Body Language in Intercultural Communication 英语专业毕业论文.doc

Body Language in Intercultural Communication Contents 摘 要 i Abstractii 1. Introduction1 1.1 Definition of Body Language 1 1.2 The Significance of Body Language1 2. Classification and Function of Body Language.2 2.1Classification of Body Language2 2.1.1 Classification According to Body Parts2 2.1.2 Classified By the Way of the Movements 5 2.1.3 The Most Common Ways of Classification5 2.2Function of Body Language6 3. The Differences and Application of Body Language 7 3.1 The Distance 7 3.2 Eye Contact9 3.3 Gesture .9 3.4 Postures12 3.4.1 The Same Posture Conveying Different Meanings in Different Cultures 12 3.4.2 Different Posture Conveying the Same Meaning in Different Cultures .14 3.5 Facial Expression.14 3.6 Touch .15 4. The Change of Modern Body Language16 5. Conclusion .17 Bibliography 18 i 摘 要 身势语作为非语言交际，在跨文化交际中有着不可忽视的重要作用。无论 一个人是坐着还是站着，是微笑亦或是眨眼，他都在传递着一定的信息。每个 国家都有自己的文化，所以身势语言也不尽相同。即使是在同一个文化地域， 有时候相同的身势语言可能也会有不同的含义。例如，一个人微笑可能是因为 他高兴，因为他想表达他对说话对象的友善、赞同和满意的态度，但也可能是 心生不满而暗地讽刺所不自觉表露的出来的表情。另外，当一个人极度悲伤的 时候，也可能会用笑来掩饰内心的痛苦。根据维基百科的记录，在一个人所传 递出的信息中，有 60%-70%的信息是来自于非语言的行为，即，身势语。所以， 只有了解其他国家和文化的人在说话同时所表现出来的手势、身体的姿势、眼 神等等身势语，才能与他们进行准确有效的交流。本文旨在详细分析各肢体语 言的功能，及在不同国家肢体语言的差异与应用，以达到流畅无阻，合理有效 的中外交流。 关键词：身势语 中外交流 功能 ii Abstract Body language, which is the nonverbal behavior, plays a vital role in intercultural communication. One sits, stands, smiles, winks, etc，all can convey his information, attitude and emotion. Each body language in different country has different meaning. Even on particular occasion, the same body language in the same country may have different significance. For example, we can observe ones smile when he is speaking, which can indicate his happiness, friendliness, approval, satisfaction, satire, dread, sadness and etc. According to Wikipedia, research has suggested that between 60 and 70 percent of all meaning is derived from nonverbal behavior. So in order to communicate effectively in a foreign language, one should know the gestures, body movements, mannerisms. that accompany a particular language. This paper explains in detail on body language functions, differences and application in intercultural communication for the purpose of fluent and effective communication. Key words: body language, intercultural communication, function 1 1. Introduction 1.1 Definition of Body Language According to Wikipedia, Body language is a form of nonverbal communication, consisting of body pose, gestures, and eye movements. Humans send and interpret such signals unconsciously. Body language, which goes with the verbal communication, is an important tool of human communication. In general sense, the study of body language began in 1950s. The Oxford Advanced Learners English-Chinese Dictionary definition is: “Body 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 word.” The Oxford English dictionary (revised 2005) definition is:” Body language, noun, the conscious and unconscious movements and postures by which attitudes and feelings are communicated. For example: his intent was clearly expressed in his body language.” 1.2 The Significance of Body Language People couldnt live without each other because we are social beings. As soon as we are in contact with others we are communicating. It is quite significance to talk with other when a person tells others who has been the winner of yesterday's football match, when he would like to know how his son's performance at school, when he buy some beef home to make steak. Still, those words are inadequate. For example, we cant tell each other easily that how we feel about each other, or how the word of a message to be interpreted. To make such meaning more clearly we use body language. Somebody was watching TV, reading newspapers, listening to radio, chatting, or even he expressed his look while sitting silently, which indicates that he is communicating with others all the time. Even Language is an important tool of human communication, it is not the only tool. It is impossible not to have the verbal behavior in humans communication, but the non-verbal communication goes with the verbal 2 communication. Body language is different from speaking because it could be used between different countries. In other words, everybody uses body language. The people from one country can communicate with another from outside country by body language. However, each nation has his own culture and custom. The large numbers of it are quite different, even are contrary. The wrong way to use it may lead to confusion. Whats more, the wrong body language that used between international communications may lead to misunderstanding between two countries. Body language is a way to express ones inner world noiselessly. It is the most outstanding tool of non-verbal communication. Body language is irreplaceable, which can represent peoples psychological activities richly and accurately. According to psychological statistics, the 50% messages are conveyed by body language between a face-to-face communications. Evidence said that the average time of speaking only account for 10% of the time of ones daily communication. It means that the time for communication except speaking is using body language, consciously or not. Even on some occasion, it is better to use body language to express than speaking. Just as an old saying goes, the moment when silence could speak much more than speech. 2. Classification and Function of Body Language 2.1Classification of Body Language 2.1.1 Classification According to Body Parts The first kind is body language about hands and arm. This kind of body language is used with hands, arm or fingers. For example, salute, snap ones finger at/in somebodys face, lay a finger on somebody/something, thumb ones nose at somebody, thumb a lift, and etc. The second one is about face. It always expresses by eyebrows, eyes, nose or mouth. Such as make sheeps eyes at somebody, frown, pout, tip somebody the wink, and etc. The third kind is about head, which often do it with 3 head as nodding. Then is the fourth one with shoulder. For instance, shrug ones shoulder. The last but not the least is the kind with leg such as stamp ones foot, keel down and kick. The author makes the followed table for a better understanding. Part of body signal Possible meanings (in large majority of countries) Finger pointing at a person Aggression, threat, emphasis Hand on heart Believed Finger pointing in the air. Hand chop Emphasis Forefinger and middle finger curving up and down Quote-unquote Index finger and thumb touching at tips Satisfaction, OK Thumb(s) up Positive approval, agreement, all well Thumb(s) down Disapproval failure Rubbing hands together Anticipation, relish Hand(s) clamped over mouth Suppression, shock Touching or scratching nose, while speaking Lying or exaggeration Crossed arms Defensiveness, reluctance Gripping own upper arms Insecurity One arm across body clasping other arm by side Nervousness (women use this gesture. Men tend not to.) Hands and arm Arms held behind body Confidence, authority 4 with hands clasped Looking right Creating, fabricating, guessing, lying, storytelling Looking left Recalling, remembering, retrieving facts. Direct eye contact when speaking Honesty, or faked honesty Direct eye contact when listening Attentiveness, interest, attraction Blinking frequently Excitement, pressure Blinking infrequently Various (this signal can mean different meaning . It can be signed unless combine with other signals) Eyebrow raising Greeting, recognition, acknowledgement eyes Winking Friendly, acknowledgement, complicity(e.g., sharing a secret or joke) laughter Relaxation Biting lip tension Chewing pen or pencil Self-comforting Nail biting Frustration, suppression Hand clamped over mouth Suppression, holding back, shock mouth Pasted smile (It is appears quickly or fixed longer than a natural smile, and seems not to extend to Faked smile 5 eyes.) Head nodding Agreement Slow head nodding Attentive listening Fast head nodding Hurry up, impatience Head held high Superiority, fearlessness, arrogance Head shaking Disagreement Head down Negative, disinterested, defeat, tiredness head Chin up Pride, defiance, confidence Seated, legs close together Nervousness, seriousness legs Seated, with legs relaxed or Putting one leg over another when sitting Arbitrary, relaxed 2.1.2 Classified By the Way of the Movements Body language falls into three categories according to different movements: simple, complicated, and compound language. (a) Simple body language, which only needs one movement to finish it such as nodding and snap the fingers. (b) Complicated body language, which needs several different actions to compose it. For instance make the signs of the cross and swagger. (c) Compound language, which, is finished by several same movements such as shaking hands and clapping ones hands. 2.1.3 The Most Common Ways of Classification In the intercultural communication, the most common way to classify the body language is by the movement of human body. Samovar used the term “body behavior”, 6 and classified it into appearance, body movement, facial expression, eye management, touching, sub-language, and so on. The classification by Knapp is gesture, body movement, extremities movement, hand movement, head movement, facial expression, eye management, posture, and so on. Brosnahan use “gesture” to refer to touching, space, appearance posture, body behavior, arm movement, leg movement, hand movement, head movement, facial expression, eye management, noisy and silent decorations, the environment, and so on. From all these ways of classification, we can know that body language mainly includes the movement of every part of a mans body. This paper will explain in detail about the distance between people conversing, eye management, gesture, posture, facial expression and touching differences in different cultures from the intercultural view. 2.2Function of Body Language As the most important part of nonverbal communication, body language, like verbal language, has important functions. Many Behaviorists researching have proved, the gesture of human such as yawning, crossing arms before chest or changing the standing gesture is to meet physiological needs or is an expressing from mind world unconsciously. But in many cases, body language is an important tool of self-expression actively. According to some Japanese scholars, body language can be classified into five functions at least as followed. (a) To emphasize language. For example, people waves hands, makes a fist or body lean forward with speech in order to strengthen the power of language. (b) To add the meaning beyond language. It means body language can add the accurate meaning when the words cannot express it clearly. For example, after talking, people wave his hands, nodding his head, or shaking to replenish his feeling. (c) To replace words. On some occasion that words cannot be used clearly and appropriately, people uses body language to convey meaning. For example, people shrug his shoulder to express his helplessness, he pout to indicate his scorn or using eyes contact to convey some secrets. (d) To control language. It means that body language can confine the meaning 7 that the language expressed by a certain situation, which is consisted by eyes contact, facial expression or movement. For example, it has to think over when a person said he was so happy while kept straight face. (e) To express meaning of ultra-language. On many occasion, body language are more powerful than verbal language. Just imagine that it would be better to laughing when people feel happy or to crying when he feel heartache than only use several sentence to describe it. But there is some obscurity in the field of body language that even experts in kinesics cannot explain precisely all the functions of the signals of gestures, for example, when an American rubs his nose, it may mean he is disagreeing with somebody. But there are other explanations, too. Maybe his just nose tickles. When this occurs, people must try his best to get further information or guess the meaning from the context of the situation. In a word, on the one hand, all body language should be explained in a certain context, on the other, a conversation cannot be understood precisely only according by verbal language. Only combining verbal language with body language can people get others abound and colorful inner world. 3. The Differences and Application of Body Language Certain body language is the same in all people, for example smiling and frowning, but some body language is specific to a culture or ethnic group. Awareness of possible cultural body language differences is especially important in todays increasing mixed societies. 3.1 The Distance It is significantly important about the distance between two speakers in that it not only reveals the relationship between them but the distance can reflect their ethnic and cultural trait. In other words, the personal space preferred by people of a culture doesnt correspond to those preferred by people from other cultures. People in 8 different country have different ideas about the proper distance between people conversing. The author once heard a story. An Arab and an Englishman are talking. The Arab, in order to showing his friendliness, stands close to the Englishman. This manner makes the Englishman continuously moving back. Then the Arab moves forward to be closer, the Englishman moves again. At the end of their conversation, they have stood in the place far away from the beginning spot. This story may be a joke, but it infers to other information that how important about the distance in international communication. Most English-speaking people dont like people stand too close. A far apart conversation may feel a little bit awkward, but it is better to feel uncomfortable with a quite close distance. Spanish people may be a good friend of Arab because both they like to being a close distance when they talking. Russian and Italian stand closer than Spanish and Arab, and Latin American being the closest that may the fervent Chinese cannot adapt to it easily. In fact, those people just try to adjust their habitual distance to make a better conversing. However, the western people cannot accept it because they are that kind of person who stress on privacy and pursue their freedom and independent lives. In elevators, buses or some public places the eastern get used to the crowed; rather, the western cannot to. Because for Chinese, Japanese and the majority of Asian privacy are less important, they require much less than the western in the aspect of distance. According to the research from Dr. Hall, American humanist, proves that there are four kind of distance in American society and business relations: (a) Intimate distance. It range