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新浪首页 > 新浪教育 > 《掌握英语口语》 > 15:FACE

15:FACE
http://www.sina.com.cn 2003/11/16 18:44  中图读者俱乐部

 

 面子

 

 PROVERB谚语

  A person needs face like a tree needs bark.

  人要脸,树要皮。

  Everything of the Chinese is disguised under the mask of face.

  Lao She

  中国人的一切都在面子底下藏着呢。

  老舍

  For the Chinese negotiator, his face is his future.

  John So

  对于中国的谈判人员来说,面子就是他们的未来。

  赛欧

  His face lightens because of the given sunshine.

  给你点阳光,你就灿烂。

 

 INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE跨文化对话

  Frank: Did Liu show you his report?

  Chang: Yes. It needs a lot of work.

  Frank: Did you tell him?

  Chang: I told him it was a good start.

  Frank: You shouldn’t have misled him.

  Chang: What do you mean?

  Frank:Liu给你看了他的报告了吗?

  Chang:看了。报告需要大量地修改。

  Frank:你告诉他了吗?

  Chang:我告诉他这是一个很好的开始。

  Frank:你不应该误导他。

  Chang:你这话是什么意思?

  STORY故事

  Story 1

  An American businesswoman is negotiating with a Chinese counterpart over import agreement. She does not realize that one of her objectives cannot be accepted by the Chinese. When this objective comes up for discussion, the Chinese negotiator says that the American’s request must receive further study. The American offers to further clarify the matter and asks about his objections. He mentions certain problems. After listening to her clarification, he responds,“Kaolii,kaolii”,which means“We’ll think this over again”or“We must give it thought.”Why? Because stating his position directly would be to deny her request. This would damage her face by contradicting his implicit claim to be a person who lives in harmony with others. And it would damage her face by contradicting her implicit claim to be a negotiator who makes requests that are well informed and reasonable. The American feels frustrated. If she later learns that the Chinese simply could not agree to her request, she will think,“If only he had said No and had explained to me why it was impossible, I would have tried to figure out another way of making this deal attractive to my company.”But her Chinese counterpart was concerned about his face and her face; he believed that avoiding loss of face was more important than making a deal in that round of negotiations.

  一个美国商业女性就一项进口业务正在与一位中国商人谈判。她并没有意识到她的一项提议不能为对方接受。当讨论这项提议的时候,中国商人说美方的提议需进行进一步研究。她就更加详细地阐述了她的提议。中方听完进一步的阐述后,说要考虑考虑。为什么这样反应呢?因为中国人认为直接表明自己的反对立场会损害对方的面子,毕竟对方做了那么多的努力。美国人感到大惑不解。结果谈判破裂。如果她后来知道中国人不能接受她的提议,相信她会想:“要是他直说他不同意并向我解释原因的话,我会考虑其他提议的,但是中方代表则关注保留双方的脸面;他觉得在谈判中避免丢脸比达成共识更为重要。

  Story 2

  A woman in China has a bad cold. An American acquaintance notices that she is uncomfortable and enthusiastically recommends his favorite remedy, long soaks in a tub of hot water. She thanks him, saying nothing about the fact that she has no tub and no access to anyone else’s tub. Time passes and the Chinese woman’s health improves. The American encounters her, notes that her cold is gone, and asks if she took his advice. She replies,“Oh, yes, it was wonderful.”Another American happens to be present on this occasion; he knows that the woman could not have taken the advice. The Chinese woman replies,“I didn’t want him to feel bad because I don’t have a tub.”Upon further questioning, she also admits that she had been reluctant to admit that she does not own a tub. So her little white lie saved her own face as well as that of the American tub enthusiast.

  一个中国妇女患了感冒。她的美国朋友注意到她不舒服,就热情地向她推荐他的冶疗方案:在浴盆里长时间地泡热水澡。她谢过了他,说想要试一试,而绝口不提她没有浴盆,从别人那里也借不到。一段时间后,这位中国妇女的健康大有好转。那位美国人再次见到她时,发现她的病好了,就问她是否遵从了他的建议。“噢,是的,效果很棒。”她回答道。另一位美国人恰巧也在场,他知道她很可能没有采纳建议,便问她为什么要这么说,这位中国妇女说:“如果我告诉他我没有浴盆,他会感到难堪的。”在继续追问下,她又承认她不愿意说自己没有浴盆,否则既会损及自己的面子,也会打击那位美国建议者的热情。

  Story 3

  An American teacher in China has filled out an official form of some kind and has submitted it to the authorities at his university. A Chinese clerk loses the form. Time goes by. The American, being efficiency-minded, soon becomes impatient. He asks the authorities who are dealing with the matter when action will be taken. He is told that the matter has been referred to a higher bureau for a decision, or perhaps that the matter is under review, or whatever. He is not told that the form has been lost. Why? Because losing a form is a type of incompetence, the exposure of which would cause the authorities to lose face by contradicting their implicit claim to be people who can properly handle forms. The American eventually suspects that the explanation being offered is not accurate. If he discovers that the form has actually been lost, he will feel angry because“After all, if I had only been told it was lost, I could have filled out another form and eliminated this interminable delay.”But the authorities were more concerned about preserving face than about the efficient processing of forms or directness in communications.

  一个在中国工作的美国教师填了一张表格,提出对某一问题的建议,并将它交给校领导。中国的职员丢了表格。很长时间后,那个讲效率的美国人等不及了,询问校方是否处理了他提出的问题,他被告知问题已反映到上级领导那里去了,可能正在解决。他并没被告知表格已经丢了,为什么?因为丢了表格是一种失职的表现,这事要是让外人知道了会让自居办事严谨的领导们脸上无光。那个美国人对这种推诿大惑不解。如果他知道表格实际上已经丢了的话,他肯定会大为光火,“表格丢了,你告诉我呀,我会重新填写一张的,犯不着跟我捉迷藏啊!”但是领导关心的并不是提高效率,而是怎样保住自己的脸面。

  Story 4

  Chinese educational tradition places no value on self-expression by students or trainees, the following more practical reasons are sometimes given by individual audience members for their disinclination to speak. Poor learners usually say they are afraid of losing face if they speak, since they might say something stupid. Outstanding learners usually say they fear being looked upon as show-offs by their classmates (also creating loss of face) if they speak too often or say things that are obviously brilliant. Average learners seem to have the least reluctance to speak; they say however, that there is no point in their speaking unless they have something really valuable to contribute. Few Chinese share the assumption of most American trainers and teachers that audience participation has intrinsic value. In the students’and trainees’view, run-of-the-mill discussions waste precious time that ought to be used by the teacher or trainer to deliver intellectual treasures to the audience.

  中国的教育传统不重视让学生表达自己的观点。当学生们被直接问及不愿表达自己观点的原因时,学习差的学生会表示他们不发言是因为他们唯恐说错了,丢自己的脸;学习好的学生则辩解说,如果他们发言积极正确,会被班里其他同学认为是炫耀,瞧不起别人;学习一般的学生认为如果没有什么值得说的东西,那么他们即使发言也没有任何意义,他们是最不愿意表达自己观点的群体。很少有中国人像美国人那样认为学生的参与会有启发性价值。多数学生认为冗长的讨论只会浪费宝贵的时间,不如让老师利用这段时间多传授一点知识。

  Story 5

  Several years ago, a resident who appeared to be a simple peasant walked /into/ a five-star hotel located in downtown Beijing, and enquired about accommodation. The receptionist informed the man that this particular hotel was not an appropriate place for him to stay. The receptionist’s condescending manner enraged the peasant, who felt an acute“loss of face”. He continually asked her about the cost of the room. The receptionist replied,“Why do you ask this question, as clearly you can not afford even a fraction of the nightly tariff”. This time the man lost his temper completely, because there were many people in the hotel lobby watching the spectacle. The man retorted,“I will stay in no place other than in the best room in this hotel”.“The best room costs US1200 a night”,the receptionist answered. The man sarcastically replied,“Only US1200. I would pay US2200 if necessary”. Finally this man of very humble appearance paid the appropriate tariff to stay in the hotels’VIP suite, though he needed a great deal of assistance in completing his registration form.

  几年前的一天,一位农民走进北京市中心的一家五星级饭店,向前台小姐询问住宿情况。前台小姐告诉他这家饭店价位太高,不适合他住宿。她的举止使这个农民感到大伤脸面,他接着问她房间的开价情况,小姐不耐烦地说:“你问这个问题干嘛,我看你连半晚上的住宿费都付不起。”这位农民这次再也忍不住了,因为当时大厅里有很多人,“今天我非住这里不可”他说。“最好的房间每晚1200美元,”前台小姐轻蔑地说。“才1200美元,我付2200美元”,最后这个人住进了饭店的贵宾间,需要提一下的是,他费了很大劲儿才填好住宿登记表。

  Story 6

  A Chinese hand told his experience of giving name card to Chinese.If you are introduced in Chinese, pass your card with its Chinese-language side facing up; if you are introduced to a person in English-presumably because the Chinese person you are meeting speaks English-then pass your card with its English-language side facing up. This ensures that you will not offend someone who prides himself on speaking and reading English. Take your acquaintance’s card with both hands and continue to hold it with two hands as you read it. Read all of it while showing that you are impressed with the job title of the person you have met. Your expression of impressed surprise is a compliment and a courteous gesture.

  一位“中国通”强调递名片给中国人时应该注意的问题。如果你被用汉语介绍,那么你递名片时应该让印有汉语的一面朝上;如果你被用英语介绍,那么对方肯定懂英语,你递名片时应该让印有英语的一面朝上。这样你就不会冒犯那些以会读、说英语为豪的中国人。接对方名片的时候要用双手。看的时候也要双手把持,看到对方的职位时做出惊讶的表情,这样能够向对方传达一种赞美之意,注意这个时候不要笑,即使是出于真诚也很可能被误解为嘲笑别人职位低。

 

 CONCLUSION结论

  In comparison with the Americans, Chinese are more sensitive about their face.

  和美国人相比,中国人非常重视他们的脸面。

 

 FURTHER ANALYSIS深入分析

Face is psychological and not physiological. It is not a face that can be washed or shaved, but a face that can be“granted”and“lost”and“fought for”and“presented as a gift.”—abstract and intangible, it is yet the most delicate standard by which Chinese social intercourse is regulated—Face cannot be translated or defined. It is like honor and is not honor. It cannot be purchased with money. It is hollow and yet is what men fight for and what many women die for. It is invisible and yet by definition exists by being shown to the public. Dispite of all of these, certain patterns could be found on the expression of facework in conversation. Following are two general patterns regarding the difference of converation style between Asian and Westerners.

  面子这个词并不具有生理上的含义,而是指一种心理的状态。面子不能洗,也不能刮;但却能“给”,能“丢”,能“挣”,能“当作礼物送人”。面子的概念虽然抽象、不可触摸,却是中国人社会交往中最精细的标准。面子难以翻译和界定,它就像一种荣誉但又不是荣誉。它不能用钱买到,面子是空的,但是许多男男女女为之奋斗甚至不惜牺牲生命。它看不见,摸不着,但确确实实地存在,并且能够向众人显示。尽管如此,日常交流中,我们仍可发现一些表达面子的模式。

  We would like to claim, nevertheless, that Asian conversations show a general pattern, a kind of macrostructure, which is quite different from the pattern one sees in a Western conversation. We have argued that Asian conversations show a pattern which can be described as a parabolic arch, beginning with incidental topics and minor points. The main topic is introduced somewhat later. Finally it’s quite customary after the introduction of the main topic to be followed again by final period of“small talk”

  亚洲人的谈话风格具有一个大致的、宏观的模式,这和西方人的交流方式迥然不同。亚洲人的谈话方式可以描述为一个拱形,开始的时候谈论一些比较随意的话题,然后再引入主题。最后,习惯性结束谈话的方式是在谈论一些琐碎的话题,相互给一些面子,便于下台阶。

  The Western pattern, by contrast, begins with an early introduction of the initiator’s main point. This is followed by a line of supporting developments or just small talk, but then there is often a conclusion with a reiteration of the main or concluding point (see fig. 2). We believe these differing patterns lie at the heart of a great deal of confusion in East-West discourse since each side expects different positions of main and subsidiary topics.

  西方人的交流方式与此恰恰相反,谈话开头就直奔主题,接下来就是一些辅助性的谈话或者谈论一些随意的话题,最后通常在谈话结束的时候,重复一下主题(见图2)。在东西方的交流中,这种交流模式的差异是各种困扰和误解存在的根本原因。

  For example, Americans tend to assume that everyone else in the world is equally committed to directness in interpersonal communications. This assumption is erroneous, especiallyswheresthe Chinese are concerned. The Chinese may very well on occasion be direct but only if no one, including themselves, will lose face.

  举例来说,美国人常常认为,在人际交流中,世界上的每个人都会直率地表达自己的观点。这种假设是错误的,尤其当交流对象是中国人时,这种假设更是大错特错。中国人有时也可能比较坦率,但是只有当所有人不会因此而丢脸的时候,他们才会这样做。




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