跨文化交际案例case-study-2

Chapter2StayingwithaFamilyCase1Erica:Hello!Thankforcoming.Here,letmetakeyourcoat.Lin:Hello.Thanks.Here’ssomewineforyou.Erica:That’slovely.Youreallyshouldn’thave,Lin.Thankyou.Let’sgoinandmeettheothers.分析：无论东方还是西方，去做客总要带点儿礼物。无论赴晚会还是晚宴，带甁葡萄酒总是适宜的。有些西方人给女主人买些花儿，或是巧克力。呈上礼物的时候，对你的礼物低调处理，就是说，不要太多地谈论你的礼物。上面的范例是，受礼的主人倒要说上两句，以表谢意。Case2Erica:Lin,dohavesomemoredessert.Lin:Thankyou,butI’mafraidI’vehadenough.It’swonderful.分析：同世界上其他国家的人一样，西方人也很好客。他们也总是想让客人吃得多多的。所有学会怎样在餐桌上婉言谢绝很有用处。Case3Afterthemealandafterthetablehasbeencleared.Liuisnotsurewhattodo,butwantstohelpinsomeway.Atleasthewantstooffer.Helen:Thanksforyourhelp,Huang.Liu:Pleasure.WhatcanIdonow?Helen:Nothing.It’sfine.I’llrinsethesedishesthenstackthem.It’llonlytakeaminute.Liu:Doesthefamilyusuallyhelp?Helen:Well,atspecialtimes.Jacksometimesrinsesthedishesbutyoucanseehe’sreallytiredtonight.Liu:Letmedoitforyou.Helen:Notruly,it’sokay.Liu:MaybeIcanwipethetablethen.Helen:Thatwouldbehelpful.Thanks.You’rereallykind,Huang.分析：在西方人家中的就餐的时间里，大家都设法插手帮一下忙，即便是男士也不例外，不要一点不动着开饭。所有家住者要能帮者摆摆餐具，或餐后收拾洗碗，把餐具放进洗碗机，倒垃圾，站在一边帮着擦干洗好的餐具。虽然都是小忙，却表明你对别人的操劳非常在意，是个用心的人。Case4AnAmericanwenttoChinesehome.Hewasofferedsometea.Justwhenthefirstcupwasabouttofinish,moreteawasadded.Thevisitordrankthesecondcup.Thenthecupwasfilledthethirdtime.Thenhedrankit,then…untilthevisitorwasquitefull.Why?分析：在中国的传统文化习俗里，主任通常会不断给客人倒水倒茶，或者不断地给客人的盘子里加食物以表示他的热情好客。面对的这样的情况，中国客人知道如何处理，在他们觉得吃饱喝足之后，就会随它放在桌上。而美国客人就不懂了，在美国，在自己的盘子里剩下食物是不礼貌的，于是他出于遵循美国文化理念可能会在这样的招待中吃的过多。Case5Lin:Thankyousomuchforawonderfulnight.I’vehadagreattime.Erica:It’sbeenapleasurehavingyou.Wehopeyoucancomeagain,soon.Lin:I’dlikethat.Youbothknowhowtomakemefeelathome.Thanksforeverything.分析：在动身离去的时候，找到主人，当面说一声谢谢，是有礼貌的行为。Case6DinnerwithFriendJaniceisayoungAmericanengineerworkingforamanufacturingjointventurenearNanjing.SheandherhusbandGeorge,whoisteachingEnglishatauniversity,arelearningChineseandenjoyingtheirnewlife.TheyhavebeeneagertogettoknowChinesepeoplebettersotheywerepleasedwhenLiuLingling,Janice’syoungco-workerinvitedthemtoherhomefordinner.WhenJaniceandGeorgearrived，LinglingintroducedthemtoherhusbandYangFeng,askedthemtositdownatatablecontaining8platesofvariouscolddishes,servedthemteaandthendisappearedwithherhusbandintothekitchen.AfterafewminutesLinglingcamebackandaddedwatertotheirtea.JaniceofferedtohelpinthekitchenbutLinglingsaidshedidn’tneedhelp.SheinvitedthecoupletolookattheirnewCDplayerandtheircolorfulTVandthendisappearedagain.Ahalf-hourlatershecamebackandsatdownandthethreebegantoeat.YangFengcameinfromtimetotimetoputdishafterhotdishonthetable.MostofthefoodwaswonderfulbutneitherGeorgenorJanicecouldeatthefattyporkinpeppersauceortheeacucumbers,andtherewasmuchmorethantheycouldeat.TheykeptwishingYangFengwouldsitdownsotheycouldtalktohim.Finallyhedidsitdowntoeatabit,butquicklyturnedontheTVtoshowthemallitshightechingfeatures.Soonitwastimetogohome.GeorgeandJanicefeltslightlydepressedbythisexperience,butreturnedtheinvitationtwoweekslater.TheydecidedtomakeaniceAmericanmealandfeltluckytofindolives,tomatojuice,crackersandasappetizers.Forthemaincoursetheypreparedspaghettiandasaladwithdressingmadefromoil,vinegar,andsomespicestheyfoundinthemarket.WhenLiuLinglingandYangFengarrivedtheywereimpressedbytheapartmentandaskedthepriceoftheTV,videoplayer,vacuumcleanerandotherthings.Janicepolitelyrefusedtoanswertheirquestions.TheytooksmalltastesoftheappetizersandseemedsurprisedwhenbothGeorgeandJanicesatdownwiththem.Theyateonlyalittlespaghettianddidnotfinishthesaladontheirplates.Georgeurgedthemtoeatmorebuttheyrefusedandlookedaroundexpectantly.JuniceandGeorgetalkedabouttheirfamiliesandjobsandaskedthetableandservedcoffeeandpastries.YangFengandLinglingeachputfourspoonsofsugarsintotheircoffeebutdidnotdrinkmuchofitandateonlyabiteortwoofpastry.Aftertheyleft,Georgesaidthatatleasttheyhadachancetotalk,butJanicewasupset.“Welefttheirplacesofullthatwecouldn’twalkandthey’regoingtohavetoeatagainwhentheygethome.Whatwentwrong?分析：中西方饮食习惯大大的不同。中国人邀请客人会准备一大桌子的菜，并在就餐过程中使劲劝说客人多吃点，吃完之后，还有剩菜，就表明主人的盛情款待。而西方人一不劝吃，二就餐完毕后，盘子最好是空的。本案列中的两对中外夫妇不明这个文化差异，发生误解就是自然而然的事了。Case7CanWeTalkAboutIt?LindaCarmichaellivesinaCanadiancitywithhertwo-year-oldadoptedChinesedaughterMing.LindaisabusyprofessionalwomanandasingleparentwhowantsherdaughtertospeakChineseandknowthecultureshewasborninto.ForthisreasonLindainvitesnewChineseimmigrantstoliveinasparebedroominherhouse.Shealwaysinterviewsprospectivehousematesbeforetheymovein.Shewantstoavoidanymisunderstandingsbymakingherexpectationsclear,andshewantseveryonewholivesinthehousetobenefit.Amongotherthings,shewantstoseehowMinglikesanynewpersonwhomightlivewiththem.SheexpectsanewresidentinherhometoagreetosharehouseworkandtospeakChinesetoMing.InexchangeLindaagreestohelpwithEnglishandanyotherproblemsthenewlyarrivedimmigrantmightfaceinadaptingtolifeinCanada.Lindaliked32-year-oldJiangYumei,anengineerfromnortheastChina,immediatelywhenshecameforherinterview,andsodidMing.JiangYumeithoughtthiswouldbeanidealplacetospendthesixmonthsshehadtowaituntilherhusbandand4-year-oldsoncouldjoinher.TheylivedwithJiangYumei’sparents,wheresheandherhusbandhadlivedsincetheymarried.Shehadneverlivedapartfromherparentsexcepttobeabletolivewithafamily.ShereadilyagreedtoeverythingLindasaidduringtheinterview.AfterafewweeksLindanoticedthatJiangYumeiseldomdidanyhousework.Shedidnotevencleanupafterherself,soLindahadmorehouseworkthanbeforeJiangYumeimovedin.LindahelpedJiangYumeiwithEnglishandjobapplications,andpracticedjobinterviewwithher.AtthesametimeJiangYumeididnotseemtospendmuchtimewithMing.LindagaveJiangYumeisomelightenedreminderssuchasjokingabouthowshehateshouseworkorsaying,”Ming,tellmewhatyoudidthisafternoon.”Thisdidnotproduceanypositiveresult,soLindadecidedtodiscusstheproblemdirectly.OneeveningatthekitchentableLinasaid,“Ithinkwehavesomecrossedlinesofcommunication.Understoodthatwehadacertainagreementbetweenus,butyouobviouslyunderstoodsomethingdifferent.Canwetalkaboutit?”JiangYumeiwassilentandstaredatthetable.Lindatriedagain,“IhopedyouwouldspendmoretimewithMing,Youtwogotalongsowellatfirst.Shelikesyouandisdisppointedthatyoudon’tplaywithher.”JiangYumeididnotsayanything.ShedidnotlookatLinda.Herbodystiffened,herfaceturnedred,andshestaredatthefloor.Lindatriedagain,“I’mnotangry,justconfused,tellmewhatyou’rethinking,Iwanttounderstandyourpointofview.”Moresilence.FinallyLindacouldnottolerateJiangYumei’ssilenceanylonger.Shewasangrywhenshesaid,“Youknow,inthiscultureit’sveryrudetostaysilentwhensomeoneistryingweryhardtoresolveamisunderstanding.”ThenextdayLindawenttoseeherfriendLiuQian,whohadlivedinCanadaforoverayear.LiulistenedtoLinda’sstoryandsaid,“She’sangry!”ThiswasasurprisetoLinda.“Whatissheangryabout?Whywon’tshetalktome?”Lindaneverfoundout.JiangYumeimovedoutsoonafter.分析：中国人较含蓄内敛，而外国人热情外向。所以本案列中，一加拿大人为了帮助自己的养女学习中文，找了一个中国移民来家里生活，但是由于双方的性格差异和文化差异，在日常生活中常会发生一些冲突。Case8LinhuahasaccompaniedanAmericandelegationtovisitChina.TheyhaveexperiencedthehospitalityoftheChinesepeople.AfterreturningtoAmerica分析：在中国，为了表示热情好客，人们往