Key wordsCompliment， Pragmatic difference ，Differences between Western and Chinese culture Cross-cultural communication
稱贊語（compliment）是建立與維護人際意義的普遍語言形式，是社會交際用語，不僅可以縮短交際者之間的社會距離，而且可以進壹步地聯絡感情，鞏固人際關系。Compliment is the establishment and the maintenance of common language form ,and interpersonal meanings, social communication. It is not only can shorten the distance between social communication, but also can enhance feelings, consolidate the interpersonal relationship.
稱贊是壹種配對性結構，即壹方對另壹方進行稱贊時，另壹方通常得做出相應的回應，即被稱贊方是接受還是拒絕，以什麽樣的方式或言語行為來接受或拒絕。而不同文化背景下的人們在使用同壹語言時，由於其文化根源的差異，通常會對同壹語言現象產生不同的回應。Praise is a kind of matching structure, for instance, one praise you ,ann then you also make a corresponding response to his praised. Namely, to accept or refuse, in what ways or words to accept or refuse. The people under different cultural background in using the same language, because of its cultural roots, usually have different response on the same language phenomenon.這些回應在某種文化上是可接受的，但對於某種文化可能是不可接受的。通過對中西方稱贊語會話模式的研究表明，中西方在使用稱贊語方面有典型的差異性。同時，其會話模式的差異性在很大程度上反映了中西方人受到不同文化因素的影響，也體現出了中國人和英美人具有不同的心態和價值觀念。These responses in some culture may be are acceptable, but for some another culture may be unacceptable. Based on the mode of the compliments conversation between western and Chinese research shows that there are typical differences in use compliments. At the same time, the differences of their conversational modes largely reflects that we are affected by the various cultural factors in the western, but also reflects the Chinese and American people have different attitude and value.
壹、英漢稱贊語的語用差異 the pragmatic difference between the compliment of English and Chinese.
1．英漢稱贊話題與場合的差異thedifference of Chinese and English compliments in topic or situation
Austin〔1〕的言語行為理論認為，人們使用某種語言形式主要是為了表達自己某種行事行為，簡言之就是以言行事。稱贊作為壹種語言交際行為，它本身就是壹種價值判斷，是公開地對某個人或某件事做出積極地評論，以此來鞏固人際關系。而不同社會的價值觀不同，引起社會評價的註意焦點不同，因此稱贊語所側重的內容及使用場合也存在著差異性。 [1] speech act theory of Austin said that people use some form of is mainly to express themselves .In a short words, and do actions by language. Praised as a kind of language communication, which itself is a kind of value judgment, for person,it comments openly or actively, in order to consolidate the interpersonal relationship. But in different socials have different values, the attentions of social evaluation is different, so that the contents of the compliments and usage on occasions also exist differences.
通過對中西方人稱贊語使用的研究表明，漢語稱贊語中能力、外貌和個性是主要話題。而在英美國家中，能力和外貌是主要話題，而對個性方面的稱贊極少。Through the research of the usage of Chinese and westerners it shows that Chinese compliments in appearance and personality, ability is the main topic. And in the UK, ability and appearance is the main topic, while it little praises personality.〔2〕中西方的大多數稱贊行為發生在社會地位及年齡相近的人之間。但如果是社會地位不同的人之間發生稱贊行為，在漢語環境中，稱贊行為通常由社會地位較低者發出。而同樣的情況在英美國家並非明顯。而無論是漢語使用還是英語使用者，女性得到的恭維大多在外貌方面，而對於男性則集中在能力或者成就方面。Most of western in praise of somebody in similar age and social status. But if it happens in different social status, in Chinese environment, praised by the social status of behavior usually lower. And the same situation is not obvious in Anglo-American countries. Both Chinese and English, most women in praise of appearance, to men in ability or achievement.
同時，在稱贊外貌時，英語側重“刻意修飾的效果”，而漢語則傾向自然的外表，而對於能力的稱贊，英語偏向贊揚對方經過努力後所取得的成就，如“Nice work”；而漢語除了贊揚對方的成就之外，還會提及對方為成功所做的努力，如“妳的論文寫得挺不錯的，壹定查了不少資料”。 At the same time, the appearance, English place extra emphasis on "decorate painstakingly effect", while Chinese prefers the natural appearance, while to the ability, English place extra emphasis on achievements through hard work, such as “good job”, But Chinese not only praised the achievements, may also mentioned efforts, such as "your thesis, pretty good, must find a lot of information.
其次，稱贊語運用的場合不同。英語稱贊語傾向於表達平等、壹致的關系，而漢語則側重於表示尊敬、關心對方。例如去別人家做客吃晚飯，英語文化背景下的客人多數會講類似這樣的話:“I enjoyed myself very much.”而漢語文化背景下，稱贊的話更多地被道歉的話所代替，如“做這麽多菜，辛苦妳了”。類似這樣的話表達了說話者對聽者的關心，是有禮貌的表現。另外，由於英語文化背景下的稱贊語強調雙方平等壹致，所以稱贊語幾乎變成壹種習慣用語，用於打招呼、致謝等。但是在漢語文化背景下，稱贊語強調尊重對方，表達稱贊時要讓對方感到自己真正受到別人的稱贊和尊敬，所以漢語稱贊語的出現頻率不及英語高。 Secondly, the uses of Compliments are different in different occasions. English Complimentary tend to express equality, the accordance, while Chinese are focus on respect, care for each other. For example, go to other people's homes for dinner, the guests who is under English background cultural will likely say like this: “I enjoyed myself very much." While who is under the Chinese cultural background, the praise, then replaced by an apology, such as "to do so much food, you've worked hard.” Similar to the case expressed concern about the listener, is a polite performance. In addition, because of English language and cultural background of the praise the same emphasis on an equal footing, so Compliment almost become a phrase used to greet, thank and so on. But in the context of Chinese culture, Compliments emphasized respect for each other, the expression of praise, we should let each other feel really appreciated and respected by others, so Chinese Compliment less high frequency than English.
2．英漢稱贊形式差異對比
近年來中外語言學者就稱贊語的表達形式進行了研究。Mancs與Wolfson在關於交際行為的研究上發現美國英語的稱贊語非常公式化，大部分是形容詞與副詞的表達組合。〔2〕根據兩位學者大量的資料統計，美國稱贊語中形容詞所占比例高達80%，動詞占16%，更重要的是80%的形容詞中使用頻率最高的只有五個：good、nice、great、pretty和beautiful，而16%動詞中最常用的詞只兩個：love和like。
2. The comparison between English and Chinese of praise form
In recent years, Chinese and English scholars have studied expression of the compliments. Wolfson and Mancs found that the behavior of the American English is very formulistic; most of the compliments are expressions of adjectives and adverbs. [2] according to the statistical data of two scholars, American compliment adjectives in proportion reaches as high as 80%, the verb (16%), more important is 80% of the used highest frequency adjectives is only five: good, nice, pretty and beautiful ; and the most commonly used the 16% verb phrase only two: love and like.
Chinese compliments, according to statistics, which from ZuoHuanQi professor who found that there is 46 % is adjective, 43% is adverb, only 7% for verbs. Professor found Chinese compliments in the use of high frequency adverb (43%), and most of the compliments contain adjective, adverb, often also have adverb as verb strength.
在句型選擇上，英、漢稱贊語差異較大。Manes和Wolfson統計資料表明，美國稱贊語最常用的句型有三種：In the pattern, the English and Chinese compliments are quite different . Wolfson and Manes ‘s statistics have shown that the the most commonly used sentence compliments in United States are three:
（1）Np is/look（really）ADJ（53.6%）
（2）PRO（really）like/love NP（16.1%）
（3）PRO is（really）（a）ADJ NP（14.9%）
而中文稱贊語最常用的句型為“YOU V ADV”（妳＋動語＋副詞）（左煥祺，1998），使用頻率高達41%。這種句型選擇差異體現了不同社會文化對語言表達形成的規約，美國人崇尚個性自由，評價事物突出個人感受，且直截了當。中國人註重個人與社會、與他人關系和諧，往往從對方立場出發考慮問題，因而稱贊語中以“YOU V ADV”的表達方式居多。The most common Chinese compliments sentence is " YOU V ADV " (ZuoHuanQi (1998)), the frequency of utilization is relatively high up to. 41%. This pattern choice reflects different social and cultural differences of language expression form Americans, evaluate individual freedom. Chinese emphasize social harmony and relationships with others, often considered from others’ position, so the compliments in “YOU V ADV”.
3．英漢稱贊語應答模式之對比The comparison of responds between Chinese and English
人們對稱贊的不同反映及應答體現出各自社會獨特的文化內涵。對他人的恭維、稱贊，西方人趨向於接受稱贊，但根據社會語言學的理論，由於社會因素和個人因素不斷影響，人們運用語言模式不可能是完全壹致的。西方人在回答別人稱贊時，歸納起來可分為：接受式（Acceptances）、緩和式（）和拒絕式（Rejec-tions）。在接受式應答中，說話人對對方的稱贊表示感謝，或者表示同意對方的評價，或回贈稱贊。The difference of the respond to the praise reflects their social unique cultural connotation. For others’ praise, westerners tend to accept a compliment, but according to the theory of social linguistics, due to social and personal factors, people use continuously language patterns may not be completely consistent. Westerners in answer to the others’ praise are summed up and can be divided into: accept type (Acceptances), moderate (Mitigating Responses) and refused (Rejec-tions). In response, the people who is praised by other will Expressing thanks to speaker .Foe example,
A：Your blouse is beautiful.
B：Thanks.
在緩和式應答中說話者往往以各種途徑來轉移稱贊目標，或降低對方的稱贊程度，避開了“自我表揚”（sclf-praise），也避開了“否定他人”例如：moderate (Mitigating Responses) use various way to transfer target,or reduce the degree of each other, avoid praise sclf-praise, and others negative they disagree;
A：I like your jacket.
B：I bought it on sale.
拒絕式應答就等於不同意對方的評價，在英語中這種應答模式總是竭力避免的。例如：Refuse is not agree, in English this response patterns are always trying to avoid. For example:
A：Your sweater is beautiful.
B：It’s not beautiful.
這種應答模式對交際雙方的關系破壞性最大，不利於人際關系的發展，說英語的人會把這種“否認”看作是對談話對象的無禮。在跨文化交際中，應竭力避免這壹點。而中國人在受到稱贊後常采用“拒絕＋否定”模式，傾向於使用“否定”“自貶”的應答模式來接受他人的贊美之詞。這主要是由於中國人的謙虛而產生的壹種交際模式。例如：This response patterns on both sides is most devastating relationship, against the development of interpersonal relationship, and the people who speak English will take the "deny" as the object of rude. In cross-cultural communication, we should be avoid it. However the Chinese often adopted in praise of "refuse + negative" mode, tend to use the "negative" self-denigration to accept compliments. This is mainly due to the Chinese modesty and a communication mode. For example:
A: Professor Wang, your essay is enlightening significance.
B: No, I think that is just my humble opinion.
A：王教授，妳的那篇文章很有啟發意義。
B：哪裏，那只不過是我的壹點拙見。
在跨文化交際中，中國人往往本能地根據母語社會文化規則對稱贊做出不適宜的否定性反應，從而引發語用失誤，導致交際失敗。In cross-cultural communication, Chinese often instinctively according to the rules of social culture and language to praise inappropriate negative response, causing pragmatic failures in communication .
二、英漢稱贊語語用差異折射的深層文化差異Pragmatic difference between Chinese and English reflects the culture difference
美國人自我意識和獨立意識很強，其文化突出個體性，尊崇個人的人格、價值、尊嚴，倡導人的個體獨立性及不同的價值取向。而中國文化更強調群體關系，謙虛是中華民族的美德，因而贊美也就起著不同的作用，它能使聽話者對說話人有壹個很好的印象，從而取悅聽話人，拉進彼此之間的距離。American‘s self-awareness and independent consciousness very strong, and its culture is outstanding , worship individual character, exalt personal dignity, value. But Chinese culture emphasize group, modesty is the relationship of virtue, thus praised also plays a different role, it can make people have a hearer of good impression, thereby, please the listener and shorten distance between each other.