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A Comparative Study on Time Orientation Between Chinese and Americans

Author: ChenRuiXue
Tutor: SuiHuiLi
School: Harbin Normal University
Course: English Language and Literature
Keywords: intercultural communication Chinese time orientation American time orientation cultural roots
CLC: H0-05
Type: Master's thesis
Year: 2011
Downloads: 172
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Abstract

Non-verbal communication, as one of the two means of human communication (verbal communication and nonverbal communication), owns certain communication rules. However, people pay far less attention to non-verbal communication than verbal communication. For instance, the results of grammar have been fruitful, which belong to the area of rules of verbal communication. Nonverbal Communication and culture are inseparable, and many of the non-verbal communication behaviors are the result of cultural acquisition, which are controlled by certain cultural environment. Time orientation as an important branch of nonverbal communication, its meaning is quite profound.Culture is ubiquitous and is everywhere. As an important part of nonverbal communication, the transmission of time message also has profound cultural connotation. Different cultures have shaped different concepts of time. The differences between Chinese and western culture in many aspects differ in thousands ways, the concept of time and attitude toward time, there also exist significant differences, result in different modes of time orientation. How to treat time and use time greatly influences the effect of cross-cultural communication between Chinese and Americans. By contrasting and analyzing the cultural factors which lead to the differences in time concept, we can have a deeper understanding and grasping of the different time orientations between Chinese and American cultures and can improve the effectiveness of cross-cultural communication.Time orientation is the deep structure of culture. It is taken for granted that one’s own time orientation and the use of time is the right way. Once different act or different way of thinking is found, they will feel strange or incomprehensible, which lead to a communicating difficult. Because world cultural communication is more and more active, therefore, it is particularly important to study people’s time orientation and use of time that are from different cultural backgrounds. Time orientation belongs to non-verbal communication. Many scholars at home and abroad has been concerned and researched on it. It is rich and deep in cultural connotation. Its specific order, structure and meaning are worthy of repeated exploration. With the deepening of Sino-US exchanges and cooperation, the traditional Chinese view of time is awakening. At the same time, the traditional American concept of time is gradually challenged by many other cultures. Conflict and convergence is the main form of symbiosis between Sino-US cultural concepts of time. Based on the important position of time orientation, we can overcome the conflict and misunderstanding which is caused by differences in time orientation, so as to achieve the purpose of successful communication. Features of Sino-US orientation in time are very distinctive and comparable.In this paper, comparison and analysis methods are used to study the time orientation of Sino-US. A large number of U.S. daily phenomenon which are the most basic, the most common and the most important, become the study object. In particular, examples of Sino-US classes are collected and analyzed. This paper aims to reveal the differences of time orientation between Sino-US and its essential causes, to put forward the feasibility of proposals, to better overcome the cross-cultural communication barriers caused by different time orientation.

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