Text B Compliments in Chinese and American English(2)

Formulas of Compliments in Chinese and American English

One may have noticed that examples of compliments above, either Chinese or American English, have been highly formulaic in nature. Manes &Wolfson believe that only three basic syntactic patterns would suffice the expression of compliments. They are:

NP is/looks (really) ADJ (e. g., “Your blouse is beautiful. ”)

I (really) like/love NP (e. g., “I like your car. ”)

Pro is (really) (a) ADJ NP (e. g., “That's a nice painting. ”)

As for Chinese, there has been so far no comprehensive study on the formulas of Chinese compliments. But it is clear that compliments in Chinese context are viewed as a means or intention to show respect, therefore, should be very polite. On many occasions, a Chinese speaker tends to play down himself or herself to show his or her respect to the hearer when making compliments. Instead of“你”(you), its honorific form“您”(you) is often used. Moreover, the honorific form of you is often employed at the very beginning of a sentence. For example:

15) 您的设计多有创意啊。

What an original design!

16) 您这件毛衣很漂亮，您看上去年轻多了。

Your sweater is very beautiful. You look much younger.

“Lack of originality”is another feature of compliments in both Chinese and American English. Highly restricted set of adjectives and verbs are used in both Chinese and American contexts when make compliments. The most frequently used adjectives are those words like“nice”, “good”, “beautiful”, and“pretty”. For verbs, words such as“like”and“love”are two commonly used ones. And in Chinese one may find a similar feature.

If there is any difference, one feature stands out. An American speaker likes to express his or her view in a direct way, therefore the first person is more often used. For example:

17) I like the way you talk.

18) I am so proud of you.

While a Chinese speaker is more likely to use second person when he or she wants to compliment:

19) 你的房子真漂亮。

Your house is very beautiful.

20) 你儿子真乖。

Your son is so cute.

Responses to Compliments in Chinese and American English

Responses to compliments in Chinese and American English are so different that one can easily find the influence of the two cultures on the usage of compliments. Examples 1) and 2) clearly show the two different responses to compliments. An American tends to appreciate a compliment by saying“thank you”while a Chinese would prefer to deny though it does not necessarily mean he or she does not welcome the compliment.

In Chinese context, even for the hearer who wants to accept the compliment, he or she would choose to deny or not to show full acceptance. For example:

21) 甲：好久不见，你越活越年轻了。

Long time no see. You look much younger.

乙：哪能啊，你别拿我开玩笑了。

Oh, no. Don't tease me.

In American English, however, even if the hearer does not fully agree with the speaker's compliment, he or she would prefer to appreciate first then deny, using a strategy of“acceptance or acknowledgement and transfer”. For example:

22) A: You did very well in your presentation. You're a great public speaker.

B: Thank you. I made a lot of preparation.

23) A: That's a lovely blouse you're wearing!

B: Well, I went shopping on Saturday and happened to see it in one of the stores.

An interesting point has to be made here is that language teaching and learning would affect the way of responding to compliments. A learner tends to employ the responses of the language he or she is learning. For example, if an English learner comes across with compliment of“Your English is excellent”, he or she is more likely to respond with“Thank you”, and for a Chinese learner of American, if his or her Chinese is complimented, he or she would react with“哪里，哪里”(No, no). But when the Chinese learner receives Chinese compliments, he is more likely to react in the typical Chinese way. So is the American learner of Chinese.

Many attempts have been made to explain the factors contributing to the differences of compliment strategy between Chinese and American English. It is clear that the compliment, like any other speech act, reflects a variety of cultural norms and values and it serves to express and maintain these values. Compliments in Chinese and American English should not be the exception.

Firstly, in Chinese culture, modesty is always regarded as one of the most important virtues. Denigrating others while elevating self is widely perceived as being“arrogant”or“boasting”; therefore, it should be avoided. In American English, individualism and the value of mutual respect and acknowledgement are highly valued. Therefore, for a particular compliment, an acceptance is preferred over a denial as people tend to believe, respect and acknowledge others and choose to be treated in the same manner in social interactions. Understanding this cultural difference is extremely important in the sense that a modest Chinese who is denigrating or humbling himself or herself should not be misunderstood as incompetent or ineffective. And an acknowledging American should not be viewed as arrogant or boasting.

Secondly, different topics appropriate for complimenting in Chinese and American English are attributed to different values in Chinese and American cultures. While the appearance of females in Chinese can be complimented, it is not as widely as that in American context. Rather it is sex sensitive and restrained. As shown in the examples above, in Chinese context, a male speaker has to be very careful in complimenting a female so as to avoid inappropriateness or even rudeness.

Thirdly, the relationship of the speaker and the hearer is another important point that should be taken into account when a compliment is used. In American society, equality is highly valued and achievements are greatly appreciated. In Chinese society, however, complimenting is sometimes taken as flattery. One has to be very careful so as to make a compliment more appropriate.

(By Xu Ming)

After You Read

Knowledge Focus

1. Pair Work: Discuss the following questions with your partner.

1) What are the common topics of Chinese and American compliments? In what way are they different from each other?

2) Who tend to compliment the appearance of a hearer more flexibly, American or Chinese? Why?

3) Will Chinese and American interpret“You're so knowledgeable, Professor Liu. ”the same way?

4) How does language teaching and learning affect the way of responding to compliments?

5) What do you think causes the differences in compliments across cultures?

2. Solo Work: Tell whether the following statements are true or false according to the knowledge you learned and explain why.

1) Responses to compliments vary greatly from culture to culture. (　)

2) Typical Chinese response to“This is really a nice dress”is“Thank you. I am glad you like it. ”(　)

3) Cultural differences in response to compliments may result in misunderstandings in social interaction across cultures. (　)

4) Westerners are prone to efface themselves and look up to others. (　)

5) In Western countries, compliments of a female's appearance from a male speaker would be more appreciated. (　)

6) Cultural differences in compliments lie in the fact that the Chinese have traditionally been modest and have tended to underestimate their abilities, qualifications and achievements. (　)

7)“You have a beautiful wife”would be regarded as almost indecent by many Chinese. (　)

8) In Chinese society, complimenting is the same as flattery. (　)

Language Focus

1. Fill in the blanks with proper prepositions and adverbs that collocate with the neighboring words.

1) The patient did not respond___treatment.

2) I have nothing to say with regard___your complaints.

3) He was too shortsighted to focus___the object.

4) As___the hotel, it was very uncomfortable and miles from the sea.

5) She tried to play___his part in the affair and play up her own.

6) His height makes him stand___in the crowd.

7) Saying and doing should agree___each other.

8) The fall in the number of deaths from heart disease is generally attributed___improvements in diet.

2. Fill in the blanks with the proper form of the words in the brackets.

1) We need a foreign policy that is more___(flexibility).

2) I respect him because he is___(knowledge).

3) Children love jokes and riddles that are heavily___(formula).

4) Cut out the soft soap; ___(flatter) will get you nowhere!

5) She has a striking___(origin) in her use of metaphor.

6) It would be___(appropriate) for me to comment until we know more of the facts.

7) The reduction in their grant is an___(acknowledge) that they have been paid too much.

8) She was hurt by a bullying and___(competency) teacher.

3. Error Correction: Each of the following sentences has at least one grammatical error. Identify the errors and make corrections.

1) Compliments are commonly and widely used all in Chinese society and American society to greet, encourage, thank, and open a conversation.

2) Chinese tend to not accept the compliment though the particular compliment itself to his talent in handwriting is well appreciated.

3) As for an American, he and she normally accepts the compliment with pleasure.

4) The appearance of a speaker or hearer such as color of skin, clothing, style, etc. are a major topic of compliment.

5) The speaker has to be very careful if he or she is to compliment a female hearer because it is against rules govern the speech act of compliment in Chinese unless the speaker is very intimate to the hearer.

6) Besides, age or social status are also a factor that affects the speech act of compliment if this speech act happens between two interlocutors of same sex.

7) A female hearer tends to welcome or appreciate compliments of her appearance it is from a male or female speaker.

8) You take such good care of your family.

9) Obviously it would be inappropriate for a speaker with lower social status to make such compliment to a hearer with higher social status.

10) As for Chinese, there is so far no comprehensive study on the formulas of Chinese compliments.

11) The most frequently using adjectives are those words like“nice”, “good”, “beautiful”, and“pretty”.

12) In American English, even if the hearer does not fully agree with the speaker' s compliment, he or she could prefer to appreciate first then deny.

13) But when the Chinese learner receives Chinese compliments, he is more likely to react in the typical Chinese way. So the American learner of Chinese is.

14) For a particular compliment, an acceptance is preferred over a denial as people tending to believe, respect and acknowledge others and choose to be treated in the same manner in social interactions.

15) In Chinese context, a male speaker has to be very careful in complimenting a female so as to avoiding inappropriateness or even rudeness.

16) One has to be very carefully so as to make a compliment more appropriate.

Comprehensive Work

Pair Work

Case Study

Jonathan is a professor in an adult school class in America. After class, he is speaking to Guen, an international student from Vietnam.

Jonathan: Guen, your English is improving. I am so proud of your progress.

Guen: Oh, no. My English is not very good.

Jonathan: Why do you say that, Guen? You're doing very well in class.

Guen: I am not a good student.

Jonathan: You're making progress in this class. You should be proud of your English.

Guen: You're a very good teacher, but I am not a good student.

Jonathan: (Very surprised and does not know what to say. He wonders if he should stop giving compliments to Guen. )

Questions for Discussion or Reflection

1) Why do you think Guen says that her English is not good?

2) Jonathan is surprised and does not know what to say at the end of the conversation. Do you think he should stop giving compliments to Guen? Why or why not?

Comprehensive Work

1. Role Play

Follow the instruction on the cue cards and interact with your partner. Take turns and practice complimenting and responding to the compliments in the role play activity. Prepare to demonstrate your role play activities in front of the class.

Cue Card X

Cue Card Y

2. Writing

Make a list of the compliments you have heard over the past week and the way people respond to the compliments. Note down the time, place, sex, and age of the speakers and their relationships to each other. Find out if there are any patterns in compliments and people's responses to them. Write a short essay to report your findings.

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