比较中西方身势语在沟通中的应用

1、. IntroductionWhen people speak of the communicarion, first they will think of the language, which is the verbal behavior. The verbal behavior is a process relying on the language instrument, including text (written languages and verbal (oral language to carry through communion delivering idea and t

2、ransferring information. Language is an important tool of human communication, but it is not the only tool of communication. In fact, in addition to language, there is a more abundant content of the means of communication that is non-verbal. The non-verbal communication is the language of all the ac

3、ts of communication, it is very frequent in the frequency of daily life. A smile, a look, and a gesture belong to be non-verbal bahavior (huang, 2003:16. It is difficult to fancy and cannot be processed that the communication between the people just depend on words without any accompanying gestures

4、or postures. That, at least, is not a sufficient communication. It is impossibility not to have the verbal behavior in humans communication, but the non-verbal communication goes with the verbal communication. Both of them formed the complete process of communication and also have their own features

5、 and functions. Non-verbal communication can represent peoples psychological activities richly and accurately.As the main component of non-verbal communication, bodt language has its own trait, effect, and function. It must comply with the “principles of cooperation” just as verbal communication (Ya

6、ng, 1994: 16.The Definition and Importance of Body Language2.1 Definition of Body LanguageBody language is not a language in the strict sense of the word “language”. “Body language” is expressing how one feels by ones sitting, standing, moving, etc, rather by words (Oxford Advanced Learners English-

7、Chinese Dictionary, 1997.2.2 The Importance of Body LanguageAn investigation into the functions of the factors of verbal and nonverbal communications shows: 35% information is transferred by language; the other 65% are by nonverbal patterns (Samovaretal, 1981. Other study indicates: only 7% emotions

8、 in peoples communication are passed by language. The other 93% are by nonverbal patterns. American scholar s Deleig Bronan (1991 pointed out that “Humans communication consists of writing, oral and body three parts. Because of culture prejudices, a great majority of educated people often think that

9、 written language is most important; the oral language is the second. The body language is ranked last. However, whether from the continuously evolution of whole humanity or from a personal point of view, the study indicate that thee important position among the three are part opposition. This shows

10、 the necessity and importance of body language.Human societys long historical evolution confirmed that labor played a decisive role in the course of humans evolution. At beginning, human ancestors rely on all sorts of gestures and postures for mutual coordination and communicate. So body language is

11、 actually the most primitive instrument of communication. The phonic language is gradually developed with the continuous deepening of communication. Human gradually learned verbal communication after a far-flung nonverbal communication. This shows that the non-verbal communication came into being ea

12、rlier than verbal communication, it is the origin and base of verbal communication, body language is the earliest communication tool of human.The Role of Body Language in Communication3.1To Exchange IdeasTo exchange ideas is the most basic social function of the language. In daily verbal communicati

13、on, body language also participates in verbal communicate actuality. Speakers consciously or unconsciously use body language to match the language for expressing ideas; the listeners also understand ideas transferred by body language (Yang, 1994:26. Sometimes body language even can express ideas dir

14、ectly, especially at the kind of occasion that is inappropriate to speak or somebody doesnt want to speak. For example, at the place where is as quiet as the reading room, it is inappropriate for people to talk.3.2 To Covey SentimentBody language is often affected by the impact of personality; diffe

15、rent people use the same body language can express different feelings. If emotion has even a little change, it will be reflected in peoples face immediately. Laughter is a kind of facial brow, in general the laughter is behaved when people feel buoyant (Zhang, 1990:26. Usually the sentiments express

16、ed joy. But in different contexts, different laughers express different sentiments. Sometimes laughers express completely reverse sensibility. For example, “forced smiled”, “a wan smile”, “an artificial smile”, “sneer”, “sinister smile”, “be mock”and so on (Zhang, 2000:32. “The eyes are the window t

17、o the soul”, eyes is most good at behaving peoples inner emotion. Sometim es a pair of eyes which looks can speak can convey very delicate and complex emotions. The eyes that convey peoples emotion always go with eyebrow. Eyebrow also is an important part of expression. 3.3To Bring Forth Peoples Psy

18、chology and to Behave Peopl es CharacterIn fact, besides verbal language, the body language of gesyures, facial changes, meningful glance are all reflecti on of peoples innermost movement and character. French literary theorist Turner said: “ Becarefully studying his (Shakespeare every role,you will

19、 discover at anymoment that there is a kind of echo, a kind of omen smong one wording, one gesture, one touch of idea, one rip and one speak mode to leak characters whole bosom,.” (Chen,2001:38Speaking of the humanity, each person can express our innermost feelings throught the body the idea, but We

20、sts expression also differs from. For instance we split out rent a car, we can use the entire palm of the hand to summon, but the weaterner is surely is stretches out the thumb to summon, but also has us and others kiss is surely the relational not common friend and the family member, but westerners

21、 kiss only is and the friend greets.3.4To Denote Social RelationsPeople who communicate with the other one have different identity, status, seniority and sex, so there are some differences in the body language they used. Therefore, the social relations between them can be reflected by their body lan

22、guage. A smile and shaking hands with the initiative are the commonly used body language when they first meet somebody. But that is not suitable to stretch out initiative when meeting a person who has status that is much higher than you. No other than the person offers his hand, you can be approache

23、d to shake hands. The people who are more familiar often hold each others hands after shaking hands. But most women do not shake hands when regarding with each other, they draw their fingers together lightly. In Europe and the United States people often use kissing ceremony. The form and place of ki

24、ssing is different because status and longevity is different.The way which but when Chinas very many places, the majority people mee t greets all are shake hand, certainly, also has some young people runs into the very familiar friend perhaps family members time, can use the hug the way to come big

25、greeting. The Characteristics and the Reason for Difference of Body Language Between Western and Chinese4.1The Characteristics of Body LanguageOne meaning can be shown by more than two body languages. For instance, gestures of shaking hands, nodding, or raise hand can show greeting. Looks like us me

26、ets the acquaintance the time we to be able to shake hand, in us to some matter expressed satisfactory time we can nod, at not satisfactory time can shake the head and so on.Even experts in kinesics cannot name precisely all the vocabulary of gestures, for example, when an American rubs his nose, it

27、 may mean he is disagreeing with someone. But there are other explanations too. When this occurs, we must try to get further information or guess the meaning from the context of the situationg. In a word, all body language should be explained in a certain context. To ignore the situation that could

28、cause misunderstandings. Actually the meaning of some body language should be inferred in a spesific consent, but many more gestures have their meaning.The symbolic characteristic is an important sign for distinguishing the body language and body physiological actions. Although body language has the

29、 same physical attribute as body movements, but body language expresses an unique idea in some language condition, it is doing some communicate. In peoples daily life, body language not only can express a variety of frondose emotions, but also can express various kinds of understand or dont care, po

30、werless; Knocking on the tabla shows angry, warning or impatient. Numerous facts have shown that as a non-verbal communication symbols, body language is a key link in the communication speak of communication symbols system and the important part of purport system.Round or “OK” has been widely used i

31、n the United States, but on the “OK” meaning, there are so many different views.The meaning of “OK” is all the same in all of the English-speaking countries. However, after it quickly expanded to Europe and Asia, the meaning changed. For example, in France, it denoted “zero” or “nothing”; in Japan,

32、it has the meaning of “money”; in some Mediterranean countries, it is often used to express that the male is a homosexual.This show that body language has a strong cultural identity. In a different culture it should have a different understanding of body language; some different body language can ex

33、press the same meanings. Some of the same body language indicated different significance or concept; it affects the effect of communication and even can make the misapprehension and conflict of cross-cultural communication if we can not understand the special meaning of the nonverbal sign of communi

34、cation. This is also embodiment of the dialectical relationship between nonverbal communication and culture difference. In fact, in the same community bosom, the culture, society status and even difference of occupation all have a distinctness embodiment by body language.4.2The Reason for Difference

35、 of Body Language Between Western and ChinaThe difference of the traditional cultural in the different characteristics. Historians considered that culture is the entire form of movement of a nation. China and Western countries have their own different social soil and cultural atmosphere. They have t

36、heir own long history of independent development and special space, and each of them has its own distinct ethnic characteristics. Body language reflects the characteristics of a nation , it not only includes the nations historical and cultural background, it also contains the attitude for life of th

37、e nation; it is a concrete manifestation of peoples lifestyle and way of thinking. Chinese civilization system is accurately called “Chinese cultural circle”, people call it “circle” means tha t it stays in an obdurate and self-sufficiency status for lengthy millennium because of the geographical fa

38、ctors and profound influence of Confucian thought. In the inward-looking “circle”, the Chinese people came into being a respected family-centered culture system. Looking back over history, their homes are “Siheyuan”; the board is “cubic city”, and has the great wall. It fashions a family-style count

39、ry, it advocates “reunification”, pursuing “cooperation”, like living together. The strongly family conce pt ia very dim. Although they also say: “East, west, home is best”. But what they express is probably a kind of “maritime civilization” and “nomadic that is outward expansion and lateral extensi

40、on, go to the outer world is the only way for their survival and development. Therefore, occidental pursue a kind of autocephaly, outward “on the road” spirit, it engenders a kind of “discrete” action mode. This cultural difference has clearly reflected in their body language between China and the W

41、est. For example, weatern people cant do this, if they have to crowed sit in the narrowness space, they will use “special skills”-they will never see the people who too closed to them and never have any brow.The nation character is a comparatively jar less characteristic that is formed in the proces

42、s of a long history of cultural development. This characteristic is like a bright brand. It makes each nation have their own characteristic and differentiation with each other. There is a huge contrast between Chinese and Western ethnic character traits, so their body language is also different. Chi

43、na is a proprieties country that has a long history, it is a country that the feudalism centralization of state power pattern and the tradition principal part culture are most fixedness and continue the longest. It make Chineses ethnic character traits careful, modest, follow crowd, continence, and

44、think a lot of ceremony, ethic, and expression connotation and so on. In Western countries because of more up growth geographical traffic, different races in break and social status make the westerns abound in adventure, uphold autocephaly and peace, extroversion, assuredness, candor and voluntaries

45、. Two different character traits bring on two different body languages. Western may be putting Chinas modest, connotation as short of assuredness or self-contemptuous. Chinese may be putting westerns emotional exposure as arrogant attitude.Folk-custom is a kind of special culture form, it is the sed

46、imentation of traditional culture, it is a kind of cultural phenomenon that goes along from generation to generation. Body language and folk culture are closely correlation; it is a concrete expression of folk culture. Therefore, body language has special color of different folk-custom. Many of the

47、early history of body language have been oblivion, but it doesnt prevent new generation from using these body language. They accumulate in the folk custom and were retained, but many users were not aware of these bodylanguages source. For example, the word “matzo”, this pose uses open palms extended

48、 to others face. This never means hostility to Chinese people, but this is an outrageous insult, ridiculed signal to Achaean. It originated in the Byzantine period; formerly it is an insulting action that people chuck feculence to prisoners face. Several hundred years ago, how modern Greeks do this

49、action is to symbolically open empty hands, but the contumelious meanings is not changes.V. The Use of Body Language in Communication5.1The Differences of Exertion Between Chinese and WesternPostures communicate just as language does. We have found that posture offers insight into a cultures deep st

50、ructure and reflects a persons attitude toward people he is with. In many Asian cultures, the bow is much more than a greeting, and it signifies that cultures concern with status and rank. For example, in Japan low posture is an indicator of respect. The manner of sitting, standin g and moving can a

51、lso communicate a message and reflect a certain cultures lifestyle. As we know, in the United States, where being casual and friendly is valued, people often fall into chairs or slouch when they stand; and it is also common to see an American woman sit with her legs crossed even during public meetin

52、gs. Whereas in many other countries, such as Germany and Sweden, where lifestyle tend to be more formal, such postures are offensive and are often considered signs of rudeness or poor manners.The eye, the window revealing what is deep in ones mind, is full of rich expressions. Eye language (includin

53、g sight direction and duration of eye contact, like other elements in body language, also has cultural differences. We have found that people in Western countries expect the person they are interacting with to look at them in the eye during a conversation; however, staring at people or holding a glance too long is considered to be improper in most English-speaking countries, even when the look may be one of appreciation, because it may make people uneasy and embarrassed. But Arabs, on the other hand, look directly into the eyes of their communication partner, and do so for a l