Abstract: Culture determines the mode of communication, and communication spreads culture. The American culture anthropologist Edward T. Hall Presents the concept of high-context and low-context. Because of the difference caused by high and low context culture people adhere to their own communication context, which leads to a phenomenon that the communication is beyond comprehension among people from different cultures. In the high and low context, many factors have a significant impact on the courtesy language of American and Chinese, like Messages internalized/Messages Plainly Coded, Reactions Reserved/Reactions on the Surface. This paper attempts to probe into the Study of Chinese and American courtesy language from the perspective of high and low context theory, to indicate that how the high and low context influences the courtesy language.

Key words: high context; low context; courtesy language; comparative study

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

1. Introduction-1

1.1The Courtesy Language-1

1.2 Previous Studies of Courtesy Language-1

1.2.1 Previous Studies of Courtesy Language Abroad-2

1.2.2 Previous Studies of Courtesy Language in China-7

2. High and Low Context Theory-9

2.1Context-9

2.2 Definition of High and Low Context-10

2.3Characteristics of High and Low Context-11

3. Analysis of Chinese and American Courtesy Language under the High and Low Theory-13

3.1 Greetings-13

3.1.1 Chinese Greetings under the High Context-13

3.1.2 American Greetings under the Low Context-15

3.2 Thanks-17

3.2.1 Thanks among Chinese under the High Context-18

3.2.2 Thanks among Americans under the Low Context-19

3.3Response to Compliments-20

3.3.1 Compliments-21

3.3.2 Compliment Response among Chinese People under High Context-22

3.3.3 Compliment Response among American People under Low Context-23

4. Conclusion-25

References