Abstract

Since language has been created, it plays a commanding role as a means of communication, but it is not the only means of communication. Body language also takes an important role to help people transfer information and improve human communication, which is an indispensable power to break up language obstacles in intercultural communication. Body language, as a non-verbal symbol system and a collection of facial expressions, gestures, body movements and posture changes, is an important part of the non-verbal communication and connects with culture. 

With the deepening of international economic and cultural exchanges, there appear more obstacles caused by the differences of language and culture. In intercultural communication, the most effective way to deal with the obstacles is to master the meaning of body language. However, even if we understand the meaning of some general body language, there are also some difficulties to master it thoroughly. Because even the same body language have different meanings in different cultural backgrounds. This article makes a comparison and contrast of body language in different cultures in terms of facial expressions, physical contact, eye language, gestures, and etc. It aims to illustrate the differences and similarities of body language and put forward the principles of reducing barriers in intercultural communication so that people can achieve efficient communication and avoid misunderstanding.

Keywords: nonverbal communication, body language, cultural differences and similarities, communicative principles

摘  要

自從語言產(chǎn)生以來，言語交際便在人類交際中扮演最主要的角色，但它并非是交際的唯一手段。起輔助作用的身勢語在人類交流中也起著不可忽視的作用。在跨文化交際中它幫助人們傳情達(dá)意，突破語言障礙，促進(jìn)交流。身勢語，作為一種非語言符號系統(tǒng)，面部表情，姿勢，身體動作和姿勢變化的集合，是非語言交際的重要組成部分，并和文化緊密聯(lián)系在一起。

隨著國際經(jīng)濟(jì)文化交流的加深，由于語言和文化差異而產(chǎn)生的障礙隨時都可能存在，在跨文化交際中，消除這些障礙最有效的方法就是了解身勢語的含義。然而即使我們對常用的身勢語有所了解，我們?nèi)匀幻媾R著一些困難，即使同一身勢語在不同的文化背景也會有不同的含義。本文通過從面部表情，身體姿態(tài)，目光語，手勢語等方面對不同文化的身勢語進(jìn)行對比，目的在于通過列舉身勢語的文化差異與共性，提出交際中應(yīng)當(dāng)遵循的原則，從而促使人們有效地進(jìn)行跨文化交際，避免出現(xiàn)誤解。

    關(guān)鍵詞：非語言交際；身勢語；文化異同；交際原則 

Contents

Abstract in English

Abstract in Chinese

Preface 1

1 Introduction 2

1.1 Research Background and Necessities of Studying Body Language 2

1.2 Organization of the Present Thesis 3

2 Body Language and Culture 3

2.1 Review of Body Language 3

2.1.1 Definition of Body Language 3

2.1.2General Characteristics of Body Language 3

2.2 Cultural Differences and Similarities of Body Language 4

2.3 The Relationship between Body Language and Culture 5

3 The Characteristics and Classification of Body Language 5

3.1 The Characteristics of Body Language 5

3.1.1 Synonymy 5

3.1.2 Obscurity 6

3.1.3 Symbolic 6

3.1.4 Cultural Difference 6

3.2 Classification of Body Language 6

3.2.1 Innate acquired and conscious body language 7

3.2.2 Social environment effects on body language 7

3.2.3 The control of some body language 7

4 Cultural Differences and Similarities of Body Language and Principles of Reducing Barriers in Communication 7

4.1 Cultural Differences and Similarities of Body Language 7

4.1.1 Cultural Differences of Body Language 7

4.1.2 Similarities of Body Language 10

4.2 Principles of Reducing Barriers in Communication 10

4.2.1 Knowing More about Different Countries’ Body Language 10

4.2.2 Being Tolerant and Avoiding Prejudices 11

4.2.3 Appreciating Similarities and Accepting Differences 11

5 Conclusion 12

References 13

Acknowledgements 14