跨文化交际论文

Chinese and English Kinship TermsThesis statement：This paper is intended to make a comparison between Chinese and English kinship systems to see their differences and similarities, and a tentative explanation is given to the differences of these two systems from the aspect of culture as to illustrate the communicative functions they play in their own society．Outline：1. Introduction2. Comparison between Chinese and English kinship terms2. 1 Similarities2. 2 Differences3. Cultural connotation of Chinese and English kinship terms3. 1 Cultural connotation of Chinese kinship terms3. 1. 1 The background of Chinese economy and society3. 1. 2 The family relationship based on marrige and blood3. 2 Cultural connotation of English kinship terms3. 2. 1 The development of Western culture3. 2. 2 The character of British people3. 2. 3 The structure of Western family4. ConclusionWorks citedChinese and English Kinship Terms1.Introduction:When it comes to the language. People can’t help thinking of the culture. Similarly, when it comes to the culture. People will connect it with language.There are many different versions about the definition of language all the time. Now the Chinese language academic circles widely believe that language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication. Concept of culture is very wide scope. The entire human civilization includes food, architecture, art, religion, customs, ideas and language etc that belong to the category of culture.In this paper, I'd like to make a comparison between Chinese and English kinship systems to see their differences and similarities, and then I'll try to give a tentative explanation to the differences of these two systems from the aspect of culture．From the comparison, maybe we can know the communicative functions they play in their own society.2. Comparison between Chinese and English kinship termsAs we know, since the different culture and philosophical basis. China and Western countries have different interpretations on the interpersonal relationship systems. In China, there are many different kinds of relatives of the terms. However the relationship among the English-speaking countries will have a much simpler kinship terms. The following diagrams show the comparisonFrom the above diagrams, a brief comparison between English and Chinese kinship terms points to more differences than similarities．2.1 SimilaritiesOne hand we call by sex, such as “grandmother”, “mother”, “brother” etc. On the other hand call by direct relationship, especially from parents to the child generation. For example, both languages use such kinship terms as “grandfather”,” father”, “son”, “grandson” and so on. What’s more,calling by Seniority in the family, both follow a common principle,For instance, “u ncle”, “cousins”, “ father” and “daughter” show different generational relationships.2.2 DifferencesEnglish and Chinese in the connotation of kinship terms are not completely equivalent. English kinship terms are far less specific and complex, performance is more general and vague.The difference between the two countries mainly manifested in the following aspects. First Chinese usually use the figure to express ranking, such as big brother, third brother and so on. And in English, there is no such habit. Second, Chinese culture places great emphasis on the identity and status of the paternal relatives, the “grandfather”, “grandma”, “aunt” and the maternal relatives are known as “grandpa”, “grandma “, “auntie”and so on. However, grandfather in English means "yeye" or "laoye". The uncle is in addition to “bobo”, “shushu”, the more “yifu”,“gufu” and many other meanings. Finally, the Chinese kinship terms attach importance to sex, but the English word “cousin”, can refer to “biaoxiong” and “biaomei”.It is obvious that the Chinese language has more kinship terms than the English language. Actually, behind the kinship terms in the Chinese and English languages, there must be some relevant influential factors of their cultures.3. The Cultural Connotation of Chinese and English Kinship Terms3.1 The cultural connotation of Chinese kinship termsIn ancient times, Chinese agricultural culture is determined by natural geographical position. People live on earth, developed with agricultural economy. In the long-term background of self-sufficient agricultural economy and society, hundreds of people who are blood or in-laws relations live together, form the three generations or four generations of family so that a kinship based on patriarchal social organization have appeared. Their families related by blood and marriage within race form complicated kinship, it is not only indicates the relationship between blood and marriage, but also their status, authority and the distance of the symbol, it must be clear from the language symbols. Multifarious Chinese kinship terms system arise from now on.Relationship result from marriage, the various concepts which produced from marriage relationship will be reflected on kinship. China has been in the feudal society for a long time, the unit of social organization is the family or clan.Therefore, clan influence is very strong, but the interior relationship within the clan is strictly differentiated by rating.In order to maintain and adapt to the feudal family system and the feudal ethics, many related terms appeared.Chinese kinship terms are complex and diverse.And it can accurately distinguish hierarchy, affinity, young and old, men and women.It is determined by thousands of years of feudal society.3. 2The cultural connotation of English kinship termsAs we know Greece is the birthplace of Western culture, the earliest development of commercial economy, which created the western society business culture. Greeks who were engaged in commercial activities had get rid of blood ties, and developed with contractual relationship of basing on society organization, democratic and equal social mercial economy determines structure of family, that is to say, there are only parents and young children, and relatives separate in different places. This family relationships and kinship make kinship terms between relatives simple, a few of kinship terms are enough to use. Society don’t value blood, and pay more attention to the relationship and cooperation between people, and the importance of individual. Everyone is equal. It would not attach importance to the terms with the clan or not clan. The best kinship terms which can reflect the equal social is cousin, it covers all the family relationship among the same generation besides brother and sister.British people have a unique national character since ancient times, one of them is the British have a strong economic independence. Their family and clan have no attachment, and pursue personal struggle. They keep relative independent with blood, in-laws relatives in economy. When children are young, parents foster the spirit of independence. After they grow, they can make a living by themselves. In dealing with personal and family relations, personal interests and aspirations are main, the family is second (huangzifu 2000). Therefore, the English kinship terms are not so complicated. Even among relatives may not take age and seniority into account, and call him by name.Westerners prefer family lifestyle, family structure is simple and family members are also scattered. What’s more, immigration is also very frequent. Therefore, the Western concept of the race is very weak. And it is rare to use family kinship terms to refer to people outside.4.ConclusionThe function of kinship plays an irreplaceable role in human society. Therefore, there is the same relationship in any nation and society objectively. The living environment in which various ethnic groups are and the different cost paid for development and survival in the social historical process will make a direct impact on their understanding of the relationship of the familyemphasis, leading to the differences in ethnic kinship. Therefore, the anthropologists of devoting into the national languages of the various existing kinship words put them into 6 types. The size of the world today has more than 2000 languages, although they are similar between ethnic and national cultural phenomenon, but similar does not mean exactly the same, these different culture is the key to identify. If we have cultural differences as the reason for the difference kinship terms, then, the type of kinship may be far more than the 6 types.Works Cited李瑞华主编．英汉语言文化对比研究．上海：上海外语教育出版社．1996．田惠刚．中西人际称谓系统,外语教学与研究出版社1998．SAMOV AR,PORTER,STEFANI. Communication between cultures. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press,2000.。