摘要

语言是人类最早的交际手段，它的形成与发展经历了一个漫长的社会过程，语言反映着一个民族的文化，又依赖文化这一基石而存在。作为语言交流起始语言的称呼语，虽然简短，但含义却非常丰富。它好比一张隐形的名片，传递出个人的道德修养和教育背景。它是交际双方进行沟通的重要媒介。东西方各民族都有其独特的称呼体系。这种差异正体现各民族独有的风俗和文化。本文主要分析了中西方称呼语体系的特点，比较两者之间的差异，并探讨了形成这种差异的文化根源。

关键词：社交称呼语；差异；中西方文化

Abstract

In every language and society, when one person communicates with another, there are lots of factors concerning how to address or call people. Generally speaking, the person has to select a perfect one to address. But this seems very complicated and difficult in which cultures differ greatly. This article discusses the difference between Chinese and English social appellations, and studies their culture differences.

Key words: Social appellations; difference; Chinese and English culture

1. Introduction
With the frequent communicating between countries, appellations become an important and indispensable part in communication. People can use appellations either greet others or start a communication. And people can also use them to identify the relationships between each others, and identify themselves as members of a certain society. So appellations have always been regarded as a hint of human relations. As we known, appellations are indispensable in our daily life, and they are also very complicated. Different cultures, due to the difference of history, religion, social structure and interpersonal relationship, lead to their different appellations. Depth understanding of its difference can help us to improve our cross-culture communication knowledge, and to better promote the spread of Chinese and Western cultures, and improve English learners cross-cultural skill.
   
1.1 Definition of appellations
Appellation is the first message we convey to others, and an appropriate address can keep the conversation goes on smoothly. However, the definition of appellation is not very clear, many linguists have their own thoughts. Some linguists regard it as a direct address which is used to maintain or emphasize the relationship between the two communicating parties. Some Chinese linguists think appellation is a term which is used to greet to show their relationships. In the Modern Chinese dictionary (2007), the definition of Appellation is “an addressing which can show the relationship between each other”.