自跨文化视野下中美时间观念的研究分析英文版Word下载.docx
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自跨文化视野下中美时间观念的研究分析英文版Word下载.docx
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摘要
由于地域、日常习惯和历史的差异,孕育出了多样化的中西方文化,尤其是中美文化。
中美时间观念的差异就是由两地的人们在日常生活、学习或工作中许许多多不同的价值观念所产生的。
有的人天生就是急性子,而有的人却从小就是慢脾气。
有的人守时,可有的人常迟到。
这些都反映出中美人们不同的时间观念。
在下文中,笔者将结合一些科学的研究资料探讨跨文化交际中的中美时间观以避免文化冲突。
关键词:
中美文化;
时间观念;
跨文化交际
Contents
1.Introduction1
2. Literature reviewﻩ1
2.1 Thedefinitionoftimeconcept1
2.2Theimportanceof timeconcept incross-cultural communicationﻩ1
3.ThedifferencesinChineseandAmericantimeconcept2
3.1The line-type timeoutlookandtheround-typetime outlook2
3.1.1Americans’ line-typetimeoutlook2
3.1.2Chinese’s round-typetime outlookﻩ3
3.2Mono-chronictimeandpoly-chronic timeﻩ4
3.2.1Americans’mono-chronictime conceptﻩ5
3.2.2Chinese’s poly-chronictimeconceptﻩ7
3.3Chinese’s past-timeorientationandAmericans’future-time orientationﻩ8
3.3.1Chinese’spast-timeorientationﻩ8
3.3.2Americans’future-timeorientation10
4.ThecrasisofChineseandAmericantimeconceptﻩ12
4.1 People’sconsciousnessoftimethriftisstrengthening12
4.2Past-time orientationisturningintofuture-time orientationﻩ13
5. Conclusion14
References15
1.Introduction
Thispaper aimstoexploredifferencesinChineseandAmericantime conceptsandculture.Theauthorhopes this paper can,to acertain degree, givethereadersaclearunderstandingaboutthepeople’sconcept oftimeinthe two regions.Thestudyonthe conceptof timeistohelpustounderstandculturaldifferences andhelpuscarryouteffectiveinternationalcommunication,improve cross-culturalawareness,reducebarrierstocross-culturalcommunication andthemisunderstandingresultingfrom thedifferentconcept oftime asmuchaspossible,and avoid“cultural conflict”or“timeconflict”incross-culturalcommunication.
2.Literaturereview
2.1The definitionoftimeconcept
Timeconceptisevolved fromtheprocessof people understandingand transformingtheworld. Timeconceptwill remainrelativelystablefora fairly longperiod. AccordingtoLiu Xifang(2009), timeconceptreferstothedifferentawarenessandunderstandingtowards time.Itis notonlyabasicfactor intheenvironmentofhumanactivity,but alsoadeep-seated cultural part ofthesocialsrtucture.It isshapednaturallythrough thelong-periodpracticeofhuman beingandthelong-periodhistoricalprogress.It reflectstheattitudeofpeople towardstime.Atthesame time,it alsoreflects thewaythat people deal withtime and utilizetime.Everyonehashis orherownconceptof time. Therefore,different people, especiallythepeoplein China andAmericahavedifferent conceptsoftime.
2.2Theimportanceoftime conceptin cross-culturalcommunication
As globaleconomicintegrationmoveson, Chinese-Americancultural communicationand integrationbecomemorefrequent. Understanding different culturalconceptsof time improvescross-cultural awareness and reduces barriers tocross-culturalcommunication. Avoiding“cultural conflict”or“timeconflict”becomemore andmore important.
If peopleonly recognizeandadheretotheir own conceptoftimeandneglectunderstanding and respecttothetime concept ofothercultures,there would arisemany misunderstandings.We shouldacknowlegde thatpeoplefromChineseand Americancultures holddifferentattitudestowardstimeandthe methodof usingtime.Thenwe should overcomethe ethical culturalcentrismandreduce themisunderstandingof differentconceptsoftimeasmuch aspossible. The timeorientationunderdifferentculturesshouldget respectandrecognition.Whenthereis aconflictinthetimeconcept,wecannotsimplyjugdeitasgoodorbad.Culturalcommunicationis aprocessofunderstandingfromoneculturetoanother.Therefore,inorder to deepenmutual understanding, itis necessarytoadoptaliberalattitude.
3. The differencesinChineseand Americantimeconcept
3.1Theline-typetimeoutlookandtheround-type timeoutlook
Accordingto Guan Shijie(1995:
285),timeoutlookcan bedividedinto round-typetimeoutlookandline-type timeoutlook,Americans belongtoline-typetimeoutlook, whileChinese people belong toround-typetimeoutlook.
3.1.1Americans’ line-typetimeoutlook
InAmerican eyes, timeis like a river whichflowsstraight to seafromtheheadstream. Oncetimehasgone,itwillnevercome back.SoAmericans cherishtimeso much. TheAmerican heroBenjaminFranklinsaid“Doyoulove life?
If love,don’t wasteyour time,becauselifeismadeup oftime.”
TheAmericanculturewithJewishChristiantraditionusuallyregardstimeasastraightlineandalinearcontinuousone-waymovement. Timeismoving,timeisgoingby,time is bothprecious andobstinate, oncegoneitcanneverberestored.They alsobelievethattimehasbeginningandendingtoo, and timecanbemeasuredbytheclockorcalendar.Everything isaccuratetoevery minute,or even milliseconds.Timein Americansocietyisalmostacommodity.Itis real andvaluable,itcan bebought andsold,youcansaveand youcan wastetime. Youcanloseandyoucan borrowtime. Time can bemanufacturedandcanbe measured.Americanpopular magazinesoften publish relatedarticleswithsuchproposalthathowpeoplecanusetime efficientlyonshopping,cooking, cleaninghouse,raisingchildren,andflower gardening. In theUnited States,“NewYork Times”columnonthebusiness,thereisan authorwho has claimed himselfas“efficiency expert”,herecommends an effectivewaytoutilizetimeandmakethenextday’sdevelopmentactivities planwhensleepingbythemobilizationoftheunconscious.Hesaid sucha waycanmakefulluse ofsleep time,ratherthanwaste.Thefollowingproverbs reflectthistimeconcept of people:
“Neverput off till tomorrow whatyoucan do today.”
“Timeandtidewaitfornoman.”
“Akehaywhilethe sun shines.”
“Tomorrownevercomes.”
3.1.2Chinese’sround-typetimeoutlook
The specialway thatthefarm-basedeasternerscarrythroughexchangingmaterialwithnaturehasbeendominantin thewholeeconomic life of allsociety.Sucharuralcivilization regardspeopleandnature asinterrelated,andregardtheworldasanorganicalwhole.Theresult is theOrientalSociety’s“Manand Nature”round-type timeconcept.Thismeansthattimechangesinharmonywithnaturalrhythm,which isamovementthat moveseternally andcyclicallyalong itsarcandspiral,suchasalternatingindayandnight, seasons’ back and forth,month’srotating, age’schanging, plant’scyclegrowth, labor’sfarmingseasonsturnover,areself-movementrevertingincycles(JiaYuxin,1977:
71). Thisconceptoftimeasfourseasons:
reincarnationandendlesscyclingmakeAsianslookveryrich intermsoftime, they canusemore discretionarytimetodoanythingwithoutworrying.Forexample, iftheschoolteacherhaven’tfinishedanimportant elementoftext,hewoulddragaperiodoftimetofinish itafter class;
Therearefew peoplewhomentionthetimein Chineseweddinginvitations,people cancometodinnerlateseparatedbyan hourlongwiththe earlyones,soafeastcanlast eventwoor threehours.Appointment timetoseeour friendsis hardlydetermined.Forexample,ifthereis afriendwhohas not beenseenforalongtime, andwanttoseeyouduringweekend, maybeyoushouldstayhomeallday,andwaitforhim tocome.
3.2Mono-chronictimeandpoly-chronic time
Accordingtoobservation,Edward.T. Hall(1983:
42)has dividedtheusing oftimeindifferentculturesintotwoclassifications,oneismonochronic timesystem;
theother ispolychronictimesystem(Hall, 1982:
16). Thesociety withinheavy industry,ingeneral,adoptsthe monochronictimesystem.They justarrangethelineoftimestrictly,arrangethingsinacertainpiece of time withoutchangingsoeasilyunderthearrangement.They liketodo thingsefficiencily.The polychronictime isthe heritage oftraditionalagricultural society, peopleliketo do several thingstogetherinasame time.
3.2.1Americans’mono-chronictimeconcept
The Americansareusedtodoingonlyonethingina certaintime,so theyliketoplantimecarefully andthoughtfully.Therefore,calendars,schedules,diaries,annualsandaccountingledgers playanimportant role intheAmericansociety.Tosomeextent,itextremelycontrolsthesocial activities of people,itdecideswhat theydoordon’tdoat anymoment, whatmustbedonefirst,what should be donefinally.Americansare controledbythe clocktightly,they evenregardthemselvesas the slave tonothingbuttheclock.JustlikeHallsaid “IntheWesternworld,nobodycangetoutof thecontrolofmono-time system.Infact,societyandbussiness life,eventhesexual behaviorareinthecontrolof time.Timemakesthepeople’stotallifenet.”(Hall,1982:
20). Thiscanbefoundoutfrom the bussiness activities in thecross-culturalcommunication.Americans demandtodealwiththingsaccordingto timetable. AstheAmericanscherish timesomu
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- 关 键 词:
- 文化 视野 中美 时间 观念 研究 分析 英文