中西文化差别

1、The difference between Chinese and Western culturesWe learned many years of English, but so far we can not distinguish the difference between China and foreign cultures. Even if we are to learn English so that no matter how difficult, and foreign exchange. Therefore, learn English, we have the cultu

2、ral differences between China and foreign countries to learn. So I wrote a paper, a brief look at some differences between Chinese and Western cultures.First,Let,s talk about the difference between Chinese and Western language practices.For example, Direction: Prof. Liang has written a book in Chine

3、se. He wants to have his book published by Thompson Publishers. He is talking to Mr. Allright, a Thompson representative, through Li Yan, who is acting as his interpreter. What is the problem in this cross-cultural communication? Prof. Liang:奥莱特先生，这是鄙人的拙作。 Li Tan: Mr. Allright, this a clumsy book wr

4、itten by your humble servant. More contrast between the Chinese and the American cultures: If you are being invited to have a dinner Chinese: “不”( "Please offer me again.") American:"No." ( "I don't accept your invitation.") If someone has helped you, what you do sa

5、y to him? Chinese: “很对不起，给您添了不少麻烦。”（Sorry to have given you so much trouble.“ American："Thank you for your help." If you are praised by someone else, what do you respond? Chinese: “过奖，过奖。”或：“惭愧，惭愧。”（You are flatter me or I feel ashamed.) American: “Thank you.“ It doesn't mean American

6、people don't show any modesty. Mr Allright: No, no, no, you're not my humble servant. In the following situation, you are going to offer a gift to another person, you may have different ways to introduce your gift based on the fact that you are a Chinese or you are an American. Please notice

7、 the difference in it. Chinese: This is nothing/a mere trifle, but please accept it (stressing "礼物很轻薄，不成敬意，请笑纳。”) American: It's not much. It's just a trifle, I picked it up in a bargain basement sale at Macy's last week. I thought maybe you could use it (stressing "我买的便宜货对你是适合

8、的。”) From the above specific example, we can well understand the difference between Chinese and foreign language. There is also a very interesting example is the difference between western and eastern languages, White elephant battery (白象牌电池) salewell in China, But there are few Customers in abroad

9、.Why it is,when白象牌电池 translated into English, It means a change in the meaning of the foreign white elephant that is useless. Second, We also have to talk about the difference in values China and the West. Before that we first look at what basic values.(1) Human Nature: Basically Evil / Mixture of G

10、ood and Evil / Basically Good.(2) Relationship of Humankind to Nature: Man subjugated by Nature / Man in Harmony with Nature / Man the Master of Nature.(3) Sense of Time: Past / Present / Future.(4) Activity: Being / Growing / Doing.(5) Social Relationship: Authoritarian / Group-Oriented / Individua

11、listic. From many of the basic values given above, we can easily find what the Chinese are there is what the West.C hinese values are Basically Good, People in Harmony with Nature, Past Oriented, Being, Authoritarian / Group Oriented.But Western values are Mixture of Good and Evil, People the Mater

12、of Nature, Future Oriented, Doing, Individualistic. Therefore, in Chinese advertising, advertisers usually prefer to emphasize that their companies and their products have some history, such as “百年老店” (a shop with a history of a hundred years). “老字号” (age-old brand), “老干爹" (old nominal father),

13、“历史悠久” (with a long history) and “传统方法'' (a traditional recipe handed down from generation to generation). But the Foreign opposite. Another point can not be ignored ,High and Low Context Cultures, a high-context culture: most of the information is either in the physical context or internali

14、zed in the person while very little is in the coded, explicit part of the message; meaning is not necessarily contained in words; information is provided through gestures, age, sex, education, family background, etc. a low-context culture: the mass of the information is vested in the explicit code ;

15、 messages are detailed, clear-cut, and definite. China is a high-context culture. Finally, the talk about China and abroad totem difference. Dragon, being always considered a deity (god) with inconceivable power in China, brings people good luck. People born in the year of Dragon feels very proud. B

16、ut in Greek and Roman mythology, dragon is a crocodile-like monster which can emit smoke and fire from its mouth. Therefore, a foreign student without much knowledge of Chinese culture is puzzled by the idiom wangzi chenglong, wondering what kind of persons parents expect their children to be. In short, there are ma