Message and Symbols in Intercultural CommunicationGuan ShijiePeking University

OUTLINEPart 1. Message and EncodingPart 2. Language I. Language and PerceptionII. The Influence of Language on Intercultural CommunicationIII. The Translation of LanguagePart 3. Nonverbal LanguageI. Intro of Nonverbal LanguageNon-linguistic Symbols II. Nonverbal Communication and CultureIII. Body Language IV. Chronemics V. Proxemics VI. Others

Part 1. Message and Encoding

1. Message and encodingIn communication, people employ different ways to encode messages to form symbols.The symbols are supposed to be understood by the receiver.There are simple and complex symbols.Different symbol systems have different amounts of users.

2.Types of SymbolsLanguageWith sounds: spoken languageWithout sounds: written wordsNonverbal languageWith sounds: music, whistle, stereo...Without sounds: body language, dance, pictures...With soundsWithout soundsVerbalNonverbalspoken languageWritten wordsMusic...Body language,Pictures...

3. Encoding, symbols and cultureEncoding is a process that is accepted through common practice. Symbols are results of this process. Encoding and symbols come into being in specific historical and cultural backgrounds.Two key points:Signifier and signifiedThe nature of encoding

Signifier and SignifiedSemiotics divide any symbols into signifier and signified. The signified refers to objects (e.g.: goat, cow) The signifier refers to the subjective ability of human beings to create (making sounds, creating images). Encoding is the process by which human beings use signifier to assign the signified and the result of this process is called symbols

(Chinese), goatsignifiersignifiersignifier (painting)signified

The Nature of EncodingThe nature of encoding is an assignment, i.e., the relationship between a signifier and a signified is assigned, depending on a set of rules between the users (senders and receivers.) oxsignifier (3)signifier(1) signifier(2) signified

Different encoding of culturesHieroglyphic LatinCuneiform

Encoding, symbols and cultureDifferent cultures prefer different symbols and encoding processes (e.g.: body languages)

Part 2. Language

1. The features of languageLanguage is a special social phenomenon objectively existing in human society. It is a symbol system established by usage and acquired by learning, consisting of sounds, vocabulary, grammar and so on. It is a communication tool used for delivering meanings and ideas for members of a specific region or cultural group.

Language symbols are random (established by usage)Linguist Sausure brought about the idea of randomness of the language symbols Language is a symbol system and the symbols are consisted of signifier and signified.

Language symbols are randomWhen we say newspaper, we produce a sound (a signifier), expressing something made of paper and carrying pictures and printed symbols which is accessible through daily purchase (a signified). The relationship between a signifier and a signified is random, i.e., the word newspaper does not have any necessary relationship with the things referred to except for the common usage.This point of view states that meaning is an unstable feature which relies on the expression on different discourse structures. What language provides us is just our description of the reality, not reality itself.What is meaning of cool?5 hundred most used words in English language can produce 14 thousand meanings.

2. Relation between Language and Perception

For long, people have been employing language as the tool to express ideas and concepts, i.e.: language does not play any role in the humans perception of existence.

Sapirs challengeIn 1921, American linguist Sapir challenged this traditional view by stating that language affect the perception of the outside world in priority, just like a pair of colored glasses.When asked can you think without language?, most people tend to say yes, I know I can do it although it is not easy. language is but a coat!However, language could not just be a coat, but a ready-made track, or channel.The function of language is not only carrying message, but also shape our perception in real life.

Language is a guideline for real-society. People are under the control of some specific language that serves as the main way to express meanings. It is a fantasy to regard language as an additional method to solve practical communication or thinking problem. The fact is, real-world is, to a large extent, constructed with language customs used by a specific group of people.

Wolfes developmentThis point of view was not paid enough attention to until Sapirs student Wolfe issued relative works in 1930s.There is some plain relationship between understanding a word in specific context and the reason for a fire.Gasoline drumsEmpty gasoline drums.

He believes that: in two different languages, the influences of language on perception are different.

Proof(1) Grammar levelHopi language recognizes events according to the duration of time, therefore Hopis do not say I stayed five days but say I left on the fifth day. This is quite different from English in that it cannot objectify time.The subject-object syntax of English is in fact a dichotomous world view which reduces an object into smaller particles by analyzing and depriving.However, Hopis syntax reflects a holistic, synthetic world view.

Grammar levelThe language system of each language (the grammar) is not only a tool to represent the ideas, but also a tool that shapes the idea. It is a procedure and guideline for people to carry out the thinking, analyze the phenomena and synthesize... We anatomize the natural world according to the rules set by our own languages. The reason that we can abstract areas from the phenomenon world is not because they are right there. Contrarily, the world is a kaleidoscope of feelings and expressions which requires a brain to organize. That is to say, we need language system in our brain to organize.

Proof(2)The level of vocabularyThe differentiation of words refers to the number of words in a particular area.The higher the differentiation in a specific area is, the more concise meaning each word carries. Different languages have different levels of differentiation.For example, in Hopi, every flying objects except the birds, say, the flying locust, airplanes, pilots, are expressed in one word. It is almost incredible for an English speaker.

A illustration to show the Wolfe hypothesis

Just like we use a telescope to see the mountains far away and use a microscope to see the bacteria, people use language to understand the historical events and foreign scenery as well as the inner feelings of a friend which are all far away from us. Language is our telescope and microscope.Then do the lens of different cultures affect the perception of reality? That is to say, are material through all the lens the same picture?

A illustration to show the Wolfe hypothesis person As perception same object language A

person Bs perception same object language B

person Cs perception same object

language C

This difference in world views is not abstracted from the objective natural world but set in advance by different languages. With different languages spoken, we perceive different worlds.

Wolfes thoughts could be concluded in two terms:Linguistic relativity: speakers of different languages have respectively different perception and thinking. (weak influence)Linguistic determinism: language determine the perception and thinking towards the existence. (strong influence)

Wolfes arguments arises great debate and discussion. It has been a common understanding for most people that language does pose influence on the perception. The question is, just to how large an extent does language affect the thinking process of human beings?Since the 1960s, Chomsky and some other cognitive scientists set the tone for this question that language difference is not so important because language is a common social feature of human beings. What we rely on to talk with each other should be attributed to our common genetic characteristics but not protean cultures.

But things changed again since 1990s.Dan Slobin in UC Berkeley said that language is not only symbols. The brain is made up of experiences. Difference, trivial may it be, between languages could have affected the world view of the speakers.

conclusionScholars have done a lot of researches from the perspectives of one language, comparison of two languages, bilingualists, alexia, deaf persons and children until 2004. The result showed that language affects the thinking process of different culture members in subtle form but not in strong form.

III. The Influence of Language on Intercultural Communication-----in the case of Chinese and EnglishPhonetics Vocabulary Meaning Grammar Pragmatics Contex t structure WordsAnalysis Model of this section

The frame of analysis

Language, as a whole, is connected to culture. The interaction of the two appear in the levels of phonetics, meaning, vocabulary, grammar, syntax, context, structure and words. So we are adopting a multi-variants frame to analyze the problem.contextparagraphstructurevocabularygrammarmeaningphoneticsLanguage relates to culture as a whole.

1. Phonetics and intercultural communicationToned language and non-toned language.Mandarin Chinese has four tones but English and other Indo-European languages dont, which is the foremost difference between the two languages in phonetics. Chinese is a single-syllable language. In all the 1,300 syllables there are only 429 if deprived of tones.There are 1,200 syllables in English, with stresses but without tones.

Phonetics and intercultural communicationThere are many words sharing the same pronunciation in Chinese, far more than in EnglishThere are many words sharing the same pronunciation. For example, Xin Hua Dictionary has 1,514 characters in it with 424 syllables.According to a research on 45,300 Chinese words, the words sharing the same pronunciation occupies as many as 38.6%.

For example: My name is Guan Shi Jie There are 80 Chinese characters whos pronunciation are guan

There are 150 Chinese characters whos pronunciation are shi

There are 187 Chinese characters whos pronunciation are jie

partial tone of guan shi jie have many meanings:

they can be sentences or words

(Guan is a hero)(Guan is tyrant)(Officer is tyrant)(Guan watches tyrant)(Guan watch his elder sister)(an elder female classmate Guan), (world view)

It can be written a story by using the pronunciation guan, shi and jie. in Chinese translates into English:Professor Guan Shijie watched the world and saw rams. He reared ten of them in pens to manage. He likes eating rams and is used to doing it. Also he killed a lot of them which is a wrongdoing. Guans sister was then a high official, Shi wants to punish the misfeasor , imprisoned Guan to change his mind. Guan looked at his sister and sighed. Finally he bribed the officials and got free.

Misunderstandings caused by phonetics

(1) It offers a rich resource for Chinese literature and arts but hard to translate into English.

(2) Chinese characters are not good at expressing phonetics. Therefore the translation is generally done through using charaters. A direct result is that you get different images of the external word because of the inborn feelings of the Chinese words.

Good ones: America (a beautiful country), England (the country of heroes), Sweden (lucky standard) Bad ones: Jew (beast-related)From bad to good: coca cola ( tadpoles eating wax delicious and fun)Additional meaning: revolution

Johnson:Reebok:Head & Shoulders:Safe guard: Olay:BMWPanten: Translation of brands:

Translation of brands:Johnson (strong and lively)Reebok (fast pace)Head & Shoulders Safe guardOlay BMW (precious horse)Panten

(3). English is not good at delivering the image so that the Chinese calligraphy could not be translated.(4). Misunderstandings also exist in the process when Chinese is translated into English(5). Different preference on the onomatopoeia (6). Spending time is different when using different language to express the same meaning or same thing.

(7) There are no consonant sounds in English:zh ch sh r j vowel ( There are no consonant sounds in Chinese: t d

(8) English people not getting used to express Chinese Tones; Chinese people not getting used to express English stress.(9) Chinese is a musical language while English is not. It is difficult to translate Chinese poem into English.

2. Vocabulary and Intercultural CommunicationThe number of words is difference in various language.Sami language of Kiruna Sweden has five hundred words to explain snow and several thousand more to define reindeer.Yi-ching(), and vocabulary of (benvolence) and (Tao).Cooking verbs in Chinese, food, dishes.Hinduism, Buddhist wordsIslamic words.

The differentiation of wordsTerms for different colorsTerms to address relativesKeigo (complimentary words) in JapaneseArabic vocabulary for camels

Idiomatic phrases

3. Meaning and intercultural CommunicationThe features of characters and wordsThe meaning of characters and words is both stable and changeable, comparatively stable but absolute changeable. Example: word to address the blacks in English and words for Mr., MissThe meanings mainly fall into two categories:DenotationConnotation

Meaning and intercultural CommunicationMeanings are different in different culturesThe word comrade: resultScore 3.5 means neutral3.5 means negativeThe word individualism: resultThe meaning of He: in English it means harmony, peace, unity, kindness and amiableness

Result

comrade

Chinese (88) Chinese (91) English Average 2.61 3.58 4.89 Standard variation 1.02 1.36 1.34 Numbers 19 53 14

back

Result individualism Chinese(88) Chinese(91) English Average 5.87 4.70 1.82 Standard variation 1.44 1.50 1.03 Numbers 19 53 14back

Hegemony and In the post-war world, when mentioning hegemony, the first world that appear in peoples mind would be U.S.. Many works domestic and abroad have described the definition of hegemony. According to Modern Chinese Dictionary, hegemony refers to the behavior of manipulating or controlling others through power in international relations; while an American dictionary defines it as leadership, authorities or influences, often refers to the political dominance of a nation or government in the league or federal.We can see from here that for the definition of hegemony, there is a difference between the west and the east. In Chinese way of thinking, hegemony is firstly a behavior, a subjective policy rather than an objective situation; therefore we have become the hegemony, assume the hegemony in Chinese. It is a negative word which incurs us to think of bullying people. A hegemonism () would make things even worse. So we often declare that we China dont assume hegemony and will not forever no matter how strong we will be. Because of the long history of being suppressed by western hegemony, China has a inborn repel for hegemony in world politics.

Hegemony and Hegemony in English originates from an abstract Greek word with no plain negative meanings. It refers to the dominant position or power a specific country, a group of countries or a sovereign has. Hegemony has something to do with control but nothing to do with bullying. There is no such hegemonism in English dictionary and it is rarely used in western academic works. The so-called hegemon is also a neutral word, referring to the nation which is able and willing to manage the principles of international relations. Therefore, Americans will have no negative response when called hegemon.

Meaning and intercultural CommunicationDifferent connotations for same words

Red in ChineseFestive red clothBeing successfulWelcomeRevolution and good sense of politicsRed bonusRed in EnglishHotBloodyCommunistArcticEnglish

Meaning and intercultural CommunicationVocabulary problems in intercultural communicationIt is a key for intercultural communication for people to understand different connotations caused by cultural differences in the languages.We can analyze the influence of vocabulary on intercultural communication by comparing the sameness and difference in connotations and denotations.

Meaning of

meanings of includeharmony, peace, unity, kindness and amiableness

WolfChinese:have a heart of wolf and lungs of dog (really really bad people)a wolfs ambition (over-ambitious person, usually with evil target)getting together like wolf and Bei (conspiracy)devour like wolves and tigersbe like wolf and tiger (cruel and harsh)Zhong Shan wolf ()

Uigur: Ah, wolf, wolf. Warriors, wolves, You should be!Legend of Ouz Han has a depiction that:In the dawn, a wolf walked out of the blue light and led the way for Ouzs troops. They marched along when the wolf went and they stopped when it stopped. Finally they enjoyed victory. From then on, a golden wolfs head was set in all the flags. Warriors like wolf never failed.

Let us practice a survey on the meaning of dragon

comparison of word meanings in two different languages

Types of relationship MeaningsExamplesInfluence on Intercultural issuesThe extent of being understoodProportiondenotation connotationOverlapping words samesame/head/fox/pigtotally understood + high

0

- lowThe situation is different in different two languagesParallel wordsdifferentsame(ox)/dog (monkey)/shadowalmost understoodvacancy words does not exist does not exist Tankcatch-22(litchi)(Qin Hui)Haze and askSemi- vacancy wordssamedoes not exist13250489/pine/plum blossom/orchid/chrysanthemum /bamboo/peonyConfused or misunderstood

Conflicting wordssameopposite/crane/bat/peasant/politicsmisunderstood

4. Grammar and intercultural communicationSyntax and Intercultural CommunicationSyntax refers to the principles of words forming a sentence, i.e.: the relationship among the symbols of words. It is part of the grammar.Grammar is related with the thinking patterns,I will deal with it in detail in next lecture.

Before my bed by Li Bai There is bright moonlight, So that it seems like frost on the ground. Lifting my head I watch the bright moon, Lowering my head I dream that I'm home. (Translated by Arthur Cooper)

5. Pragmatics and intercultural communication.Pragmatics was brought about as a concept in recent 20-30 years. It is generally regarded that there are at least two sets of rules for languages: The structure rules: phonetics, vocabulary, grammar The usage rules: if the using of language is appropriate or not.A sentence correct in grammar could have failed its original purpose if it is used in inappropriate situation, identity or against the local customs.

An American: You speak very good English.A Chinese: Oh, no! My English still needs improving.

Difference in phone callsSchmidt did 215 telephone calls of Egyptians, finding that they dont introduce each other at the beginning; and the topic will not start until they guess each other right.

The pragmatic rules includeHow to address others?How to greet with each other?How to propose a requirement?How to accept or refuse the requirement of others?The sequence of speechThe amount of speechHow to say goodbye

How to make an invitation?If Americans say we must get together soon, it is just being polite but not a formal invitation. However, Chinese will take it real.A formal invitation will usually include time and place: Come over for dinner next Saturday night.

ThanksIn Arabic cultures people use numerous words to express thanksIn Britain, limited thanks is appropriateIn China, a really big favor requires no thanks

Face Dilemma: how to say No?Directness ------indirectness (roundabout)

In case of face, different cultures will have different ways to cope with. For example, in eastern cultures, no is rarely used. If you want to refuse something, you go in an indirect way. Therefore even if Asian people say right or yes, sometimes they just men could be or I am listening. This may cause misunderstandings.

For others favor, Chinese NO does not necessarily confer refusal, sometimes it is just a way to be polite. For example, people say NO to be polite when someone offers tea and pastries for the first time and accept it for the second time. Europeans and Americans will not offer twice, however, which always makes Chinese thinking they are not hospitable.

Case StudyWould you like some Coffee?A: No, Please don't go to any trouble.a customary refusal in Chinese, it poses trouble for those who do not understand Chinese culture. (8 persons, 13%)B: Yes, please.an appropriate acceptance. (20 persons, 33%)C: Thank you. an ambiguous answer. (33 persons, 54%)

The negative influence of pragmatic errors is bigger than what is caused in grammarsNative speakers are tolerant of foreigners errors in phonetics and syntax, attributing it to the lack of relative training; but they are not sensitive enough to find the errors in pragmatics, therefore they are always taken as hostility, unfriendliness or impoliteness.

7. Context and intercultural communicationHigh-context languageThe meaning of a sentence is restricted by its context.A Chinese poemLow-context languageThe meaning of a sentence is not much influenced by the context.In English:(I) Asked a kid under the pine tree, (he) said master has gone for herbals. (the master is) in this hill, (I) dont know where (he is) exactly.

A Comparison of the Two ContextsLow-contextIndividualismLinear way of thinkingBeing straightforwardTell the truthInformal language styleTalk muchTake the feeling and face of the senders in priorityHigh-contextCollectivismSpiral way of thinkingIndirectDownplaying or exaggerationFormal language styleTalk littleTake the feeling and face of the recipient in priority

Case 1. Style of Low-context CommunicationBella (knocks on her neighbors screen door): Excuse me, its past 11 oclock already, and your loud music and dancing around are really disturbing my sleep. Please stop your jumping and banging around immediately! I have an important job interview tomorrow morning, and I want to get a good nights sleep. Some of us do need to pay rent!Hayden resentfully): Well, this is the only time I can rehearse! I have an important audition coming up tomorrow. Youre not the only one that is starving, you know. I also need to pay my rent. Stop being so petty!

Case 1. Style of Low-context CommunicationBella (frustrated): I really think YOURE being VERY ANNOYING and INTRUSIVE! There is an apartment noise ordinance, you know. And if you dont stop banging around immediately, Im going to file a complaint with the apartment manager and he could evict youHayden (sarcastically and turning up the music louder): Whatever! Do what you want. Im going to practice as I please. Dont bother to ask for my autograph when I become a big-time Hollywood star!

Case 2. Style of High-context CommunicationMrs. Kurogl: Hello, Mrs. Yamashita..Your son Toji is entering his high school karaoke contest, isnt he? I envy you, because you must be so proud of his talent. You must be looking forward to his future as a pop singer.Im really impressed by his enthusiasm--everyday, he practices so hard, for hours and hours, until late at nightMrs. Yamashita: Oh, Im so sorry...Toji is just beginner in karaoke singing. We dont know his future yet He is so silly boy singing so late. We didnt realize you can hear all the noise next door. Ill tell him to stop right away. Im so sorry about all your trouble, it wont happen again.

Dimension of High/Low-contextsHigh contextLow contextJapaneseChineseKoreanAfrican AmericanAmerican IndianArabGreekLatin-AmericanItalianBritishFrenchAmericanScandinavianGermanGerman Switzer

8. structure and Intercultural CommunicationCultural factors influence on structureRobert Norton who had been teaching for many years in Korea thought at first that the students didnt have very clear logical thinking. After doing a relative research he found the problem was not in the English learning but the different structure of paragraphs determined by different ways of thinking.

Cultural factors influence on structures Kim did a research on the Korean way of thinking and writing style in1996 and by working on 30 editorials in Korean and American university newspapers she found out that, Americans tend to bring about the theme in the beginning while Koreans do it in the end.

9. Varieties and diversity within one languageThere are many accents in Chinese.There are British English and American English

PronunciationVocabulary and meaningSyntaxPragmatics

IV. Translation of LanguageTranslation of languageTranslationThe possibility and impossibility of translationPossible and impossible (100%)Different difficulties in translation of different languages

Translation and EquivalencePhonetics Vocabulary Meaning Grammar Pragmatics Contex t structure WordsDimensions of the equivalence in translation Source Language Target Language

The nature of translationTranslation is not a word-for-word change, but intercultural communication

An American expert on editing the translation said: under some circumstances, it is not convincing to translate Chinese into English no matter how good it is translated. When I was told to edit speeches I would tell the translator that what we need is adaptation not translation. Translation is both inter-language and intercultural communication. Translation is to convert, as much as possible, as effective as possible, the content of the speaker with a specific cultural background to the recipient with different cultural background.

The strategies of domestication and foreignization in translationDomestication: adopt a ethnocentric attitude and translate the source language into target language with strong color of local culture.Foreignization: accept the features and difference of the source language, put the reader into exotic context.

The end

Picture of Wolfes hypothesisTranslation of brands:JohnsonReebokHead & ShouldersSafe guardOlayBMWPantenThe meaning of HeIn English it means harmony, peace, unity, kindness and amiableness