单项选择题

Your Actions Speak Louder Communication Nonverbal communication (非语言交际) — teaching it and measuring effect — is more difficult than formal language instruction. But now that language has achieved its proper recognition as being essential for success, the area of nonverbal behavior should be taught to people who will live in another country in a systematic way, giving them actual experience, awareness, sensitivity. Indeed, it is the rise in linguistic (语言上的) fluency which now makes nonverbal fluency even more critical. A linguistically fluent visitor may tend to offend even more than those who don’’t speak as well if that visitor shows ignorance about interface etiquette (礼节) ; the national may perceive this disparity (不等) between linguistic and nonlinguistic performance as a disregard for the more subtle aspects of intercultural communication. Because nonverbal cues reflect emotional states, both visitor and host national might not be able to articulate (清晰明白地说 ) what’’s going on. While it would be difficult to map out all the nonverbal details for every language that Peace Corps (美国和平队) teaches, one can hope to make visitors aware of the existence and emotional importance of nonverbal channels. I have identified five such channels: kinesic, proxemic, chronemic, oculesic, and haptic. Kinesics (身势语) Kinesics — movement of the body (head, arms, legs, etc.) . The initial example from the health center in Ethiopia was a problem caused by a kinesic sign being used which had different meanings cross-culturally. Another example, the American gesture of slitting one’’s throat implying "I’’ve had it," or "I’’m in trouble," conveys quite a different message in Swaziland. It means "I love you." Americans make no distinction between gesturing for silence to an adult or to a child. An American will put one finger to the lips for both, while an Ethiopian will use only one finger to a child and four fingers for an adult. To use only one finger for an adult is disrespectful. On the other hand, Ethiopians make no distinction in gesturing to indicate emphatic (断然的) negation (拒绝) . They shake their index finger (食指) from side to side to an adult as well as to a child, whereas this gesture is used only for children by Americans. Thus, if visitors are not conscious of the meaning of such behavior, they not only offend their hosts but they will be offended by them. Drawing in the cheeks and holding the arms rigidly by the side of the body means "thin" in Amharic. Diet-conscious Americans feel complimented if they are told that they are slim and so may naturally assume that to tell an Ethiopian friend this is also complimentary. Yet, in Ethiopia and a number of other countries, this is taken pejoratively (轻蔑地) , as it is thought better to be heavy-set, indicating health and status and enough wealth to ensure the two. Proxemics (空间语) Proxemics — the use of interpersonal space. South Americans, Greeks, and others find comfort in standing, sitting, or talking to people at a distance which Americans find intolerably close. We give their unusual closeness the social interpretation of aggressiveness and intimacy, causing us to have feelings of hostility, discomfort, or intimidation (胁迫). If we back away to our greater distance of comfort, we are perceived as being cold, unfriendly, and distrustful. Somalis would see us as we see South Americans, since their interface distance is greater still than ours. Chronemics (语空) Chronemics — the timing of verbal exchanges during conversation. As Americans, we expect our partner to respond to our statement immediately. In some other cultures, people time their exchanges to leave silence between each statement. For Americans this silence is unsettling (使人不安的). To us it may mean that the person is shy, inattentive, bored, or nervous. It causes us to repeat, paraphrase, talk louder, and "correct" our speech to accommodate our partner. In the intercultural situation, it might be best for the visitor to tolerate the silence and wait for a response. Oculesics(目光语) Oculesics — eye-to-eye contact or avoidance. Americans are dependent upon eye contact as a sign of listening behavior. We do not feel that there is human contact without eye contact. In many countries there are elaborate patterns of eye avoidance which we regard as inappropriate. Haptics (体触语) Haptics — the tactile (触觉的) form of communication. Where, how, and how often people can touch each other while conversing are culturally defined patterns. We need not go beyond the borders of our own country to see groups (Italians and black Americans, for example) which touch each other more often than Anglo-Americans do. Overseas, Americans often feel crowded and pushed around by people who have much higher toleration for public physical contact and even need it as part of their communication process. A visitor may feel embarrassed when a host national friend continues to hold his or her hand long after the formal greetings are over. These five channels of nonverbal communication exist in every culture. The patterns and forms are completely arbitrary, and it is arguable as to what is universal and what is culturally defined. Eye-to-eye contact can be an important form of communication.