Effective Communication Strategies: Language, Culture &

Communication

方健壮广东外语艺术职业学院

2008, 12, 18

Self-introduction

Position: President, Guangdong Teachers College of Foreign Language & Arts ( 广东外语艺术职业学院院长）

Degrees: MA in English Literature ( 广东外语外贸大学 ), MSc in English language & literary stylistic

s (Edinburgh University, UK ) MA in British Studies (Warwick Uni., UK)Profession: teaching English language, literature and c

ulture Research: interpretation studies, British society & cult

ure 

Warnings from Literary Masters on

概述 / 归纳

• ^ To generalize is to be an idiot. (William Shakespeare)

• ^ All generalizations are dangerous, even this one. (Alexandre Dumas, French writer 大仲马）

CONTENTS1 Why Do We Learn English?

2 What Should We Learn?

3 Communication Strategies

4 Politeness

5 Privacy

6 Moderateness

7 Taboo

8 Major Differences between Languages & Values

1 Why Do We Learn English?• To get in touch with the outside world• To travel around the world• To do business with people from other countries• To attend conferences or symposiums• To gain information and be knowledgeable• To study, work or live abroad• To pass exams, find better jobs ， get promoted• To enjoy life better (entertainment ， net-surfing )• To communicate: understand others & make ours

elves understood

学生初学英文时用汉语 “ English” 一词标音 :

　　学生甲标以“阴沟里洗” 　　学生乙标以“应给利息” 　　学生丙标以“因果联系” 　　学生丁标以“硬改历史” 学生＊标以“英国里去”　　学生＊ ＊标以“应该累死”

结果二十年后 :

　　 学生甲成了卖菜小贩， 　　学生乙成了银行职员， 　　学生丙成了哲学教授， 　　学生丁成了政客；　　 学生＊成了海外华侨　　 学生＊＊成了打工一族

1.1 Anything wrong with the following cases?

A. When you like or love something or are happy about something, you say “OK”.

B. When you meet a foreign friend on the way to…, you ask him/her “Where are you going?”

C. You ask a foreign tourist or your foreign teacher “Do you like China?” or “What do you think of Chinese students?”

1.2 Can you find any mistakes in the following sentences?

1 His body is very healthy.

2 We are difficulty to finish all these tasks tonight.

3 His sick condition is much better. He is no longer dangerous.

4. His work is often very busy.

5. He only said a few sentences, making us very disappointed.

6 They avoided to meet him.

7 Let’s go and eat our meals.

8 He is going to sing songs at the concert.

9 Have you paid the money?

10 Her two eyes are blind.

11 Please sit down, Mrs. Green. You can’t stand for so long at such an old age.

12 A little step forward makes a big civilization. ( 向前一小步，文明一大步）

13 Please buy tickets consciously.

14 Welcome to give your valuable opinions.

15 Please come to my humble home.( 光临寒舍）

16 We shall wipe out the invaders completely, thoroughly and cleanly.

17. No swimming. Be self-responsible for accidents.

“ 爱护绿地，请勿入內” “CARE OF THE GREEN ， NO ENTRANCE”Correct: “Please keep off the grass” 。

“ 为了保证您的安全，请不要在床上抽烟” In order to protect your safety, please do not smok

e in bed.”Correct: No smoking. “ 油漆未干， 请勿靠近”Paint is not dry. Do not come close.Correct: Wet paint.

2 What Should We Learn?

1) linguistic competence: pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary;

2) communicative competence: customary usage (proper/correct expressions, set phrases), strategies (start, end, continue, interrupt, switch

topics; apology, gratitude, compliment, complaint, declining);

3) cultural awareness: privacy, values, modesty, generalization, humor, etc.

3 Communication Strategies

Politeness, Privacy, Moderateness, Taboo.

• Appropriateness of utterances

• Communicative functions of expressions

• Knowledge of intercultural communication

# say the right thing to the right person at the right time on the right occasion

# The fool says what he thinks, the wise thinks what he says.

　　 ( 愚者说其所思，智者思其所说） # Do in Rome as the Romans do. （入乡随俗）

4. Politeness: Are You a Gentleman

  Courtesy refers to polite behavior, kind action and good manners.

Gentleman: one regarded as having the best British characteristics, in particular culture, COURTESY and a good education.

. “...a king may make a nobleman, but he cannot make a gentleman.” (Edmund Burke,British politician)

4.1 Be gentle and courteous

“ If a man be gracious and courteous to strangers, it shows he is a citizen of the would.”(Francis Bacon, British writer)

“ It is almost a definition of a gentleman to say that he is one who never inflicts pain.”(Newman, British theologian)

 a. Appropriate greetings: varying with different persons and time

b. Understanding: avoid sensitive issues; decline offers that are made out of politeness; switch/change topics when the other is in a bad mood/ uninterested

c. Helpful: offer help and support with sincerity

d. Composed: avoid getting very excited or showing great emotion

e. Considerate: showing consideration for others, asking for permission …

4.2 Have good manners (gestures, voice, noise, movements)

“ Manners maketh man.”His manners are charming.He has no manners.It is no manners to make too many inquiries into o

ther people’s affairs.Case: Getting high scores in speaking test of IELTSA. have presentable appearance: negative examples: slovenly in dress, rough hair, un

shaven mustache, sweating all over, smelly or stinking.

B. keep conversation quiet or restrained: shouting or loud speech is considered ill-bred, when making phone calls, talking in buses, trains, underground or in restaurants.

C. refrain from making noise: such as belching, yawning, sneezing, throwing nose, clearing throat loudly or spitting , which are rather sickening and obnoxious. (Everything out of the mouth is not decent) Neither can one gorge on apples, gulp food, suck tea or swallow things hastily.

D. avoid scratching head, rub hands, sit cross-legged or with legs widely apart

EXAMPLES

• attending the class with shirt totally unbuttoned, revealing breast

• shaking legs while talking

• not making eye contact

• standing too close to the person as if you want to kiss or embrace him/her

• pointing at people with fingers: avoid making gestures just to avoid making trouble

4.3 Pay due compliments & reply to them 

START THE DAY WITH SOME COMPLIMENTS to make others happy and get oneself delighted

have a beautiful smile/hair looks nice

look smart in your new dress/sexy

have a good sense of humor/a great personality

Your wife is charming/children are cute/grandfather is very strong and wise

You gave an excellent speech/teach very well

the report was exceptional

Your car is nice/you have a beautiful and spacious house/your computer is among the first-class;

The dinner is great, excellent, wonderful. I really love the dishes.

How to reply to compliments from your acquaintances:

----express appreciation and thanks;

----give explanations so as to continue talking or acknowledge other’s help;

----return the compliments:

e.g. You look good too/Your hair is also well done.

4.4 Ladies-first principle: how to keep the balance

* Women are now men’s equals: having the right to vote/taking paid employment/ receiving higher education/independent in society and at home.

* Feminists/women’s liberationists are opposed to this kind of ‘surface respect’ , as the basis of politeness towards women is they need protection.

• “When a man opens the door of a car for a woman, it is either a new car or a new wife.”

• “It is a matter of convention that men should open doors for ladies.”

• “Woman, thy name is fragility.”

4.5 Apology-first principleI own you an apology/make an apology/apologize

for any inconvenience.When to say SORRYApologize for anything done wrong: accidental

disturbance, breach of manners, causing any inconvenience.

Show sympathy, regret so as to be understanding or humane or be closer.

How to use EXCUSE METhis is an advance apology for troubling somebody

or displease somebody.

4.6 Showing gratitude: IS THANK YOU ENOUGH ? When receiving sth. or being granted a request, h

owever obviously you are entitled to it, you are always expected to say THANY YOU;

even when you decline the kind offer, THANK YOU is still said;

when invited to a dinner/party at somebody’s home, usually you are expected to bring a little gift (flower, a bar of chocolate, a bottle of drinks), offer to help with the cooking or washing up; write a thank-you note/letter or make a telephone expressing gratitude.

4.7 Be Punctual WASTING TIME MEANS MURDER.Don’t be late for any

appointment---cinema/theatre/concert/dinner/party/ball---it is considered very rude, impolite and irritating to keep someone waiting.

EARLY BIRDS WON’T CATCH WORMS.BUT don’t be earlier than is expected either on a

social occasion (not a business one). Your hostess might not be prepared for you and will be most embarrassed if you arrive before she is quite ready. 10 minutes late is excellent in Britain.

4.8 Don’t Take French Leave

Definition: absence from the work or duty taken without permission

---leave the lecture room/classroom while it is in session;

---do not return after the break;

---leave the party before it is over.

Think up a pretext or an excuse, explain to the host that you have to be going away; express the regret and also your appreciation of the event.

4.9 Promise Is Debt

Don’t promise at will.

---visit foreigners’ homes

---help them learn Chinese language

---study his proposed plan

Don’t go back on your words once you are committed, at least fulfill part of it.

4.10 Decline Rather Than Refuse: How to Say NO?

A. Turn down an offer in an expressive and specific way, but with a reasonable excuse:

I’d really like to, but I have to...Thanks for inviting me, though.

I wish I could, but I have already promised to .... Thanks anyway.

I am sorry. I won’t be able to make it because ...

I am afraid I can’t make it today. I already have arranged to ...

I am not free then/have plans for tonight/am busy

have an appointment/busy with work/already have had it (a few cups)/be allergic to it;

B. Then suggest an alternative instead:

e.g. Let’s try to plan for another day/How about next weekend/Could you come on ...

C. Refuse a request by diplomatic and careful words:

e.g. rules & regulations, beyond one’s ability, some other reasons

D. Postpone the answer or refusal with some ambiguous words:

I am not sure about the date yet, let me check some time later.

I think I may have something to do that day, but I am not quite sure. I will call you tonight and let you know.

I won’t know until I talk to my...who...

I am sorry I can’t decide here and now. I need to discuss with ....

5 PRIVACY People like privacy when they are dressing or

undressing. Windows imply privacy.It means being away from the notice or activities

of others; it also refers to secrecy: avoidance of public attention.

The house of every one is to him as his castle and fortress.

Every Englishman’s home is his castle. I never said, ‘I want to be alone.’ I only said, ‘I

want to be left alone.’ There’s all the difference.

The sense of privacy is absent from the Chinese culture: privacy in Chinese implies indecent/immoral/unpleasant/unpopular things or conducts and behavior.

不愿告人的或不愿公开的个人的事（《现代汉英词典》）

The new definition of NEIGHBOUR: one who knows more of your private affair

Notice or sign ( 告示，提示） in Britain:

Private. Intruders/trespassers will be persecuted.

private business/affairs/concerns

e.g. troubles and problems in crowded living quarters like the courtyard houses ( 四合院） ;

‘Do you want to marry a Chinese girl?’

‘Your son and that girl are a good match. Why don’t they get married ?’

“What a terrible thing I saw yesterday. Your friend was hugging a man in public. And he is not her husband! ”

A. Don’t be intrusive: uninvited visits are unwelcome

---need to make appointment in advance; and can’t bring others unless it is agreed by the host or hostess

* No engagement without appointment

B. Don’t make yourself at home: please stand on ceremony

---stay too long/linger around ignoring the host’s implication of departure;

---speak loudly, roar with laughter, even shout sometimes;

---inspect every room or inquire about everything in the house.

C. Don’t be inquisitive/nosy/poke your nose into other people’s affairs

SENSITIVE AREAS :

money and cost:

How much did your house/this dress cost?

What did you pay for that car?

How much money do you make for the new job?

age: only allowed to ask children; esp. forbidden to ask middle-aged/old women

shape/appearance:

How much do you weigh?

Have you gained weight lately? ( c.f. You’ve lost weight)

Is that your natural hair color?

marriage and childbirth:

When are you going to get married/have children?

Why don’t you have children?

You should have another child/children now/get married soon.

Others: religion/politics/profession

COMMON TOPICS :

occupation/educationweekends/holidays weather / sports

experiences property facilities family

D. To save trouble or put yourself on safe ground, always ask the foreigner for permission to raise some questions that might be considered as impolite.

E. If you carelessly touch upon a private topic, apologize and or switch the topic.

F. Avoid answering questions concerning your own private life or sensitive issues.

6 ModeratenessModerateness: opinions, beliefs about politics whic

h are not extreme, which most people consider reasonable or sensible;

Moderate: neither too extremely exaggerating or modest; staying within reasonable or sensible limits.

A moderate drinker/smoker: 有节制，适度A moderate demand/leader ：不过分，温和 A struggle between the radicals & moderates ：激

进派与温和派的斗争

6.1 Be hospitable, not overgenerous.

The manner of giving is worth more than the gift.

Problems of over-generousness:

1) similar to bribery

2) gifts of money making an act of kindness seem a mean desire for gain

3) against the custom: small gifts appropriate

• We eat to live, not live to eat.

* The Chinese are hospitable, warm-hearted.

6.2 Befriend them, not brother them.

• A friend to everybody is a friend to nobody.

• He who hath many friends, hath none. (Aristotle)

1) Don’t call foreigners “friends”, they are

guests, customers, clients, patients, businessmen, tourists, passengers

2) Friendship implies certain obligations.

3) It looks as if you are aiming at some gain.

6.3 Be sympathetic, not ever-concerned.

No people do so much harm as those who go about doing good.

“It breaks my heart to go into details.”

“What kind of disease did he die of? Tell me more about that.”

“ Your husband is perfect in every aspect. You shouldn't’t treat him like that.”

6.4 Be modest, not hypocritical.

Pride goes before a fall. 骄者必败Modesty may not pay.

“Really there is no good food. But just take one or two peanuts.”

1 ） Causing confusion to the speaker.

2) “Is he fishing/angling for compliments?”

3) Self-praise is unnecessary, nor is self-deprecation.

6.5 Be complimenting, not flattering.

1) Don’t use too many flowery, big-sounding words; or praise /lard/extol him to the skies.

2) It may embarrass him as he isn’t that good.

3) He suspects you are making fun of him, holding him as an object for ridicule.

4) You seem to harbor an ulterior motive.

5) Sweet words are useless to many of them.

6.6 Be sincere, but tactful.A little sincerity is a dangerous thing, and a

great deal of it absolutely fatal.(Wilde)

Tact consists in knowing how far we may go too far.

e.g. “I am sorry to have wasted too much of your valuable time.”

1) Express sincere gratitude for one’s help.

2) State the value or importance of it.

7 TABOO

Something forbidden by religious rules or social conventions.

A taboo subject, area or word: something that people usually avoid because they think it is offensive or embarrassing.

禁忌，忌讳，戒忌^ Death is still a taboo subject to some people.

7.1 Don’t use SHOULD or ADVICE too often .

‘This is my advice.’

‘You should help me with that.’

Should: duty, obligation

Advice: authority, power

How to offer help?

“ If I were you, I would …”

“ It would do you good to …”

“ I would suggest you leave her ASAP.”

7.2 Don’t be too respectful

At seminars/lectures/workshops/meetings, you need to

a. Express original ideas;

b. Show your independent mind;

And you can contradict or challenge or disagree with the speaker.

Otherwise, you don’t seem to follow the speaker, or like his speech, or want to con-tribute to the forum, or work hard enough.

7.3 Don’t be a yes-man.

Yes-man: one who always agrees with his leader or employer.

Subservience won’t get you anywhere.

1) It shows a lack of self-reliance, or vision, or independence.

2) It causes annoyance.

3) It provokes resentment.

7.4 Don’t beat about the bush.

Avoid coming to the main topic, or say too many irrelevant things, in a roundabout way, not to the point.

Direct request is the best policy.

Problems:

a. Appear insincere;

b. Displease others, wasting time.

7.5 Don’t demean yourself: be careful with vulgar/slang/obscene words.

It’s only a step from the sublime to the ridiculous. (Napoleon I)

Slang: usually not acceptable in serious speech or writing; only used among particular groups; very informal, impolite

1) Slang goes in and out of the fashion quickly

2) Not considered decent enough

Four-letter words: Fuck the Sound

7.6 Don’t be a moral judge: see with unseeing eyes. 视而不见

KEEP YOURSELF TO YOURSELF. 各人自扫门前雪

Politics and religion

Marriage and divorce: DINK, MBA, cohabitation, single-parent family, child-mother

7.7 Don’t be too sweeping or jumping at conclusions.

1) Avoid saying absolute or general things

2) Be specific/precise/exact

3) Use modifications: many, some, sometimes, usually, almost always,

generally speaking, in most cases,

in my opinion, I personally believe

7.8 Don’t make your month too busy at the dinner table: table manners.

On the Continent, people have good food, in England, people have good table manners. 

8 中文英语语言对比8.1 重复：中文：运用相同、相似或相对的词语或句

式，以突出或强调，增添文采，留下深刻印象 – 重叠、反复、对偶和排比； 堆砌修饰词，语言罗嗦、累赘的叠床架屋现象。

英语：尽量避免重复， 使用替代、省略和变换等方法， 使行文简洁、有力，符合英语民族的语言心理习惯。

8.2 语气中文：语气和措辞强硬，立场鲜明，态度

坚定，富有战斗性，比较激烈，直率生硬； ( 特别是政论文，社论或讨论社会问题的文章）。

英语：语气比较节制，措辞比较温和，摆事实，讲道理；不喜欢别人“强加某种观点”。

Let facts speak fro themselves.Facts speak louder.We must, should not, resolutely demand …

8.3 语序中文：时间顺序和逻辑关系按照由先到后，由因到果，由假使到推论，由事实到结论的顺序排列；

英语：先表态（判断、结论），再叙事（事实、描写），先短后长，头轻脚重。

Examples of Variation ( 变换）（ 1 ） Subject/主语 Mrs. Thatcher, she, the Prime Minister,

The Iron Lady, the leader of the Conservative Party, the first woman Prime Minister

（ 2 ） Defeat/ 打败The Spurs emerged victorious.

They romped to victory.

The Nets slaughtered the opposition.

The Bulls clobbered their opponents.

Examples of repetition ( 重复）称心如意 satisfactory

惊天动地 earth-shaking

奇装异服 outlandish clothes

日新月异 ever changing

深仇大恨 deep hatred

发号施令 issue orders

胡言乱语 talk nonsense

粗制滥造 crudely made

街谈巷论 street gossip

Examples of redundancy （累赘）

彻底粉碎 completely smash

完全征服 completely conquer

极为可耻 extremely shameless

毫无根据的捏造 groundless lies/fabrication

不切实际的幻想 impractical illusion

残酷的迫害 cruel persecution

9 中西价值观的区别9.1 个人主义 vs 集体主义 （ Individualism ）1 ）价值体系：一切价值均以人为中心；社会只是达到个人目的的手段；一切个人从道义上讲都是平等的。

2 ）总的态度：高度评价个人自信、个人私生活和对他人的尊重。

3 ）边疆文化遗产（ Frontier Spirit ）：独立自主 自力更生

4 ）不再与集体主义势不两立

9.2 自我奋斗 vs 依靠组织1 ）自立精神 （ self-reliance ）：对个人行为

自行抉择、自我实践并自我承担责任。 独立自主 自谋出路 do-it-yourself society

2) 自我实现 （ self-achievement ）注重个人行为、个人成就的获得和个人价值的实现。

American Dream

新教伦理：通过劳动实现自我

9.3 交友 : 君子之交淡如水1 ）交友观： “ 人走茶凉” PK 天长地久 尊敬、互助、不干涉私事 PK 知己、

不分彼此、肝胆相照、赴汤蹈火“淡如水” PK 责任感、义务2 ）英国人与美国人3 ）男女之交：分寸、经济独立

9.4 聚拢性 与 离散性Togetherness vs Apartness

1) 政治：中央集权制 PK 分权 / 分治

2) 地理：居住拥挤，密切接触，“大杂院文化” PK 独门独户，分散，隐私

3) 价值：统一 /趋同 PK 多样 /多元 / 标新立异

4) 等级 /尊卑 /形式 PK 平等 /亲情 / 简单

5) 强调 / 重复（修辞手段） PK 简扼 / 同义词

6) “面子文化”，饶圈子 PK 直截了当，讲究实际

结语外语学习是一种文化探险 , 涉及两种语言、思维、传统和习俗的交流与碰撞（文化震撼： cultural shock ）

外语学习的最终结果，不仅仅是单纯的语言交际能力的提高 ，而且是社会文化理解力的提高，是思维方式的拓展，价值观念重组和人格结构的重塑。语言　＋　文化　＝　交际

SUGGESTIONS

Get familiar with western culture and social conventions.

Be thoroughly prepared for a social occasion, check related ‘rules and regulations’/table manners, etc., don’t hesitate to consult native speakers when in doubt.

Be watchful, responsive and act cautiously.

参考书目毕继万译：《中国和英语国家非语言交际对

比》，北京语言学院出版社， 1991 年邓炎昌、刘润清：《语言与文化 --- 英汉语言

文化对比》，外语教学与研究出版社， 2001年赫铭全、孙为：《中国应用礼仪大全》，上海

文化出版社， 1991 年侯俊等译：《现代西方礼仪》，上海译文出版

公司， 1986 年

胡文仲：《文化与交际》，外语教学与研究出版社，1994 年胡文仲：《英美文化词典》，外语教学与研究出版社，

2000 年李常垒：《英美文化博览》，世界图书出版公司， 20

00 年李斌：《国际礼仪与交际礼节》，世界知识出版社，

1985 年王恩铭：《当代美国社会与文化》，上海外语教育出版社， 1997 年王虹：《当代英国社会与文化》，上海外语教育出版

社， 2003 年朱永涛：《英美文化基础教程》，外语教学与研究出版社， 1991 年