500 likes | 636 Views
Language and Linguistics Unit 6 Language Function 3: Managing Interpersonal Relations. Presented By: Jia Lin (Dana). Did you think about it?. Language learners often find apologies and requests difficult.
E N D
Language and LinguisticsUnit 6 Language Function 3: Managing Interpersonal Relations Presented By: Jia Lin (Dana)
Did you think about it? • Language learners often find apologies and requests difficult. • Understanding culture, “face” and politeness maxims can improve interpersonal relationships. • Unit 6 will focus on these areas. P199 BeiwaiOnline
Unit 6 Objectives • Learn about the connections between language, roles, status and interpersonal relations. • Become more sensitive to social norms and the feelings of others. • Develop a clearer sense of “face” and how to put your best face forward. • Understanding politeness maxims. BeiwaiOnline A1 P202-203
Unit 6 Overview BeiwaiOnline A1 P202-203
Warm-up Exercise A1 P203 BeiwaiOnline
Warm-up Exercise A1 P203 BeiwaiOnline
1Roles and Relations in Language A1 P204 BeiwaiOnline
hierarchy insider/outsider prestige social norms dominant subordinate individualism collectivism ...ranking in terms of authority ...person inside/outside the group ...respect or reputation ...standards of customary behavior ...one having higher authority ...one having lower authority ...favoring freedom & independence ...favoring interests of the group Key Terms BeiwaiOnline A1 T1-4 P204-214
Levels of authority in society. National authorityPresident, Premier, Prime Minister Authority of province or statePremier, Governor Local authoritiesPolice, Mayor, City Hall HIERARCHY WorkplaceBoss FamilyParents BeiwaiOnline A1 T1 P204
Roles and degree of distance. • In society, each person has his or her roles and responsibilities. • Depending on how close or familiar two people are, the level of formality will be greater or less. • The level of responsibility also varies with emotional distance (stranger, acquaintance or intimate). • For example, every elderly person deserves respect, but you would probably do shopping or cleaning chores only for a close relative! BeiwaiOnline A1 T1 P204-205
Insiders and outsiders. • If you are considered part of the group (friend, family, team, nationality), then you are an insider. • If you are excluded from the group, then you are an outsider. • If you have prestige (high status), you enjoy respect and more people will want you in their groups. Examples? BeiwaiOnline A1 T1 P205
It’s not easy being “new”. BeiwaiOnline A1 T1 P205
Social norms. • Behavior in public is governed by social norms. • For example, people waiting for service at a bank or ticket counter are expected to queue or wait in line. Waiting in line is considered proper behavior. • What will happen if a person jumps a queue in China? USA? Canada? • How do social norms differ between cultures? BeiwaiOnline A1 T2 P206
How social norms may differ. Public action: A. Wear slippers to class. B. Wear pajamas outside. C. Picking one’s nose/eyes. D. Spitting on the ground. E. Elbow through a crowd. F. Stand within 30 cm of an acquaintance. G. Greet by kissing cheeks. ? Location: 1) China 2) Japan 3) France 4) USA Outcome: a) Considered acceptable. b) Considered a little unacceptable/strange. c) Considered rude/offensive/weird. ? BeiwaiOnline A1 T2 P206-207
How social norms may differ. • Public action: • Wear slippers to class. (Generally not acceptable.) • Wear pajamas outside. (Okay in China, considered odd in France and USA.) • Picking one’s nose/eyes. (Picking eyes not as rude as nose in USA.) • Spitting on the ground. (Generally not acceptable, rude in cities.) • Elbow through a crowd. (Excusable in an emergency in USA, okay in China.) • Stand within 30 cm of an acquaintance. (More acceptable in China and France, less acceptable in Japan and USA.) • Greet by kissing cheeks. (Common in France, uncommon but acceptable in USA, weird in China and Japan.) BeiwaiOnline A1 T2 P206-207
Seating arrangements. • At this company meeting, who would you say has the highest position? Next? • Usually, the dominant person sits at the head, center or left position. • Subordinates sit on the right and sides. Sitting opposite the boss may indicate a secondary position of power. BeiwaiOnline A1 T2 P207-208
Consideration for others. • Children need to be taught “manners” or the need to consider other people’s needs and feelings. • Putting the interests of individuals first is called individualism, putting the interests of the group first is termed collectivism. • Degrees of individualism and collectivism vary between cultures. The size and scope of a collective group may also vary. BeiwaiOnline A1 T3 P208-209
Consideration for others. • How may ideas of collectivism or individualism influence... whether people greet strangers? behavior at traffic lights? who pays for a child’s education? vacations? BeiwaiOnline A1 T3 P208-209
Professional ethics. • Doctors need to apply professional ethics in the way they talk to patients (e.g. break bad news). • It is important to show consideration and respect for the feelings of patients and family members. • Give examples (from the text or experience) that highlight how doctors can show sensitivity. BeiwaiOnline A1 T3 P210-212
Showing sensitivity in the family. • Mutual concern and sensitivity contributes to a happy marriage. • Wife: “You should know how I feel.” • Husband: “Why didn’t you just say so!” • Examples? BeiwaiOnline A1 T3 P213
Key Concepts BeiwaiOnline A1 T1-4 P213-214
2Chinese and English Faces A2 P215 BeiwaiOnline
face condescension prominence self-image vulnerability negative face positive face ...a person’s image and esteem ...to patronize an inferior ...being distinguished or important ...the view one has of oneself ...relative ease of being damaged ...desire not to be forced to do sth. ...desire to be considered and appreciated Key Terms BeiwaiOnline A2 T1-5 P215-231
The Chinese concept of “face”. • Certain aspects of mianzi or lian are difficult to translate into English, but “face” generally refers to a person’s esteem or image in front of others. • A person who loses face loses status and worth in the estimation of others. • To cause someone else to lose face is to inflict psychological harm and reflects badly on the doer. However, giving a person face shows kindness and respect. BeiwaiOnline A2 T1 P215
Explain how “face” is involved. • In each case, explain how the person lost either lian or mianzi: • a boss invites his secretary to dinner but is turned down • a secretary helps a “friend” get a job at her company but her friend is not a hard worker • a female student suffers condescension from a teacher who says she can’t understand physics because she is “only a girl” • a man’s wife leaves him to become another’s mistress. BeiwaiOnline A2 T1 P215-218
Lian involves fulfilling expectations. • A decent person tries to live up to moral and other standards. • A well-educated person who fails in business, a wife who fails to care for her family or a leader who fails to serve his people have all lost lian. • What other examples can you think of that involve losing or gaining lian? BeiwaiOnline A2 T2 P219-220
Mianzi involves influence and worth. • A person with mianzi can achieve goals through personal influence on others. • Achievement indicates greater worth or mianzi, but failure to achieve goals indicates that mianzi is lacking. • Beware: challenging, criticizing or failing to give a person due prominence can cause him/her to lose mianzi! • Damage to mianzi is not as serious as damage to lian. Mianzi can be recovered more easily. Examples? BeiwaiOnline A2 T2 P221-224
Everyone needs to have dignity. • Even children need some dignity and self-esteem. • The self-esteem of teenagers is especially fragile. • Parents and teachers should not humiliate young people, but find other ways to correct them. Examples? BeiwaiOnline A2 T3 P224-226
Understanding “face” in English. • A person’s sense of face is shaped by culture and environment. • People of the British upper class used to have a strong sense of honor, pride and dignity. Compare the loss of face of an upper-class English gentleman who is forced to work to the Manchu in Case 8 (Task 1, p 218). • Americans tend to place more emphasis on internal self-image than on external appearances and appraisals. BeiwaiOnline A2 T4 P226-229
“put on my face” “put on a brave face” “the face of a building” “tried to save face” “dare to show his face” “face the facts” “to his face” “make a face” ...apply makeup ...show courage despite fear ...the front side ...avoid embarrassment ...make an appearance ...admit sth. difficult ...brazenly, without fear ...move facial muscles in a silly or impudent way Uses of the word “face” in English. BeiwaiOnline A2 T4 P226-229
Negative face involves being free to do things without being imposed upon by anyone. Example: a manager does not answer the telephone directly; calls are first handled by a secretary. Not related to the concept of mianzi. Positive face involves being appreciated and having one’s wishes fulfilled. Example: a popular actress enjoys being admired and catered to. Similar to the concept of mianzi. Negative and positive face. A2 T3 P229-230 BeiwaiOnline
Vulnerability of face. • The vulnerability of a person’s face refers to the danger that he/she will lose face. • For example, a request can be a threat to the positive face (lose face if refused) of the one requesting, as well as the negative face (lose face if imposed upon) of the one of whom the request is made. • Polite preparatory work before making a request and giving the other an “easy way out” reduces the threat to both parties. ...but only if you want to. BeiwaiOnline A2 T3 P229-230
Key Concepts BeiwaiOnline A2 T1-5 P215-230
3Chinese and English Politeness A3 P231 BeiwaiOnline
modest considerate refinement tact maxim approbation sympathy ...having a humble, moderate self-image ...showing thoughtful care to others ...polish or elegance in behavior, manners ...ability to speak or act without offending ...rule of conduct expressed in few words ...expressing approval and agreement ...showing fellow feeling Key Terms BeiwaiOnline A3 T1-5 P231-238
Chinese values. BeiwaiOnline A3 T1 P231-232
English values. BeiwaiOnline A3 T1 P231-232
Chinese politeness maxims. BeiwaiOnline A3 T2 P232-234
English politeness maxims. BeiwaiOnline A3 T3 P235-236
Compare politeness maxims. • Since both Chinese and English politeness maxims include modesty, agreement, approval, tact, generosity and sympathy, are they the same? • How are they different? • Do people always follow the maxims? BeiwaiOnline A3 T4 P236-237
Let’s look at an example. modesty tact refinement generosity agreement sympathy BeiwaiOnline A3 T4 P236
Analysis of the first example. modesty tact refinement generosity agreement sympathy BeiwaiOnline A3 T4 P236
Let’s look at a second example. modesty tact refinement generosity agreement sympathy BeiwaiOnline A3 T4 P236
Analysis of the second example. modesty tact refinement generosity agreement sympathy BeiwaiOnline A3 T4 P236
Key Concepts BeiwaiOnline A2 T1-5 P215-230
Unit 6 Review Questions • Give an example of a social norm. • What is the difference between individualism and collectivism? • Explain the ideas behind the English face, and the Chinese terms lian and mianzi. • What are the similarities and differences between Chinese and English politeness? BeiwaiOnline A1-3 P237-238
Progress Report & Assignment 2 • You should now be able to do the 6th Progress Report. • You should also be able to answer the questions for Assignment 2. • Have you read through all of the questions? A1-3 P238 BeiwaiOnline
Something to think about... • It seems that in all cultures, people want to give others a good impression of themselves (face). • How can language learners determine when speech acts are sincere? When something is said to preserve/enhance face? BeiwaiOnline A1-3 P238
Additional Reading • How to follow politeness maxims in “pass-time” conversations... How to Communicate Successfully 62-66 • Modes of address, address terms... The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language 44-45. • The concept of “face”... http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Face_(social_custom) BeiwaiOnline A1-3 P238
It’s time for YOUR questions. • Are there still any areas of difficulty? • Do you have any questions about concepts or their application? • Thank you for your participation. BeiwaiOnline A1-3 P238