浅析中英问候语的差异

毕业论文

题目：浅析中英问候语的差异

Title: Brief Analysis of Differences

on Chinese Greetings and

English Greetings

2009年5月20月

Acknowledgements

First and foremost, I have to thanks my parents, without their love and encouragement my graduate paper shouldn’t have been finished.

I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to all other teachers who gave me lectures during the past three academic years. I have benefited intellectual growth through their lectures.

Then, I would also thanks to my supervisor Lu Yimiao. It is for her careful reading, her critical instructions, her scrupulous teaching, her vigorous thinking and her precious suggestions that this paper appears in the present form.

Finally, I would also thanks to many writers, Qian Houshu, Leech, Geoftrey, Hu Mingyang, and Bi Jiwan, whose manuscripts gave me much information about my graduate paper so that my graduate is more consummate.

Abstract

Greetings are a series of actions, which keep and strengthen relationship of between the two speakers, Greetings has certain functions, referring to set up relationship and delay the relationship. The paper hopes to advance people’s communication in different cultures and language —backgrounds and to get cross—culture communication. The paper will review different versions of the definition of greetings, which are defined by several linguists. Greetings are effected by many factors in progress of using, these factors include British people’s spoken habit and Chinese people’s spoken habit; The Special context (First—meeting, People with Different Social Status). So in part II，it will discuss that how factors restrict the greetings. Because greetings is restricted by a series of factors causing that Chinese greetings is different from English greetings, so Part III will analyze about content, structure, ways of greetings. Because Chinese greetings is different from English greetings, referring to content, structure，ways of greetings. Part IV will give some suggestions to avoid the troubles they'll meet when greeting to each other.

Key words: greetings; cross—culture; communication

摘 要

问候语是交际双方见面时为了维持和加强双方的人际关系而进行的一系列的交际活动，问候语具有建立和延迟各种人际关系的作用。通过问候语的使用和对中英问候语的对比分析，希望促进不同文化和不同语言背景下人们的相互沟通和通过避免文化差异达到文化交流.问候语在日常生活中有一定的重要性，但是由于问候语在使用的过程中受到了一系列的因素的影响，这些因素包括英国语言习惯和中国语言习惯；特殊语境（第一见面；特殊地位），因此，在Part II 中会讨论这些因素是怎么制约问候语的。由于问候语受到一系列的因素制约，使得中英问候语会有一定的差别，Part III 分别从问候语的内容、结构、方法的不同，对中英问候语进行比较。由于中英问候语存在这些差别，在Part IV 中建议人们在日常生活中使用问候语的时候，能准确的使用问候语，从而能达到问候的目的。

关键词: 问候语; 跨国文化; 交流

Contents

Introduction………………………………………………………...1

I. Definition of Greetings……………………………………......................2

II. Factors Effecting the Chinese Greetings and English Greetings.........2

2.1 Spoken Habits..................................................................................3

2.2 The Special Context………….…………………..................................4

III. Research of Greetings in Chinese and English……………………...5

3.1 Differences between Chinese Greetings and English Greetings............5 IV. Suggestion to People………………………………………………… 10

4.1 Application of Greetings in Different Situations…………...………10

Conclusion ………………………………………………………………..12 Bibliography………………………………………………………………13

Introduction

Everyday people maybe apply greetings to convey their feelings, and greetings is a kind of communication. Greetings is serious of actions, which is to keep and strengthen relationship of between the two speakers, Greetings has function referring to set up relationship and delay the relationship. It is important to study greetings in both Chinese and English.

First, a theoretical study of greetings, an everyday action, can help people to realize that every life is important for the understanding of culture and society. Although a seemingly minor episode of interaction, greetings has an important function in the management of human relation. It is by means of greetings that friends acknowledge confirm, and strengthen their friendship. A study of greetings will contribute much to understanding the structuring of the interpersonal relationship in social community.

Second, the study of greetings helps to develop a situational approach to wards the study of culture. Generally speaking, greetings is a reutilized situational frames, such as parting, complementing, apologizing, wedding, etc, greetings is one of the culture blocks, which varies cross—culturally. A systematic description of greetings with social cultural factors taken into account will tend to better comprehend the structure of a certain society and culture.

Third, contrastive study of greetings helps people to enhance their cross—cultural awareness with the accelerated development of globalization, chance is that cultural clashes backgrounds. As a result an urge task confronted by us is to develop and sharpen our cross-cultural awareness for the cross-cultural communications.

Definition of Greetings

Coffman (1971) expresses his view that greetings mark the transition to a condition of increased access in his definition of ―access rituals‖ which mark a change in degree of access. Goody’s study of greeting in 1971 does not clearly define greeting, but from her discussion of the functions of greetings, it can be seen that greetings are regarded as something reutilized at the beginning of encounters to open....Communicative acts,‖ to define and affirm, ―both identity and rank, and to manipulate ―a relationship in order to achieve a specific a result‖. Irvine (1974) regards greetings as a means of status manipulation a strategy a speaker may use to manipulation the role structure of interaction and to convey his self-image in relation to those roles. There are some different kinds of definitions for greeting, no matter what is definition, it is expression that the same meaning, the greeting is a kind of communication to way.

II. Factors Effecting the Chinese Greetings and English Greetings

The following communication happened between Chinese student（A）communicate with English person (B).

A: Hello, How do you do?

B: How do you do?

A: Have you had supper?

B: (puzzle): Why do you ask me that? What do you mean?

A :( embarrassed): Err…Err…I can’t explain it .In china, we often ask about eating

when we see each other.

This is true dialogue, Chinese student apply to spoken-word habit in Chinese to ask the English people (Have you had your supper)? 你吃了没有？The English people fell very puzzled; he doesn’t understand what the meaning is?

Many factors affect the Chinese greetings and English greetings; it is special that spoken habits and the special states are factors effecting the Chinese greetings and

English greetings.

2.1Spoken habit

2.1.1British people’s spoken habit

Because England is a land country and the English Channel cuts off it to contact with outside, and English weather often rain. So English people usually discuses weather to address others. They will apply to a special model .For example,‖ beautiful day, isn’t it?’’ ―It’s terribly cold?’’ ―It looks like rain, don’t you think?‖ General speaking, In English greetings, the appellation is behind greetings. Such as ―Hi, John,‖ ―good morning, Mr. Smith.‖ and go on.

2.1.2Chinese people’s spoken habit

Because China is a developing agricultural country, for thousands years, Chinese the major population is farmers .So when people meet each others, they like to ask about having eating .Such as ―have you had supper‖? ―Have you had dinner‖ and go on .Sometimes, they like to ask about that ―where are you going‖? Etc, they apply to a special mode too. For example, The appellation can change place with greetings .such as ―早上好，李先生‖, ― 李先生,早上好‖.

2.2The Special context

2.2.1 First-meeting

The first-meeting, English people always introduce themselves and they can ask other’s name, country and city. In fact, they hug others to express their greetings, but not kiss others to express their greetings in the first-meeting. The British are so conservative that they avoid asking others’ private matters and they hate to be asked private matters. And they don't ask others’ telephone numbers and give telephone numbers to others. Because they think that is the privacy too.

In contrast with the British, in the first-meeting Chinese people always ask other’s name and handshake with them to express their gre

etings. And they will ask others’ telephone numbers and give telephone numbers to them. Because they think it is a kind of amity and greetings. In order to express carefully, Chinese people are used to asking more personal information, Such as age, income and the habits.

Following dialogue is the first-meeting of Chinese boy (A) and English girl (B) A stand for Chinese people and B stand for English person.

A: Nice to meet you.

B: Nice to meet you too.

A: What’s your name? And where are you from?

B: why do you ask that? (Surprise and angry)

A: I want to know more your information.

In this dialogue, the English girl thought that Chinese boy asked her privacy. In fact the boy didn’t ask her privacy, he was careful to her and express him greetings. She had misunderstood his meaning that she didn’t answer him questions. So in specific circumstances, People's greetings will be affected.

2.2.2People with Different Social Status

Chinese greetings

A : 您好,张老师.

B : 你好,李华.

A : 明天我们班去野餐,我们想邀请您去,行吗?

B : 好啊,谢谢你们.

English greetings

A: Say, Hello, Mr. Grace, How are you doing? (哈喽，格兰斯老师你好吗？) B: Fine, Mike. How are you? (很好,迈克,你好吗？)

A: Not bad. Where are you doing? (不错,你去那里？)

B: To the McDonalds. (去麦当劳. )

The first, from these dialogues，we note that the title you(你) is the same meaning the you（您）in English greetings .Although title you（你）and title(您) have the same meaning, yet title you (您) is used to express the younger generation to respect their elders, in Chinese greetings.

Second, to address other’s name is very common, in English greetings. According to British concepts, the younger generation and students address the elders and teachers for expressing their relationship very close. But according to Chinese concepts, the younger generation and students can’t use the title (你)to address the elders and teachers. It responds that the younger generation doesn’t respect their elders and teachers.

III. Research of greetings in Chinese and English

Because spoken habits and the special states of Chinese and English affect Chinese greetings and English greetings, so the thesis will research greetings in Chinese and English.

3.1 Differences between Chinese Greetings and English Greetings

3.1.1 Difference in Content

One major difference of greetings between Chinese and English lies in the content. In English culture, personal matters are regarded as one’s privacy which people don’t like to talk about. Chinese greetings, such as ―what are you doing‖, ―where are you going?’’ This fact may account for the neutral character in the content of English greetings，Such as talking about the weather or other none-personal matters.

On the other hand, Chinese people tend to show consideration of other people through the exchange of greetings, such as ―你吃了吗‖,―你在干什么‖,for the sake of tradition. In Chinese culture, this kind of greeting is taken as attitudinal warmth and care about other’s personal matters.

In addition, English people like to talk about weather in greetings, such as ―It is a fine day‖ and― It looks like rain‖，Chinese people use relation in greetings routines to enhance solidarity such as ―你好，你好’’ or “ 久仰久仰”.

Chinese people are often suspected of trampling upon other’s privacy when they ask such questions as ―where are you doing‖ and ―what are you doing‖ etc, to show their warm attitude to the address. Chinese society used to be loosely composed of small-scaled, self--contained, Community like family, clans, etc.

Within each community, the members were in close contact with each other, while contact with other communities was rather limited since the chief model of production was small farming and handcrafts, which created a close tempo of life. It was natural for them to spend time on greetings each other by asking something on their daily life when they meet in the village or in the lane. An inquiry such as ―have you had dinner?‖ is often heard around meal time in Chinese, it is not real question, but a friendly salute. However hearing this, English people will frequently take it as an invitation.

3.1.2 Difference in Structure

The other major difference of greetings in Chinese and English lies in the structure. There are four structures in greetings: address, questions, affirmation, an address +a question.

（1）Address

In English, the most frequently used address forms are first name (FN), and title (Mr./ 阿two forms of address allow three possible patters(a) both interlocutors may use the other’s first name, when they are of similar age and social status. i.e., in level greetings;(b) both of them use title plus last name on formal occasions; and (c) one can use the other’s first name ,but be addressed in turn by his title plus last name, or vice versa, when they differ significantly either in age，social，occupational status, i.e., in upward and downward greetings. The use of FN and TLN implies that the first name in English used to be alone without a title, and the English surname (LN), must be combined with a title. When they are used .Thus forms like Black, (Mr. / Mrs. / Miss Jane) are unacceptable.

But in Chinese, an address is much more complicated than the English one. The chief term of address in Chinese includes names, surname plus title, kinship term ,and such general addressing terms as 同志(comrade),师傅(master),etc.

In Chinese, the given names are for family members or intimate friends, and intimate friends. The older generation can also use them to address the younger generation. The last character of a given name is especially reserved between the same generations or by older generation to address younger generations and superiors to

inferiors .First naming has very high frequency of occurrence in English.

English culture allows status or age inferiors to first—name their superiors while Chinese culture strictly forbids in English. Full name are rarely used to address an acquaintance.

Moreover, one striking difference between English and Chinese, such as ―爷爷‖(grand),―叔叔’’(uncle),―阿姨‖(aunt),or kin title plus a surname or given name 方阿姨(aunt fang),and 长叔叔(brother Chang li)

(1) Question

Greetings in the form of a question usually happen between interactions Who have been acquainted with each other for reasonable period of time, between initial acquaintance and /or strangers, this type of greeting seldom occurs (How do you do? can be used meeting for first—time. there are five types in question forms.

(i) How—questions about the greeter’s work，health, conditions of greeter’s family

members, etc.

(ii) What—questions in English and Chinese

(iii) Where—questions, only Chinese greetings include this type asking about the place where the greeter is heading for or has been to. For example: 去哪儿？and 去那了？However, if you ask a foreigner such questions, you will be suspected of violating his privacy.

（2）Affirmation

Greetings in the form of affirmation are conventional and formal to degree. They convey information rather than seek information as the question types of greetings do .In English this type of greeting is ―Hello!‖,―Good Moring/ afternoon/evening).Those most frequently and conventionally occurring in Chinese are ―ni hao/nin hao‖, and ―ni/nin zao).

(2)An address +a question

This type only is found in Chinese greetings, for example，―燕子，去哪里‖.

3.1.3 Difference in Way

In English, people usually introduce themselves to express their greetings, in the first-meeting. When they meet good friends and closed-friends, family members, and old generations they will hug and kiss each others. In Chinese, people usually ask other’s name and some information to express their greetings, in the first –meeting. When they meet good friends and closed-friends, they will wave hand， hand shake and call name. and when they meet old generations ,they will call appellation/name +appellation for example ,（―叔叔‖，―张建叔叔‖）。

In additions, both Chinese people and English people are making telephone to express their greetings. But there is difference in way. This is making telephone situation.

―A‖ is calling

―B’’ is called

IV. Suggestions to People

Because of some difference between Chinese greetings and English greetings, It will give some suggestions to avoid the troubles they'll meet when greeting to each other. 4.1 Application of Greetings in Different Situations

4.1.1 Making Telephone

In England, when people make telephone to greet others, first, they must introduce themselves. No matter whom they are. But in china, when people make telephone the others, they can not only introduce themselves but also ask ―who are you‖.

4.1.2 Face to face communication

When English people take Face to face communication to express their greetings, they will greet ―How are you doing‖? or‖ How is your family‖? They avoid asking other ―Have you had dinner or ―Where are you going’’. In fact，English people think that to be asked ―Have you had dinner‖ means ―Can you pay for me dinner?‖ and be asked ―where are you going‖ It seems that you ask their privacy, So if you take face to face communication to express you’re greeting to English people, please avoid that. In china, you can ask ―Have you had dinner‖ but you must avoid other’s privacy too.

4.1.3 Leave-talking

To express friendship, when English people leave each other ,they will say ―bye-bye‖, ―see you next time‖，or they will kiss-goodbye each others. when people leave each other ,they will say ―再见’’,―下次再见‖It is the same ―bye-bye‖, ―see you next time.‖ In English, But In china, they shake hands to stand for kissing-goodbye each others.

For some differences between Chinese greetings and English greetings, people must pay attention to these details when they address to each other.

Conclusion

Greetings is necessary opening to every encounter. Gestures and actions are also to the greeting but are never sufficient. In principle, a greeting must occur between any tow persons who are visible to each other, greeting expression tend to have fixed patter. Greetings is important tools for achieving certain communicative goals they need careful study.

Because spoke habits and the special states of Chinese and English effect Chinese greetings and English greetings, so the thesis will research greetings in Chinese and English, The present thesis emphasizes to a brief analysis of difference on Chinese and English, in part II. The definition of greeting is redefined in introduction, Firth (1972) defines greetings in their social sense as ―the recognition of an encounter …...as socially acceptable.’’

In conclusion, in the thesis attempt to analysis what’s difference on Chinese greetings and English greetings? Which is not only help people to know greeting, but also help people to know that how to use greetings in difference situation.

There are two aspects of greetings to be discussed by other people. For example, greetings is a kind of linguistic action, and is controlled by social factor.

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