A Comparative Study of English- Chinese Compliments 英语专业(毕业论文).doc

A Comparative Study of English- Chinese Compliments Abstract: The conversational mode of the compliment and response features with adjacency structure and exhibits certain regularities, namely, compliment and response are in the form of pairs and mutually influenced. Due to different language using environment and cultural background between English and Chinese, such conversational mode demonstrates great differences on concrete occasion. This paper attempts to explore the pragmatic differences from the aspects of complimenting topics and occasions, form of complimenting and the response to compliment, thus revealing some cultural characteristics between western and Chinese culture to facilitate cross-cultural communication. Key Words: Compliment; responses; Differences between western and Chinese culture; Cross-cultural; Communication Ⅰ. Introduction It is universally recognized that language is a scientific system on the one hand and a social activity on the other. Though language is actualized through the mind and the mouth of the individual, we should also see the fact that one not only speaks but also speaks to others. When one has the need to get in contact with another person, communication is bound to occur, and language is the best tool to facilitate communication. Deprived of communication, society would have never come into existence or would have ceased to exist. Deprived of society, the need for language is also hardly justified. In this sense, language forms the major link between the individual and society, the language of compliment, as a kind of actual communication language, is of great significance in people’s daily life. Its formula varies in respect of age, sex, status, education, and personality, among other things. Text Ⅰ. The theoretical principle and the simple formula of compliment Generally speaking, people in Great Britain and the United States attach much importance to the function of the language of praise. They are always pleased to