跨文化交际中的非言语交际

Non-verbal Communication in Intercultural Communication

During the process of intercultural communication, people pay more

attention to verbal communication and ignore non-verbal communication.

However,

non-verbal

communication

plays

an

important

role

in

intercultural communication. If we ignore the non-verbal communication,

communicating

with

each

other

will

be

impeded

by

the

differences

of

understanding of the non-verbal communication. So, if we communicated

with foreigners smoothly and successfully, we must pay more attention to

the

differences

of

non-verbal.

Therefore,

this

paper

will

focus

on

the

non-verbal communication to avoid misunderstanding.

1.

The study on non-verbal communication

1.1 The definition of non-verbal communication

We do not only communicate our thoughts and feelings through the

use

of

words,

we

also

convey

our

ideas

and

experiences

through

non-verbal

channels.

Non-verbal

communication

is

commonly

used

to

describe all human events which transcend spoken or written words. That

is to say, it refers to all those communication except verbal behavior.

1.2The study on non-verbal communication abroad

The scientific study of non-verbal communication primarily started

after

World

War

II.

One

of

the

most

influential

pre-twentieth

century

1

works was Darwin

’

s Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals in

1872. This work spawned the modern study of facial expression. In 1950s,

there

was

a

significant

increase

in

the

number

of

non- verbal

research

efforts. In 1956, Ruesch and Kees produced a book entitled Non-verbal

Communication:

Notes

on

the

Visual

Perception

of

Human

Relations.

This was the first book to use

the term nonverbal communication in its

title. The 1960s produced a nuclear explosion of nonverbal studies. There

were extensive studies on specific areas of eye behavior, personal space

and

pauses.

The

1970s

proved

to

be

a

mature

period

on

non- verbal

studies.

The

1980s

were

a

time

of

further

development

of

non-verbal

communication

studies.

Some

non-verbal

researches

focused

on

identifying

the

ways

a

variety

of

non-verbal

signals

work

together

to

accomplish common communicative goals.

1.3The study on non-verbal communication at home

The

research

on

non- verbal

behavior

in

our

country

began

from

1980s. Scholars such as Hu Wenzhong, Bi Jiewan, Den Yanchang and Liu

Runqing have done some research work. There is an increasing amount of

research

findings

in

this

area.

However,

it

is

far

from

enough.

Most

of

people still pay less attention to non-verbal communication.

In

summary,

seeing

the

non-verbal

communication

from

domestic

and

foreign

perspectives,

many

scholars

begin

to

pay

more

attention

to

the non-verbal communication.

2

2.

The classifications of non-verbal communication

Many

scholars

have

different

definitions

of

the

classifications

of

non-verbal communication. I make a generalization of the classifications

of

non-verbal

communication

based

on

He

Daokuan

’

s

opinion

and

the

textbook of dynamic intercultural communication.

1)

Kinesics,

including

posture,

gestures,

facial

expressions,

eye

contact

and touching.

2)

Chronemics,

consisting

of

informal

time

(pace

of

walk

and

life,

and

punctuality),

perceptions

of past, present, and

future;

and

monochromic

and polyphonic time.

3)

Proxemics,

about

attitude

toward

spatial

distance

and

arrangements,

territoriality.

4) Paralanguage, comprising non-verbal sounds and silence;

5)

Object

language,

made

up

of

general

appearance,

dress,

smell,

and

personal artifacts.

3.

The

differences

of

non-verbal

behavior

between

China

and

America

A

great

deal

of

non-verbal

behavior

is

rooted

in

our

culture.

Non-verbal behaviors are not innate and influenced by the native culture.

Chinese

culture

is

different

from

American

culture.

Chinese

culture

is

3

influenced

by

Confucius

ideology.

American

culture

is

influenced

by

Christian

ideology.

Different

cultures

lead

to

different

non-verbal

behaviors.

So

I

will

analyze

the

differences

of

non-verbal

behaviors

between china and America.

3.1

I

will

analyze

the

differences

of

proxemics

between

china

and

America.

3.1.1

I

will

analyze

the

differences

of

postures

between

china

and

America.

Due

to

different

values

and

norms,

different

postures

appear

between

china

and

America.

Americans

pay

more

attention

to

informality;

however,

Chinese

pay

more

attention

to

formality

and

rigid

rules.

For

example,

when

American

students

answer

the

teachers

’

questions,

they

don

’

t

need

to

stand

up

to

answer

the

teachers

’

questions.

However,

Chinese students must stand up to answer the teachers

’

questions to show

the respect for the teachers.

3.1.2

I

will

analyze

the

differences

of

gestures

between

china

and

America.

Different gestures have

different meanings between china and America.

For example, in America, people can point to objects and even at people

with

the

index

finger,

while

in

china

pointing

with

the

index

finger

is

considered rude.

4