英語專業(yè)畢業(yè)論文-中西文化差異對稱贊語的影響(英文版)

湖南省婁底職業(yè)技術(shù)學(xué)院學(xué)生畢業(yè)設(shè)計（論文）中文題目中西文化差異對稱贊語的影響英文題目THEINFLUENCESOFCULTURALDIFFERENCESINCOMPLIMENTSBETWEENENGLISHANDCHINESE姓名李玉萍學(xué)號200949135151系部外語系專業(yè)應(yīng)用英語指導(dǎo)老師黃珍開題時間201110完成時間201112湖南省婁底職業(yè)技術(shù)學(xué)院教務(wù)處制THEINFLUENCESOFCULTURALDIFFERENCESINCOMPLIMENTSBETWEENENGLISHANDCHINESE中西文化差異對稱贊語的影響LIYUPING李玉萍SUPERVISORVICEPROFHUANGZHENCLASS09CLASSONEMAJORAPPLIEDENGLISHSTUDENTNUMBER200949135151FOREIGNLANGUAGEDEPARTMENTLOUDIVOCATIONAL稱贊語稱贊語應(yīng)答CONTENTSABSTRACTI摘要IICONTENTSIIIINTRODUCTION11DEFINITIONSOFCOMPLIMENTANDITSRESPONSES311THEDEFINITIONOFCOMPLIMENT312THEDEFINITIONOFCOMPLIMENTRESPONSES42CULTUREDIFFERENCESOFCOMPLIMENTINENGLISHANDCHINESE521CULTURALDIFFERENCESINEXPRESSINGCOMPLIMENT522CULTURALDIFFERENCESINCOMPLIMENTTOPICS6221CHINESECOMPLIMENTTOPIC6222ENGLISHCOMPLIMENTTOPIC723SUMMARY83CULTURALDIFFERENCESOFCOMPLIMENTRESPONSEFORMULASINENGLISHANDCHINESE1031CHINESECOMPLIMENTRESPONSEFORMULAS1032ENGLISHCOMPLIMENTRESPONSEFORMULAS1133SUMMARY11CONCLUSION13BIBLIOGRAPHY15ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS16INTRODUCTIONTHANKSTOTHEMODERNTECHNOLOGYOFCOMMUNICATION,ANDTHEGLOBALIZATIONOFWORLDMARKETPLACES,PEOPLESTARTTALKINGABOUTTHEGLOBALVILLAGEONEOFTHEMOSTSIGNIFICANTFEATURESOFTHISGLOBALVILLAGEISINTERCULTURALCOMMUNICATIONCOUNTRIES,ASWELLASINDIVIDUALS,AREGETTINGCONTACTSWITHEACHOTHERMORECONVENIENTLYANDFREQUENTLYTHEFLOURISHINGEXCHANGESBETWEENCHINAANDOTHERCOUNTRIESCALLFORTHOSEWHOARENOTONLYPROFICIENTINENGLISH,BUTALSOINTERCULTURALLYSENSITIVEANDCOMPETENTTHUSTHEDEVELOPMENTOFINTERCULTURALAWARENESSANDTHECULTIVATIONOFCOMMUNICATIVECOMPETENCEHAVEBEENANURGENTTASKFORLANGUAGETEACHINGANDLEARNINGJIAYUXIN,2000INSHORT,INAWORLDOFINTERNATIONALINTERDEPENDENCE,THEABILITYTOUNDERSTANDANDCOMMUNICATEEFFECTIVELYWITHPEOPLEFROMOTHERCOUNTRIESTAKESONEXTREMEURGENCYASISKNOWNTOALL,COMPLIMENTSAREFREQUENTLYAPPLIEDINSOCIALCOMMUNICATIONHOWTOGIVECOMPLIMENTSANDRESPONDTOTHEMCONSTITUTESASIGNIFICANTPARTOFTHECOMMUNICATIVECOMPETENCEOFEVERYMEMBEROFASPEECHCOMMUNITYOWINGTODIFFERENTCULTURALBACKGROUNDS,THEREAREDIFFERENCESEXISTINGINTHECOMPLIMENTSUSEDINENGLISHANDCHINESECHINESESPEAKERSOFENGLISHAREOFTENEMBARRASSEDBYENGLISHCOMPLIMENTSTHEYDONTKNOWHOWTOPAYCOMPLIMENTSANDRESPONDAPPROPRIATELYCONSEQUENTLY,COMMUNICATIONISVERYLIKELYTOBELEDTOBREAKDOWNHOLMES1987POINTEDOUT,PAYINGAPPROPRIATECOMPLIMENTSANDIDENTIFYINGTHEMACCURATELYISANASPECTOFCOMMUNICATIVECOMPETENCEWHICHMAYDIFFERINAVARIETYOFWAYSFROMONECULTURETOANOTHERANYSPEECHACTREFLECTSAVARIETYOFCULTURALNORMSANDVALUES,ANDSODOCOMPLIMENTINGBEHAVIORSSINCECOMPLIMENTSAREABUNDANTINBOTHENGLISHANDCHINESEANDTHEYACTASAMIRRORTHROUGHWHICHPARTICULARCULTURALVALUESAREREFLECTED,THESELECTIONOFTHISSUBJECTISPARTICULARLYSUITABLEWHENCULTURALCOMPARISONSAREMADE,WHICHISALSOTHEMAINREASONWHYTHESPEECHACTOFCOMPLIMENTSISCHOSENASTHECURRENTRESEARCHFOCUSTHISPAPERTRIESTOMAKEASYSTEMATICCOMPARISONBETWEENCHINESECOMPLIMENTSCCSANDENGLISHCOMPLIMENTSECSINASPECTSOFFORMULAS,TOPICS,TARGETSANDRESPONSESTOFINDTHEDIFFERENCESASWELLASSIMILARITIESINTHISLINGUISTICROUTINEOFCOMPLIMENTS,THUSREVEALINGTHEUNDERLYINGNORMSOFTHETWOCULTURESINTHISATTEMPT,ITISHOPEDTODRAWACONCLUSIONTHATCHINESEANDENGLISHCOMPLIMENTSARE,TOALARGEEXTENT,INFLUENCEDANDDETERMINEDBYTHEIRRESPECTIVECULTURESANDTHOUGHTS,THUSPROVIDINGSOMEPRACTICALPEDAGOGICALSUGGESTIONSSTUDYINGCOMPLIMENTSANDCOMPLIMENTRESPONSESINENGLISHANDCHINESECANCOMPARETHETYPESOFCULTURESTHELANGUAGEUSERSHAVE,HENCEMAKEITCLEARERABOUTWHATREALLYINFLUENCESTHECOMPLIMENTINGBEHAVIORSINBOTHLANGUAGESANDTHEREBYIMPROVEPEOPLESINTERCULTURALCOMMUNICATIVECOMPETENCE1DEFINITIONSOFCOMPLIMENTANDITSRESPONSESTHECOMPLIMENTSPEECHEVENTHASTHESTRUCTUREOFANADJACENCYPAIROPERATIONSCHEGLOFFBUTMOREIMPORTANTISTOSAVEOTHERSFACE,THEREFORETHEYADOPTMANYSTRATEGIESTOPERFECTLYPRESERVEOTHERSFACEGIVINGANDACCEPTINGCOMPLIMENTSINCHINESESOCIETYAREGREATLYINFLUENCEDBYTHECONFUCIANTRADITIONWITHINTHETRADITION,CHINESEPEOPLELIVETHROUGHCOOPERATIONBYWORKINGFORTHECOMMONGOOD,BYSUPPORTINGEACHOTHER,ANDBYSAVINGOTHERSFACEANDNOTELEVATINGTHEMSELVESABOVEOTHERSINTHISWAY,THEYMAINTAINWARMHUMANFEELINGS,PROMOTETHEGOODOFTHEGROUPABOVETHEIROWNINTEREST,ANDTHUSFOLLOWTHEPRINCIPLESOFHUMANISM,FAITHFULNESS,ANDPROPRIETYTHECONFUCIANTRADITIONPLACESAHIGHVALUEONEDUCATION,ANDPARTICULARLYONEDUCATINGTHEMEMBERSOFSOCIETYINTHEWAYSHUMANSSHOULDRELATEANDINTERACTWITHEACHOTHERINCONTRAST,THEFIRSTPERSONISUSEDFREQUENTLYINENGLISHCOMPLIMENTSENGLISHSOCIETYISORIENTEDBYTHEPRINCIPLEOFINDIVIDUALISMANDASARESULTEQUALITYBETWEENPEOPLEISHIGHLYVALUEDINDIVIDUALISMREFERSTOTHEBROADVALUETENDENCIESOFACULTUREINEMPHASIZINGTHEIMPORTANCEOFINDIVIDUALIDENTITYOVERGROUPIDENTITY,INDIVIDUALRIGHTSOVERGROUPRIGHTS,ANDINDIVIDUALNEEDSOVERGROUPNEEDSININDIVIDUALISTICCULTURE,PEOPLEARESELFORIENTEDANDTAKEMUCHCAREOFTHEMSELVESUNDERTHEGUIDANCEOFINDIVIDUALISM,PEOPLEBEHAVEACCORDINGTOTHEIROWNNEEDSWITHOUTCONSIDERINGTHEHEARERSSOCIALSTATUSITISREFLECTEDINTHEMOSTFREQUENTLYUSEOFTHEFIRSTPERSON“I“INGIVINGCOMPLIMENTS22CULTURALDIFFERENCESINCOMPLIMENTTOPICS221CHINESECOMPLIMENTTOPICINCONTRASTTOENGLISHSPEAKINGPEOPLE,CHINESE，SEEMTOVALUENATURALAPPEARANCE“INHERENTBEAUTY“HASBEENTHEHIGHESTAPPEARANCEINTHISSTUDY,MORETHANHALFOFCHINESECOMPLIMENTSONEVALUATIONONFEMALEAPPEARANCEPRAISEDNATURALATTRIBUTES,ENGLISHCOMPLIMENTSUSEWORD“LOOK“,BUTINCHINESEEXPRESSIONTHEYUSEWORD,“長相”。CHINESECOMPLIMENTSFOCUSMAINLYONTRAITS/TALENTSANDABILITY,CONFUCIANISMSTRESSESTHEBENEFITSOFFIXEDHIERARCHICALRELATIONSHIPSINWHICHRESPECTISSHOWNFORAGE,SENIORITY,RANK,ANDFAMILYBACKGROUNDTHISISWHYPEOPLECONCENTRATEONTHETOPICSOFTALENTSANDABILITYITISOBSERVEDTHATPEOPLEOFHIGHSTATUSSEEMTOENJOYBEINGFLATTEREDEXTENSIVELYINADDITIONTOSPECIFYINGTHEPROPERNATUREOFRELATIONSHIPS,CONFUCIANISMSETFORTHFOURPRINCIPLESASGUIDESTOPROPERHUMANBEHAVIORSHUMANISMREN,FAITHFULNESSYI,PROPRIETYLIANDWISDOMZHITHESEPRINCIPLESARECOMPLETELYREFLECTEDINTHEWAYSCHINESEPEOPLEGIVEANDRESPONDCOMPLIMENTSTRAITS/TALENTSANDABILITYISSOMETHINGRELATEDTOONESSUCCESSANDFUTUREANDCANONLYBECOMMENTEDBYCERTAINQUALIFIEDPERSONSTHEYAREPRUDENTIALANDCAUTIOUSABOUTTHISTYPEOFTOPICS,ESPECIALLYBETWEENSTRANGERSSOASTOSHOWPOLITENESSTOOTHERSINDEED,ENCODINGANDDECODINGPOLITENESSISACHIEVEDINCULTURALLYSPECIFICWAYS222ENGLISHCOMPLIMENTTOPICINTHEENGLISHSOCIETYWHATISCOMPLIMENTEDGENERALLYAREASPECTSOFPERSONALAPPEARANCEWHICHARETHERESULTOFDELIBERATEEFFORT,NOTSIMPLYNATURALATTRACTIVENESSINDEED,THEYTENDTOAVOIDCOMPLIMENTINGONTHELATTERCOMPLIMENTSONHAIRSTYLEARECOMMONCOMPLIMENTSONHAVINGBEAUTIFULHAIRARENOTCOMPLIMENTSONATTRACTIVEDRESSORBLOUSEORONNOTICEABLEWEIGHTLOSSOCCURINALMOSTANYSITUATIONINWHICHACOMPLIMENTISATALLAPPROPRIATEOTHERSLIKE“YOUAREBEAUTIFUL“SELDOMHAPPENS,BUT“YOULOOKNICETODAY“AREMORECOMMONBECAUSETHEYPERCEIVETHE“ARTIFICIALBEAUTY“CANREPRESENTTHEIRINDIVIDUALISMMUCHBETTERFEMALESGIVEANDRECEIVEMORECOMPLIMENTSRELATEDTOTHISKINDOFTOPICSAPARTFROMTHAT,THEIRCOMPLIMENTSSEEMTOBELABELEDWITH“TIMELIMIT“,FORINSTANCE,“TODAY“INEXAMPLEYOULOOKNICETODAYWITHINTHECATEGORYOFAPPEARANCE,THERECOMETOTALLYDIFFERENTCULTURESPECIFICTOPICSFIRSTOFALL,WEIGHTLOSSISCONSIDEREDBYCHINESETOBEACAUSEFORCONCERN,WHEREASINENGLISHSOCIETYITISACAUSEFORCONGRATULATIONLOOKINGTHINORLOSINGWEIGHTISREGARDEDASAPOSITIVEATTRIBUTEINENGLISHSOCIETY,WHICHTHEYTHINKISASIGNOFGOODHEALTHWOLFSON,1989ATHUSTHEYFREQUENTLYMAKECOMPLIMENTAS“YOULOOKGOODYOUVELOSTWEIGHT“INCHINA,LOSINGWEIGHTMAYMEANTHATSOMEONEHASBECOMESICKWITHOUTNOTICINGTHESICKNESSFARFROMBEINGACOMPLIMENT,“YOUVELOSTWEIGHT“INCHINESEISOFTENAWARNINGFROMAFRIEND,WHICHIMPLIESTHATTHEPERSONSHOULDGOANDSEETHEDOCTORTOSOMEONEWHOUSEDTOBETHIN,“YOUVEPUTONWEIGHT“CANBEACOMPLIMENTINCHINESE,ASEXAMPLE你去深圳工作，可是發(fā)富了THISISWHYWHENACHINESELEARNERSAYSTOANAMERICAN“YOUHAVEGAINEDWEIGHT,“HEOFFENDSTHEAMERICANWITHOUTKNOWINGITONTHEOTHERHAND,WHENANAMERICANSAYSTOHISCHINESEFRIEND,“YOUVELOSTWEIGHT,“ITWILLONLYMAKEHIMWORRYABOUTHISHEALTHAGEANDSALARY,WHICHAMERICANSAREVERYCONSCIOUSOF,AREACOMMONCOMPLIMENTTOPICINTHECHINESESOCIETY,REFLECTINGTHEFACTTHATBOTHOFTHEMARETHESYMBOLOFEXPERIENCE,MORALVIRTUEANDSOCIALSTATUSINOURSOCIETYANUTTERANCESUCHASEXAMPLE別看他一把年紀(jì)了，可身體還好著呢，一點都不顯老WOULDBEHEARDASACOMPLIMENTINOURCULTURE,WHILEITWOULDCERTAINLYNOTBEINTERPRETEDTHATWAYINTHEENGLISHSOCIETY,FORTHEOLDDONOTGETMUCHATTENTIONINTHATSOCIETYSALARYISALSOASENSITIVEPARTINENGLISHSOCIETY,BUTINCHINAWECANCOMPLIMENTOTHERSASEXAMPLE你每個月工資多少呀OFCOURSE,THEREARESTILLMANYCULTURESPECIFICTOPICSINCHINESECOMPLIMENTSANDENGLISHCOMPLIMENTSHOWEVER,ITISIMPOSSIBLETOCOVERTHEMALLTHEPURPOSEOFTHEBRIEFDISCUSSIONISTOMAKEINTERCULTURALINTERLOCUTORSAWAREOFTHECULTURALDIFFERENCESINCHINESEANDENGLISHCOMPLIMENTS23SUMMARYITISBELIEVEDTHATBOTHTASKSOFGIVINGANDRECEIVINGCOMPLIMENTSARENOTALWAYSTHATEASYCHINESECULTURESETSCERTAINLIMITATIONSTHATCANMAKETHECOMPLIMENTANDTHECOMPLIMENTEDFEELUNCOMFORTABLEINPERFORMINGTHEIRRESPECTIVEROLESTHEFORMERMIGHTBEUNCERTAINWHETHERTHEIRCOMPLIMENTSWOULDBEPOSITIVELYRECEIVEDORNOT,ANDTHELATTERMIGHTFEELSHYORSOMEWHATUNEASYBEINGCOMPLIMENTEDBYOTHERSINBOTHCASES,THEREISADESIRETOPROTECTTHEOTHERPERSONSFACETHEUSEOFAPPROPRIATESEMANTICANDSYNTACTICFORMULASINDIFFERENTCULTURESCANHELPTHETWOPARTIESRELATEMORETOEACHOTHER,THUSNARROWINGSOCIALGAPORSOCIALDISTANCESOCOMPLIMENTINGANDBEINGCOMPLIMENTEDTHENBECOMELESSEMBARRASSINGANDUNCOMFORTABLEEXPERIENCESDIFFERENCESINTHEDISTRIBUTIONOFTOPICSINCHINESECOMPLIMENTANDENGLISHCOMPLIMENTAREPOTENTIALSOURCESOFFAILUREININTERCULTURALCOMMUNICATIONTHATIS,THEREISFREQUENTLYINTERACTIONTROUBLEWHENMEMBERSOFONECULTURALGROUPCOMPLIMENTOTHERGROUPSTHEREFORE,ITISESSENTIALFORTHESECONDLANGUAGESTUDENTSTOKNOWASMUCHABOUTCOMPLIMENTSINBOTHLANGUAGESASPOSSIBLEINORDERTOBEAPPROPRIATEWHENGIVINGACOMPLIMENTININTERCULTURALSITUATION,HENCETOIMPROVETHEIRINTERCULTURALCOMMUNICATIVECOMPETENCE3CULTURALDIFFERENCESINCOMPLIMENTRESPONSEFORMULASTHEACTUALCOMMUNICATIONBEHAVIORSHOWSTHATTHEFUNDAMENTALDISCOURSESTRUCTUREOFCOMPLIMENTISAKINDOFADJACENCYPAIRWARDHAUGH,1986THEFEATUREOFTHISSTRUCTUREREVEALSTHECOOCCURRENCEOFTHETWOCATEGORIESOFUTTERANCEBEHAVIORSCOMPLIMENTANDRESPONSESHOULDBECOOCCURREDTHATIS,IFAPRAISESB,BMUSTGIVEAVERBALRESPONSECOMPLIMENTISSUPPOSEDTOBEAKINDOFSUPPORTIVEACTIONPOMERANTZ,1978FROMTHEVIEWPOINTOFSOCIALBEHAVIORTHESTUDIESONCOMPLIMENTINGBEHAVIORWILLNOTBETHOROUGHWITHOUTTHESTUDIESONCOMPLIMENTRESPONSESWHICHACTUALLYHAVEBEENRECEIVEDMUCHATTENTIONFROMLINGUISTSASWEALLKNOW,THECHINESEANDTHEWESTERNERSAREQUITEDIFFERENTINCULTURALBACKGROUNDS,WORLDVIEWSANDTHINKINGPATTERNSSUCHDIFFERENCESAREALSOREFLECTEDINTHEIRDIFFERENTTYPESOFRESPONSESTOCOMPLIMENTSSOTHISCHAPTERFOCUSESRESPECTIVELYONCOMPLIMENTRESPONSESTRATEGIESINENGLISHANDCHINESEANDFINDINGSINTHISAREAOFFERVALUABLEINSIGHTSINTOTHECOMPARATIVERESEARCHESONENGLISHCOMPLIMENTRESPONSESANDCHINESECOMPLIMENTRESPONSES31CHINESECOMPLIMENTRESPONSEFORMULASCHINESEPEOPLETENDTOUSEMOREINDIRECTRESPONSESTRATEGIES,MOSTPEOPLEAREINTUITIVELYAWARETHAT,BECAUSECOMPLIMENTGIVINGANDRESPONDINGBEHAVIORISUSEDTOPROMOTESOCIALIDENTITIESANDRELATIONS,INAPPROPRIATECHOICEOFRESPONSECANLEADTOFACELOSSINDIRECTRESPONSESTRATEGIESINCHINESECOMPLIMENTSCANBEEXPLAINEDBYLEECHS1983MODESTYMAXIMMINIMIZEPRAISEOFSELFANDMAXIMIZEDISPRAISEOFSELFITACCURATELYCAPTURESTHECHINESENORMTHATSEEKSHARMONYAMONGTHESOCIALMEMBERSMOREOVER,SELFDENIGRATIONMAXIMDENIGRATESELFANDELEVATEOTHER,CANBEUSEDTOACCOUNTFORMOSTOFTHECHINESECOMPLIMENTSRESPONSESTHEMOTIVATIONOFALLTHESEINDIRECTSTRATEGIESCANBEEXPLAINEDAS“IKNOWYOUARESAYINGSOMETHINGGOODABOUTMEANDICANTSHOWMYARROGANCE,SOISAYTHATSOMETHINGABOUTMEISNOTTHATGOODORTHATIMEMBARRASSED“THEREAREINDICATIONSTHATSOMECHINESEPEOPLESTILLPOSSESSTHEEARLIERGENERATIONSTIMIDNESSCHARACTERISTIC,WHICHORIGINATEDFROMAVERYCONSERVATIVECULTURE,ASREFLECTEDINTHEIRUSEOFMORE“NONACCEPTANCE“AND“NONAGREEMENT“TYPESOFRESPONSESTOCOMPLIMENTSINADDITION,THEIRUSEOFSUCHTYPESOFRESPONSESINDICATESTHEIRDESIRETOMAINTAINSOCIALBALANCEWITHTHEIRRESPECTIVEINTERLOCUTORS,AS“NONACCEPTANCE“REPLIESENABLETHEMTOSHIFTTHECOMPLIMENTARYFORCEWHILE“NONAGREEMENT“RESPONSESHELPTHEMTOWEAKENORDENYTHATFORCECHINESESOCIALNORMSREQUIREAMUCHHIGHERLEVELOFINDIRECTNESSINSOCIALINTERACTION32ENGLISHCOMPLIMENTRESPONSEFORMULASAMERICANPEOPLEUSEMOREEXPLICITRESPONSESTRATEGIESTHEPRIMARYCONSIDERATIONFORAMERICANSWHENTHEYRESPONDTOCOMPLIMENTSISLEECHS1983AGREEMENTMAXIMMINIMIZEDISAGREEMENTSBETWEENSELFANDOTHERSANDMAXIMIZEAGREEMENTSBETWEENSELFANDOTHERSBROWNANDLEVINSONS1978NOTIONOFFACE,INDIVIDUALISTICINNATURE,CANBEAPPLIEDTOAMERICANCULTURE,WHICHEMPHASIZESINDIVIDUALAUTONOMYRATHERTHANGROUPHARMONYITSEEMSREASONABLETOASSUMETHATPEOPLEFACEWITHTHEDIFFICULTTASKOFRESPONDINGINASECONDLANGUAGEINASOCIALLYACCEPTABLEWAYTHEREFORE,INDEVELOPINGINTERCULTURALCOMPETENCE,ITISIMPORTANTTOLEARNTHERULESOFHOWTOGIVEANDACCEPTCOMPLIMENTSINAMERICANSOCIETYSOASTOAVOIDPRAGMATICTRANSFERININTERCULTURALCOMMUNICATIONSTUDENTSHAVETOBECOMEFAMILIARWITHTHECULTURALNORMSASSOCIATEDWITHPOLITENESSANDFACETHEORYASSHAREDBYMEMBERSOFAMERICANCOMMUNITY33SUMMARYTHEDIFFERENCESOFCOMPLIMENTRESPONSESINTHECHINESECULTURE,MODESTYMAXIMISMUCHMOREHEAVILYWEIGHTEDANDFREQUENTLYOVERRIDESTHEAGREEMENTMAXIM,BECAUSE“貶己尊人”DEGRADINGONESELFANDUPGRADINGTHEOTHERSISTHECHARACTERISTICOFCHINESEPOLITEPRINCIPLEGUYUEGUO,1990THECHINESEEQUIVALENTOF“MODESTY“ISQIANXU,WHOSECULTURALCONNOTATIONISQUITEDIFFERENTFROMTHATOFTHEWORDINENGLISHCULTUREINMANYWAYSCHINESEQIANXUINVOLVESPUTTINGDOWNONESELFANDELEVATINGOTHERSWHILE“MODESTY“ASLEECHSPOLITENESSPRINCIPLEPUTS,ISTOAVOIDSELFPRAISECHINESEQIANXUREMAINSATTHECOREOFCHINESEPOLITENESSWHILE“MODESTY“ISNOTSOVALUEDBYENGLISHSPEAKERSQIANXUISREGARDEDASAVIRTUEOFSELFCULTIVATION,WHICHSERVESASTHEFOUNDATIONONWHICHCHINESEPOLITENESSISBUILTWHEREAS“MODESTY“FUNCTIONSASASTRATEGYOFMINIMIZINGSELFPRAISEHOWEVER,INTHEAMERICANSOCIETYTHEREISAPREFERENCEFORAGREEMENTININTERACTION,ANDDISAGREEMENTSAREPARTICULARLYFACETHREATENINGTHISSUGGESTSTHATTHEYGIVEPRIORITYTOTHEAGREEMENTMAXIMOVERTHEMODESTYMAXIMASLONGASTHECONTENTOFTHECOMPLIMENTISBASICALLYTRUE,THEYTENDTOACCEPTITSOASTOCONFIRMTHETASTEOFTHESPEAKER,THUSOFFERINGSOLIDARITYCONCLUSIONTHISPAPERTHOROUGHLYCOMPARESCHINESEANDENGLISHCOMPLIMENTDIFFERENCESFROMTHECOMPLIMENTEXPRESSING,TOPICS,RESPONSES,ANALYZINGTHEDIFFERENCESANDSIMILARITIESBETWEENTHEMBASEDONTHECULTURALFACTORSTHECROSSCULTURALCOMPARISONOFENGLISHANDCHINESECOMPLIMENTSDEMONSTRATEDIFFERENCESINAMERICANANDCHINESECULTURESCONFUCIANISMSTRESSESTHEBENEFITSOFFIXEDHIERARCHICALRELATIONSHIPINWHICHRESPECTISSHOWNFORAGE,SENIORITY,RANK,ANDFAMILYBACKGROUNDTHISISWHYCHINESEPEOPLECONCENTRATEONTHETOPICSOFTALENTANDACHIEVEMENTITISOBSERVEDTHATPEOPLEOFHIGHSTATUSSEEMTOENJOYBEINGFLATTEREDEXTENSIVELYTHECOMPLIMENTINGEVENTSINCHINAAREROOTEDINTHEHIERARCHALTRADITIONANDCONFUCIANISM,ESPECIALLYTHECONCEPTOFLI禮AND,CONFUCIANISMSTRESSESTHEBENEFITSOFFIXEDHIERARCHICALRELATIONSHIPINWHICHRESPECTISSHOWNFORAGE,SENIORITY,RANK,ANDFAMILYBACKGROUNDTHISISWHYCHINESEPEOPLECONCENTRATEONTHETOPICSOFTALENTANDACHIEVEMENTITISOBSERVEDTHATPEOPLEOFHIGHSTATUSSEEMTOENJOYBEINGFLATTEREDEXTENSIVELYONTHEOTHERHAND,THECOMPLIMENTINGSPEECHACTSINDICATETHATTHEAMERICANCULTUREISINDIVIDUALORIENTEDANDTHATINDIVIDUALISMANDEQUALITYARETHECORESOFSOCIALNORMSANDHEREMODESTYHIGHLYVALUEDINCHINESECULTUREISCONTRASTEDWITHHONESTYTHOUGHTOFHIGHLYINENGLISHENGLISHCOMPLIMENTSISACCEPTANCEWHILETHEMAJORITYOFCHINESERESPONSESDENIGRATETHECOMPLIMENTBECAUSE“MODESTY“INENGLISHCULTURESTRESSESOTHERELEVATING,BUTNOTNECESSARILYANDVERYRARELYSELFDENIGRATINGWHEREASCHINESE“MODESTY“EMPHASIZESBOTHSELFDENIGRATINGANDOTHERELEVATING,BUTWITHAMORESTRESSONSELFDENIGRATINGTODENIGRATETHESELFISAIMEDTOSHOWRESPECTTOTHEOTHERCHINESEMODESTYORMOREPRECISELYSELFDENIGRATION,ENCOMPASSINGRESPECTFULNESSANDHUMILITYHASLONGBEENAWELLESTABLISHEDTRADITIONANDAHIGHLYVALU