 kinds of postures and movements. Major categories as follows:

The classification of body language by Ekman and Friesen has great influence in the world. They put people’s body language divided into five categories:

（1） Symbolic Action: This class action has a clear meaning, such as the gesture to express “OK” and victory.

（2） Illustrative Action: This class action directly matches the behavior to explain the meaning of the conversation.

（3） Emotional Action: This class action mainly shows feelings or emotions through facial expressions, of course, the other part of the body can also reveal such emotions.

（4） Regulatory Action: This class action is used to maintain or adjust the communication in the face to face conversation.

（5） Adaptation Action:

Self-adaptive Action: This class action happens to us;

Transformative-adaptation Action: This class action occurs in relationships with others;

Object-adaptive Action: This class action relates to the use of objects.

According to the actual teacher body language, Zhuang Jinying and Li Zhencun divided it into three categories: positive body language, negative body language and meaningless body language.

Positive body language refers to the ability to support or modification the oral teaching, strengthen the teaching effect, and improve the teaching efficiency. And it also can express the teaching content independently, help students to understand the difficulties and arouse the learning interest.

Negative body language refers to the language which not only can not strengthen the teaching effect, but also will distract students’ attention and influence their body language learning.

Meaningless body language is a series of habitual action by some teachers.

In addition to the above classification, the more common one is classified according to the action of various parts of the body. Just like Samo Wa, who divided body language into appearance and dress, body movements, facial expressions, eye contact, body contact and gaze behavior.

3.3 Body Language and Intercultural Communication

Body language is a series of complete and clear and patterned symbols formed in a certain cultural background. Therefore, it just like sound language is the result of acquisition of culture and is an important part of culture. Under the effects of different cultural environment, different ethnic groups formed different forms of value and thinking mode, so as to produce a unique ethnic pattern of behavior. The body language is the external display of this behavior mode.

Cultural environment is different, so the form and the representative meaning of the body language will also have some differences. English-speaking countries belong to the marine civilization where advocate freedom and form the discrete type of culture. Under the cultural influence, the characteristic of body language in English-speaking countries is discrete. For example, in terms of contact behavior, they hate jostling one another on the way between strangers. On the contrary, China belongs to the farming civilization, and lived in groups since ancient, so we formed the polymeric culture mode; therefore, the body language also has the characteristic of polymerization. For example, two of people who are not familiar with each other are shopping together, hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, which Chinese feel very normal, but in English-speaking countries, it is unbelievable.

3.4 Case Study

3.4.1 Posture

Body posture is the appearance of body, including standing, sitting, lying, squatting, kneeling, etc. Posture reflects a person’s physical, mental agility, the level of excitement, occupational characteristics, social status and social attitudes. In terms of the use of basic posture, humans have similarities, for people who live in a different cultural background; their behavior also has its own unique personality. In cross-cultural communication, the information transfers by posture vary due to different cultures, which may bring communication conflicts, and even lead to conflict.

In the class, the performance of students and teachers in England and China forms obvious contrast. English teachers are more casual, and they like walking around in the classroom, and even some teachers sitting on the table. They like to interact with students, sometimes with rich facial expressions and gestures. In the eyes of Chinese people, the teachers with this casual posture do not fit the convention, but the intention of English teachers is to create a relaxed atmosphere, to let the students learn in an equal and free environment. In China, teachers are generally in the center position of the platform of teaching, and in the process of discussion, the teachers leave the stage to communicate with students and understand students’ learning condition. People in English-speaking countries think that it is very conservative and rigid of Chinese teachers and this teaching way is not conducive to the development of the students’ enthusiasm of learning and thinking.

In terms of sitting posture, when someone is interested in somebody or something, they like to lean forward in order to better approach and understand the situation, to. On the contrary, their body will be unconsciously back. These gestures are common in English and Chinese cultural circle, but in some cases, the Chinese people behave somewhat solemn and temperance and not so obvious. These gestures are universal, but in the process of cross-cultural communication, we also should understand deal with it flexibly with the specific language environment.

3.4.2 Gesture

Gesture is to transfer their ideas to others and to do nonverbal communication by hand and finger movements. A lot of gestures contain the culture specific meaning and differences of cultural customs. Understanding the gestures with national characteristics has a very important meaning for successful intercultural communication.

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