《跨文化交际》复习提纲

《跨文化交际》复习提纲1. Intercultural communication competence involves being able to communicate efficiently and effectively with people from other cultures, to achieve mutual understanding and to gain better cooperation.2. In order to make effective cross-cultural communication, people should not only know the differences of a foreign language in pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar, but should also know the pragmatic rules that govern the language.3. People in Asia, Africa and Europe interacted with each other through “ Silk Road”in Chinese history.4. Edward Hall is considered as the father of IC with his publication “The Silent Language”in1959 and his many other books.5. Intercultural Communication, as a relatively newly developed discipline, started in America in 1960s.6. Intercultural Communication is of a multi-disciplinary nature. It has direct or indirect relationship with the development of its neighboring disciplines.7. It is more important to know “how to say” than “ what to say” in intercultural communication.8. It is often thought that people can communicate with foreigners effectively if they have listening, speaking, reading and writing abilities in a foreign language.9. All the components of culture are interrelated, and the change of one aspect of culture will certainly bring about changes in other aspects as well.10. Both communication and culture are dynamic, they are not static.11. Communication mainly includes the following levels: 1) international communication, 2) interracial communication, 3) interethnic communication, 4) inter-regional communication, and 5) intracultural communication.12. Generally speaking, the people from China belong to high –context communication nations, more information can be obtained from contexts, while the people from English-speaking countries belong to low –context communication nations, more information can be provided through explicit words.13. Language, culture and communication are inseparable. Language is not only a channel of culture but also a means of communication.14. Communication is just like the swimming action, language is just like the swimming skill, and culture is just like water. Without language, communication would remain to a very limited degree; without culture, there would be no communication at all.15. In Britain, “east wind” may bring coldness which makes life dull, and “ west wind” may bring spring which makes life awakening, while, in China, “east wind” may bring spring and warmth which makes life prosperous, and “ west wind” may bring deep autumn and coldness which makes life withering,16. Cranes, pines, cypress, plum blossoms, orchard, bamboos and chrysanthemums are simply common plants or animals to English-speaking people, but to the Chinese people, they are embodiments, of longevity, uprightness, perseverance, endurance, and loftiness.17. In English, dragon is a mythical monster like a reptile with wings able to spout fire while in Chinese, it is a symbol for power, glory and luck.18. In English, dog has positive meaning, usually standing for man’s best friend while in Chinese, it usually has negative or derogative meaning.19. In English, willow is a symbol for depression, sadness resulting from death while in Chinese, it usually refers to sadness resulting from departure.20. In English, “red”is usually associated with such negative sense as danger, violence, misfortune, etc. while in Chinese, it is usually associated with such positive senses as victory, revolution, etc.21. In English, “bat”, “dog”, “chicken”, “cat”, “cow”, “hen”, or “mutton” can be used to refer to old woman or prostitutes.22. Such 4-letter words as “shit”, “hell”, “damn”, “fuck” or “tits” are taboos which are considered very rude and offensive and should be avoided.23. Such expressions as “relieve oneself”, “wash one’s hands”, “pay a call”, or “powder one’s nose” are euphemisms which are considered “good speech” for excretion and should be applied in daily life.24. Euphemisms change with times and circumstances.25. Such communicative styles as being polite and interdependent, being loyal to group, face-saving, respecting others and disgracing oneself are the typical cultural values of the Chinese people’s collectivism.26. Such values as privacy, independence, equality, fairness and competition are the direct product of are the typical cultural values of the English-speaking people’s individualism.27. The typical cultural values of the Chinese people’s collectivism has been labeled as “we”cultures..28. The typical cultural value of the English-speaking people’s individualism has been labeled as “I” cultures.29. Chinese people have put more stress on “what a man should be” than “what a man should do”. As a result, they avoid being aggressive, tend to talk less or even just keep silent in their interpersonal communication.30. People in the English-speaking countries prefer doing something to being somebody. As a result, they like taking risks, tend to be talkative in their interpersonal communication.31. The Asians, including the Chinese people, like to look backward. As a result, they tend to conform the conventions and respect elders.32. The American people tend to look forward. As a result, they do not like to conform the conventions or respect elders as much as the Chinese people do.33. The Chinese people like to be masters to time, they use time more freely and elastically. As a result, they are not as punctual as the westerners.34. Unlike the Chinese people, the westerners like to be slaves to time and they use time strictly and elastically. As a result, they are punctual.35. “A man’s home is his castle”, which originated from England, reflects such English-speaking people’s cultural value as privacy.36. “Time is money”, which originated from USA, reflects such American people’s cultural value as efficiency.37. “All people are created equal”, which originated from USA, reflects such American people’s cultural value as equality.38. “树有皮，人要脸”, which originated from China, reflects such Chinese people’s cultural value as face.39. “先天下之忧而忧，后天下之乐而乐”, which originated from China, reflects such Chinesepeople’s cultural value as collectivism.40. “君臣父子，上下有序”, which originated from China, reflects such Chinese people’s cultural value as hierarchy.41. Traditional Chinese medicine is a typical example of Chinese synthetic thinking pattern.42. Western medicine is a typical example of western analytical thinking pattern.43. Traditional Chinese painting is a typical example Chinese synthetic thinking pattern.44. According to Kalpan (1970), Asians employ indirect thinking pattern while westerners employ direct thinking pattern.45. The formation of Chinese characters , especially 象形字，is a typical example of Chinese concrete thinking pattern.46. English words, which are made up of 26 letters, neglect concrete images, are more abstract.47. English is overtly coherent and hypotactic because it frequently uses relative words, conjunctions and prepositions in a sentence. In contrast, Chinese is covertly coherent and paratactic with fewer or even no conjunctions and prepositions in a sentence.48. As a result of inductive thinking pattern, Chinese sentences are top-heavy, looking like an inverted pyramid ( lion head), in which, the important elements are often said at the end of a sentence.49. As a result of deductive thinking pattern, English sentences are end-heavy, looking like a pyramid ( peacock tail), in which, the shorter elements often go before longer ones.50. In most cases, English –speaking people like to introduce topic first and then give supporting details while the Chinese people prefer giving supporting details first and then generalize results.51. In Chinese, the family name comes first and the given name comes second, while in English, the order is just the opposite.52. In English, kinship terms are more general while In Chinese, they are more specific.53. It is culturally wrong in English to address “Teacher Wang”, and idiomatically correct to address “Mr. Wang/ Miss Wang”54. “Lisa” is one of the 16 pet names for “Elizabeth” which means “devoted to God”55. “Madge” is one of the pet names for “Margaret” which means “pearl”56. “Maria” is one of the pet names for “Mary” which means “suffering”57. “Bob” is one of the pet names for “Robert” which means “brightness”58. In English –speaking countries, people usually introduce males to females, unmarried females to married females, people of lower status to people of higher status, or younger people to elder people.59. While introducing others, people in China usually introduce people of higher status, elder people, or males first.60. In Chinese, “Have you eaten? 吃了吗？” is not a genuine question in fact, but only a form of greetings.61. In English, “Good night!” is used only when people will not meet again after parting at night.62. “ Thank you” is far frequently used in English than “谢谢” in Chinese. Yet it does not mean that the Chinese people do not like to thank others, they have far more ways.63. “It doesn’t matter” , “ Never mind” are responses to apologies “ I’m sorry” , not to thanks64. “Lets get together soon.” or “I’ll invite you to tea later.” are just expressions of goodwill rather than genuine invitations.65. English –speaking people tend to accept the compliments whereas the Chinese people tend toefface themselves in words, although they do feel comfortable about the compliments.66. In English, the pronoun “ I” is used more often, e.g. “ I love it”, “ Like it”, while in Chinese, the compliments often begin with the pronouns “你”or “你的”67. While asking who the caller is, English –speaking people usually do so: “Is that Mary?? Or “Is that Mary speaking?”, not “ Are you Mary?”68. In broad terms, nonverbal communication covers four areas: Body language, paralanguage, object language and environmental language.69. The function “repeating” of nonverbal communication is reflected in the following example: we point in a certain direction after we have said: “The dinning hall is south of the library.”70. Being the core of body language, gesture is the most commonly used and the most important means in the process of nonverbal communication.71. For the “OK” sign in America, it means “ money” in Japan；in France, it means “ zero’；in Brazil and Germany, it means something quite rude.72. Handshaking is imported into China from outside, It should go together with smile, polite postures, appropriate distance and eye-contact in cross-cultural communication.74. In America, a smile can be a sign of happiness or friendly affirmation, In China, however, it can be used to mask an emotion, or to avoid answering a question, or even to hide embarrassment.75. U.S people tend to need more space than do persons of certain cultures such as Greeks, Latin Americans or Arabs.76. The Americans tend to talk with those people opposite them rather than those seated or stand beside them; the Chinese people tend to talk with those people sitting next to each other.77. In western banquets, the right side is considered as superiority, while the left side is considered as inferiority. In Chinese banquets, the seats facing the gate or facing the south is considered to be superior.78. Past-oriented cultures such as the Chinese, the British place much emphasis on tradition and are often perceived as resisting change; Filipinos and Latin Americans are present-oriented and emphasize living in the moment; Most of the Americans are future-oriented and put great faith in the future.79. Northern American and Western European cultures are typical M- Time cultures; Latin American, African, Arab and most of the Asian cultures are P-Time cultures.79. Most of the traditional Chinese festivals originate from seasons while most of the traditional Western festivals originate from religion.80. In the Western world, the largest traditional festival is Christmas, and the second largest traditional festival is Easter.81. Chinese diets have been focusing on the delicacy and flavor while the western diets have been focusing on the nutrition and its balance.82. The word “friend” in the United States has a broad meaning, including everyone from a casual acquaintance to a long-time best friend, while in China, people reserve the word “friend” for a few people who are very close.83. The Americans tend to help their friends to find out the solutions to problems by asking “What do you want to do?”while the Chinese people tend to give their friends specific advice by suggesting “You should…” or “ You can…”.84. People in the English-speaking countries usually give some novelties as gifts while people in China would like to give something expensive or even money as gifts.85. People in the English-speaking countries will take gifts happily and open them quickly while in China, gift-receivers usually complain much to gift-givers before they receive the gifts or even just put them aside, leaving uncovered.86. In the west, the tradition “Lady First” may come from Christianity, where Maria is respected as embodying noble and lofty emotions or from knighthood, which originated in the middle Ages Europe.87. People in the English-speaking countries usually regard age, marriage status, health, salary, price, religion or politics as something private, which should be avoided talking about.88. Both English-speaking people and Chinese people can share talking about such topics as entertainments, traveling, weather, work or spending holidays.89. “Thinking culturally and globally”by Linell Davis tells us that nowadays,in intercultural communication, people should take cultural differences into consideration.90.Potential problems in intercultural communication mainly include ethnocentrism, stereotype, culture shock and prejudice.91.Prejudice is an unfair, biased or derogatory attitude or set of attitudes towards all or most of the members of a group.92. Empathy is generally defined as the degree to which we can accurately infer other people’s thoughts or feelings, or the ability to put oneself in other people’s shoes.93. Adaptability refers to the ability to adjust and fashion our communication behaviors to culture differences as well as a new culture.94. Ethnocentrism refers to the belief that one’s culture is better or the belief in the superiority of one’s own ethnic group.95. Stereotypes are the beliefs or perceptions people hold about groups or individuals based on previously formed opinions and attitudes.96. Culture shock is the feeling of confusion, insecurity, and anxiety caused by the strangeness ofa new environment.97. Culture shock has four stages: honeymoon, crisis, recovery and adjustment.98. There is a reverse culture shock that takes place when people return “home” after a long period of time in another country.99. China is called “中国”, meaning “the center of the world”, in the past, the world beyond China was called “蛮夷”, meaning “the place of savages”. The belief above is called ethnocentrism.100, The belief that “Men are breadwinners” and “Women are homemakers” is called stereotype.。