Abstract

Body language, or called gesture language, which some western countries began to study in the early 1950s, and thus it has become a new scientific research. Body language is an important part of nonverbal communication which is closely connected with culture. In order to be successful in cross-cultural communication, we should know some main kinds of body language from different cultures. Body language from different cultures has many differences because of different regions, races and cultural customs. This thesis devotes to a comparison and contrast of body language in different cultures in term of eye languages, gestures, postures, facial expressions, touch, and distance. And it analyzes the meaning of each body language that they represent, the context they are used, and different meanings in different cultures. The thesis aims to illustrate the differences of body language between Chinese and English culture, and to put forward the principles of reducing barriers in communication so as to achieve efficient communication and to avoid misunderstandings.

Key words: body language; cultural difference; cross-cultural communication

摘要

体态语或身体语言，早在上世纪五六十年代西方一些国家就开始进行研究，并由此发展成为一门新的科学。体态语是非语言交际的重要组成部分，和文化紧密相关，为了在跨文化交际中能够成功的进行交流，我们应该了解不同文化的体态语，语言和文化一样，由于地域、种族、习俗的差异，不同文化的体态语有许多差异。本文致力于从目光语、手势语、身体姿势、面部表情、体距语等方面对不同文化的体态语进行研究，分析各体态语代表的含义，使用的语境，以及在中西方文化中的不同意义等，旨在通过列举中西方体态语的文化差异，提出交际中遵循的原则，从而促进有效交流，避免误解。

关键词：体态语；文化差异；跨文化交际