论美国英语中的时间观念

On the Consciousness of Time in American English

Abstract: Americans generally emphasize the value of time, pay attention to the speed and efficiency. Actually, time should be seen a kind of silent language, because it contains abundant cultural connectation and has particular sequence, structure and meaning. If we say that this kind of silent language exists in the deep structure of culture, we can say that the sound language is manifest objectively in the social activities. It can be found obviously the project of the American consciousness of time.

Key words : American English; culture; the consciousness of time;

论美国英语中的时间观念

内容摘要：美国人非常重视时间的价值，讲究速度和效率。实际上，时间是一种无声的语言，它蕴含着丰富的文化内涵，具有特定的顺序，结构和意义。如果说这种无声的语言栖存于文化的深存结构之中，那么有声的语言则是它在人们社会生活中的客观体现。我们可以发现美国人的时间观念在美国人生活中得到了充分的反映。而在美国英语中我们也显然可以发现时间观念的投影。

关键词：美国英语；文化；时间观念

People who come from different cultural background have different views of time. In intercultural communication, this kind of difference usually causes misunderstanding between the two parties who are communicating and produces some unpleasant barriers. Therefore, when we study American English, we should not overlook this key point.

The famous American anthropologist Edward T. Hall once had a comparatively deep and thorough study on this topic, what is more, he made a brilliant exposition in The Silent Language which was published in 1959. Hall has a contrast research on the concept of time which has been integrated into people’s consciousness. But what he mainly discusses is the ways of controlling and using time by Americans and the meanings of time – this silent language – in American culture.

To explain the differences and relations of the consciousness of time on different conditions, Hall divides them into ranges which have three obvious characters: regular time, non-regular time and technique time. In this frame, seen from the regular time point of view, it is 365 days (the leap year adds one intercalary day) for so-call one year,12 months or 52 weeks .In other words, the “one year” which is showed on the calendar is regular time of one year .However, sometime “year” is one of very vague concept. For example,’’Oh, it takes years to get that done.”The “year”in this sentence does not really point a few years. It is likely to be a way to express the speaker’s exaggrative attitude and emontion. It emphasizes”very long time “While “the long time” is perhaps on the non-regular time which Hall called. The last kind is technique time, which does not contact with the common people greatly. The concept of “year” of astronomers belongs to it.

Then considering from the two angles of regular time and non-regular, what kinds of characteristics does the Americans’consciousness of time have? Firstly, Americans attach great importance to the value if time. Time is considered as the tangible thing that can be measured, divided and made up.

Hall thinks that in contemporary American society, the smallest set of regular time have been declined to 5 minutes. This is to say, for many social activities, the every short 5 minutes also become the period of time which can not be despised. For instance, a person is 5 minutes’ late. He will be aware of this himself and apologize the other people. In people’s mind, various sets of regular time (such as an hour, a week, a month, a season etc…) have very explicit boundary .What matter should be handled at what time and what should be completed at what time have a careful plan.

Although time is “silent language”, it’s inherent meanings often have got a full expression through the sounded language. In the collocation of American English,”time” can be used with following verbs: buy, sell, save, spend, waste, lost, make up, measure. We can know from above that “time” is unstood a kind of thing which is merchadlike and the product whit honest price tag displayed. Though” time is money “listens to cliche, it is still a belief what most Americans follow scrupously.

Americans are famous for punctuation. In this speech, we can easily find a lot of expression of “ on time” or “in time “, such as punctual, on schedule, on time, on the minute, to the minute , on the hour, at the appointed time, at the stated time , in

time ,in good time, timely, well-timed and so on. In American culture, they take going to an oppointment on time for granted, while the lateness (particularly be late without reasons) is disrespectful. When Americans contact with other culture people, the other side’s unpunctuation often causes strange dissatification. It is even explained to their humililate deliberately. This kind of experience and feeling of American diplomat in a country of Latin American is mentioned in Hall’ book.