Abstract: Due to the rapid advances in science and technology, the development of social productive forces and the continuous spread of globalization, cross-cultural communication has been increasingly incessantly. English, as a communication tool, plays an extremely important role in cross-cultural communication. However, due to the lack of pragmatic knowledge and understanding of the target culture, it is difficult for foreign language learners to avoid pragmatic failures in cross-cultural communication. Communicators in cross-communication from different cultural backgrounds are largely limited by the influence of their perspective of cultures. Pragmatic failures set barriers to the success of cross-cultural communication. In order to eliminate its negative effects and to achieve successful communication, it is necessary to develop a clear and profound understanding of these failures. This paper aims to define and classify the socio-pragmatic failures in cross-cultural communication. It further analyzes the main causes and provides feasible countermeasures from various perspectives in hope of providing reference to improving the quality of cross-cultural communication.

Key words: pragmatic failures; causes and countermeasures; cross-cultural communication

CONTENTS

Abstract

摘要

1. Introduction1

1.1 Culture

1.2 Communication

1.3 Cross-cultural Communication

2. Literature Review of Pragmatic failure 2

2.1 Definitions of Pragmatic failure Communication

2.2 Types of Pragmatic Failure

2.2.1 Pragmalinguistic Failure

2.2.2 Socio-pragmatic Failure

3. Causes of Socio-pragmatic Failure Derived on Cultural Differences4

3.1 Belief and Values

3.2 Ethical Norms

3.3 Mode of Thinking

4. Countermeasures of Socio-pragmatic Failure in Cross-cultural Communication6

4.1 Strengthening Cultural Awareness in Language Learning

4.2 Cultivating Cultural Empathy

4.3 Developing Cultural Competence

5. Conclusion 9

Bibliography10

Acknowledgements11