Abstract

Compliments are an universal social phenomenon. An appropriate use can shorten the distance between two sides of communication and avoid pragmatic failure. In the process of cross-cultural communication, they play a role of greeting, expressing one's thanks congratulating and encouraging others, opening a conversation and loosing conflicts etc. At the same time, owing to the different social systems and cultural backgrounds between the east and the west, such complications result in a cultural difference in the course of using compliments .To understand the difference can not only help one use compliments correctly ,but also can avoid cultural conflicts in the intercultural communication. Probing the differences between Chinese and Western compliments in a cross-cultural perspective and analyzing the course of misunderstanding are the key to a successful cross- cultural communication. In cross-cultural communication, the Chinese have always been reserved, sticking to the principle of prudence and reticence, obeying the principle of self-control and carefulness when communicating, having a high degree of sensitivity toward other’s languages. By contrast, the Americans are outgoing. They are prone to express themselves and willing to use language to express their inner world. They also believe the creativity of language, emphasizing the outward extension of the individual. So only if we understand each nation’s cultural backgrounds can we have a good cross-cultural communication. Language and culture are inseparable, only do we strive to master the language as well as their cultural backgrounds can minimize the cross-cultural communication errors. This does not only aim at the compliment language, but also is equally important to speech act.

Key words: Chinese and Western cultures; compliments; pragmatic difference; pragmatic failure

Contents

摘要

Abstract

1.Introduction-5

2.A brief description of the theory of cooperative principles by Grice-5

3.An analysis of the pragmatic failures of compliments in Chinese and Western Communication-6

3.1 The pragmatic failure in the Chinese sayings-7

3.2 The pragmatic failure resulting from thinking modes of Chinese and Westerners-8

3.3 The pragmatic failure resulting from different cultural customs-9

3.4 The pragmatic failure resulting from different etiquette for social interaction-10

4.Conclusion-11

References

Acknowledgements-