跨文化交际英语论文

2024年3月15日发(作者：诚实的重要性)

大学生跨文化交际中的障碍和能力的培养

A brief analysis of the application of

body language in cross-cultural Communication

Specialty: English

Name:

Student ID:

Advisor:

College of Foreign Languages

Nov , 2013

Acknowledgements

In writing this paper, I want to thank all my teachers ,for their teaching and kind support,

their continuous encouragement and massive help during the years. To the my twenty six

classmates who helped me with my rearch, for their enthusiastic participation;To my friends in

shijiazhuang, beijing, Liverpool, Western Ontario encouragement and great support.

Second, I would like to express my heartfe lt gratitude to professors Fu Tianjun, my advisor

who spent much of his precious time discussing with me and helping me to narrow the topic at

the initial stages, as well as showing great concern for my progress. I am deeply indebted for his

assistance in helping me to accomplish this study. Without his encouragement and specific

guidance, the completion of this thesis would have been impossible. In addition, he has been

very kind to me whenever I confronted problems during the project.

Also, I hereby express my sincere gratitude to my classmates and roommates, who helped

me to do the data collection I needed for this project. They have generously offered their help at

the preparatory stage during this study. Finally, I thank the subjects who cooperation and

participation contributed to the very basis for this rearch work.

Abstract

In the 21st century, as the economic and cultural exchanging of all countries becomes

more and more frequent, there appear more obstacles caud by the differences of language and

culture. In intercultural communication, one of the most uful ways to deal with the obstacles is

to master the meaning of body language. However, even if we understand the meaning of some

general body language, there are also some difficulties to master becau even the same body

language has great differences in different culture background and have different social functions.

This article devotes to a comparison and contrast of body language in different cultures in terms

of eye language, gestures, postures, facial expressions and touch. Using body languages wrongly

makes you fail in interpersonal communications, which would cau conflict in international

communication. So what are the differences of the same body language in different country?

How to apply body language correctly? In this essay, after borrowing and studying the

experience of the forefathers, the author analyzes the various usages and functions of body

language in different culture background. It aims to illustrate the differences and similarities of

body language and put forward the principles of reducing barriers in communication so as to

achieve efficient communication and to avoid misunderstanding.

Key Words: intercultural communication; cultural difference;body language;

摘 要

21世纪， 随着国际经济文化交流的加深，由于语言，文化的差异而产生的障碍随时

都可能存在，在跨文化交际中，消除障碍的最有效的方法就是了解身势语的含义。然而即

使我们对常用的身势语有所了解，我们仍然面临着一些困难，身势语含义千变万化，即使

同一身势语在不同的文化背景都有不同的含义，行使着不同的社会功能。本文致力于从目

光语，手势语，身体姿态，面部表情，体触语方面对不同文化的身势语进行对比。错误地

用身势语不仅会使我们在跨文化交际中失败，而且会造成和外国朋友之间的冲突，所以怎

样正确地使用身势语，怎样理解身势语的差异都非常重要，该篇论文中作者在借鉴前人成

果的基础上分析了各种身势语在不同文化背景下的用法和功能。目的在于通过列举身势语

的文化差异与共性，并提出交际中遵循的原则，从而促进有效交流,避免误解。

关键词：跨文化交际；文化差异；身体语言

Table of contents

Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………………………… i

Abstract in English ………………………………………………………………………………ii

Abstract in Chine ……………………………………………………………………………iii

Chapter one Introduction……………………………………………………………………3

1.1 Significance of study

1.2 Structure of this paper

Chapter Two Literature Review………………………………………… 3

2.1. Concept of Body Language…………………………………………………………3

2.2. Classification and Functions of Body Language………………….4

2.3. Examples of Body Language………………………………………………………..6

2.4. Necessities of Body Language in Intercultural Communication………………….8

Chapter Three The Differences of Body Language in Various Countries.10

3.1. Eye Contact…………………………………………………………………........10

3.2. Smile………………………………………………………………………….....12

3.3. Body Distance…………………………………………………………………....13

3.4. Touch……………………………………………………………………………..14

3.5. Gestures…………………………………………………………………………..16

Chapter Four The Similarities of Body Language and Their Reasons..…19

4.1. The Similarities of Body Language………………………………………………..19

4.2. The Caus Resulting in the Similarities of Body Language ……………….........20

4.3. The Principles of Reducing Barriers in Communication………………………….20

Chapter Five Conclusion…………………………………….......21

References………………………………………………………………………….. .21

Chapter One

Introduction

1.1 Significance of study

In modern society, most countries in the world communicate with each other frequently,

and at the same time, the people speaking different languages have different cultural background,

way of living, faith of religion, personal values and so on, which take intervene to the

communication of people coming from different country.

When a Chine meet an American friend, would kissing each other be offensive for the

Chine? If two young friends of the same x walk with their arms around each other’s

shoulders would English-speaking people regard this as being proper? Does nodding head mean

‘yes’ and shaking means ‘no’ in all cultures? I’m afraid nobody can give a positive or negative

answer about the above questions, becau the same behavior in different culture has different

meanings. Language is one of the gifts of human being. It lets us share our experiences, helps us

learn from others, and allows us to communicate across time, But language is only one of the

ways we communicate, Gestures and body language communicate as effectively as words,

maybe even more effectively, we can u body language to gather information from our

surroundings too. The more you understand body language and its affect on others, the better you

will be in communicating with co-workers, boss, clients, and others you encounter during the

day. By making simple adjustments to your posture, facial expressions and mannerisms, you can

improve the way others view you. In fact, in some respects our primary means of understanding

each other are two things we have in common with the rest of the animal world: our eyes and our

bodies. Without gestures, our world would be static and colorless “A psychologist propod a

formula: the total impact of message = 7% verbal 38% vocal 55% facial expressions and

behavior.”(徐小丹.跨文化交际中的非言语交际.黑龙江社会科学

，

2004

)

It is clear without body language we can’t finish our informational exchange.

Body language, like verbal language can express emotions, exchange ideas and deliver

information. So we must know the cultural differences of body language to achieve efficient

communication.

1.2

1.3 Purpo of study

Translation “means to reproduce the message in another language.”(Nida, 1999) But

translation is not simply the act of transferring the meaning of a text from one language into

another one, it is a complex and fascinating task that requires much effort. The author of the

paper believes that translation is not only the media of two languages, but also the bridge of two

cultures. It is the culture reappearance.

Tourism text is an information type style or “vocative” style (Jia, 2004). It is full of

descriptions, exotic features and folk cultures of the country of destination. Tourism text deals

with the concept of culture, history and geography (Zheng, 2007). Therefore, tourism translation

has to transfer the meaning and culture in the language. This requires that the translator should

read the text carefully and rearch the meaning of culture. The translator should not only have a

very high attainment of culture, but also have the skills of English communication. In addition,

various translation strategies are indispensable. As two important strategies in the fields of

literature translation and classic translation, domestication and foreignization have aroud fierce

discussion. But the author of this paper us the two strategies in one of the pragmatic translation,

that is, tourism translation.

Through the study in this paper, the author strives to find a good application of

domestication and foreignization in the tourism translation. By the proper and uful application

of the two strategies, the tourism texts could be translated better, and the culture and customs

could be transmitted better. As a result, it will further the progress of the tourism translation and

enrich the pragmatic translation theories.

1.4 Structure of this paper

In this paper, the author discuss the features of tourism texts and puts forward the

principles of the application of domestication and foreignization in tourism translation.

Chapter one is a brief introduction of the study. In this chapter, the author explains the

progress and importance of tourism, and further shows the significance of the tourism translation.

The study in this paper will make contribution to the furtherance and progress of tourism

translation; enrich the tourism translation theories as well as the development of the tourism.

This is exactly the significance of the study.

In chapter two, the author of the paper makes a literature review. The author reviews the

previous study of tourism translation. Many rearchers have studied the tourism translation.

Some study the definition, status and standard of tourism translation; some study the features of

various styles of tourism texts; some deal with the culture factors. Jin Huikang even puts

forwards the nativation and alienation (domestication and foreignization) in IC, which especially

derves further study. Therefore, the author continued the study in this field.

Chapter three analys the features of tourism texts. From four aspects, the author

summarizes the lexical features, syntactic features, stylistic features and culture features of the

tourism texts. English tourism texts and Chine tourism texts have their own characteristics, but

the author discuss the general features of the tourism texts on the whole.

In chapter four, according to the features of tourism text, the author of the paper introduces

the strategies of domestication and foreignization firstly. The readers could have a general

outline of the two strategies. Next, the author explains the situations where we could u the

strategy of domestication in tourism translation. Third, the author discuss the situation where

to u the strategy of foreignization in tourism translation.

Chapter five is the conclusion. In this chapter, the author puts forward the major findings

and suggestions of the study. We could u the strategy of domestication in terms of grammar,

ntence structure and the expressing habits. But when we deal with cultural factors or customs

in tourism translation, we could u the strategy of Foreignization to maintain the exotic features

of the destination country, so as to achieve the goal of the translators. In addition, the author puts

forward the limitations of the study.

1. Introduction

In modern society, most countries in the world communicate with each other frequently,

and at the same time, the people speaking different languages have different cultural background,

way of living, faith of religion, personal values and so on, which take intervene to the

communication of people coming from different country.

When a Chine meet an American friend, would kissing each other be offensive for the

Chine? If two young friends of the same x walk with their arms around each other’s

shoulders would English-speaking people regard this as being proper? Does nodding head mean

‘yes’ and shaking means ‘no’ in all cultures? I’m afraid nobody can give a positive or negative

answer about the above questions, becau the same behavior in different culture has different

meanings. Language is one of the gifts of human being. It lets us share our experiences, helps us

learn from others, and allows us to communicate across time, But language is only one of the

ways we communicate, Gestures and body language communicate as effectively as words,

maybe even more effectively, we can u body language to gather information from our

surroundings too. The more you understand body language and its affect on others, the better you

will be in communicating with co-workers, boss, clients, and others you encounter during the

day. By making simple adjustments to your posture, facial expressions and mannerisms, you can

improve the way others view you. In fact, in some respects our primary means of understanding

each other are two things we have in common with the rest of the animal world: our eyes and our

bodies. Without gestures, our world would be static and colorless “A psychologist propod a

formula: the total impact of message = 7% verbal 38% vocal 55% facial expressions and

behavior.”(徐小丹.跨文化交际中的非言语交际.黑龙江社会科学

，

2004

)

It is clear without body language we can’t finish our informational exchange.

Body language, like verbal language can express emotions, exchange ideas and deliver

information. So we must know the cultural differences of body language to achieve efficient

communication.

2. The Differences of Body Language in Various Countries

2.1. Eye Contact

As saying goes “The eyes are the windows of the soul”. That is to say, we can read one’s

mind through his/her eyes. Eye language can express complicated feelings and it is an important

way to judge the intimacy of communicators. People from English speaking countries have more

eye contact when they are in conversation. According to American tradition, communicators

must gaze at each other. “But there are many rules about eye language: Whether to look at the

other communicator or not; when it is the time to look at them, how long we can look at; who we

can look at and who we can’t; they all imply different meanings in communication.” In Juliet’s

Faster’s book Body Language, there is a paragraph that can explain the problem. “Two strangers

sit face to face in the dinning room in a train; they can introduce themlves to each other. When

they are eating, they can talk anything el. They also can avoid eye contact and do not show

interest in each other. A writer described this situation in an article “They look over the menu

again and again, play with knives and look at their nails. It ems that they look at them for the

first time. If their eyes meet, they will turn away immediately and look out of the window.”

(1) Americans pay great attention to the time and the way of eye contact. In common

conversation, they will look at each other about one minute and then they will look away. If two

Americans gaze at each other, which indicate they are intimate. In North America, the children

there have learned to look at the other communicator directly. If they don’t, they are regarded

lack of enthusiasm or confidence. They believe the saying “Never trust a person who can’t look

you in the eyes.”

(2) If two Arabians are in conversation, they will look at each other warmly. Becau they

think eyes are the key of their existence. But in American eyes, they think this behavior is

unsuitable or a homoxual behavior. The educated Englishmen believe direct eye contact with

our communicators is gentlemanly. But Swede u eye language more often than Englishmen.

And the French especially like to look attentively at the other communicators with admiration.

Japane often look at the other communicator’s neck when they are in conversation. They

believe eye contact is impolite. And Chine consider gazing people is an unfriendly behavior

and it is a challenge. Some South American Indians ud to look at different directions when

they are talking. In the Middle East, it is considered extremely provocative for a woman to let a

man catch her eyes, let alone, return his gaze.

(3) Another example, Americans have a trip to a village and the local people stare at them.

They are annoyed and think the local people are rude. In fact, it is normal in the village. They are

just curious. American social psychologist Michael Argyle found out: People who like each

other have more eye contact than people who dislike each other. In communication, looking

down frequently can indicate submissiveness or embarrassment. Looking away constantly may

express dissatisfaction. Females are likely to communicate with more eye contact, especially

among females. But too long eye contact will cau embarrassment. Most people feel uneasy and

uncomfortable under the strong staring. When people always stare at us, we will feel we are

threatened or suspect their sincerity. From what is mentioned above we can conclude that

different cultural background has a great influence on body language. And eye language also

reflects different cultures and believes. So we need to obrve and compare and contrast

carefully so as to improve cultural exchange and to blend well.

2.2. Smile

Smiles are an important facial expression. They show interest, excitement, empathy,

concern; they create an upbeat, positive environment. Smiles can, however, be overud. Often,

men smile when they are plead; women smile to plea. You know which is the most powerful!

To gain and increa respect, first establish your prence in a room, then smile. It is far more

professional than to enter a room giggling or all smiles.

Smile indicates pleasure, either that you are generally happy or are enjoying the other

person’s company or that you are amud by something in particular, such as a joke. A full smile

engages the whole face, particularly including the eyes, which crea and twinkle. Smiling with

lips only is often falhood, where the person wants to convey pleasure or approval but is

actually feeling something el. This fal smile is known as the Duchene smile, after the

scientists who first described it in 1862. Fal smiles also tend to last for longer. A genuine smile

is often asymmetric and usually larger on the right side of the face. A fal smile may be more

symmetrical or larger on the left side of the face. Lowering the jaw to show a D-shaped mouth

can be a fal smile as it is easy to do. It may also be a deliberate signal of amument and an

invitation to laugh. Smiling without opening the mouth, and particularly with lips firmly presd

together, may indicate embarrassment about unsightly teeth. It may also be a suppression of

words (I can e the funny side, but I'm not going to comment.).A half-smile, on one side of the

face, may indicate cynicism, sarcasm or uncertainty (Sorry, I don't buy that idea.).Smiling is also

a sign of submission as the person effectively says “I am nice and not a threat”. Smiling in some

cultures indicates a question or that you want the other person to speak.

When people talk about smile it means friendliness and happiness in most situations, but a

tribe of Saudi Arabia thinks smile is the expression of unfriendly. If a boy wants to fall in love

with a girl there, don’t smile; a smile can blow him off. In China and English-speaking country,

smiles stand for friendliness and happiness. However, in some special occasions, especially when

people feel embarrasd, Chine the Western people can disgust people’s smile. One story can

tell us the different cognition about smiles between Chine and English-speaking countries. A

Chine couple held a party in their home and invited a foreign friend, but the foreign friends

broke up a glass with a heavy hand, so he felt very sorry and embarrass, but the Chine people

broke out laughter voice, which made the foreign fiends flush and feel more embarrasd, Who

thought they were laughed at, but actually the Chine people just means that “take it easy”. In

China, smiles have many kinds of different meanings, such as “appreciation”, “acceptance”,

“disapproval”, “it doesn’t matter” and so on.

2.3. Body Distance

Psychologists discover any person needs personal space, yet skins are not the boundary of

personal space, bubbles encircle their personal spaces and other people can’t break in at will.

Let’s talk about the Culture Difference about Body Distance. Arab and Spanish try to stand

clo to show friendliness. In their culture standing cloly is the manner of the people when

they converge. They stand clo as possible as they can as if they want to smell the smells of the

partner; Englishman wants to keep their personal space when they talk with the others, so pay

attention not to taking up the partners’ space; Chine people conform with the principle of

non-touching culture during the conversation. They keep a moderate distance when talking with

others. There is a very interesting picture when Englishmen talk with Arab. The Arab, showing

amicable to Englishman, will walk clo to the Englishman, but the latter continues moving back.

The Arab moves forward to be clor again, but the Englishman keeps moving backward. By the

end of the conversation, the two people may be quite a distance from the place where they were

originally standing!

We have just talk about the personal space above. Everyone needs specific personal space,

but it em that the relationship of parents and children between China and American have great

differences. Natural affection is most divine in Chine people’s eyes, and children are more

important than any thing el, so Chine parents are always busy for children all life. They are

worried about children’s eating, clothing, sleeping and try any way to pave rode for children’s

future; they hope their children stay with them and obey with all the arrangement of them.

Completely contrary to Chine parents, western mother would rather children earn their own

life independently, they don’t interfere with children’s private affairs including marriage.

With the further deepening of culture exchange and corporation of the world, the

opportunities of corporation with foreign people are keeping increasing. We will learn to be on

the other’s shoes to think about things. The important things to keep in mind is that most

English-speaking people do not like people to be too clo when doing communication, however,

being too far apart, of cour, may be impolite, being too clo makes people uneasy, we should

learn and distinguish how to u body distance according to different situation in intercultural

communication.

2.4. Touch

Usually, physical contact can only happen in two cas: intimate distance and personal

distance, people can only embrace, kiss, fondle and cuddle in the ca of intimate distance, and

can only touch, hold hands, gazes at each others facial behavior cloly in the ca of personal

distance. Mentioned above, Arab prefer narrow body distance during conversation, so no matter

at home or in public, they like staying together in a crowded room, even some people think

touching no is also a best manners to express one’s affections according to their own custom.

Although American often takes kissing each other as a manner of greeting, however, they will be

quite repugnant about the above-mentioned two kinds of conventions. In their eyes, intimate

distance can be only proper for the clost person. They will try to avoid body touch with

common friends and acquaintances even in crowed elevator. If some one touch others slightly or

not intentionally they will say, “I am sorry” quickly, or who will be thought of shamelessly. That

phenomenon is obvious becau America have a strong n of personal space.

(1) In China, people greet with each other with head nodding, smile, hand shaking and so

on. Even good friends just hold hands for a short time or hammer softly on the other friend’s

shoulder. As for hand shaking, people in North America shake hands when they greet with each

other. As children, they have learnt to hold other people’s hands tightly. East Asian people often

shake hands slightly; becau they think tight hand shaking means challenge. Nowadays, hand

shaking has become a custom to show hospitality and friendliness in many countries. But the

way of hand shaking is a little different. For example,

(2) The French will shake hands with his host when they come into and leave the host’s

hou. But Germans only shake hands only with their host when they come into the hou. Some

Africans will make a sound by fingers after hand-shaking to show freedom. And Chine shake

hands for a short time and loo and then they stand away from each other. But Chine shake

hands tightly and keep clor to express politeness and respect.

(3) In English speaking countries, people ud to hug or kiss each other in public between

males and females, which is unacceptable and only exists between lovers and couples in private

in China. In America, common friends and acquaintances will avoid body touch. Even in the

elevator, body touch is not allowed. Touching the other people slightly or unconsciously, people

will say “Sorry”, “Very Sorry”, “Excu me” in a hurry to express apology. Or they will be

abud. In western countries, people particularly mind their private space, which often reprents

people’s privacy and intimacy. But Chine pay less attention to their private space. It is

crowded in China becau of a large population. So Chine have got ud to it and they often

show their understanding and tolerance. Though Japane also pay less attention to private space,

they have strict rules in body touching. Arabians like body touching. Whether at home or in

public, they like to be together and often hug together when they meet. Even they often touch

each other’s no and smell each other, which will frighten Englishmen and American. In

English speaking countries, like America and Britain, females often hug males and kiss their

faces to say goodbye. And in East Asian countries and western countries, males ldom hug but

often shake hands to show welcome. Japane often show welcome by bowing. In the countries

like Arab, Russia, France, East Europe and some countries at the bank of the Mediterranean,

males often hug tightly and kiss each other’s cheeks to show welcome. People living in Latin

America also do the same thing. It is common to e youth of the same x hold hands and hug

in China. But in English speaking countries, it will be regarded homoxuality. “Scientists have

made a survey on “touch” for the people from different countries. They spent an hour obrving

the people in couples in café and counting their touching times: Englishmen-0; Americans-2;

French-10; Puerto Rico-18.” In daily life, when teachers encourage their students or leaders

appreciate their employees, they will pat their shoulders to express encouragement.

2.5. Gestures

Do we expect other cultures to adopt our customs or are we willing to adopt theirs? This

might translate to how business or even foreign relations are to be conducted. Do we

compromi or force others peoples to deal only on our terms? We may not have time to hear a

language, but taking time to learn the “signals” is a powerful communicator.

As the global village continues to shrink and cultures collide, it is esntial for all of us to

become more nsitive, more aware, and more obrvant to the myriad motions, gestures, and

body language that surround us each day. And as many of us cross over cultural borders, it

would be fitting for us to respect, learn, and understand more about the effective, yet powerful

“silent language” of gestures.

The world is a giddy montage of vivid gestures- traffic police, street vendors, expressway

drivers, teachers, children on playground, athletes with their exuberant hugging, clenched fists

and “high fives.” People all over the world u their hands, heads, and bodies to communicate

expressively.

Without gestures, our world would be static and colorless. The social anthropologists

Edward T. Hall claim 60 percent of all our communication is nonverbal. In that ca, how can

we possibly communicate with one another without gestures?

Gestures and body language communicate as effectively as words- maybe even more

effectively. We u gestures daily, almost instinctively, from beckoning to a waiter, or

punctuating a business prentation with visual signals to airport ground attendants guiding an

airline pilot into the jet way or a parent using a whole dictionary of gestures to teach (or preach

to) a child.

Gestures are woven inextricably in to our social lives, but also that the “vocabulary” of

gestures, can be at once informative but also dangerous. Gestures can be

menacing (two drivers on a freeway), warm (an open-armed welcome).

Bear in mind that the following gestures are in general u, but there may always be

exceptions. In recent years, Western and contemporary values and ideas have become more

popular and has either influenced, altered, and even replaced, some of the more traditional

gestures, understanding human behavior is tricky stuff. No two people behave in precily the

same way. Nor do people from the same culture all perform exactly the same gestures and body

language uniformly. For almost any gestures there will probably be a minority within a given

nationality who might say, “Well, some might attach that meaning to it, but to me ”

and then they will provide a different interpretation.

Hand gesture is one of the most common body language. Owing to different custom and

culture, even if the same gestures maybe have great differences. Most people know the gesture of

“ok” – thumb circle with forefinger means ok, the gesture of raising the thumb means all things

go well, raising forefinger means number ‘one’ in general situation, but which may have

different meanings even opposite meaning in some place of Latin America, the gesture of

“thumb circle with forefinger” have the meaning of insulting. In 1950s, Richard Nixon, the vice

president of America went to visit Latin America. He made gesture of “ok” to the crowd waiting

at the airport after he took off airplanes, which of cour ignite the local people, and they made a

lot hiss at once. In fact Nixon’s gesture just means “every well, thank you, I’m very well”. But

the Local people thought it means defiance, becau some counties have attitude of antagonism

to American, the gesture of the president became the top line of paper next day. The gesture of

“ok” in France can mean unworthiness or be over; Japane people think this kind of gesture as

sign of money, so when a western entrepreneur deal with Japane, don’t u gesture “ok” to

express agreement to sign contract, or Japane man will think you want to get bribe.

Raising the big thumb also has different meaning in some countries in American and

European, which means hitchhiking, but Nigeria think it means being rude, so if foreign visitor

to Nigeria wants to take a taxi with the gesture of raising the big thumb, who would be hit,

becau the driver will think you are outraging him.

If somebody like using thumb to express number, he or she also should pay attention.

People often think rising fore thumb as number one, but in Germany raising big thumb means

“one”, fore thumb means “two”. So if someone wants to drink one glass of bear in Germany,

don’t forget the local custom of the finger and avoid making a fool.

In a very general n, we all u gestures to reinforce an idea or to help describe

something. When we say, “That’s an English book”, at the same time we are pointing to the

book. If someone asks us the way to the library, we point to the right, adding a little information

about it, which will be more clear and concrete. We may literally roll up our sleeves when

talking about cleaning up the room, It ems natural to clench our first or perhaps even proud the

lectern to let everyone realize the importance of our message when trying to communicate a

strong feeling, which emphasizes our words. In classroom, it is unnecessarily stand in front of

the blackboard for the teacher at the whole time. The teacher may move from behind the lectern

when they wait to be informed; move to the right or left when making a major point so that they

can communicate with students very well and enhance his or her teaching quality.

However, exaggerated body movement, we should say, can cau harm, too, just as a saying

goes, Going too far is as bad as not going far enough. This teacher must avoid overdone

movement becau it can be so distracting, to the students that it los track of what the teacher

is saying. Some of us have such feeling, that is, in a class or speech, we become more interested

in the speaker’s motion than we do in the speaker’s message when we e the speaker pace and

forth in front of us. At last we just remember the movement of the speaker, but get nothing about

the information. The same is true in any context. If a body movement distracts from the idea, it is

damaging.

Of cour, there are also many other gestures, for instance, head movement; shaking the

head. Gestures and body language communicate as effectively as words- maybe even more

effectively. We u gestures daily, almost instinctively, from beckoning to a waiter, or

punctuating a business prentation with visual signals to airport ground attendants guiding an

airline pilot into the jet way or a parent using a whole dictionary of gestures to teach (or preach

to) a child. (Samovar L. A., 1981)

3. The Similarities of Body Language and Their Reasons

3.1. The Similarities of Body Language

We have discusd different cultural meanings of body language and its cau. Though

different cultures result in different body languages, they also have common features. For

example, master of comedy, Chaplin was very popular with people all over the world becau of

his humorous behavior in the silent films during 1920s and 1930s. Now, let’s go on the

similarities of body language.

Charles Darwin mentioned in his book Emotional Expression of Human and Animal. This

book discusd whether the same expressions and postures suggested the same meaning both for

human and animals. And he asked people all around the world and collected their possible

replies. Surprisingly, the answers were almost same, especially on facial expressions. Heading

nodding often means agreement or greeting in most countries. And shaking one’s head often

means disagreement or “No”.

If a person is hurt, he/she will cry to express painfulness. And we smile when are happy.

Waving one’s hand means goodbye. Even some Chine and English expressions and their

meanings are totally same. For example, patting on the back means encouragement and

appreciation. Pulling a long face indicates unhappiness and anger. Being all smile means

happiness, standing with folded arms means indifference and so on.

3.2 The Caus Resulting in the Similarities of Body Language

We can analyze the reason why different cultures have the same meaning on body language

from psychology, linguistics, anthropology, cult urology, and mi logy, philosophy and so on.

From anthropology, body language is the symbols and a tool of human communication. Human

beings have the same ancestor, which determines the similarities of body language. Nowadays,

with the development of the world, people from different cultures communicate more and more

often. We have more chance to exchange culture and economy. The expert, McLuhan compare

the world to “global village” to describe the world, which means the world becoming smaller

and smaller becau of more and more communication. On the one hand, people from east world

have accepted the body language from west world, such as thumbing a ride, shrugging, “OK”

gesture, “V” gesture and so on. On the other hand, with rapid development of East Asia and

Southeast Asia, the body language from east world has a great influence on that of the west

world. In the communication of east and west people, many westerners have learned Chine

customs and etiquettes

3.3. The Principles of Reducing Barriers in Communication

As an old saying goes “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” It is the main principle in

communication. This principle refers that communicators should respect and understand the

culture of the other nations and eliminate the interference of their own cultures. According to this

principle, we should know the differences of their customs, believes and their connotations of

body language. For example,

(1) In China, people will give chrysanthemum to the patient. But French people never do

this. Becau they think chrysanthemum is ud in funerals.

But we should pay attention to two points, when we apply this principle. On the one hand, we

should not worship and imitate the whole body language blindly. On the other hand, we should

not be trapped in the fixed mode of cultures. For example,

(2) People think Americans behave informally in any situation and Englishmen are always

conrvative. In fact, all communicative modes change with the differences of time, situation and

contents.

The other principle indicates that we should conclude the rules by comparison and

contrasts of different cultures and excludes the interferences of cultures to avoid cultural

confliction. In the application of this principle, we should keep a tolerant attitude towards the

differences of cultures, believes, customs and so on to avoid prejudice and superiority.

So in the communication, we can make full u of the principles, exclude fixed mode of

culture and keep open and understanding attitude towards cultural differences.

Conclusion

This essay mainly talks about the body language and introduce some kinds of commonly

ud body language and their different us in different cultural background. From the study of

body language above, we know how important of body language and how complicated it is. I

believe which can help the readers succeed in intercultural communications.

The study of body language should be complementary to the study of language. The

understanding about body language should be helpful in the further understanding of other

foreign country’s language, but during the process of studying body language, there are some

difficult places people should pay more attention to. a specific kind of culture tradition, national

spirit, cultural character deeply originate from a specific society and nation. So people can’t

ignore of the sanction and influence of the culture, and should know the meaning of body

language in different countries and distinguish out the same body language’s u in different

culture background. Therefore, there are six principles to conform to, which can help people treat

culture difference correctly, which are: Excluding the feeling of cultural superiority; excluding

cultural prejudice; treating other people’s custom correctly; treating themlves’ custom

correctly; respecting mutually; and equally communicating. If people can do well all above they

would be quite successful in intercommunication.

In short, body language is a kind of magical tool in intercultural communication, even if

two speakers coming from different countries can’t speak each other’s language, they can

understand each other smoothly by hand gesture, facial behavior, eye contact and so on. There

are still some disadvantages in this paper, I hope readers can point out and give valuable advice.

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