论文总字数：30073字

摘 要

人类社会自有语言以来，言语交际便扮演着人与人之间交流的决定性角色，但它并非是交际的唯一手段。身势语同样也在人类交流中扮演着重要的角色，而且是在减少跨文化交流障碍中最有效的交流方式之一。随着国际经济的扩大，以及跨文化交际交流的频繁化发展，我们应更谨慎地看待因语言和文化产生的交际障碍问题。然而，即使我们对常用的身势语有所了解，但要完全地掌握及运用它们，还是有一定难度的。因为不同的语言在不同的文化背景下有着巨大的差异，甚至同一语言在此前提下也是蕴含不同意义及不同社会功能的。如果我们在跨文化交流中错误地使用了身势语，那么此举便会让我们自身陷入尴尬的境地，甚至引发矛盾。本文通过手势语，身体姿势，面部表情，眼神接触以及身体距离来对比研究身势语的文化异同之处，以及总结出了一些减少跨文化交流障碍的行为准则，从而使人们减少甚至避免误解。

关键词：跨文化交际；身势语；文化差异

Contents

1. Introduction 1

2. Literature Review 1

3. General description of Body Language 2

3.1 Conception 3

3.2 Characteristics 3

3.3 Categories 4

4. Differences of English and Chinese Body Language 4

4.1 Gestures 5

4.2 Postures 5

4.3 Facial expressions 6

4.4 Eye contact 7

4.5 Physical distance 7

5. Reasons for the Differences of English and Chinese Body Language 8

5.1 Religious beliefs 8

5.2 Values and ways of thinking 9

5.3 Morals and social regulations 9

6. Principles of Reducing Barriers in Cross-Cultural Communication 10

6.1 Trying to learn body language purposefully 10

6.2 Trying to participate in more cross-cultural communication 11

6.3 Sustaining different cultural toleration 11

7. Conclusion 11

Works Cited 13

1. Introduction

Human communication includes both verbal communication and nonverbal communication. When people speak of human communication, they may firstly think of language, which is belong to verbal communication. But language is not the only tool of human communication, in fact, there is another method of communication which is nonverbal communication. Body language is an significant part of nonverbal communication and it is used frequently in people’s daily life. A touch, a glance and a smile, they all belong to nonverbal behavior. It is hard to imagine that when people communicating with others, they just use words and without the accompany of gestures and postures. That is definitely not a integrated communication. Verbal communication and nonverbal communication have formed a complete structure and process of communication.

Body language, the primary element of nonverbal language, is also called Kinesics, including gestures, postures, facial expressions, eye contact and physical distance. These behaviors all can express people’s internal emotions and they are also a part of international culture. In order to learn the different cultures well and make the cross-cultural communication more efficient, it is very necessary for us to discuss and study the differences in body language between China and English-speaking counties.

2. Literature Review

Based on the aim of intercultural communication and for avoiding some unnecessary troubles, we need to make a detailed analysis of English and Chinese body language, and then make a comparison of their differences in different backgrounds. Regarding to the topic of “intercultural communication”, domestic scholars have shared quite a few research results. Hu Wenzhong, the president of China English Language Education Association, whose Crossing the Cultural Barriers explored through language and culture from all angles. It is easily understood and has enriched readers’ theoretical cognition and comprehension of intercultural communication, which means a lot to this thesis. Zhang Jianqing, professor of MUC’s foreign languages college, has written a paper called Brief Analysis of Body Language, which introduce the cultural differences and social functions of body language in detail. All of their researches on body language are meticulous and deep-going, including postures, gestures and basic relationship between language and culture, and they have high reference value.

Body language, as a form of communication, has a broad range and angle of study. This thesis basically studies and synthesizes these professional references, whose authority is absolutely beyond doubt. However, the references were not up to date. With the development of the modern society, more and more new cultural phenomenons and fashion trends are appearing. Complicated and variegated, body language is changing along with times, it needs further research and study.

3. General description of Body Language

“Nonverbal communication is a process in which communicators use the natural features of their bodies to deliver information and express specific meaning instinctively to other communicators.” Body language is a type for forms of communication by using body movements or gestures instead of making sounds, or other forms of oral communication. It is often called kinesics, consisted of not only gestures and postures, but also facial expressions and eye contact. Since varying and complicated factors have appeared in the study of body language, there exist quite a number of academic arguments that is associated with which definition of body language is the most effective and feasible. Some scholars claim that speaking without uttering a word is the definition of body language; while others propose a similar explanation that body language refers to the whole symbols of communication except spoken language. Besides the noted definitions above, Samovar and Porter have some new ideas about the definition of body language, and they have made attempts to organize a more peculiar and lively definition, like: “Body language is the biologically, socially, psychologically or culturally well-organized exchange of estimable messages. Those messages are not verbally spoken out but conveyed by the body movements, body gestures, symbols or relevant context and surrounding environments, etc.” Likewise, there is a definition written clearly in dictionary: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Current English, it defines body language as a process of communicating by means of conscious or subconscious gestures and postures.

3.1 Conception

People not only reach a clear understanding of each other when they are in communication with others, they also deliver information through facial expressions, eye contact and body actions. We like to call it “body language”, which is a kind of nonverbal communication.

Body language, including gestures, body movements and facial expressions, is a nonverbal behavior. People communicates with others through their body language, like shaking their heads, nodding, eye contact, hand motions and so on. On the basis of the study results of psychologists, the messages people send can be strengthened and more clearer by doing so. The scholars hold quite different opinions of the conception of body language, however, most of them acknowledge that body language is a communicative term that captures wide comprehension.

3.2 Characteristics

There is no doubt that body language is able to enrich and heighten verbal language, but no one can express himself only through body language (except deaf-mute). This can not be said that it is meaningless, on the contrary, body language is irreplaceable.

Body language plays an important part in various places. It can embellish verbal language, which helps us express our thoughts and ideas more specifically and vividly; at the same time, it conveys our emotions and signals towards the others while we are in a conversation,this is very significant for successful cross-cultural interaction and communication.

Body language are also influenced by moods and external condition. In other words, people usually smile when they are happy; blush when they are shy; pull a long face when they are grieved, which is accustomed to people.

Sometimes, the same body language will convey different feelings and ideas, however, a simple meaning can be expressed by two or three different body languages. The difference is attributed to the cultural differences. People from all over the world, because of the cultural background differences, have a variety of verbal languages even body languages.

3.3 Categories

In the situations of nonverbal language communication, body language is distinguished by the physical movements of a person’ s body. Samovar uses the term “body behavior” to describe it and divide it into several part, like touching, olfaction, body action, facial expression, eye expression and so on. Moreover, Knapp’ s classification is including posture, gesture, four limbs action, hand expression, head gesture, facial expression, eye contact, and so on.

From the materials we have mentioned above, we may know that body language is mainly talking about one’s every part of the body movements, it is not merely limited to body actions.

4. Differences of English and Chinese Body Language

Because of the cultural differences between different countries, which are deep-rooted in people’ s daily life, it is still quite difficult for us to accept these diverse even opposite cultural differences. So we can not ignored the significant impact of body language, briefly, we have to understand the meanings of body languages in various cultural backgrounds. Otherwise, if we don’ t realized it, we would cause quite a lot misunderstandings in the intercultural interaction and make both communicative sides super awkward. As far as we all know that, body language actually makes a great difference in communication, it is an effective way of communicating. Nevertheless, different countries have different cultures, people from those diverse countries would comprehend one gesture into different meanings. Therefore, this is an essential part for us to compare and study body language, and the only way of learning and mastering the diversity of cross-cultural communication.

4.1 Gestures

Gesture refers to various body movements of the hand and the arm. Among all these kinds of body language, the status of gesture is equal to facial expression. Although people haven"t realized it,, hand actions is actually the core of body language. While people are talking, they are using the gestures subconsciously without awareness. Hand gesture is the most vivid body language, which can be handled very skillfully. Many kinds of gestures is different from culture to culture.

Along with the verbal language, the body language, like gesture, vary from countries to countries. For example, thumbing up refers to praying or the symbol of luck in the English-speaking countries; while it illustrates high praise to someone or something in China. When people move the index finger in a circle beside their heads, what people in English-speaking countries think is like “That’ s crazy!” , on the contrary, Chinese people just ask you to use your mind. There are a great number of gestures all over the world, many of these gestures would have different meanings in diverse countries. However, sometimes two kinds of different gestures would have the same meaning. As English-speaking countries’ people shrug their shoulders or wave their hands, meanwhile, Chinese people shake heads, they all want to express that they don’t know.

Based on these examples above, one thing we have to know is that, if we want to master a foreign language, we must study body language carefully as well as verbal language.

4.2 Postures

Postures, the same as gestures and other body languages, can also deliver various information, express different emotions and feelings. Postures refer to diverse postures based on all parts of the body, they present different states of the body, including head pose, trunk pose, leg position, foot position, the position of sitting, standing and lying, and so on. As far as we all know that, people will raise their heads proudly and keep their chests out when they are complacent, as well as when they are furious; conversely, people will clench fists in order to express anger. What’ s more, lowering head and bending down both appear on someone means he or she is frustrated. It turns out that postures and human emotions are bound up with each other.

Rationally, China is influenced by the confucianism for thousands of years, where teachers mark the highest status in public opinions, and they are certainly authoritative. So we can hardly see that a teacher performs in a improper way in class. Nevertheless, the differences between American teachers and Chinese teachers is huge: American teachers act themselves informally in class, they don’t need to put on a serious face to keep classroom discipline or to maintain their authority; by comparison, Chinese teachers are more serious and stern, every move they make should be more precise with no arbitrary actions. For instance, sitting on the edge of the desk and putting feet on the chair is a common movement in America. From their point of views, the performances of Chinese teachers , which make the whole class boring, is kind of strange that beyond their understandings. Because of their status, they do not give off an image of power just like Chinese teachers. These differences attribute to the different body languages in different cultures, they may result in incorrect interaction, or even communication barriers.

4.3 Facial expressions

Facial expressions, which is a external manifestation of emotions, feelings and moods. Generally, the facial expression, which reflects one’ s inner thoughts, is the changes of movements, states and physiological varieties up from the neck up. Such as, frowning, blushing, blinking and so on, they are all facial expressions. All human beings have an instinctive ability to manage our facial actions, but many different kinds of facial behaviors are acquired. So we can say the facial expression is in nature and nurture. We can use our eyes, noses, mouths, eyebrows and so on to express our feelings, in other words, the type of facial expressions is quite rich. From the perspective of emotional show, most of the facial expressions are generally applicable, like smiling presents happiness and excitement, crying appears sadness and pain.

However, in different cultural backgrounds, the meanings of smiling is probably not the same. It indicates joy and friendliness indeed, but in some cases, putting on smile improperly may cause a huge misunderstanding. For instance, an Englishman accidentally drops something on the floor and makes some noise in the library, he would feel embarrassed; at that time, if the Chinese beside smiles to him, he will find it angry and feel like be humiliated. But is this really the case? In Chinese eyes, the smile at that moment is merely an action that shows kindness, and tells him “It doesn’t matter!” or “Take it easy!” to comfort him. This kind of situation may happen to any of us, imaging that if we don’ t know these cultural differences well, it will result in a very awkward situation then.

4.4 Eye contact

“English dramatist, Shakespeare, said, ‘There is language in her eye, her cheek, her lip.’ And the Chinese saying goes, ‘The eyes are the windows of the soul.’ ”(Seanor 5) That is to say, we can read one’ s mind through looking into one’ s eyes. Eye language is the most obscure language in communication, which is able to express complex and changeable feelings. The main thing we need to concentrate on is the etiquette of eye contact in intercultural communication.

In English-speaking countries, take America for example, people must stare at each others’ eyes in a conversation. It is not only a behavior of showing politeness, but also a way to judge whether the man is honest or not. American people have been used to looking a person in the eye during the conversation, they are told by their culture that “do not trust anyone who dare not look straight into your eyes.” If a person try not to stare at the one he talk to, it probably seems that he feels unconfident, guilt, or even frightened. Quite the opposite, Chinese people will avoid staring at each others’ eyes when communicating so as to show respect and politeness. A more interesting thing is that, in public, American people won’ t stare at others—Almost all the English-speaking countries hate this behavior, they think that it is an invasion of privacy. In China, people will look directly at a stranger with curiosity; for most of the foreigners, it is hard to understand, and for me, I think it is a bad habit rooted in China.

4.5 Physical distance

The concrete situation and the human relation between both two communicators determine the spatial range between each other. American anthropologist, Dr. Edward Hall, has divided the physical distance into four parts. By and large, they are public distance, social distance, personal distance and intimate distance.

In China, the boundary of body distance is not that specific like English-speaking countries. American people are likely to consciously keep distance and avoid touching strangers as possible as they can. For example, if a person touches someone by accident, he will feel embarrassed and say sorry to him. However, China has a large population, it is almost crowded everywhere in public places, touching strangers by accident seems like a common thing. In the intimate distance, Western couples would hug or kiss each other in public, Chinese, on the contrary, will not. Another very different example is that two Chinese girls can hang out with hand in hand or arm in arm, which is quite common. But we can hardly see this phenomenon happens to female friends in America, for in their culture, it is like a homosexual behavior. Obviously, the attitude of English-speaking countries and China towards physical distance is huge different.

1. Reasons for the Differences of English and Chinese Body Language

5.1 Religious beliefs

Religion is a product of cultural phenomenon when human society develops into a certain period of history, which is a kind of social ideology. Its main characteristic is that believing there exists supernatural powers out of this world, and which takes possession of world-dominating powers and determines the course of life. Therefore, religion is close related to human civilization and culture.

During the Medieval times of Europe, religious beliefs has greatly influenced on all fields of the social life. And then, it came out a gesture of praying in Catholicism, the Catholics put their palms together in front of their chests in order to pray to God for guidance. In China, which is thousands of miles away from Europe, people in the ancient time created a posture for prayer, they knelt down on their knees before the Buddha and bowed down to the ground so that they can show devotion. Nowadays, the impact of religious beliefs is reducing gradually, but we can not deny the fact that it has something to do with body language. Obviously, religion is an important factor in the differences between Western countries and China.

5.2 Values and ways of thinking

The Oxford Advanced Learner’ s English-Chinese Dictionary defines “values” as a belief, which means “beliefs about what is right and wrong and what is important in life”. Way of thinking is closely associated with language, it is developed gradually in the long history. People from different nationalities and cultural backgrounds will see things in a different way or angle, that is the difference of thinking mode. While people are communicating with others, they will subconsciously doing some body languages such as gestures to express their thoughts.

Westerners do pay attention to individualism, they advocate personality liberation and equality, especially the difference of individual. When they join a group, they will regard themselves as a special one; during the conversation, they are either both standing out there or both sitting down so that shows they are completely equal. Nevertheless, Chinese values group thinking, which is liken to a big family. In public places, Chinese people can communicate with others whether they’ re sitting or standing, or even huddling together when crowding; at that time, Westerners will carefully keep distance with others.

5.3 Morals and social regulations

Both English-speaking countries and China have their own social background and cultural atmosphere that fully represent the differences of thinking mode and behavior. For instance, female friends walk hand in hand is a weird movement that is not accepted by almost all of the Westerners, they will regard it as homosexuality; while it is a common behavior between Chinese girlfriends. Different morals and social regulations have made a big difference in different cultures, meanwhile, body language is influenced by them too.

Most people in English-speaking countries are outgoing and straightforward, they get used to expressing what they think directly. For example, hug is a quite normal behavior in Western countries, if they are friends, no matter boys or girls, they would hug each other friendly for greeting. Whereas, under the rule of feudal ethics and rites for thousands of years, people hold a conservative opinion that a male and a female should not act intimately in public in China. So we can hardly see a couple hugging each other in public places in China, that is to say, we are told to abide by social regulations and morals, whose body language is formed by different morals.

6. Principles of Reducing Barriers in Cross-Cultural Communication

Body language plays a great role in communication, with the assist of body language, people can express what they think more vividly. But body language is not commonly used worldwide, especially with the huge difference between Western and China, thus it brings about a series of communication barriers so that increase the difficulties of communicating. Therefore, learning how to master body language is very necessary that effectively avoid barriers in communication.

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