Chinese  
Position:Industry norms

Semantic Differential and culture difference (4)

From;    Author:Stand originally


(3) congratulation and praise
When hearing others to praise, the answer of American and Chinese is different: American expresses to accept a praise commonly, the Chinese expresses to do not shame commonly.
About this kind of difference, can talk about a few more again. Look please below a few example:
1. Woman of a Chinese youth is in the United States, there is a beautiful dress on the body. Say to her when others: This dress is really refined, color is extremely beautiful. Woman of this Chinese youth is very glad, but some feel embarrassed, be used to an answer to say by China: “ this is a common dress, I buy in Chinese home. ”
2. A Chinese scholar just went to the United States, go attending to an university entertain. Goodwife is his old friend. Two people are talking, a friend of goodwife walks over. She says to that person: “ Luo En, I will introduce, this is Mr Chen, he is prominent physical scientist, be very somebody extraordinary. Mr ” Mr Chen just had walked along comer handclasp together, see goodwife, laughing to say: “ calls me to blush, still say with him you just open a fun? ”
In these two example, the answer of two Chinese is misunderstood possibly. People perhaps thinks the answer of young woman is to say each other not know all about the goods, common to dress is so spoffish, ability of appreciate of woman of visible United States has a problem. That surname old the answer of physicist, if not be to be being taken,laugh, others may think his means: “ you so say, it is to express nevertheless polite, not be open-armed word. ” the first say the other side distinguishs ability difference in the exemple, the 2nd goodwife speak insincerely says in the exemple. Both has the interest of the person that blame a praise, there is very big difference between the intent of talking person and the information that transmit.
On the problem that praises what person, also reflect the difference of culture respect. People often hears American woman to talk about her husband to work how to try hard, work how outstandingly, all previous raises level, receive award, etc. She also is met him boast how children is clever, how study result is good, how active in stamp collecting group, on the concert of where the show passes, etc. Be in China, people can think to be done so too Philistine rather. They won't be before alien him boast the person in the home.
The Chinese still abstains from the wife of boast others grows beautifully. A lot of Chinese think to say “ your wife is really beautiful such ” word is approximately dirty, to medium, old people especially such. However, to Hesperian, very natural however, be admired very by complimentary person.
(4) other and gregarious ceremony
Have in Chinese and English express to appreciate, the fixed argument of apology, before asking others to help, also want to say what to nod first, for example ” of thank of the “ in Chinese, “ Is am sorry ” , “ asks …” , the Thank You in English, i’m Sorry, excuse Me. As a whole, these express kind ten split phase are close, won't cause what trouble. But, although close, still have difference.
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