新编跨文化交际英语教程复习资料U

1、. z.Unit 1 munication across CulturesSome Ideas Related to Globalization and Intercultural munication1. What is globalizationGlobalization refers to the increasing unification of the worlds economic order through reduction of such barriers to international trade as tariffs, e*port fees, and import q

2、uotas. The goal is to increase material wealth, goods, and services through an international division of labor by efficiencies catalyzed by international relations, specialization and petition. It describes the process by which regional economies, societies, and cultures have bee integrated through

3、munication, transportation, and trade. The term is most closely associatedwith the term economic globalization: the integration of national economies into the international economy through trade, foreign direct investment, capital flows, migration, the spread of technology, and military presence. Ho

4、wever, globalization is usually recognized as being driven by a bination of economic, technological, sociocultural, political, and biological factors. The term can also refer to the transnational circulation of ideas, languages, or popular culture through acculturation. An aspect of the world which

5、has gone through the process can be said to be globalized.2.The Challenge of Globalization1) Globalization poses four major challenges that will have to be addressed by governments, civil society, and other policy actors. 2) The second is to deal with the fear that globalization leads to instability

6、, which is particularly marked in the developing world. 3) The third challenge is to address the very real fear in the industrial world that increased global petition will lead ine*orably to a race to the bottom in wages, labor rights, employment practices, and the environment. 4) And finally, globa

7、lization and all of the plicated problems related to it must not be used as e*cuses to avoid searching for new ways to cooperate in the overall interest of countries and people. Several implications for civil society, for governments and for multinational institutions stem from the challenges of glo

8、balization. 3.What Makes Intercultural munication a mon Phenomenon 1) New technology, in the form of transportation and munication systems, has accelerated intercultural contact. Trips once taking days, weeks, or even months are now measured in hours. Supersonic transports now make it possible for t

9、ourists, business e*ecutives, or government officials to enjoy breakfast in San Francisco and dinner in Paris all on the same day.2) Innovative munication systems have also encouraged and facilitated cultural interaction. munication satellites, sophisticated television transmission equipment, and di

10、gital switching networks now allow people throughout the world to share information and ideas instantaneously. Whether via the Internet, the World Wide Web, or a N news broadcast, electronic devices have increased cultural contact. 3) Globalization of the economy has further brought people together.

11、 This e*pansion in globalization has resulted in multinational corporations participating in various international business arrangements such as joint ventures and licensing agreements. These and countless other economic ties mean that it would not be unusual for someone to work for an organization

12、that does business in many countries.4) Changes in immigration patterns have also contributed to the development of e*panded intercultural contact. Within the boundaries of the United States, people are now redefining and rethinking the meaning of the word American. Neither the word nor the reality

13、can any longer be used to describe a somewhat homogeneous group of people sharing a European heritage.4.Si* Blocks in Intercultural municationAssumption of similarities One answer to the question of why misunderstanding and/or rejection occurs is that many people naively assume there are sufficient

14、similarities among peoples of the world to make munication easy. They e*pect that simply being human and having mon requirements of food, shelter, security, and so on makes everyone alike. Unfortunately, they overlook the fact that the forms of adaptation to these mon biological and social needs and

15、 the values, beliefs, and attitudes surrounding them are vastly different from culture to culture. The biological monalties are not much help when it es to munication, where we need to e*change ideas and information, find ways to live and work together, or just make the kind of impression we want to

16、 make. Language differences The second stumbling block language difference will surprise no one. Vocabulary, synta*, idioms, slang, dialects, and so on all cause difficulty, but the person struggling with a different language is at least aware of being in trouble. A greater language problem is the t

17、enacity with which some people will cling to just one meaning of a word or phrase in the new language, regardless of connotation or conte*t. The variations in possible meaning, especially when inflection and tone are varied, are so difficult to cope with that they are oftenwaved aside. This placency

18、 will stop a search for understanding. Even yes and no cause trouble. There are other language problems, including the different styles of using language such as direct, indirect; e*pansive, succinct; argumentative, conciliatory; instrumental, harmonizing; and so on. These different styles can lead

19、to wrong interpretations of intent and evaluations of insincerity, aggressiveness, deviousness, or arrogance, among others.Nonverbal misinterpretations Learning the language, which most visitors to foreign countries consider their only barrier to understanding, is actually only the beginning. To ent

20、er into a culture is to be able to hear its special hum and buzz of implication. This suggests the third stumbling block, nonverbal misinterpretations. People from different cultures inhabit different sensory realities. They see, hear, feel, and smell only that which has some meaning or importance f

21、or them. They abstract whatever fits into their personal world of recognition and then interpret it through the frame of reference of their own culture. The misinterpretation of observable nonverbal signs and symbols such as gestures, postures, and other body movements is a definite munication barri

22、er. But it is possible to learn the meanings of these observable messages, usually in informal rather than formal ways. It is more difficult to understand the less obvious unspoken codes of the other cultures, such as the handling of time and spatial relationships and the subtle signs of respect of

23、formality.Preconceptions and stereotypes The fourth stumbling block is the presence of preconceptions and stereotypes. If the label inscrutable has preceded the Japanese guests, their behaviors (including the constant and seemingly inappropriate smile) will probably be seen as such. The stereotype t

24、hat Arabs are inflammable may cause U.S. students to keep their distance or even alert authorities when an animated and noisy group from the Middle East gathers. A professor who e*pects everyone from Indonesia, Me*ico, and many other countries to bargain may unfairly interpret a hesitation or reques

25、t from an international student as a move to get preferential treatment.Stereotypes are over-generalized, secondhand beliefs that provide conceptual bases from which we make sense out of what goes on around us, whether or not they are accurate or fit the circumstances. In a foreign land their use in

26、creases our feeling of security. But stereotypes are stumbling blocks for municators because they interfere with objective viewing of other people. They are not easy to overe in ourselves or to correct in others, even with the presentation of evidence. Stereotypes persist because they are firmly est

27、ablished as myths or truisms by ones own culture and because they sometimesrationalize prejudices. They are also sustained and fed by the tendency to perceive selectively only those pieces of new information that correspond to the images we hold. Tendency to evaluate The fifth stumbling block to und

28、erstanding between persons of differing cultures is the tendency to evaluate, to approve or disapprove, the statements and actions of the other person or group. Rather than try to prehend thoughts and feelings from the worldview of the other, we assume our own culture or way of life is the most natu

29、ral. This bias prevents the open-mindedness needed to e*amine attitudes and behaviors from the others point of view.The mismunication caused by immediate evaluation is heightened when feelings and emotions are deeply involved; yet this is just the time when listening with understanding is most neede

30、d. The admonition to resist the tendency to immediately evaluate does not mean that one should not develop ones own sense of right and wrong. The goal is to look and listen empathetically rather than through the thick screen of value judgments that impede a fair and total understanding. Once prehens

31、ion is plete, it can be determined whether or not there is a clash in values or ideology. If so, some form of adjustment or conflict resolution can be put into place.High an*iety High an*iety or tension, also known as stress, is mon in Cross-cultural e*periences due to the number of uncertainties pr

32、esent. The two words, an*iety and tension, are linked because one cannot be mentally an*ious without also being physically tense. Moderate tension and positive attitudes prepare one to meet challenges with energy. Too much an*iety or tension requires some form of relief, which too often es in the fo

33、rm of defenses, such as the skewing of perceptions, withdrawal, or hostility. Thats why it is considered a serious stumbling block.An*ious feelings usually permeate both parties in an intercultural dialogue. The host national is unfortable when talking with a foreigner because he or she cannot maint

34、ain the normal flow of verbal and nonverbal interaction. There are language and perception barriers; silences are too long or too short; and some other norms may be violated. He or she is also threatened by the others unknown knowledge, e*perience and evaluation.Reading IIntercultural munication：An

35、Introductionprehension questions1. Is it still often the case that everyones quick to blame the alien in the contemporary worldThis is still powerful in todays social and political rhetoric. For instance, it is not unmon intodays society to hear people say that most, if not all, of the social and ec

36、onomic problems arecaused by minorities and immigrants.2. Whats the difference between todays intercultural contact and that of any time in the pastTodays intercultural encounters are far more numerous and of greater importance than in anytime in history.3. What have made intercultural contact a ver

37、y mon phenomenon in our life today New technology, in the form of transportation and munication systems, has acceleratedintercultural contact; innovative munication systems have encouraged and facilitated culturalinteraction;globalization of the economy has brought people together; changes in immigr

38、ation patterns have also contributed to intercultural encounter.4. How do you understand the sentence culture is everything and everywhereCulture supplies us with the answers to questions about what the world looks like and how welive and municate within that world. Culture teaches us how to behave

39、in our life from theinstant of birth. It is omnipresent.5. What are the major elements that directly influence our perception and municationThe three major socio-cultural elements that directly influence perception and municationare cultural values, worldview (religion), and social organizations (fa

40、mily and state).6. What does ones family teach him or her while he or she grows up in itThe family teaches the child what the world looks like and his or her place in that world.7. Why is it impossible to separate our use of language from our cultureBecause language is not only a form of preserving

41、culture but also a means of sharing culture.Language is an organized, generally agreed-upon, learned symbol system that is used to representthe e*periences within a cultural munity.8. What are the nonverbal behaviors that people can attach meaning toPeople can attach meaning to nonverbal behaviors s

42、uch as gestures, postures, facial e*pressions,eye contact and gaze, touch, etc.9. How can a free, culturally diverse society e*istA free, culturally diverse society can e*ist only if diversity is permitted to flourish withoutprejudice and discrimination, both of which harm all members of the society

43、.Reading IIThe Challenge of Globalizationprehension questions1. Why does the author say that our understanding of the world has changedMany things, such as political changes and technological advances, have changed the worldvery rapidly. In the past most human beings were born, lived, and died withi

44、n a limited geographicalarea, never encountering people of other cultural backgrounds. Such an e*istence, however, nolonger prevails in the world. Thus, all people are faced with the challenge of understanding thischanged and still fast changing world in which we live.2. What a global village is lik

45、eAs our world shrinks and its inhabitants bee interdependent, people from remote culturesincreasingly e into contact on a daily basis. In a global village, members of once isolatedgroups of people have to municate with members of other cultural groups. Those people maylive thousands of miles away or

46、 right ne*t door to each other.3. What is considered as the major driving force of the post-1945 globalizationTechnology, particularly telemunications and puters are considered to be the majordriving force.4. What does the author mean by saying that the global may be more local than the localThe inc

47、reasing global mobility of people and the impact of new electronic media on humanmunications make the world seem smaller. We may municate more with people of othercountries than with our neighbors, and we may be more informed of the international events than ofthe local events. In this sense, the gl

48、obalmay be more local than the local5. Why is it important for businesspeople to know diverse cultures in the worldEffective munication may be the most important petitive advantage that firms have tomeet diverse customer needs on a global basis. Succeeding in the global market today requires theabil

49、ity to municate sensitively with people from other cultures, a sensitivity that is based on anunderstanding of cross-cultural differences.6. What are the serious problems that countries throughout the world are confronted withCountries throughout the world are confronted with serious problems such a

50、s volatileinternational economy, shrinking resources, mounting environmental contamination, and epidemicsthat know no boundaries.7. What implications can we draw from the case of Michael FayThis case shows that in a world of international interdependence, the ability to understand andmunicate effect

51、ively with people from other cultures takes on e*treme urgency. If we areunaware of the significant role culture plays in munication, we may place the blame formunication failure on people of other cultures.8. What attitudes are favored by the author towards globalizationGlobalization, for better or

52、 for worse, has changed the world greatly. Whether we like it or not,globalization is all but unstoppable. It is already here to stay. It is both a fact and an opportunity. Thechallenges are not insurmountable. Solutions e*ist, and are waiting to be identified and implemented.From a globalistic poin

53、t of view, there is hope and faith in humanity.Case StudyCase 1In this case, there seemed to be problems in municating with people of different cultures inspite of the efforts made to achieve understanding.We should know that in Egypt as in many cultures, the human relationship is valued so highlyth

54、at it is not e*pressed in an objective and impersonal way. While Americans certainly value humanrelationships, they are more likely to speak of them in less personal, more objective terms. In thiscase, Richards mistake might be that he chose to praise the food itself rather than the total evening,fo

55、r which the food was simply the setting or e*cuse. For his host and hostess it was as if he hadattended an art e*hibit and plimented the artist by saying, What beautiful frames your picturesare in.In Japan the situation may be more plicated. Japanese people value order and harmonyamong persons in a

56、group, and that the organization itselfbe it a family or a vast corporationismore valued than the characteristics of any particular member. In contrast, Americans stressindividuality as a value and are apt to assert individual differences when they seem justifiably inconflict with the goals or value

57、s of the group. In this case: Richards mistake was in making greatefforts to defend himself. Let the others assume that the errors were not intentional, but it is not rightto defend yourself, even when your unstated intent is to assist the group by warning others of similarmistakes. A simple apology

58、 and acceptance of the blame would have been appropriate. But for poorRichard to have merely apologized would have seemed to him to be subservient, unmanly.When it es to England, we e*pect fewer problems between Americans and Englishmenthan between Americans and almost any other group. In this case

59、we might look beyond the gestureof taking sugar or cream to the values e*pressed in this gesture: for Americans, Help yourself; forthe English counterpart, Be my guest. American and English people equally enjoy entertaining andbeing entertained but they differ somewhat in the value of the distinctio

60、n. Typically, the ideal guestat an American party is one who makes himself at home, even to the point of answering the dooror fi*ing his own drink. For persons in many other societies, including at least this hypotheticalEnglish host, such guest behavior is presumptuous or rude.Case 2A mon cultural