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    SHDH2049 Chinese and Western Cultures: Language and Culture: Body Language and Communication

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    This document discusses language and non-verbal communication between Chinese and Western cultures. It covers key topics such as the definition of language, the relationship between language and culture, different writing systems including logograms and phonograms, the history of English, non-verbal communication channels like facial expressions and eye contact, and how verbal and non-verbal communication interact. Cultural differences in non-verbal behaviors like eye contact are also examined.

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    SHDH2049 Chinese and Western Cultures: Language and Culture: Body Language and Communication

    Uploaded by

    Chan
    63 views20 pages
    This document discusses language and non-verbal communication between Chinese and Western cultures. It covers key topics such as the definition of language, the relationship between language and culture, different writing systems including logograms and phonograms, the history of English, non-verbal communication channels like facial expressions and eye contact, and how verbal and non-verbal communication interact. Cultural differences in non-verbal behaviors like eye contact are also examined.

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    L7 Communications 2021

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    This document discusses language and non-verbal communication between Chinese and Western cultures. It covers key topics such as the definition of language, the relationship between language and culture, different writing systems including logograms and phonograms, the history of English, non-verbal communication channels like facial expressions and eye contact, and how verbal and non-verbal communication interact. Cultural differences in non-verbal behaviors like eye contact are also examined.

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    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    63 views20 pages

    SHDH2049 Chinese and Western Cultures: Language and Culture: Body Language and Communication

    Uploaded by

    Chan
    This document discusses language and non-verbal communication between Chinese and Western cultures. It covers key topics such as the definition of language, the relationship between language and culture, different writing systems including logograms and phonograms, the history of English, non-verbal communication channels like facial expressions and eye contact, and how verbal and non-verbal communication interact. Cultural differences in non-verbal behaviors like eye contact are also examined.

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    SHDH2049

    Chinese and Western Cultures

    Language and Culture:


    Body Language and Communication

    1
    Language: the defini
    tion

    Language is a finite system of elements


    and principles that make it possible for
    mankind to do particular communicative j
    obs.

    What elements? What principles?


    [- refer to the definition in Lecture 2]

    2
    Language, Culture, and Society

    Thomas Hobbes in his book, Leviathan, stat


    es that language is a prerequisite for soc
    iety.

    Merlin Donald sees language as a later dev


    elopment building upon what he refers to a
    s “mimetic culture”, emphasizing that th
    is co-evolution depended upon the interact
    ions of many individuals.

    3
    Writing Systems

    Writing System is a set of visible signs used


    to represent units of language in a systemati
    c way.

    The first writing system is believed to be th


    e Mesopotamian cuneiform ( 楔形文字 ) about 500
    0 years ago, which were carved on clay tablet
    s and have about 800 symbols.

    Many symbols record syllables, which in turn


    evolved (simplified) to the alphabet system.
    4
    Phonogram
    About 3500 years ago the Levants ( 西亞人 )
    modified the cuneiform and reduced the num
    ber of symbols that represent syllables to
    around 24.

    The Greeks adopted the alphabets and influ


    enced other Mediterranean cultures, includ
    ing the Romans.

    The writing system of almost all European


    languages share this very origin.

    Besides, some Asian writings such as the J 5


    Logogram

    A writing system that every symbol represents


    a word or a morpheme. E.g. Egyptian hieroglyphs and Chi
    nese characters

    The evolution of tradition Chinese characters


    was stabilized in the Han Dynasty.

    Logograms have been used as phonograms on occa


    sions. 6
    Writing Directio
    n
    Most phonographic writings are wri
    tten and read from left to right.
    E.g. English

    But some are from right to left.


    E.g. Arabic

    Traditional Chinese and some influ


    enced systems are from up to down,
    then right to left.


    The History of English
    English, as the international language now
    adays, its history is only about1500 years
    and has changed enormously during that per
    iod of time.
    Yet English is not the eldest language spo
    ken on the British Isles; the Gaelics are
    much closer to the language of the earlies
    t settlements.
     English is a descendant of the language of t
    he Anglo-Saxons (the Old English), the Germa
    nic tribes that conquered the land later cal
    led “England” in the 5th Century and ruled
    the region till 1066.

     Since then, many rulers of England didn’t s


    peak English because they were “French”,
    e.g. the famous Richard the Lion Heart.

     English is a Germanic language with a lot of


    Romance features; in short, English is a ble
    nd of many languages.

     The evolution of the look, the pronunciatio


    n, and the number of English letters stabili
    zed in 17th Century.


    Language and Non-verbal
    Communication
    When two people are communicating face-to-
    face, how much of the meaning is communicat
    ed verbally, and how much is communicated n
    on-verbally?

    10
    Non-verbal Communication Channels
    Kinesics: The use of facial expressions, ey
    e contact, and body movements.
    Proxemics: The use of space and direction
     Hall’s findings for North Americans (1959):
    Distance Description
    Intimate Touching ~18 inches Reserved for close people

    Personal 18 inches ~ 4 feet “Handshake distance”;


    The distance most couples stand in public

    Casual 4 feet ~ 12 feet “Business distance”

    Public Above 12 feet “Speech distance”

    Haptics: The use of touch


    Olfactics: The use of smell
    Clothing and Physical Appearance

    The role and intensity of these channels grea


    tly vary across different cultures. 11
    Some widely cited research on the
    importance of Non-verbal Communication
     AlbertMehrabian’s widely cited research shows t
    hat 93% of communications is done by vocal (38%)
    and facial expressions such as eye contact, body
    language (55%).
     MichaelArgyle found that non-verbal cues, partic
    ularly body postures, are 4.3 times more effectiv
    e than verbal cues.
     Hseefound that words spoken monotonically are mo
    re effective than face expressions seen in a film
    without sound by 4 times.
     Thus,the relative importance of different channe
    ls vary in studies using different set-ups. 12
    Interaction of verbal and nonverbal
    communication
    People learn to identify facial expressions
    , body movements, and body positioning as c
    orresponding with specific feelings and int
    entions.
    When nonverbal signals affirm the verbal ex
    change, messages have been shown to be reme
    mbered better.
    When either way does not effectively delive
    r a message, the another one is used to enh
    ance communication.

    13
    Nonverbal messages can interact with verbal mes
    sages in the following ways:

    1. Repeating ( 重複 ): Using gestures to repeat a verb


    al message.

    2. Conflicting ( 抵觸 ): Verbal and nonverbal message


    s within the same interaction are con
    flicting each other.

    3. Complementing ( 補足 ):
    Both nonverbal and verbal cues express some
    portion of the message and the combination
    of the two makes the message complete.

    4. Substituting ( 代替 ): Using only nonverbal cues


    . 14
    And that non verbal clues are particularly e
    ffective in delivering messages of these kin
    ds:
    Regulating ( 控制 )
    ◦ Express imperatives or the will to take charge n
    onverbally.

    Accenting/moderating ( 強調 / 緩和 )
    ◦ Using touch, voice pitch, and gestures to accent
    or moderate the message.

    15
    Facial Expressions
    The face is highly developed as an organ of
    expression; facial expression covers a cons
    iderable amount of nonverbal communication.

    E.g. changes in the forehead, eyebrows, eye


    lids, cheeks, nose, lips, and chin all expr
    ess.

    One can adopt a facial expression as intent


    ional and unintentional; both transmit sign
    s of emotions and attitudes, and can streng
    then or weaken verbal messages.
    16
    Universally Recognized Facial Emot
    ions
    Facial expressions of these emotions are
    generally the same regardless of culture;
    the intensity, however, varies.

    ◦ Happiness
    ◦ Sadness
    ◦ Surprise
    ◦ Anger
    ◦ Fear
    ◦ Contempt
    ◦ Disgust

    17
    Eye Contact and Gazing

     Theeyes could transmit message of their own


    though they may be linked with the facial exp
    ressions.

     Eyecontact portrays someone's involvement an


    d attention; looking away often demonstrates
    a lack of involvement in the conversation. L
    acking eye contact can be a sign of inadequat
    e communication skills.

     “Autism” is characterized by impaired socia


    l interaction and communication; a lack of ey 18
    Cultural Traits
    The meaning of eye contact differs amongst
    cultures.
    In the western civilizations, eye contact
    is most often defined as a sign of confide
    nce.
    But in some Asian cultures, avoiding eye c
    ontact is a sign of respect.
    Women in Muslim world have to lower their
    gaze when in the presence of men.

    19
    Key Points
    The definition of “language”

     The relationship between language and cul
    ture
     The history and division of writing syste
    m
     The history of English
     Nonverbal communication channels
     Interaction of verbal and nonverbal commu
    References:
    nication
     Eye
    Neuliep , J., contact
    “Intercultural and facially
    Communication, expressed
    A Contextual emotio
    Approach”,
    London: Sage Publications, 2006.
    ns
    Mugglestone, L., “The Oxford History of English”, Oxford: Oxford
    University Press, 2012.
    Crystal, D., “Introducing Linguistics”, London: Penguin English, 1992. 20

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