Unit4 Case 1 Tom,an American,went to a Chinese home for the first time.He was offered some tea.Just when the first cup was about to finish,more tea was added.He drank the second cup.Then the cup was filled the third time.Then he drank it.then...until he was quite full.Tom was totally confused by the way of entertaining Why was Tom totally confused? Reference Traditional Chinese custom requires that during the course of entertaining.the host has to always pour more wine or tea to the guest's glass or cup.and always adds more food to the guest's plate or bowl without asking whether it's wanted. Chinese guests know how to respond to this type of hospitality.They simply leave the wine,tea,or food in the container and stop having any more.But Tom,the American guest in the case didn't know this. He followed the politeness rule of his culture.It's not good manners to leave food in one's own plate at a dinner table.Therefore,without any knowledge of the differences between the two cultures,an American guest would very likely suffer from either drinking or cating too much in such a situation. Case2 Li Na.a famous Chinese actress,married a German.One day when she was acting. her husband was watching there,saying again and again that she was the best actress On knowing this,Li Na told her husband not to praise her like that in public.The German wondered what he had done wrong
1 Unit 4 Case 1 Tom, an American, went to a Chinese home for the first time. He was offered some tea. Just when the first cup was about to finish, more tea was added. He drank the second cup. Then the cup was filled the third time. Then he drank it, then… until he was quite full. Tom was totally confused by the way of entertaining. Why was Tom totally confused? Reference Traditional Chinese custom requires that during the course of entertaining, the host has to always pour more wine or tea to the guest’s glass or cup, and always adds more food to the guest’s plate or bowl without asking whether it’s wanted. Chinese guests know how to respond to this type of hospitality. They simply leave the wine, tea, or food in the container and stop having any more. But Tom, the American guest in the case didn’t know this. He followed the politeness rule of his culture. It’s not good manners to leave food in one’s own plate at a dinner table. Therefore, without any knowledge of the differences between the two cultures, an American guest would very likely suffer from either drinking or eating too much in such a situation. Case 2 Li Na, a famous Chinese actress, married a German. One day when she was acting, her husband was watching there, saying again and again that she was the best actress. On knowing this, Li Na told her husband not to praise her like that in public. The German wondered what he had done wrong
Once Li Na and her husband were talking with their Chinese friends.Hong and his wife,at a party,the German praised the good looks of Hong's wife.Hong replied that his wife was moderately good-looking when young,but now she was old and no longer so.Hong's wife nodded in agreement with a smile.The German was surprised. Why was the Gemman confused in the first situation and surprised in the second? Reference In either Wester or Eastem culture,people compliment other people's intelligence, talents,performance,manners,clothes,houses,fumniture.cars,and good personal qualities.However,cultural differences exist. The German was confused in the first situation because in Western culture it would be natural for family members to praise each other.And the one who I praised usually feels pleased.For example,it would not be unusual to hear a westemer talking about how hard his or her family members work and how much hey have accomplished.But the Chinese rarely praise members of their family in public. In the second situation,Li Na's husband was surprised because of the reason mentioned above,and also because in westem culture saying that someone (even a family member)is old is inappropriate.Complimenting the good looks of a friend's wife by giving remarks as "You have a lovely wife"would be considered perfectly natural and even highly appreciated.But the same compliment would be regarded as indecent by many Chinese,especially hy the older generation. 案例分析 The following case or situations illustrate how cultural differences can lead to difficulties when foreigners and Chinese meet.Please analyze them and state the misunderstanding by paying attention to cross-cultural phenomena
2 Once Li Na and her husband were talking with their Chinese friends, Hong and his wife, at a party, the German praised the good looks of Hong’s wife. Hong replied that his wife was moderately good-looking when young, but now she was old and no longer so. Hong’s wife nodded in agreement with a smile. The German was surprised. Why was the German confused in the first situation and surprised in the second? Reference In either Western or Eastern culture, people compliment other people’s intelligence, talents, performance, manners, clothes, houses, furniture, cars, and good personal qualities. However, cultural differences exist. The German was confused in the first situation because in Western culture it would be natural for family members to praise each other. And the one who I praised usually feels pleased. For example, it would not be unusual to hear a westerner talking about how hard his or her family members work and how much hey have accomplished. But the Chinese rarely praise members of their family in public. In the second situation, Li Na’s husband was surprised because of the reason mentioned above, and also because in western culture saying that someone (even a family member) is old is inappropriate. Complimenting the good looks of a friend ’s wife by giving remarks as “You have a lovely wife” would be considered perfectly natural and even highly appreciated. But the same compliment would be regarded as indecent by many Chinese, especially by the older generation. 案例分析 The following case or situations illustrate how cultural differences can lead to difficulties when foreigners and Chinese meet. Please analyze them and state the misunderstanding by paying attention to cross-cultural phenomena
Case One:People here call me Lao Wai (old foreigner).At first I was quite upset,I looked at myself in the mirror,I wasn't old:I'm only in my twenties.Later,I found they also called foreign children Lao Wai or Xiao Lao Wai (little old foreigner).I realized it's a general temm for any foreigner. Case Two:When I traveled in China,I talked with many people.I knew they were friendly to me,but sometimes their questions made me feel a bit uncomfortable,such as questions about my age and salary. Case Three:Once my British friend drove me to a museum.She said she was thirsty and wanted some soft drinks.She asked me if I'd like some,I said no,then she stopped the car and bought herself a drink,coming back and drinking it alone.I felt very uncomfortable.In China when we go out, we share food and drink,even when the other personsays no
3 Case One: People here call me Lao Wai (old foreigner). At first I was quite upset, I looked at myself in the mirror, I wasn’t old: I’m only in my twenties. Later, I found they also called foreign children Lao Wai or Xiao Lao Wai (little old foreigner), I realized it’s a general term for any foreigner. Case Two: When I traveled in China, I talked with many people. I knew they were friendly to me, but sometimes their questions made me feel a bit uncomfortable, such as questions about my age and salary. Case Three: Once my British friend drove me to a museum. She said she was thirsty and wanted some soft drinks. She asked me if I’d like some, I said no, then she stopped the car and bought herself a drink, coming back and drinking it alone. I felt very uncomfortable. In China when we go out, we share food and drink, even when the other person says no