中英道歉语异同分析

中英道歉语的使用差异及原因探析

On the Differences of Apology Speech Act in Chinese and English

摘要:道歉语是指能够为被冒犯的人挽回面子的一类语言。在全球化日益增强的现代社会,中美合作与接触不断增多，但由于社会背景,文化及价值观念的不同,在跨文化交际中经常会出现一些误解甚至是冲突。由于任何一种言语行为都反映了一定的社会准则和价值,并服务和维护那些价值观，因此,道歉言语行为能够像镜子一样折射出中美文化价值的差异。所以，为了在跨文化交际中获得更好的交际目的,就有必要对中美道歉语进行跨文化研究。本文首先介绍了道歉语研究的国内外现状，接着阐述了道歉语的种类、策略及制约因素，后对中英道歉策略的选择进行比较；最后从文化价值方面分析汉语和英语道歉语的差异。通过研究表明, 由于英汉文化不同、交际方式和价值取向的不同, 道歉策略的选择上也相应的有所不同。

关键词：道歉语，文化差异，道歉策略

Abstract: The language of apology is a special kind of speech which could provide support for the hearer who is offended. In the increasing global world, cooperation and contacts between Chinese and Americans are rapidly rising. However, along with this are the constant misunderstandings or even conflicts in cross-cultural communications due to different cultures and values. Because any speech act reflects a variety of culture norms and values and serves, the speech of apology can act as a mirror of certain cultural values in Chinese and English cultures. Therefore, in order to help people cultivate intercultural communicative competence and achieve better communicative purposes, it is necessary to study the language of apology between Chinese and Americans. This paper firstly introduces the study of research to the speech of apology both at home and abroad. Then the second part analyzes the different categories, strategies and restraining factors of the apologized speech. Finally, differences in the speech of language between English and Chinese language are probed from the aspects of different cultural values. Through the study, the

following conclusion is arrived: The cultural differences between English and Chinese, the different communication ways and value orientation directly lead to the different choices of apology strategies。

Key Words: the speech of apology; cultural differences; apology strategies

一．Introduction

In our daily life, people often offend others without any intention. Then the speech act of apology would be employed to get forgiveness and maintain the harmonious interpersonal relationship. But usually people just think the apology speech act as a simple thing, and they never imagine it’s a very complicated language phenomenon. Actually, the apology speech act is an important content of cross-cultural communication for the reason that people from different backgrounds may have different understandings on the same speech act. This kind of cultural-based understanding, which seriously affects the normal cross-cultural communication, is like a gap existing between people in different cultures. So, it is necessary for us to study the widely used apology speech in different languages so that we can better exchange ideas and understand each other in cross-cultural communication.

二．The present research and classification of apology speech act

1. The present research of apology speech

The British philosopher J.L.Austin firstly put forward the Theory of Speech Acts. He defined 'apologize' as a “implementation speech”. Based on the classification of the Austin, Searle treated “apologize” as an “expression speech". Brown & Levinson, however, regarded apology speech from the perspective of “politeness”. They thought that good manners are reasonable behaviors taken to meet the demand of “face-preservation”. Here "face" means the p ositive public image of one person. It could be divided into the positive face (hoping to gain approval from others) and negative face (not wanting personal behaviors to be hampered by others). In all kinds of communication, enough attention to other's positive and negative face could ensure us smooth interactions. But Brown & Levinson thought that some speech acts carry