Composition An American visits a Chinese home 600

BOOKS 2010-10-14. Communication, as a technical term, is flexible. , "The process of communication is a process in which people use language knowledge and social and cultural knowledge to transmit information. Understanding the necessary background and communicative knowledge helps communication to proceed smoothly and effectively. The inappropriate way of speaking does not conform to the habit of expression, Or speaking inappropriately will lead to misunderstandings and conflicts. In order to avoid cultural conflicts in economic and social interactions, we must have a deep understanding of strangers from strange countries, strange cultures, strange ways of life, and strange customs. . This article discusses the different communication habits of China, Britain and the United States on different occasions. Influenced by traditional Confucianism for more than two thousand years, the Chinese are not as frank, straightforward, moderate, and low-key as the British and Americans. Their character traits. The United States is a country composed of immigrants from different ethnic groups around the world, and its population is in a state of constant mobility. It has shown considerable flexibility and tolerance in assimilating immigrants from different ethnic groups. Over time, due to this common difference, informal habits have been formed. Everyone cherishes equal rights, and people will not pay too much attention to various complicated etiquette when interacting with each other. The British are conservative by nature and respect tradition quite a lot. No matter what they do, they always try not to leave a bad impression, and their gentlemanly demeanor can be seen everywhere. They know how to create a harmonious environment so that everyone can live harmoniously and happily, so they will not take the initiative to strike up conversations with strangers. Etiquette when meeting and talking When greeting when meeting, we Chinese generally smile and nod casually when we meet. Sometimes when we meet an acquaintance, we will say: "Have you eaten?" "Or ask: "Where are you going? "In the UK, people traditionally have a complicated set of meeting etiquette. From shaking hands, greetings to mutual introductions, there are established habits. However, in the United States, in comparison, it seems more casual. When friends meet, they usually It’s just a warm hello; if it’s the first time you meet, smile at each other or call each other by name to show affection. But in Britain and the United States, people pay attention to etiquette in formal occasions. A handshake is the most common When shaking hands, the woman usually extends her hand. The man should not hold it too tightly. If the other party does not intend to shake hands, he must nod and bow. People of different classes and ages shake hands in a certain order. For example: Between elders and younger ones, the older one reaches out first; between superiors and subordinates, the superior reaches out first; between guests, the host reaches out first. Another point to note is that when shaking hands with others, you should look at the other person and look at the other person. Take off the gloves. If you don't have time to take off the gloves, you must explain the reason to the other person and apologize. You should also be careful not to shake hands with each other when there are many people. If you don't shake hands, you can bow slightly, which is also polite among Chinese people. When greeting people who are familiar with each other, they generally use the following expressions: "Where are you going? ", "Have you eaten? "If these greetings are translated literally into English (i.e.: Where are you going Have you eaten yet). British and American people may be at a loss, confused, and sometimes may cause misunderstandings. Foreigners who do not understand Chinese cultural customs will not think that this is A greeting that plays a communicative role, such as asking the other party: "Have you eaten yet". The other party may think that this is not a simple greeting, but may mistakenly think that you may extend an invitation to him/her. Another example is "Where." are you going" is likely to cause discomfort to the other party. They will think that the speaker is interfering with his privacy. Their possible reactions may be "mind your own business!" "That's none of your business!" (Are you here?) "I'm going to meet my girl friend, so what? "British and American people usually greet you with "Good morning/aftern oon/evening (Good morning, good afternoon, good evening)" "How do you do (Hello!)" "Nice to meet you. (Nice to meet you.) ""How are you doing (How are you doing?). "Hello" or "Hi" can be used between people with close relationships. Therefore, when getting along with Westerners, it is best for us to use Western greetings. When it comes to greeting Americans, they are the most natural and bold. In European and American countries, even if they don’t know each other, they will smile and say "How do you do" to each other when they meet. The purpose of saying hello is not to have further contact with you, it is just a form of daily etiquette. In the UK, the weather is the most talked about topic when acquaintances meet. They are very taboo about others asking questions such as age and salary. The so-called Western women do not ask about age and men do not ask about income. This is different from asking someone in China: "Have you eaten?". The reason for this difference is that China has a strong food tradition since ancient times. It is common to treat guests to dinner, and eating is a common topic in people's conversations.

The United Kingdom is located on the north coast of the Atlantic Ocean and has an oceanic climate. Affected by the warm and humid air currents in the North Atlantic, the four seasons do not change significantly, but the weather conditions may change rapidly within a day. The British believe that "there is no climate in the country, only weather." The weather is a new and interesting topic every moment, so we have developed the habit of talking about weather conditions for a long time. In addition, due to differences in living habits and aesthetic values, the greetings of British and American people are very different from those of Chinese people. This is particularly important when talking with British and American people. Greetings in Chinese sometimes include concern for the other person, such as: "You don't look good today. Are you sick?" "Long time no see, you have gained weight again." "You have lost weight again. You should pay attention to your health." ", in China, people will not be angry about this, but in Britain and the United States, if people hear you say: "you are fat" or "you are so thin", even if they are familiar, they will feel embarrassed and difficult to answer, because This is impolite. Although British and Americans often say "wish you good health!" and "take care" when saying goodbye, they generally do not use "you are in good health" as a greeting or compliment (in their opinion, this sentence is more like What a doctor says to a person undergoing a physical examination or a sick person). Therefore, in greetings, enthusiastic Chinese people often make a lot of jokes with people from Western countries. .Similarities and differences among the three countries in terms of titles. In the British country, the names people use to call each other are quite different from the habits of our country. Some titles are unreasonable, impolite and uncultured in the eyes of the Chinese. But in the British country, it is a way of getting along with each other. For example: children do not call their grandparents grandma and grandpa, but call them by their first names. They think this is the most appropriate and affectionate way. When young people call elderly people, they can add Mr.Mrs and Mrs in front of their surnames. Miss, men use Mr, married women use Mrs, and unmarried ladies use Miss, such as Mr Smith. Mrs Smith. Miss Alice, etc. In Chinese, we can use words such as "teacher, secretary, manager, engineer, factory director" together with the surname as a form of address. But in English, we cannot say "teacher Zhang", "engineer Wu", etc. The correct way to say it is to use Mr.Mrs Miss together with the surname (given name) according to the British and American habits. Show respect or courtesy. An American publication conducted a survey on 150 industrial and commercial industries on the issue of address, and found that 85% of them were addressed by their first name only. Most Americans do not like to use titles such as Mr., Mrs. or Miss. They They think this type of address is too serious, so regardless of their position or age, people try to call each other by their names. They think this can shorten the distance between each other. In China, when calling family members, relatives or neighbors, people often use "eldest brother", "second sister", "eldest sister-in-law", "Uncle Li", etc. However, whether in the UK, the United States or China, We are all accustomed to using polite words on our lips. People regard them as an indispensable spice in life. No matter when and where they feel the benefits of using polite words, people use them without hesitation. Giving to other people is a kind of enjoyment for them. Different ways of naming contain different cultural backgrounds. From the differences in the names of famous countries in my country and the West, we have a deep understanding of the unique cultural connotations of different regions and the unique habits of people in their daily lives, which let me appreciate To the diversity and richness of culture. .Etiquette at the table Food is the most important thing for people, so countries are very particular about dining. There are many differences between Eastern and Western table manners. Today, as the exchanges between Chinese and Western people become more frequent, it is necessary to understand table manners. If you attend a more formal Western-style banquet, there are many rules, so if you don't know anything about it, you might make a lot of jokes. There is a story that at a banquet hosted by Hitler, a Chinese envoy followed the custom of eating Western food at home and wiped the knife and fork during the meal. He did not know that this approach was impolite and seemed to blame the dishwasher. When Hitler saw this, he immediately ordered the waiter to change all the tableware on the table, which embarrassed the Chinese envoy. Regardless of the authenticity of the story, it can be seen how important it is to understand the table etiquette of various countries. . Chinese people tend to eat casually. They may talk loudly and laugh when they are happy, or they may treat the restaurant as their own home and let their children run around. This is quite impolite in Western countries. The Chinese nation has a fine tradition of hospitality. In social situations and banquets, enthusiastic Chinese people often offer cigarettes and drinks to each other. When Chinese entertain guests, even if a table of delicacies is laid out, the host is always used to saying a few polite words such as "I'll bear with you." , the host sometimes uses chopsticks to put food into the guests' bowls, and uses various methods to ask the guests to eat more. In Western countries, people pay attention to respecting personal rights and privacy, so they will not do anything that makes things difficult for others. When serving, they will never put food into the guests' bowls. They can eat whatever they want, and they will not force others to drink.

When serving meals, Americans often introduce us and say: "This is my best dish. I hope you like it." They will not be as humble as us Chinese and keep saying, "The dish is not cooked well." "Okay, please bear with me." and so on. Also, when you are a guest in an American home, if the host asks you to take food, you should say: "Thank you." You don't have to keep refusing like when you are a guest in a Chinese home. It is considered impolite to Americans, as it will definitely make them think that you dislike the food she made. However, British people generally have to eat all the food they take to be polite. People who do not drink drink when the waiter is pouring wine. , just put your hand on the mouth of the cup. However, now with the development of world integration, people in the East and the West have gradually integrated into their own dining customs, and there are many similarities. . The way of hospitality and being a guest among the three countries. Americans pay attention to being attentive when making appointments and being punctual for appointments. It is very rude to be late and make others wait for you; and if you have something to do and cannot go to the appointment, you should inform the other party as soon as possible to express your gratitude. Apologize yourself and explain why. When visiting guests, they should be courteous, natural and generous, and they should also pay attention to efficiency in doing things and arrange their daily time in a planned way. What should be done when? Therefore, they do not like other people's sudden visits, disrupting their plans and leaving them unprepared. When you arrive, you must first ring the doorbell or knock on the door, and then obtain the owner's permission before entering. If there is a brown carpet for shoe polishing at the door, you should wipe the mud off the shoes. Keep it clean and avoid dirtying the host's floor. If you are wearing a hat, take it off. It is very impolite to wear a hat in the room. If you are visiting on a rainy day, you should leave your umbrella outside. After entering the house, you should first say hello to the hostess, and then the male host. If you find that the host's house is full of guests and friends, you need to shake hands with the host and acquaintances, and just smile and nod to everyone else. When you are a guest in an American home, If the host invites you to sit down, please don't shirk, just sit down generously. Otherwise, the host will think that there is something dirty on the table and chairs or that you dislike it. Just don't touch the host's things, and don't ask around at home. The price of the decorations, and don’t smoke casually. If you want to smoke, please ask the consent of the lady next to you before smoking. And when the male host offers you a cigarette, please accept it graciously. If you refuse and then smoke your own cigarette, this is also It is a very rude thing, and the host will think that you are looking down on him and feel very unhappy. In the UK, if you are invited to someone else's home, you have to go through several situations like this. For example, when should I arrive at the host’s house? If it's not a serious business, but just a social gathering, it would be rude to arrive early. The hostess is getting ready and you arriving before she is completely ready will make her feel very embarrassed. It's best if you arrive 10 minutes late. Arriving half an hour late is too late and requires an apology to the host. When should you leave? There are no rules, but it is rude to sit too late at the host's house. If you are just invited to have dinner and chat, then you'd better leave between 10 and 11 o'clock or say goodbye an hour after the meal. If you are invited to stay for a few days or a weekend, buy a bouquet of flowers for the hostess before you leave. This will make her very happy. In addition, the day after leaving, send a note to the host to thank you, and attach a small gift such as a box of chocolates or some flowers. In terms of gift giving, the cultural background of each region determines the unique customs and habits of the region. The main situations of giving gifts are as follows: festivals, weddings, birthdays, thanks for help, farewell to relatives and friends, and return gifts. The most important thing in giving gifts is to show your sincerity. As the saying goes, "Sending goose feathers thousands of miles away is a light gift, but a heavy friendship!" You should choose and buy gifts according to your own financial situation, so that if the recipient understands the truth, he will feel at ease when receiving the gift. One thing you should pay attention to is that when giving gifts to others, it is best to add exquisite wrapping paper. This will not only show that you have "put your mind to it", but also arouse the curiosity of the other person. But when you get along with Americans, remember that unless you give them gifts on holidays or when you are sick, you will not give them gifts under normal circumstances, so we should not give them gifts casually. Otherwise, they will not give them gifts after receiving them. They will feel embarrassed when giving gifts. Especially when they are not prepared to return gifts, they will feel very embarrassed. In addition, Americans love odd numbers and think odd numbers are auspicious numbers. Sometimes they will not feel begrudging if they only give three plows. This is different. The Chinese are very particular about the habit of traveling in pairs and teams. And they don’t care whether the gifts they receive are expensive. Sometimes there may be just a few chocolates inside the magnificent and bright packaging. But on holidays, birthdays, weddings or when visiting patients, giving gifts is inevitable. The Chinese people will give some gifts to express their feelings no matter how big or small the festival is. Especially during the Spring Festival, people regard giving each other gifts as a kind of good luck, happiness, and courtesy. Both the person giving the gift and the person receiving the gift will have a feeling of happiness. When Americans receive a gift, they will appreciate or taste the gift in front of the giver and immediately thank the giver. But this kind of behavior is absolutely forbidden in China. If you appreciate or taste the gift in front of the gift-giver, it will be regarded as an impolite behavior. It will not only embarrass the gift-giver, but also infect him. I think you are uneducated and rude. so. If you want to open it in China, you must open it behind your back and never in front of the gift giver. The United States is a large country with high population mobility, so the definition of friends in their mouths is relatively broad and differentiated; for example, friends at work, friends who play ball, friends at school, friends who drink, etc.

Because friends rarely reveal personal matters to each other, friendship is relatively "warm" in nature. Friendship among Chinese people is usually one that affects the whole situation. They try to avoid meeting each other if they don't agree with each other, and they have a lot of ups and downs. It is quite common for Chinese friends to borrow money from each other, but it is rare for Americans to borrow money from friends. Americans are quite open and direct, especially in professional discussions, and often argue with different opinions (note: it is an argument, not a quarrel involving banging the table or throwing the microphone). On the contrary, Eastern people often do not directly conflict, but tactfully communicate through a third party with a higher status. Because Chinese people are usually taught to avoid direct conflict, public criticism, and controversial topics. They want to maintain harmony among the people around them and save "face" for others; on the contrary, Americans are usually willing to face problems directly, make criticisms, discuss controversial issues, and stick to opinions they believe to be "facts." They don't care about "face". In today's society, what we face are people from unfamiliar cultures and countries whose ways of thinking, living habits and behaviors are completely different from ours. In the process of interacting with them, cultural differences will inevitably arise. The phenomenon of conflict. Therefore, we must find out the differences and eliminate them in order to integrate into the world and let China dance with the world. In this case, cross-regional, cross-ethnic, and cross-cultural economic and social exchanges will increase day by day. This provides us with many opportunities to contact and interact with Westerners, which is a good thing for deepening our understanding of Western society. But it is not a simple matter. Therefore, we present this article in the hope that everyone can learn more about China. Have a better understanding of the communication habits of the United States and Britain.