中西跨文化交际课程情景案例分析

Unit 1 Language and Culture in Communication

Theory Communication is something we do every day. It takes place so naturally that we simply fail to notice it until it hiccups or breaks down. Though it is commonplace, it is no exaggeration to say that communication is life and life is communication.

1.When you join a social gathering, you must be aware of rules and procedures that govern the way things are going to proceed. There is a technical term for such rules and procedures—schema.

2. Face and politeness are two other areas which are extremely value—sensitive. One of the distinctive features of Chinese politeness is self—denigration and other—elevation.

Case 1: Litz is a professor of cross—cultural communication in a university in Finland. She invited her Chinese students home for an evening party.

The schema from Litz?s point of view includes the following:

1. Giving invitation: by phone / by mail

2. Prepare everything before the arrival of guests

3. Receiving guests: open the door / express welcome / take their overcoats / introduce guests / offer them drinks / make

them comfortable

4. Serving food: set the table / soup first / main course / desert

5. Post dinner activities: chat / play music / offer more drinks

6. Seeing guests off: thank them for coming / good night Litz?s evening party was not very successful, b ecause s he was upset by one of her guests. Here was the initial conversation between Litz and Lin:

Litz: (opens the door) Oh, Lin, how nice you could come!

Lin: It?s not difficult to find your house.

Litz: Come on in.

Lin: (comes in)

Litz: Can I take your coat?

Lin: No, thanks.

Litz: Ok, this way please.

Lin: (take off her coat and hangs it)

Analysis: Litz was hurt because Lin did not let her hang her coat. Litz?s offering to hang Lin?s coat is one of Litz?s ways (it?s on Litz?s schema). On Lin?s side, she thought that Litz was her supervisor and that it was inappropriate to let her supervisor hang her coat. Here we have an instance of one action attached

with different cultural values.

Case 2:

Finding an Interested Buyer

Georage Hall was in Beijing attending a trade fair and looking

for an opportunity to do business i n China. He had been very successful in his business dealings in the US and prided himself

His first day was going on his ability “to get things moving.”　

well .He looked around at the displays of sporting equipment to get some idea of whom he might approach. He was sure that his products, tennis rackets with an unusual new design, would arouse some interests. On the second day he approached the company which he felt would be most responsive to his products. He introduced himself to the general, a Mr. Li. Since he had read that Chinese find getting down to business immediately too abrupt and rude, he began a casual conversation, eventually leading up to the topic of his products and suggesting how Mr. Li?s company might benefit from using them. George then suggested that he could arrange to get together with Mr. Li and provide more specifics and documentation on his products.

That would be Mr. Li responded in fairly good English,”　interesting.”