The Comparison of the Table Manners between Chinese and the Westerners英语专业毕业论文

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1、中西方餐桌礼仪之对比 The Comparison of the Table Manners between Chinese and the Westerners ContentsAbstract.1Key Words.1I. Introduction.2II. Literature Review.2III. Background Information about Table Manners.41. Cultural background.42. Table manners background.4IV. Chinese Table Manners51. Comprehending the

2、etiquettes.52. Handling the taboos.6V. Western Countries Table Manners.71. Peoples attitude towards Western countries table manners.72. Knowing the taboos.8VI. The Relationship between the Two Kinds of Table Manners.81. Cultural differences.82. Establish the right attitude.9VII. Arousing and Develop

3、ing Interest91. The reasons of peoples passive attitude9VIII. Conclusion.10References.10Abstract: With the entrance of WTO, China will hold the Olympic Games in 2008, the relationship between China and Western in politics, economy, culture will become more and more close. It is undoubtedly that the

4、etiquette will play an important role in this process. To the definition of etiquette, China and Western have a different understanding about it. As Chinese thinks that the etiquette is the common behavior standards that all the members must obey, and its purpose is to keep the normal living order o

5、f the society. Table manners, a part of the culture, plays an important role in the process of communication. In this thesis, the author compares these two different kinds of table manners to find the similarities and differences to help the readers to understand a kind of new culture. Therefore, be

6、 aware of the importance of table manners is not only for the people who always attend formal parties or have frequent contact with the foreigners, but also for the entire nation so as to improve the cultural awareness, and also improve the communicative effects of table manners.key words: Cultural

7、background; Chinese table manners; westerners table manners; differences摘 要：随着中国加入世界贸易组织并即将在2008年举办奥运会，中西方国家在政治，经济，文化方面的关系变得越来越密切。因此，礼仪就毫无疑问地在这个过程当中就扮演着一个非常重要的角色。对于礼仪这一概念，中西方对它有不同的理解。中国人认为礼仪是共同的行为规范，所有成员必须遵守， 其目的是为了保持社会的正常生活秩序。 餐桌礼仪是文化的一部份，在沟通这个过程中也就起着重要作用。在本文中，作者就这两种不同的餐桌礼仪进行了对比，其目的是找到她们的相似之处和不同之处来

8、帮助读者了解这种全新的文化。因此，了解餐桌礼仪不论对于经常是出席正式的宴会的人，还是和外国人频繁接触的人来说都是非常重要的。它也有助于提高全民族的文化意识，并提高餐桌礼仪的交际影响。关键词：文化背景，中国餐桌礼仪，西方餐桌礼仪，差异I. IntroductionWith the development of the world and globalization, International trade became more and more popular. China, as a developing country, has enhanced the world trade with

9、the Western countries, which calls us to know and familiar with the differences in culture between China and the Western countries. It includes philosophy, religion, music, art, cooking, table manners, etc. Especially the table manners, because the most frequent contact between different countries m

10、ainly focus on the daily life. So the importance of the table manners seems to be more noteworthiness.China is a vast country and it is therefore no surprise that there are many regional variations in Chinese table manners and cuisine. Chinese culture is quite unique, not only because it is differen

11、t from that in western countries, but also from some other oriental countries. For example, in Japan, South Korea, India and Thailand. China is a long history country, which breeds its own cultural system. For instance, philosophy, religion, music, art, cooking, table manners, etc. All of these are

12、all different from the western ones. Its true that every country has its own culture, which has distinguishing features. These special cultures make China attractive and also some difficult for the westerners to understand it. Now, lets go for the western countries. Broadly speaking, the Englishman

13、is a quiet, reserved person who is relaxed only if the people he/she knows well. The English people require high quality of dishes. The communication at table is dainty. For instance, whom do you talk with? What do you talk about? They also give their attentions to the appearance when you are eating

14、. There are many things for us to know. The analysis of this difference can calls more people to pay attention to the trans-culture. When we are handling with international affairs and taking part in formal parties, table manners is more and more important. Its not only something with the manners bu

15、t also the culture which makes account. We should respect the others culture, and spread our own customs to the other countries. II. Literature Review Most authorities researched on the differences of the table manners between China and the western countries, mainly focus on the sequence of serving

16、the dishes, how to behave at table, in other words, how to speak, how to greet with each others, how to use the dishware and napkin and so on. Craig Claiborne investigated this task in A Guide to Table Manners in an Imperfect World. (1991, Newyork) And found that the main difference on the Chinese d

17、inner table is the chopsticks instead of knife and fork, but thats only superficial. Besides, in decent restaurants, you can always ask for a pair of knife and fork, if you find chopsticks not helpful enough. The real difference is that in the west, you have your own plate of food, while in China di

18、shes are placed on the table and every share. The western concept of a service-oriented society contrasts significantly with the Chinese concept of total view as substandard service in hotel and restaurants when, in fact, no offense has been intended. At the same time, some may believe that backward

19、ness evident everywhere in China (even behind the modern facade) can be overcome by applying western notion of efficiency and organization, and they are often quite vocal in expressing these beliefs, now forge on and experience the culture. In the book British Society and Culture (Wu Fei: 2001), the

20、 quality of English dishes is excellent, and there are so many for people to choose. Its true that the dairy products are so fresh and the meat is usually so tender. Many traditional British dishes are as good as anything you can get anywhere. In recent years the British have become more cosmopolita

21、n in their eating habits, and many families frequently sit down to meals whose ingredients or recipes may come from India, china, or indeed anywhere in the world. Some authorities carry forward the taboos when eating with a Chinese host, for example, Rose V.White, he gave his own opinion on the Meal

22、 Time Etiquette. Traditionally speaking, there are many taboos at Chinese tables, but nowadays people do not think it is necessary to follow these rules. The traditional customs or taboos shouldnt appear only if the formal circumstances. However, there are still a few things to keep in mind, especia

23、lly if people are guests at a private home. For instance, dont stick your chopsticks upright in the rice bowl. Instead, lay them on the dish. The reason for this is that when somebody dies, the shrine to them contains a bowl of sand or rice with two sticks of incense stuck upright in it. So if you s

24、tick your chopsticks in the rice bowl, it looks like this is equivalent to whishing death upon person at the table! For the teapot, you must make sure that the about of the teapot is not facing anyone. It is impolite to set the teapot down where the spout is facing towards somebody. The spout should

25、 always be directed to where nobody is sitting, usually just outward from the table. And almost all the Chinese people know the reason, but for the westerners, maybe they wont understand until hearing the reason. So when the westerners come to China, they should know the etiquettes at the table. For

26、 me, I will compare these two kinds of different etiquettes and find the differences and similarities, and I will try my best to find the reason why Chinese people adore the western culture and ignore their own traditional custom. We should know the others custom but we should carry forward our own

27、culture.III. Background Information about Table Manners1. Cultural backgroundThere are more than three hundred different definitions about culture which covers broad areas as arts, music, literature, values, food, traditional customs and religions and so on so forth. “Culture is the deposit of knowl

28、edge, experience, beliefs, values, attitudes, meanings, hierarchies, religion, notions of time, roles, spatial relations, concepts of the universe, and the material objects and possessions acquired by a group of people in the course of generations through individual and group striving” (Samovar, L.A

29、. Porter, etc.).Onboard the vessel the multi-nationality crew work and live in “an isolated small floating community” where exist different cultures. It includes the ways of thinking and doing things, such important values as time, sense of safety, environmental protection, co-operation, working att

30、itudes and ways of communication which are called Culture with capitalized C in Culture on the on hand. On the other hand there are cultures of small c in culture such as foods style, table manners, body language, etc. For example a Spanish captain will be shocked when he spotted the dog meat in the

31、 provision list arranged by a Chinese chief cook. Because Europeans take dog as the close friend of human beings and even a part of the family while for Chinese dog is connected with negative persons or things. For example in Chinese there are old sayings like” live a dogs life “(miserable life);”A

32、dog will leap over a wall in desperation” (despair gives courage even to a coward); “heap of dogs droppings”(rubbish, worth nothing);”doghouse”(shabby and humble house);” “No ivory can come out of a dogs mouth”(a filthy mouth can not utter decent language). Although a culture of a nation is passed o

33、n from generation to generation it can be learnt and picked up. Like language culture is everywhere. There are only different cultures and there are no bad or superior cultures. Onboard the vessel the different cultures co-exist equally and there are no good or bad cultures. The crew should develop

34、an awareness of different cultures and respect other cultures and learn from other cultures. An international crew should be open-minded and tolerant to other cultures. 2. Table manners background Table manners mainly includes: How to speak at the table, how to dress at the table, how to behave poli

35、tely and place settings, etc. The attitude towards table manners changed with the times and regions. Usually in an informal family klatch, people do not pay much attention to the rules. They would like to dress casually and talk loudly, It doesnt matter. In the traditional Chinese party, people were

36、 particular about the clothing of attending the formal party, nevertheless, with the development and changes of the modern customs, some succeed the tradition, and some are tend to break the traditional customs. In 1920s and1930s, They wore Chinese tunic suits. Now the people wear more casually. If

37、you attend a party with a Chinese tunic suits, the others may feel funny and strange. Most of the westerners never wear a hat at the table or a casual sleeveless shirt. They do not rock back in the dining chair and do not prop themselves up with their elbows on the table. Placing the forearm on the

38、table edge is ok. Tea is preferred by the Chinese as a drink during all meals less for its own taste but to clear the palate of a former dish before proceeding to the next. And as proclaimed by Hong Kong Tourist Association in their guide, The Chinese dont ruin the tea with such alien substances as

39、milk, sugar or lemon. Therefore, Chinese tea culture is unique historic and abstruse. IV. Chinese Table Manners1. Comprehending the etiquettesFor many westerners, the Chinese dinner table is quite unique and complex. At the Chinese table, you can not find forks or knives. The Chinese host makes grea

40、t, sweeping arm movements that go over large sections of the table passing over food. The scene is fantastic, but it leaves the foreigners at a loss for what to do and how to do. As for eating, our Chinese people usually did it quietly in the past. There was no eating noises allowed to make, and eve

41、rything must be done as quietly as they could. Therefore, people had to eat with their mouths closed. Perhaps, to make a smacking noise was the worst offence behaves. While they are drinking soup, wine or any other kinds of liquid, slurping was also forbidden. If any sound whatever was created by ou

42、r intake of food or beverage, it constituted bad manners! Of course, it was unthinkable to speak with ones mouth full of food, so speaking only occurred before or after one had taken in food and swallowed it. But nowadays, you can see this scene when you are attending a formal party. How one sits at

43、 the table is also prescribed. One is to sit up straight with the recessive hand (usually the left) in ones lap holding a napkin while the dominant hand (usually the right) holds the fork or spoon. The only time one can have both hands on the table is when he is using a knife to cut something, but a

44、s soon as the cutting is finished, the recessive hand should go back to the lap. Also, elbows are not allowed on the table. Therefore, one props the arm against the edge of the table just below the elbow. One should ask someone sitting near it to give it to you instead of reaching for any food on th

45、e table and stand up for the food. An American said:” In my time in China, I have come to enjoy Chinese table manners far more than those prescribed by my own culture, but for many it is impossible to adjust.” So, for the foreigners, the best way is to ask your guest questions to find out the differ

46、ences and try your best to adjust them.2. Handling the taboosAll of the people know that China has a long history, traditionally speaking, there are many taboos at Chinese tables, but these days not many people pay attention to them. However, there are a few things to keep in mind, especially if you

47、 are a guest at a private home. The author will list some taboos so as to help the readers to behave more properly and politely.1) Dont stick your chopsticks upright in the rice bowl. Instead,lay them on your dish. The reason for this is that when somebody dies, the shrine to them contains a bowl of

48、 sand or rice with two sticks of incense stuck upright in it. So if you stick your chopsticks in the rice bowl, it looks like this shrine and is equivalent to wishing death upon a person at the table! 2) Make sure that the spout of the teapot is not facing anyone. It is impolite to set the teapot do

49、wn where the spout is facing towards somebody. The spout should always be directed to where nobody is sitting, usually just outward from the table. 3) Dont tap on your bowl with your chopsticks. Beggars tap on their bowls, so this is not polite. Also, in a restaurant, if the food is coming too slow

50、people will tap their bowls. If you are in someones home, it is like insulting the cook.4) The napkins should be laid on the knee, the elbows should close to the body. 5) Everyone should make preparation before the host or the hostess announced the beginning of the meal.6) You should let the lady on

51、 your right side begin first. 7) Do not talk loudly with the people on the opposite of the table, and do not shake your legs when you are eating.8) Do not make up at the table, and do not touch your hairs.9) Do not stand for the food, if it is necessary, you can ask the others to help.10) Do not yaw

52、n at the table, if you cant help to, you should cover up best.11) When you are eating a buffet dinner, you shouldnt get much food on your plate, and you should queue up.There are much more rules, It is impossible for the author to list them all. Anyway, what the readers should do is to pay much atte

53、ntion to your behavior and try your best to act more properly.V. Western Countries Table Manners1. Peoples attitude towards western countries table mannersIn order to do the research, the author designed a questionnaire to investigate the understanding of western countries table manners .The author

54、distributed 200 questionnaires in our campus; all together I collected 175 back. According to result of the research, Majority of university students dont know the table manners well.50%just know some of our Chinese table culture including how to behave politely at the table, how to toast .etc. But

55、more than 70% students dont know how to lay the tables, how to use the knife and fork, and how to speak and behave properly and politely at the western countries table. For the reason is that they think its unnecessary to know it because they wouldnt have many chances to communicate with the foreign

56、ers, let alone eat with them. Its true that not every university student has the opportunities to contact with the foreigners because the foreign teachers in one campus are limited. Being university students, they prefer to pay much attention to their majors rather than learn English. For this reaso

57、n, they dont think knowing the table manners of westerners matters a lot. As we all know, China has entered the WTO, we encounter the opportunities as well as challenges, and we should keep our pace with the development of globalization and face the challenges bravely. Eating together is one of the

58、most efficient ways for intercommunion. Through the research of this subject, which entitled with The comparison of the table manners between Chinese and the Westerners, We appeal Chinese people treat the English subject and western culture with a right attitude, and deal with The relationship betwe

59、en the mother language and target language properly. Being student of English, we should not only master the communicative function of the target language, but also comprehend the trans-cultural communication, for culture is knowledges distillation. Only if we understand the cultural background of t

60、he target language, can we have the motivation to learn English language. Because of the globalization, today, more and more foreigners came to China for work, for traveling. In this situation, more and more international conferences hold in China, not only in the State Department, but also some com

61、mon places, such as campus, Multinational Corporation, etc. Not complete with the development of society and economy, we will have more and more chances to contact with foreigners when we get a job. Therefore, its more important for the Chinese people to know the western countries table manners. 2.

62、Knowing the taboosIt is the common sense of the Europeans and Americans to dress formally when they are attending a party. You should sit from the left side of the chair and do remember that “lady first!”The napkin should be laid on the knees, usually you should not round the neck with the napkin, i

63、t is not proper.Do not make any noise when you are drinking soup or eating.Do remember that use your right hand to hold the knife and left hand to use the fork to take food.Do not fork some food to eat but plow them up to eat.Do not stand for the foods, it is not polite.Do not wave the knife and for

64、k in your hand, it is impolite. If you want to talk with somebody else, just put down the table wares first and then you can talk with them.It is not proper to keep silence all the time at the table, but it doesnt meant you can keep up a constant flow of words.In a word, you must be careful. After all, these two kinds of cultures are different and we should adopt the others custom so that they can respect ours.VI. The relationship between the two kinds of table manners1. C