Language, Culture & Communication (2) --- Moderateness and Taboo By Fang Jianzhuang

Moderateness: opinions, beliefs about politics which 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: similar to bribery gifts of money making an act of kindness seem a mean desire for gain 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) 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.

No people do so much harm as those who go about doing good. 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. Don’t use too many flowery, big-sounding words; or praise /lard/extol him to the skies; 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 most 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. “I am sorry to have wasted too much of your valuable time.” Express sincere gratitude for one’s help. 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 Express original ideas; 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. It shows a lack of self-reliance, independence, or vision; It causes annoyance; 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: Appear insincere; 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 Slang goes in and out of the fashion quickly 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 help the elderly. Youth is a blunder, manhood a struggle, old age a regret.

7.8 Don’t be too sweeping or jumping at conclusions. Avoid saying absolute or general things Be specific/precise/exact Use modifications: many, some, sometimes, usually, almost always, generally speaking, in most cases, in my opinion, I personally believe

7.9 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。

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）。 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 2）英国人与美国人 3）男女之交：分寸、经济独立

9.4 聚拢性 vs 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

结语 外语学习的最终结果， 不仅仅是单纯的语言交际能力， 而且是社会文化理解力， 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

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，2000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

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.