Differences-Between-Chinese-and-English-Thinking-Modes.docx

DifferencesBetweenChineseandEnglishThinkingModes1Introduction1.anguagebynatureistheCmbOdimCntofhumanthoughtsandthoughtsinturnisthementalreflectionoftheworldaroundusonbasisofsomeanalysis,generalization,judgmentandreasoning.Animalshavethoughtsaswell,but<heirawkwardsoundsforcommunicationarefarfrombeinglanguage.1.anguageisthereforecloselyrclaledIoandsupportedbyhuman(hghls.ThatisIosay.languagehasnobasisforitsexistenceifthereis>thought.Butthoughts,thoughaccessiblehyvariousmeans,arcbestrq)rcscntcdinlanguageandcanthusbestfulfillitsobligationsto(hespeakersbysuchmeans.1.anguageasanarbitrary;phoneticaiInorPhOlogiCscmio<icandaudiosystemofconnnica(ion.haslongdefinedashumanandisthusthemostconvincingdistinctivefeaturesofhumanbeingsfromanimals.ThCthinkingpatternsarconeofthemostimportantcuesinculture.Itiscloselyrelatedtoculturesandcmb<licshccharacteristicsofculturalpsychology.Besides,themodesofthinkingalsoarccloselyrelated(olanguage.Differentinodesofthinkingareemlxliedinlanguage.(i>Therelationshipamonglanguage,cultuvandthought1.anguageispartofculture.SuchasChineselanguageispartofChineseculture.Eachcountryhasitsownlanguageinaspecificculture.However,(heirrelationshipisnotjusbetweenpanandwhale.1.anguageis(heCarrierandcontainedofculture,asma”aspectsofCUIlUrecanbeexpressedinlanguage.Asamirrorofculture,languageisstronglyinfluencedandshapedbyculture.Inall.languageandculturearccloselyTVlated:eachinfluencesandshapesthemhcr.1.anguageisaninstrumentusedinhccommunicationofthought.Itiscloselyrelatedcothought,too.Itrepresentsthoughtandisinfluencedbythought.Intum»thoughtisinfluencedbylanguage.Inaddiliothoughtisdeterminedbyculturalvalue.Theirrelationshipswitheachothers<xmHKHecomplex.Inaword,eachof(heminfluencedandshapesmhcrs.1"hcyareseemasthreepartsofawhole.(ii)DifferentwaysOfthinkingbetweenChineseandWestern“Thewaysofthinkingisquitediflerent.actually,peopleliveincertainareahavetheirownwayofthinking,hconnectsIovariouskindsoffactors,suchasgeography,history,nationandsoon.Thewaysofthinkingarc(heimportantreasonofculturaldiiYcrcncc.Itincludesknowledge,concepts,methods,languageandcustomandsoQn(邓炎昌483)Thcrcfactorsinucncceachother,whichledtodifTcrcntwaysofchinking.Therefore,thewaysofthinkinghave(heirowncharacteristics,likegeographyCharacieristicstsocialcharacteristicsandnationalcharacteristics,etc.according(ogeographyCharaclerislics.i(canbedividedintoIlannation.EnglishandAmericannation,etc.HerewewillmakeacomparisononChineseandWesternwaysofthinking.oThcdi11crcntwaysOfthinkingintactarctherciloctionofculturaldiflcrcncc.Peoplewholiveinditlcrcntareasforalongtimehavedifferentculturalcharacteristics;therefore,theirwaysothinkingaredifferent.M(ibid.484>.UndertheinfluenceOfdiYcrcntgeographyenvironments,lifestyles,customsanddifferentculturalvalues:theEastandWestarcdifferentITcmwaysofthinking.1.etusexaminesomephenomena:Inthecollege,aforeignteacheristeachinginaclass,heistalkativeandexpressive.Everyonelistens(ohiminterestingly.Suddenly,heslopsandasksthemaquestion.However,thestudentsdon*lknowhowtoanswer,theydon'ttelltheanswers.Thetcachcrgotalittleangrybuthehadnoideaontheirbehavior.hssceneoftenhappensinChineseclassroomIntheforeigners'eyes,thc)considerthatkeepingsilentisnotagoodwaywhenwecontactwitho<hes.Evenyoudoftunderstaru1.youshouldsaysomethinginsteadOfkcepingsilent,asitoftenisregardedasRIdeandimpolite.ThCreasonliesinthattheEastandtheWesthaveadifferentwayofthinking,hcEasternpeoplearcconscnativc,introvertandinaclivc,theyputmoreemphasisonharmony,andtheylikecommonandstablelife;whiletheWesternpeoplearcInorCopen-minded,extrovertandactive,theylikechangeablelifeandthustheyemphasizeoncompetition.Inthisway,(heirdifferentwaysofthinkingleadtotheirdifTcrcnunderstandingoneachother'sbehavior.IfChineseseesomebodyistalkative,theycouldthinkheorshewantstoexiemhimselforherselftobethefocusofeveryone.inChina,weseldomseeacouplemakingclosecontactinpublic.Theyarcalwayswalkingsidebysideinacertaindistance.WhileintheWest,thecouplewillopen<othepublic;theyarcfreetoshowthat(heyarcacouple.Even(beyneet(heacquaintances;theyalwaysgive(hemahugorkissasgreeting.Controversially.Chinesewillshakehandswiththeirfriendsbutseldomhugthem.Theydn*tkissIhemastheyregarditasanintinutcactionbetweenhusbandandwife.ThereasonwhythecastandthewestpeoplehehavcsodiflcrcntlyisthatpeopleliveintheEastemphasizeonehicprincipal,morality,theyfocusondirectfeelingandimage.Thewesternersfocusonfedom.democracyandemphasizenindividual.Inall.Chinesetraditionalwayofthinkinghasitsowncharacteristics.Itemphasizesthemorality,harmonyofthesociety;itpromotesIhCcollectivism,responsibilityanddevotionandsoon.ThewesternwayofthinkingalwhasitsownCharacierislicsJiemphasizesonlogicandscience,individualachieven)en(.itpromoteshumanright,equalityandsoon.IhcgreatgeographicdistancebetweentheBritishandtheChinesepeoples,togetherwiththeaccompanyingdifferentlivingconditionsandculturalcnvironnnts1hasmuchaccountedfor(hediverseconceptualpatternsofthe(wonations.Suchconceptualdifierenceshavebeend