體態(tài)語(yǔ)的中西文化內(nèi)涵

1、體態(tài)語(yǔ)的中西文化內(nèi)涵體態(tài)語(yǔ)的中西文化內(nèi)涵摘要:體態(tài)語(yǔ)是人類交際中最常見(jiàn)的一種非語(yǔ)言交際手段,在特定情況下比有聲語(yǔ)言和文字語(yǔ)言更富具有表現(xiàn)力。對(duì)它的研究，可以追溯至亞里士多德，但從達(dá)爾文開(kāi)始才有這方面正式的研究。體態(tài)語(yǔ)的定義和分類，歷來(lái)也有爭(zhēng)議。一般來(lái)說(shuō)，體態(tài)語(yǔ)主要指面部表情，身體動(dòng)作和其他任何出自身體部位的姿勢(shì)。體態(tài)語(yǔ)在交際中起重要作用，它主要有五種功能，其中包括象征、補(bǔ)充、指示、調(diào)節(jié)和否定功能等。此外，體態(tài)語(yǔ)在跨文化交際也起重要作用。隨著跨文化交際的日益頻繁，中西“兩方”交際也呈漸多之勢(shì)，兩方體態(tài)語(yǔ)的文化差異已是交際的主要障礙之一。正文概述了國(guó)內(nèi)外體態(tài)語(yǔ)及體態(tài)語(yǔ)文化差異研究現(xiàn)狀，同時(shí)從精神或

2、觀念性差異，制度性差異，物質(zhì)性差異三個(gè)方面對(duì)中西體態(tài)語(yǔ)的文化差異進(jìn)行了分類。創(chuàng)新之處在于將“中西體態(tài)語(yǔ)的文化差異”的研究歸類于各自“主導(dǎo)文化”差異的“精神或觀念性差異”；“制度性差異”和“物質(zhì)性差異”三個(gè)層面中之中。在形成差異的三個(gè)方面因素中，精神或觀念性因素是形成中西體態(tài)語(yǔ)文化差異的“內(nèi)在因素”，制度性因素是形成中西體態(tài)語(yǔ)的文化差異的“外在驅(qū)力”，而物質(zhì)性差異則是中西體態(tài)語(yǔ)文化差異的重要表現(xiàn)及其形成的重要條件。提出研究體態(tài)語(yǔ)文化差異的原則，對(duì)理解體態(tài)語(yǔ)所屬語(yǔ)言國(guó)主流文化的價(jià)值觀念、道德風(fēng)尚、風(fēng)俗習(xí)慣、歷史背景、思維方式等多種文化內(nèi)涵具有一定幫助。同時(shí)幫助人們減少或避免在跨文化交際中因體態(tài)語(yǔ)的

3、文化差異而引起的誤解。關(guān)鍵詞：體態(tài)語(yǔ)；功能；文化差異TheChineseandWesternCulturalConnotationsofBodyLanguageAbstract:Bodylanguageisoneofthecommonnon-verbal1Qcommunicativedevicesandincertaincircumstances,itismoreeffectiveinexpressingonesemotionsthanspokenandwrittenlanguage.IthasbeenstudiedasearlyasAristotletimes,butonlyfromDarw

4、indidpeoplebegintheformalstudiesonthissubject.Asforthedefinitionandclassificationofbodylanguage,thereareconsiderableopinions.Generallyspeaking,bodylanguagereferstothoseoffacialexpressions,bodyactions,andotherBodylanguiaognesfunctgesturesmadebyanypartofmansbodysignificantlyincommunications.Thefunctio

5、nsofbodylanguageincludesymbolicfunction、complementingfunction、indicatingfunction、regulatingfunctionandnegativefunction.Italsogivessignificanceofbodylanguagesininterculturalcommunication.Withthedevelopmentofinterculturalcommunication,thecontactsbetweentheChineseandtheWesternareontheincrease,andthedif

6、ferencesbetweenbodylanguagehavebeenamongthemajorbarrierstoefficientcommunication.ThepresentpapermakesacontrastivestudyonculturaldifferencesofbodylanguagesbetweenChineseandWesterncountriesaremade.Italsoclassifiesthedifferencesofthebodylanguagebetweenthetwolanguagesintospiritual,institutionalandmateri

7、aldifferences.TheoriginalityplaceliesintheclassificationoftheculturaldifferencesofbodylanguagesofChinaandWesterncountriesinthreelevels:spiritual,institutionalandmaterial.Spiritualfactorsarethemaininternalcausesoftheculturaldifferencesofthebodylanguages,theinstitutionalfactorsaretheexternaldrivetothe

8、formationoftheculturaldifferencesofthebodylanguagesandthebodymaterialfactorsaretheimportantconditionsofformingtheirdifferences.Thestudyoftheprinciplesoftheculturaldifferencesofbodylanguageisconductivetotheunderstandingofthevaluesystem,moralstandard,customs,historicalbackgroundandmodeofthinkingofanat

9、ion.Thinkingofanation,whichmighthelppeoplereduceoravoidmisunderstandingduetoculturaldifferencesofbodylanguageininterculturalcommunication.Keywords:bodylanguage,function,culturaldifferencesIntroductionBodylanguages,asimportantpartsofnonverbalcommunication,includesgestures,facialexpressions,posture,ey

10、econtact,touch,bodymovements,etc.Therearesimilaritiesbetweenbodylanguagesindifferentcultures,butmostofthebodylanguagesvaryculturally.Withthedevelopmentofinterculturalcommunication,thecontactsbetweentheChineseandtheWesternpeopleareontheincrease,andthedifferencesbetweenbodylanguageshavebeenamongthemaj

11、orbarrierstoefficientcommunication.ThestudyonbodylanguagehasstartedmainlyafterWordWarII.Howeverbeforethe20thcentury,Darwin,inhisfamousbookTheExpressionoftheEmotioninManandAnimals,alreadymentionedthis.Ithasmadegreatinfluenceandsignificancesonthestudyofmodernnonverbalcommunication.Inthefirsthalfofthe2

12、0thcentury,thestudyinthisfieldhasntbeenformedsystematically,andstudiesatthattimeonlyfocusedonsomeindividualaspects,suchassound,appearance,clothingandfacialexpressions.Inthatperiod,themostinfluentialworksincludeKretschmersPhysiqueandCharacter,theVariationofHumanPhysique,andthelastoneisGestureandEnvir

13、onmentbyEfronin1941.Inthe1950snonverbalcommunicationmadeabreakthroughdevelopment.BirdwhistellsIntroductiontoKinesicsandHallsTheSilentLanguagecanbeseenasthefoundationstone.Inthe1960s,thestudywastakenwithfurtherstep,andbeganthestudiesonmansdifferentgestures.DuringthisperiodEkmanandFriesencontributedth

14、emost.Theywrotearticlesaboutthecause,useanddecodingofnonverbalcommunications.Therewerealotofresearchpapersandworkspublishedinthe1970s.OnedistinguishingbookthatcantbeignoredisBodyLanguagebyFast.Sincethe1980s,thestudyonbodylanguagehasfurtherdeveloped,andsomecontrastiveanalysisinthisfieldhasbeencarried

15、out,suchastheeffortmadebyBiJiwan.HetranslatedthebookContrastiveAnalysisofBodyLanguageCommunicationbetweenChinaandEnglish-speakingCountries,whichcomprehensivelyintroducesthedifferentusesofbodylanguageindifferentcountries.7Scholarsathomehavealsocontributedalot.InChinathescientificstudyofbodylanguageon

16、lybeganattheendof1982s.TherepresentativeworksareIntroductiontoBodyLanguagebyGengErling(1988),LanguageandCulturebyDengYanchangandLiuRunqing(1989),PracticalBodyLanguageeditedbyFanYunhuaandLiJiequn(1991),InternationalcommunicationbyJiaYuxin(1997),InterculturalNonverbalCommunicationBiJiwan(1999),andthes

17、eriesofbooksoninterculturalcommunicationeditedandtranslatedbyHuWenzhongsuchasIntroductiontointerculturalcommunication(1999),etc.Generallyspeaking,theChinesescholarsstudiesonbodylanguagesconsistoftwoparts:communicativefunctionsandculturaldifferences.OnthebasicofforeignscholarsresearchesChinesescholar

18、shaveaddedmorespecificandconvincingexamplesfromChineseculture.Judgingfromwhatismentionedabove,wecanseethatculturaldifferencesofbodylanguage,asbarrierstointerculturalcommunication,havealreadybeendrawnanincreasingattentionbyscholars.Butthepreviousstudiesonbodylanguageareeitherfoundinthestudiesofinterc

19、ulturalcommunicationandnonverbalcommunication,whichonlyconsistofseveralparagraphsorpagesandarefarfromdetailedstudies,ortheyjustmakebriefcomparisonsofbodybehaviorsinmanydifferentcultureswithdiscreteexamples,whicharenotsystematic.Untilnow,therehasbeennoresearchdoneontheChineseandWesternculturalconnota

20、tionsofbodylanguage.Onthebasicofthepreviousstudiesandachievements,thispaperfirstfocusesacomparativestudyofculturaldifferencesofbodylanguagebetweenChineseandWesterncountries.Withtherapiddevelopmentoftheworldeconomy,political,economicandculturalinterchangebetweenchinaandwesterncountriesisbecomingincre

21、asinglyfrequent.Suchbeingthecase,thecontactsbetweenChinesepeopleandforeigners,especiallypeoplefromEnglish-speakingcountries,areincreasing.Incommunicationpeopleareencounteringmorebarrierscausedbyculturaldifferences,includingtheculturaldifferencesofbodylanguages。Thepaperthenclassifiesculturaldifferenc

22、esofbodylanguagesofeachmainculturalintothreestrata:spiritualstratum,institutionalstratumandmaterial.Itsauthorthinksthatthestudyofculturaldifferencescanbeconductedattwolevels:atthefirstlevelthestudyisfocusedonphenomenon(differencesthemselves);atthesecondlevel,onthecausesofdifferenceswhicharedeeplyroo

23、tedinculture.Theformertellsuswhatisdifferent,whilethelattertelluswhytherearesuchdifferences.Thispaperisjustanattempttomakeastudyofculturaldifferencesofbodylanguageatthesecondlevelthroughanewclassification,which,itsauthorthinks,canhelpitsreadersbetterunderstandthecultureofastudiedlanguage.TheDefiniti

24、onofBodyLanguageAboutthedefinitionofbodylanguage,manywesternscholarshaveproposedalot.FirstIwilllistoutsomeofthemtohelpmakeaclearunderstandingaboutwhatlanguageis.“Bodylanguageisnotconveyedthroughwords.Itisakindofmanssocialattributesandbehavior.Whichareissuedbythedeliverer,andreceivedbythereceivedpurp

25、osely.”(Burgoonandsaine,1978)TheChinesefamousscholar,ChenWangdaooncegavebodylanguagethefollowingdefinition,“theactionofstrikingaposeisbodylanguage,whichisatoolforcommunication.”2Bodylanguage,strictlyspeaking,canbedividedintotwokinds.Onekindincludesgestures,bodymovements,signsandpostures,etc.Theother

26、iscalledkinesics.KinesicsisawordmadeupbyBirdwhistell,whichreferstothesubjectstudyingbodylanguage.Sometimesbodylanguageisequatedwithbodylanguage.InWebstersNewDictionary,kinesicsisdefinedas“tosystematicallystudynonverbalbodyactions(suchasblush,eyemovements,etc.)andcommunications.”Samovaroncesayskinesi

27、csisthesystematicstudyofbodymovementsandactions,andthroughthestudy,makestheseactionsandbehaviorsformalizingandencoding.FastinhisbookBodyLanguagesaysthatspaceandorientation,andseatingarrangementarealsopartsofbodylanguage.ThethirdeditionofWebstersNewWorldDictionarydefinesbodylanguageas“gestures,uncons

28、ciousbodilymovements,facialexpression,etc,whichserveasnonverbalcommunicationorasaccompanimentstospeech.”CollinsCOBUILDEnglishlanguageDictionarygivesthefollowingdefinition,“alsospelledwithahyphen.Bodylanguageisthewayinwhichyoushowyourfeelingsorthoughtstootherpeoplebymeansofthepositionormovementofyour

29、bodyratherthanwords.”Generally,bodylanguagereferstothoseappearancesandactionstransmittingcommunicationinformation.Itisthereflectingornonreflectingactionsmadebythewholebodyorjustpartsofthebody,throughwhichtocommunicatewiththeobjectiveworld.1Sothedefinitionofbodylanguageinthispapercanberegardedasonein

30、awidesense.Onthewhole,wecaninterpretitas,exceptverballanguage,thosevariousexpressionsdeliveredbyanypartofmansbody.Itmightincludesigngestures,bodygestures,eyecontacts,facialexpressionsandtouching.Thispaperwillusethemeaningofbodylanguageinwidesense.Bodylanguageistherichestkindinallkindsofnonverballang

31、uages.Itisestimatedthatmancandomorethan270,000kindsofposturesandactions,whicharemorethanallthesoundstheycanmade.1Aboutthescopeofbodylanguage,therearequitealotofclarifications.Generallytheclarificationiscarriedoutaccordingtothedifferentactionsofmansbody.Samovar(1981)employsthetermbodybehaviortomeanbo

32、dylanguage.Hedividesitintoappearance,clothing,bodyactions,facialexpressions,eyecontacts,staring,touching,etc,andheevencollectsparalanguageandsmellofbodyintothiscategory.Tosomeitems,peoplehaventreachedanagreementwhethertheyshouldbelongtothescopeofnonverbalbehaviorornot.Suchasfigure,smellandsomesignal

33、s.Sincebodylanguagecoverstoomanyitem,andtheresearchinthisfieldhasprogressedrapidly,itisnotnecessaryforustomakeanaccuratedefinitioninitscope.Butstartingfromcross-culturalcommunications,andcombiningwithwhathasbeenachievedbyWesternscholars,wecanroughlyclassifybodylanguageintothreecategories:thoseoffaci

34、alexpressions,gesturesandactions.Theyoffersupplementaryfunctionstoverballanguage,andsomecanreplaceverballanguageforcommunication,andsomeevenexpressmuchricherideas.Facialexpressionsrefertothoseofeyes,eyebrows,nose,mouth,andthemovementsofmusclesintheface.Theyalsorefertotheglowingofeyes,faciallook,ande

35、verythingshownthroughthedifferentpartsoftheface.Bodygesturesrefertoallgestures,postures,bodyactions(especiallysigns),andtherelativedistancebetweentheparticipants.Gesturesincludethosemadebybothhandsandotherpartsofthebody,suchasarmgesturesandlegmovements.Forexampleifweintendtolettheotherkeepsilent,weu

36、suallyputtheindexfingeronthelips,andatthesametimeutterthesoundofhushestoworktogetherwithit.Bodyactionscontainthosethatdontsimplymeantheactionsofsomesignals.Forexample,theactionsofwalkingandeatinghavetwokindsoffunctions.Oneistosatisfytheneedofusualworkingofbody,andtheotheristodeliversomeimplicaturest

37、ootherpeople,whichgreatlydependonspecificcontexts.FunctionsofBodyLanguageActionsaremuchpowerfulthanwords.Manyposturescanexpresscomplicatedfunctions.Successfulcommunicationsarecloselyrelatedtoskillfuluseofappearances,signs,gesturesandactions,etc.Namelybodylanguagecanhelpcarryoutsmoother,moresuccessfu

38、landefficientcommunications.Whencarryingaconversation,deliberatelyoraccidentally,peoplearealwaysaccompaniedwithchangesoftheirfacialexpressions,gesturesandotherbodylanguages.InEnglish,thereisafamoussaying:donottrustthosewhodarenotlookatyoureyesdirectly.Thisexpressionindicatestheimportanceofeyecontact

39、sincommunications.Wecanmakesuchananalogy:bodylanguageisjustlikemansshadowthatisalwaystogetherwithus.Evenitiscloudyorrainy,wecantobservetheshadowvisibly,butitdoesexistobjectively,justlikethefunctionsofbodylanguagewhichsometimesweignore,whileitalwaysworksinactualcommunications.Beingakindofsigns,bodyla

40、nguageplaysasignificantroleincommunication.Somefunctionsofbodylanguageareclearandspecific,whileothersarevague.Somebodylanguagecanshowgeneralinformation,whileothersarereflectingindividualpropertiesandattitudes.Accordingtothedisplayingandtransferringfunctionsofbodylanguage,EkmanandFriesenclassifythefu

41、nctionsofbodylanguageintofiveaspects.1Iwillexplainthemonebyone.SymbolicFunctionThiskindhasclearanddefiniteimplicatures,andonthisoccasionitcanreplacespeechacts,andusuallyhasstrongculturalproperties.Forexample,theactionforcommittingsuicide,inJapanpeopleusingthehandimitatingtheformofdaggerpenetratingin

42、tohisorherownbelly,whileintheUnitedStates,peopleusetheindexfingeratthetemplestoindicatethemeaningofsuicide.ComplementingFunctionBodylanguagescanalsoexplainconversationalimplicatures,whiletheuseofbodylanguageinthiswaymustbeaccompaniedwiththeuseofverballanguage.Whiledeliveringaspeech,thelecturerhastoe

43、mploydifferentgesturestosupportthespeech,andmakethespeechstronger,otherwisethelecturewillbeadullone,andfailstoattracttheinterestoftheaudience.IndicatingFunctionBodylanguagecanindicatesignalsoffeelingsandemotions,whichcanmodify,exaggerateandnegatetheverballanguage.Forexample,thereisacauseofintheUnive

44、rsityEnglish,whichsay:withaquickdecisionheturnedtotheshopgirlandsaidinaloudvoice,“Kindlypackmeupthisonehere.Iwilltakeitwithme.”Hepointedatoneofthelargestandmostexpensiveofthepuddings.Fromit,wecanknowthattherearethreemovementofbodylanguagewereusedinit-turnedto,saidinaloudvoice,pointedatoneofthelarges

45、tandmostexpensiveofthepuddings.Itisreallyeffectivethatsilenceisgolden.Letscometorealizeclearlyhowtheoldmanredeemshimselfandkeephisdignity.RegulatingFunctionBodylanguagecanregulateconversations,especiallyinfacetofaceones.Morespecificformsforthisfunctionaretheregularitiesoccurredinturn-takingsofaconve

46、rsation,andself-regularity.Forexample,ifoneparticipantisinterestedintheconversation,hemightnodapprovinglyattimesandsmilefromtimetotimetohintthespeakertocontinuetheconversation.Thatistheregularityofturn-taking,whichregulatestheturnsinconversations.Self-regularitymeansthespeakingmightrelaxhimselforher

47、selfthroughsomebodylanguageactionssoastoregulatehimselforherself.Forexample,whenwearenervous,weoftenfeeluneasywhethersittingorstanding.Ifwefeelawkward,theusualactionistotouchthebackoftheheadorjustcurlthelipunconsciouslytoregulateourselvestoembarrassingsituations.Thereisanotherinstance.Ininterviewsai

48、nterviewertendstojudgebythebodylanguageissuedunintentionallybyainterviewee,becauseiftheintervieweeiskeyedup,heorshemightwringthehandsconstantlytoconcealorgetridofthenervousness,andgenerally,ifheorshecontinuestomakethisactionduringthewholeinterview,thefutureforhisorherobtainingofthejobmustbeveryslim.

49、Maybeindifferentculturesdifferentbodylanguagewillbeusedtoindicatethismeaning,butinspiteofthevariousforms,thereisafundamentaltruthunderthisthatisproperuseofbodylanguagecanregulateparticipantstogetaccustomedtoconversations.Wehavediscussedtheregularityfunctionofbodylanguage,especiallythefunctionofself-

50、regularity.Actuallyactionsofself-regulatingaredonesubconsciously,andtheyareexternalexpressionsofinnerfeelings.Soiftherearecleftsbetweenbodylanguageandverballanguage,theuseofbodylanguageismorepreferable.NegativeFunctionInthissensebodylanguagecannegatethetruth-valueofverballanguage,andthisfunctionisus

51、uallycallednegativefunction.Hereisanexampleforthis.IfAsaystoB,“Ihateyou”.Withoutthecorrespondnigfacialexpressionsofhatred,Asmilesandsaysgently.Thisisanapparentcaseinwhichbodylanguagepubliclynegateswhatisutteredinverballanguage.Onthewhole,thegeneralfunctionsofbodylanguagearetoemphasizeandsupplement.I

52、ngeneral,thereisnodoubtthatbodylanguagecantransmitinformation,andotherwisetheycannotcomeevenearlierthanverballanguage(forintheprimitivetime,mandidnthavelanguage,andtheonlycommunicationalmeanswasbysignswhichbelongstothescopeofbodylanguage),anditwillbeimpossibleforittobeusedfrequentlyincommunications.

53、Beingthereflectionofpsychologicalconditionsisthefoundationonwhichbodylanguagefunctionsinharmonywithwordsandexpressionsinconversations.3Thatistosay,bodylanguagealwayscloselyconcertsutterances,andtransfersdifferentkindsofinformationtotheotherpartyinconversations.Wehavecountlessexamplestoprovethis.Ifve

54、rballanguageisaninformationtransferringsymbolsystemonanabstractlevel,bodylanguagemightbeseenaninformationtransferringsymbolonvisuallevel,becausemostofbodylanguagearevisible.InhisKinesicsandContext,Birdwhistlehasmorespecificdescription.Hesays,“bodylanguageandorallanguagesupplementeachother.Ifweattemp

55、ttocommunicatewithoutthecooperationofbodylanguage,suchashand,thechangesofforeheadandotherformsoffacialexpressions,wewillsoonlearnthatcommunicationsarehardtoproceedon.”7TheSignificanceofBodyLanguageininterculturalCommunication“Ofcourse,languageisthemostimportantchannelofcommunicationinhumaninteractio

56、n,butitisnottheonlyone,forexample,manynonverbalsymbolsarenecessaryincommunication.Infact,socialcommunicationsisbothverballyandnonverbally.”4WecangetanimportantinformationfromChenYuanswords:Nonverbalcommunicationisanessentialpartofhumancommunication.Toacertainextent,effectivecommunicationdependsonnon

57、verbalmessages.Ignoranceofnonverbalmessageswillresultinincompletecommunication.Nonverbalandverbalcommunicationstogetherformthewholeprocessofcommunication.Theyareinter-complementaryandinter-emphatically.Atthesametime,eachhasitsowncharacteristics.Astowhatisnonverbalcommunication,differentpeoplehavedif

58、ferentdefinitions.Generallyspeaking,nonverbalcommunicationreferstotheinformationthatistransmittedfromsendertoreceiverswhenthedominantmeaningisnotconveyedbytheuseofwords.Anotherwaytoputitisthatnonverbalcommunicationisallthosestimuliinacommunicationsettingthataregeneratedbyboththesourceandhisorheruses

59、oftheenvironmentandthathavepotentialmessagevalueforthesourceorreceiver.5Alloftheseelementsconstitutethebasiccomponentsofnonverbalcommunication.Nonverbalcommunicationisasubtle,multidimensional,andusuallyspontaneousprocess.Sometimeswearenotawareofmostofourownnonverbalbehaviors,whichisenactedmindlessly

60、,spontaneously,andunconsciously.Wealltakethesenonverbalbehaviorsforgranted,buttheydoexertanimmenseimpactoncommunication.Whilestudyinghumancommunication,peopleusedtostresswhatissaidattheexpenseofhowitissaid.Theymissedtheimportanceofnonverbalcommunication.Asimportantasverballanguageistoacommunicatione