中英礼貌原则差异在商务沟通中的应用

应用

独创性声明

本人郑重声明：所呈交的学期课程论文是本人自己的研究工作及取得的研究成果。据我所知，除了文中特别加以标注和致谢的地方外，论文中不包含其他人已经发表或撰写过的研究成果。本人承诺，在创作本论文的过程中严格遵守学术规范，避免学术不端的行为。本人了解，如果论文被认定存在学术不端的问题，本论文提交者将有可能面临以下某项之处理：

（1） 重新写作，并在规定日期重新提交。 （2） 判定为不及格。 （3） 判定为零分。

作者签名： Chyrie

签字日期： 2010年12月30日

摘 要

中英礼貌原则差异在商务沟通中的应用

本论文首先强调了礼貌原则在跨文化商务沟通中的重要性，然后系统地对礼貌原则进行解释，并分析其在中英方面的差异性，接着陈述商务沟通的定义及组成部分。分析完礼貌原则与商务沟通之后，本文再理论且现实地把二者联系起来，展现了中英礼貌原则差异在商务沟通中的应用，以期尽量避免在跨文化商务沟通由礼貌原则差异带来的误解，进而为公司达成最佳交易。

关键词：礼貌原则差异，商务沟通，英语，汉语，应用

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ABSTRACT

The Application of Diverse Politeness Principles Between Chinese

and English in Business Communication

By Ou Minzhen

This thesis first emphasizes the significance of the politeness principles in intercultural business communication; second it systematically gives a general knowledge about politeness principles both in Chinese and English-speaking countries and finds out the factors about business communication; then following it presents the link between the two by showing the application of the diverse politeness principles between Chinese and English in each part of business communication, theoretically and realistically, in the hope of helping avoid the misunderstandings in the communicaton and make the best for the companies.

Keywords: diverse politeness principles, business communication, Chinese, English, application

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CONTENTS

摘要 ………..………………………………………………………………………. i ABSTRACT ………………………………………………………………………… ii CONTENTS ………………………………………………………………………. iii

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION……………………………………………… 1

CHAPTER TWO OVERVIEW OF POLITENESS PRICIPLES AND BUSINESS COMMUNICATON..………………………………………………………………… 2 2.1 Politeness Principles……………………………………………………….2 2.1.1 The Definition of Politeness Principle..……..………………………. .....2

2.1.2 The Existent Diversity of Politeness Principles between Chinese and English ……………………………………………………………………………..2

2.1.3 Factors Affecting the Diversity…………………………………………..3 2.2 Business Communication …………... ……………………………………….3 2.2.1 The Definition of Business Communication……………………………..3 2.2.2 Oral Communication in Business Communication………………………4 2.2.3 Written Communication in Business Communication…………………...4 2.2.4 Noverbal Communication in Business Communication………………....5

CHAPTER THREE APPLICATION of DIVERSE POLITENESS PRINCIPLES BETWEEN CHINESE AND ENGLISH IN BUSINESS COMMUNICATION ……..5 3.1 Application in Oral Communication in Busniess………………………….. ...5 3.1.1 Public Oral Communication……………………………….………....…5 3.1.1 Interpersonal Oral Communication ……………………...…………... 6 3.2 Application in Written Communication in Busniess………………..……….. 6 3.2.1 Business Correspondence ………….…………………………..……... 6 3.3 Application in Nonverbal Communication in Busniess……..….…….. …7 3.3.1 Facial Expression ……………………………………………...……... 7

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3.3.3 Space and Promexic…………………………………………………... 7

CHAPTER FOUR CONCLUSION .......................................................................8

REFERENCES …………………………………………………………..…………... 9

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CHAPTER ONE Introduction

1.1 Introduction

When it comes to business activities, things may be whether important or trivial. Successful and effective business communications are crucial to business activities. Before you communicating overseas in business enviroment, you should have been acquainted with sufficient business knowledge to know hnow how to hold sense of property more and be well-behaved and graceful. Being an essential quality in business communication, politeness principles have rich cultural connotation. However，those principles vary greatly because different cultural and historical background and customs of each nation.

With the Chinese economic development and the world economy integration and the globalization tendency strengthening increasingly, the international cooperation between China and English spoken countires around the world become more and more frequent., especially after China’s entering to WTO, the global cooperation in economy and technology and the progress of trading issues are frequent and blossoming, which lead to a great number of needs of good-qualified genius. Business communication becomes much more popular and important in modern society. In business communicaton, both sides have the relationship of not only cooperation but also competition. Under this circumstance, as well as getting the best profit for each other by using an intimate knowledge of business and good eloquence , to insure the relationgship goes well, proper and polite language functions a great. To my way of thinking, Chinese is high-context culture, while many English spoken countries are low-context ones. Thus, the politeness Principles vary with persons, their beliefs and skills, apart from the general contexts in which communications occue. It can also vary dramatically due to culture differences in areas like communication styles and decesion-making patterns. That’s to say, in terms of politeness principles, there exist many differences, or rather, barriers to overcome. For instance, in Chinese, public display of emotion is a sign of immaturity and a potential cause of shame to the group, whereas in American, a deliberate concealment of emotion is considered to be insincere or poker-face. If a Chinese firm is negotiating with an American firm, it has to understand the difference so that it won’t feel humiliating by others’ behaviors, or it can do something to cator to the cooperative partner. In doing so, more chances are that both sides can reach the best deal, maintaining ont only contact but also relationship. That’s win-win, isn’t it?

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CHAPTER TWO

Overview of Politeness Principle and Business Communition

2.1 Politrness Principle

2.1.1 The definition of politeness principle

The definition of politeness for universals has shown considerable divergence and lack of clarity as they have received increased attention since Brown and Levinson's (1978) proposed framework. To achieve certain specific goals in a language

communication activity, the speakers, as well as the listeners, are supposed to obey an intangible rule known as conversational principle. However, in practice, it can not account for why people sometimes employ euphemisms or fuzzy language, which are probably out of politeness. According to Brown and Levinson (1987:61), “Every social member that has interpersonal ability inclines to a decent public self-image.” Being polite aims at lessening the threatening aftermaths of some communicative behaviors. Leech(1983) defines politeness as forms of behaviour that establish and maintain comity. That is the ability of participants in a social interaction to engage in interaction in an atmosphere of relative harmony. Leech proposes Politeness Principle which comprises maxims of tact, generosity, approbation, and modesty which seem to account better for the types of utterce produces in the name of

politeness. Leech places politeness principle as a menber of a set principles that he calls International Rhetoric. In stating his maxims Leech uses his own terms for two kinds of illocutionary acts. He calls representatives “assertives”, and calls directives “impositives”.

2.1.2 The Existent Diversity of Politeness Principle between Chinese and English

Chinese and English cultures have different criteria and implementation strategies of politeness. Chinese cultural emphasis on modesty guidelines, while Western culture is highlighted appropriate criteria. Modesty standards require people to minimize their praise, as much as possible to depreciate yourself. Western culture embraced each other to avoid damage to praise each other's face, so it is polite. Thus, westerners tend to accept compliment with delight and thankfulness, taking a suit rather than a negative way, so as not to reveal who is inconsistent with the compliment, it is embarrassing. Most Chinese people are used to denying and promoting modesty, but this approach may probably threaten the West. In addition, the Westerners held by some independent self-concept, which has a relatively independent and self-concept of a fixed kernel, thus, Westerners focus on personal

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privacy in communication and independence, always from the standpoint of individualism, emphasis on individual's face. Some of the Chinese people held by the concept of self-dependence, this self-concept of the kernel is not stable, the relationship between others and self-relative is not so clear, sharp, self-core according to the relationship between self and others may be, to be released only when the self- in the appropriate social relationships can be meaningful, will become complete. Therefore, Chinese intellectuals attached great importance to participation and the relationship between individuals and groups, focusing on the collective sense of honor; in communication, they often proceed from the concept of collective culture, emphasizing the groups face. Self-concept of Chinese culture is another feature of the family blood for the scale, in close communication guidelines for compliance.\" \"For example, when Chinese people like to ask people in the private business communication, or disclosure of their private affairs without reservation, because according to traditional Chinese politeness, understanding of private business is communication and the other party in order to shorten the horizontal distance and made a force that positioned away from the other side of a main communication relatively close position.\"

2.1.3 Factors Affecting the Diversity

Back and compare the different cultural trodictions in Chinese and the west. Chinese culture of courtesy is rooted in the Confucian rites of the traditional, which has long dominated the idology. Prof. Gu Yueguo has contributed significantly to the study of politeness in mordern Chinese holds that there are basically four notions underlying the Chinese conception of Limao: Modesty, Attitudinal Warmth, Refinement. Gu’s principle reflects the typical Chinese characteristics. Chinese has its own principles and explanations. And through studies such priciples, we could go further on study the concerling part of Chinese culture. Collectivism would be revealed through PP of China. On the contary, the culture of English-speaking countries is influenced by Western intellectual tradition of freedom and equality, emphasizing the individual and personal values to promote individual self-confidence and pragmatism. Leech divides the PP into a number of maxims: Tact Maxim, Generosity Maxim, Approbation Maxim, Sympathy Maxim. Leech concluded the polite behaviors of English-speakers and give the PP that based on the English culture. The concealing culture is revealed individualism.

2.2 Business Communication

2.2.1 The definition of business communition

There are a number of books on business communication, but one could hardly find a definition of business communication. However, business communication does have its specific application, which differs to a certain degree from other forms of communication, though they share something in common. According to Business Communication(2001), “a dynamic, multi-channeled process, which covers internal as well as external communication in a given organization.” (P1) The definition is tentative in nature. Nevertheless, that business communication is some what

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different and unique rather from other type of communication is because the purpose of business is to get profit. Thus to make good way for profit the communicator should develop good communication skills, in the fields of oral, written and nonverbal ,such as facial expressions, body language and tone of voice aspects. Everyone knows that in the present day trends the knowledge alone won't be a fruitful one to have sustainable development. In order for communication to be the most effective, verbal oral and nonverbal communication must agree. For example, if a person says, \"you're doing a great job,\" but says it in an angry tone of voice, the message may be confusing or misunderstood.

2.2.2 Oral Communication in Busniess

Oral communication skills may be key to successful business communication, which can be between two employees, a customer and the business or business to business. Oral communication, forms of which are in public communication, such as

presentations speeches, and interpersonal communication, such as client interations, interoffice interations, plays a significant role in representing and maintaining a positive public image.

As a businessperson, you spend an average of 30 percent of your working hours in speaking. For each workday, besides other ways of communication,you have to communicate orally with your colleagues,employees,superiors, and customers.

From time to time, you have to talk to the reporters, bank staff, taxation officials, and members from other organizations and institutions. Still other times you may be asked to make presentations to groups of visitors to your organization, or to speak to other groups of people outside your organization. There are other kinds of speaking activities, to name but a few here.

Oral communication in the office can be referred to as interoffice interaction. This is comprised of conversations with superiors, subordinates and co-workers.

Depending on the levels of power separation between the individuals engaging in conversation, the communication will fluctuate between formal and informal, though it should always remain professional. Conversations in this context may reference data, but will be much more analysis heavy, and will be a dialog by nature.

2.2.3 Written Communication in Busniess

Written communication is also very important aspect of business communication. It is important to fix accountability and responsibility of people in organization. This requires more of written communication, much of paper work. Everything should be communicated in written by the manager to the people in the organization. Written messages can be saved for future references and cannot be denied. Business Communication is a permanent means of communication and is much easier understanding then oral means of communication. Good written communication contributes to success of an organization. It helps in building goodwill of an organization. Written business communication includes - correspondance, memoranda, agenda, manuals, reports etc.

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2.2.4 Nonverbal Communication in Busniess

“Nonverbal communication is a way of communication without words.”(Malandroet,1989). It refers to the communication which is not carried in words, but through one’s voice qualties, facial expressions, gestures, body movements, or attitudes towards space and time, ect. Nonverbal communication used to be neglected by many people, simply because of its nonverbal nature. But things are different now: business people are paying more and more attention to nonverbal ways in their communication.

Non-verbal behavior can be governed by situation. Thus people who are very formal in the office can be quite unreserved in a social situation. But they wouldn't wish to loosen up in the workplace. Another danger area is the use of irony or humor: subtle meanings might be conveyed by tone of voice but these signals could easily be missed in intercultural situations. Similarly, words might be used to preserve certain forms of politeness but the situation as a whole governs the meaning behind the words. When we seek agreement, for example. Some cultures see overt disagreement as impolite and may say they agree to preserve dignity.

CHAPTER THREE

Application of Diverse Politeness Principles Between Chinese and

English in Business Communication

3.1 Application in Oral Communication in Busniess

While oral communication can provide a lot of benefits in a business setting, there are limitations to its utility. In the view of politeness, initially, the time oral communication usually takes to complete is not usually the same in Chinese and English concept, as oral communication's polite concepts can blur the focus of a conversation. Moreover, the capability of individuals to effectively communicate orally varies greatly. It is considered that more English individuals have less problem engaging in oral communication effectively. For Chinese, the task is far more difficult. But one thing is sure, that is both Chinese and English are supposed to learn each other’s polite culture, to make the communication more effective.

3.1.1 In Public Oral Communication

Public oral communication is any message sent or received by a group of people. Public oral communication can be a press conference, a presidential speech or a business presentation which are usually an organized conveyance of information to a group of people. Stylistically, they tend to be far more formal than informal, and rely more heavily on data and facts than they do analysis.

To be humorous or not is a factor considered whether polite or not in a business

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presentation. In the United State, presentions are offen started with a joke or a cartoon related to the topic to be covered. But when the same technique is used with Chinese audience, few are amused. Chinese humor finds little joke about sex, religion, or minorties; however, they will laugh out of politeness when a joke is told. They take business seriously and do not appreciate joking remarks during the communications. For example, when a presentation in Germany began with a cartoon deriding European cultural difference, no one laughed. As a week progressed, people stated laughing, both in and out of the sessions. Later the presenters learned that cartoons were not appropriate in a professional setting of strangers.(Trompenaars&Hampden-Turner,1998)

Some business people with global experience recommend that jokes be avoided with people of diverse cultures; they maintain that American humor is hard to exprt and appreciate. Even though the intention of humor is put your international colleagues at ease and create a more relaxed environment, the risk of offending someone of another culture or of telling a story that no one understands,is great.(Thiederman,1991) in short, we do not all laugh at the same thing.

3.1.2 In interpersonal Oral Communication

Interpersonal oral communication is the exchange of words between two individuals. The purpose of interpersonal communication is to build and maintain relationships. Effective interpersonal oral communication will encourage, educate and inspire. This form of communication is commonly seen within families, between friends, co-workers, or client interaction. Dispite the different politeness priciple between the employee and the client, if from different countries, the communication may still a success against a cross-culture.

Now let’s see the examples illustrating Chinese and English communicating on business occasion. First is abuot their approbation and modesty which can generalize as appraise. When there is a praise in the talk between a Chinese and a English , whether it should praise the other unstintedly, when the recipient should receive the praise courteously? For instance: English: Your sense of business is excellent. Chinese: Thank you. I have very good teachers.

In the above approbation and modesty have been fully used. A considers from Chinese and magnifies praise to English. While Englishconsiders from self decreases praise to self and says it is because he has very good teachers that enabled him to have good sense of business. In this way both speaker and listener feel satisfied and closer.

3.2 Application in Written Communication in Busniess 3.2.1 In Business Correspondence

As a basic means of business communication, business correspondence, plays a vital role in economic activities. In wrinting a business conrrespondence, politeness is a language feature that most attracts attention. A refined and courteous business correspondence can effectively enhance trust between both parties of the trade, and improve the probability that the commercial affair succeeds. Chinese

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self-denigration and other-respecting maxim cover a large rang than English modesty maxim. For example, addressing, the gambit of communication, is common in almost every culture. However, the addressing customs differs a lot in different cultural background. In English business correspondence, the write often address the address with Mr.X/Mrs.X/Ms.X, such as: Dear Mr. Green. In this addressing, a few or no implication of titles or occupations should be seen. On the contary, in Chinese business correspondance, the addresses often include titles, office or occupations. The writer often addresses like”温总理”, ”胡主席” an so forth. Such addresses are seldom seen in English.

3.3 Application in Nonverbal Communication in Busniess

Communications in international business are considered more often at the verbal level than in terms of body language and the signs and symbols that cultures use instinctively to convey messages and attitudes.

The sending and receipt of non-verbal messages takes place on a subliminal level and this makes it a much more difficult aspect of international communications to master. It is very easy, for example, to misinterpret a message and consider it implite because we do not understand its meaning outside our culture. Eye contact in western cultures is associated with openness, engagement, sincerity. But in some cultures it is considered disrespectful. Or we might assume that a behavior from our own culture has the same meaning elsewhere. People from more tactile cultures who use a lot of touch could inadvertently appear inappropriately friendly in more reserved cultures.

3.3.1 Facial Expression

Facial expression are important in business communication, because they are almost always visible during face to face interaction. It is apprently true that when conversing with each other, people tend to look at their interlocutor’s face, especially interlocutor’s eyes.

Let’s see the different politeness maxim apply in cross-culture business communication. The movement of eyebrows carries messages like greeting, surprise, fear etc. In a business communication between Chinese ans English, the English are supposed to use more eyebrow movements to convey messages than the Chinese do. However, some eyebrow movements are regarded as shared ones, like a locked eyebrow, which indicates anxiety; or a raised one, which often indicates one’s surprise. In addition, eye contact is an important channel for nonverbal communication. A number of countries have described eyes as “the window of one’s mind”. For that reason, many people have depand more on their eye contact than on their verbal communication. For example, in America, one cannot expect to find a job if he forgets to look directly at the interviewers’ eyes.

3.3.2 Space and Proxemics

In a business environment, being conscious about physical proxemics is crucial to build a comfortable atmosphere and also to ensure no one feels physically threatened or pursued. While there is no definite answer, a good guideline is to keep conversations at about an arm's length. This boundary can be created naturally through a handshake, when the hands come down, maintain that distance.

A word of caution: the concept of appropriate space and physical distance is

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largely dependent on one's culture, and interaction with individuals from other countries can often create awkward moment because of it. A Chinese is planning to do business with English clients, he should make himself aware of the politeness principles in their native culture so he will be ready to effectively interact.

These tips can help businessmen develop healthy habits with posture and personal space that are sure to enhance the messages they'd like to be sending with their body language.

CHAPTER FOUR Conclusion

Any behaviors in business communication against the politeness principles will inflict others’ humiliation, and lead to failure of business or deterioration of relationship. In addition, different encoding and decoding of politeness principles are inevitable in the business commucation, especially the international business communication, in the view of different cultural connotation. Therefore, we should consider and learn how to behave decently, sparing others’ face, so as to build up business contact successfully.

Thus, in the first of my paper, I have briefly expounded the the current situation of Chinese economic development and the world economy integration and the globalization tendency, to show the importance of well applying the PP in business communication. Second, I have compared general PP between Chinese and English-speaking countries. Then, I have presented the applicaton of different PP between Chinese and English in three types of business communication, namely oral business communication, written business communicaton, nonverbal business communicatoin, by stating the importance and giving examples.

As the cross-culture business communication between Chinese and English-speaking countries becomes increasingly intensive, in the course of English learning, understanding the different politeness priciples between Chinese and English will greatly contribute to cultivating our intercultural communication awareness and ability, and enhancing the success in intercultural business communication.

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REFERENCES

Brown, P．&Levinson，S．Some Universals in Language Usage: Politess Phonomena. In Goody, E. N. (ed.) Questions and Politeness: Strategies in Social Interaction, Cambridge University Press,1978

He Zhaexiong Study of Politeness in Chinese and English Cultures

1995(05)

Leech.G.. Principles of Pragmatics [M]. London: Longman, 1983

Gu Yueguo.”Politeness Phenomena in Modern Chinese”[J]. Journal of Pragmatics,1990, NO.14.

Brown, P．&Levinson，S．Some Universals in Langua 【M】．Cambridge：Cambridge University Press，1987．

Leech, G..N: Language and Tact. Paper 46 of Linguistic Agency, University of Trier.1977.

Xu Guangxian.(2001). “Business Communication”

Loretta A. Malandro, Larry L. Barker, and Deborah Ann Barker. “Nonverbal Communication”, 1989.

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