本站原创摘 要 ：本文选取两个中美人际交往中引发双方误解的典型实例加以剖析,指出民族中心主义对有效跨文化交际可形成阻碍.并提出文化移情的交际策略,以有助于来自不同文化背景交际主体培养跨文化交际意识及提升对文化差异的理解力和适应力.
关 键 词 ：人际交往,跨文化交际,民族中心主义,文化移情
二十一世纪以经济全球化为大背景,同时也促成世界各国文化空前频繁活跃的互动.根据Samovar 和 Peter 的观点：“Intercultural munication is munication between people whose cultural perceptions and symbol systems are distinct enough to alter the munication event.”[1]由此可见跨文化交际涉及到不同文化背景之下迥然相异的文化知觉和文化符号体系.跨文化交际的实例可谓不胜枚举,古有印度佛教传入中国,丝绸之路,郑和下西洋.今有中美贸易谈判,美国制片人拍摄《功夫熊猫》,中国学子忙于博取雅思高分而后考入梦寐以求的美国名校.本文选取的相关案例均出自2003年 Stephen Smith 所著Culture in Contrast：Miunication and Misunderstanding between Chinese and North Americans.
1. A Gift from a Chinese Student
Xie Dong did his graduate study in an American university.He came back to China for a summer vacation.When he went back to his program,he paid his supervisor a visit and presented him a gift.
The professor opened the gift.It was a ginseng with many tiny roots spreading out in a very artistic pattern.It clearly was an expensive gift.
The professor’s eyes shone at the ginseng,but he then began to feel uneasy.“Xie Dong,I appreciate your kindness,but I can’t take it as a gift.”
“Why? Don’t you like it?” It was Xie Dong’s turn to be uneasy now.
“Oh,sure,I love it.But I can’t accept it.”
“Because I didn’t do anything to deserve such a gift.”
为什么美国导师尽管喜欢,却婉拒了中国学生的人参礼物呢?中国文化在送礼方面,尤其是受礼者地位高于自己时,倾向于选择比较贵重的礼物,以示敬意和重视.人参既能体现东方文化符号,又不失贵气,中国学生用心良苦,借此表达对导师教诲的感激,同时可令恩师滋补身体.但从美国教授的角度,学生完全可以通过其它的礼物来致谢,如一束鲜花,一盒巧克力等等,礼虽轻,但情意厚重.要让学生如此破费送礼,美国教授会深感不安.而学生也觉得很尴尬,觉得自身有贿赂导师之嫌.
2.Simple Can be Special
Wenhong had an American professor in he economics class in China.She had given the professor a lot of help during the course.At the end of the semester the professor and his wife invited her to their home for dinner.They said they are going to cook her an American meal.
Wenhong felt very flattered and excite,since McDonald,KFC and Pizza Hut had been her only exposure to western cooking.
They had salad to start with,then steak with potatoes,followed by ice-cream.Wenhong had expected more courses but the meal came to an end.She knew the professor and his wife were being kind to her,somehow she was a little disappointed.She wondered whether Americans do eat like that at home.
中国饮食文化源远流长,国人请客吃饭菜品繁多,往往在席间不断上菜,晚餐则更加隆重,以示殷勤的待客之道.然而美国教授夫妇款待温红的美式晚餐在她看来,过于简单,甚至有些许令人失望.可美国人招待客人通常从餐前小点和饮料开始.之后就是作为主菜的牛排.餐后可有甜点如冰淇淋一类.而且美国夫妇在家宴请中国学生就是诚意的表现,他们尊重对方,希望能与她共同分享日常生活的点滴.而如果是单纯的工作关系,则邀请至餐厅即可.所以一顿看似简约,有失殷勤的美国家庭晚餐其实蕴涵着浓厚的真情.
从上述两个实例中,不难发现导致交际主体双方误解的根源在于民族中心主义（ethnocentri）.不可否认,特定的文化背景会对人的文化意识形成潜移默化的塑造,但如果过分地以本民族文化或国家为中心,将本土文化价值理念强加或者凌驾于他族文化内涵之上,主观武断地评判异国人士的人际交往方式、社会习俗或者言行举止,则无法有效知晓乃至认同他们的文化符号及其交际礼仪规范,从而导致误解产生.
如何解决中美人际交往的误解与冲突?文化移情（cultural empathy）在跨文化交际中可以使交际双方相互适应,实现和谐流畅的情感交流和沟通.这要求“交际主体自觉地转换立场,在交际中有意识地超越本土文化的俗套和框架模式,摆脱自身的文化束缚,置身于另一种文化模式中,如实地感受、领悟和理解另一种文化.”[2]要消除中美跨文化人际交往的误解,需要双方共同努力,深化对他方文化及其相应价值体系的理解,换位思考,求同存异,摈弃刻板的思维定式,有意识地培养对他方文化的敏锐度,并转化为人际交往的行动指南,以促成交际的顺利完成.
【参考文献】
[1]Samovar,L.A.&, Peter,R.E.Communication between Cultures[M].Beijing：Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press,2000.
[2]高永晨.跨文化交际中文化移情的适度原则[J].外语与外语教学,2003（08）