本科生毕业论文
An Analysis of Sino-American Cultural Differences in Friends
从《老友记》解读中美文化差异
姓名刘博
学号200701020127
专业外国语言文学系
指导教师李育教授
2011年5月30日
An Analysis of Sino-American Cultural Differences in Friends
A Thesis Submitted to
Foreign Languages Department of
Henan University of Economics and Law in
Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the
Degree of Bachelor of Arts
By
Liu Bo
Supervisor: Li Yu
May 30, 2011
Abstract
Friends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004. It consists of 236 episodes of 10 seasons. It was watched by 52.5 million American viewers and played in decades countries later. It won plenty of major theater awards for the six leading actors and the whole play staff.
The series revolves around a group of friends in the borough of Manhattan, New Y ork City. It describes fully of their life, friendship, trouble, laugh, contradiction, love and work. They treasure friendship and kinship, they trust, tolerant and support each other. Their positive and optimistic life attitude encourages millions of people. The reason that this sitcom appeals to us so much is not only the sincere feelings among them, but also the fresh sight which is different from China. Western civilization has always led the world cultural development since the Industrial Revolution. The special notice can help us to understand this sitcom better and deeper as well as improve our self- cultivation demeanor.
This thesis firstly introduces Friends. Secondly, it lists and analyzes the cultural differences in Friends. Thirdly, it analyzes the factors causing cultural differences. Fourthly, it makes suggestions for students learning western culture.
Key words: Friends; culture; difference; factors
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摘要
《老友记》是一部由大卫·马克兰和玛尔塔·考夫曼创作的美国情景喜剧，从自1994年9月22日至2004年5月6日在美国NBC电视台播出，全剧共10季236集，本土观众数量达到五千万，后来在数十个国家播出。这部喜剧为六个主角和整个剧组赢得了大量戏剧奖项。
《老友记》主要描写六个居住在纽约市曼哈顿区的六个年轻人的故事——他们的生活、友谊、烦恼、欢乐、矛盾、爱情和事业。他们对友情和亲情的珍惜，他们对彼此的互相信任、宽容和支持，他们积极向上的生活态度激励了上百万的观众。这部喜剧之所以这么吸引我们不仅是因为他们彼此间真挚的感情，而且是因为那些与中国传统不同的新鲜视角。自工业革命开始，西方文明就引领着世界文明的发展。对西方文明的特殊关注可以帮助我们更好更深的理解这部喜剧。
这篇论文分四个部分来对《老友记》进行分析：首先，对《老友记》进行了简介。其次，列出了《老友记》中体现的中美文化差异。再次，分析引起这些差异的文化原因。最后，提出了学习西方文化的建议。
关键词：老友记；文化；差异；原因
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Acknowledgements
This thesis is the product of the a uthor and the supervisor?s three months of efforts. It has been repeatedly revised under the guidance of Professor Li Yu. It was the joint efforts of both the author and teachers in Foreign Languages Department. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Professor Li Yu and teachers who have helped the author in the process of the thesis writing. I will also give my thanks to my classmates and friends who have helped me revise the thesis. Last but not least, I will give my heartfelt thanks to my parents who have been always supporting and encouraging me.
Contents
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Introduction (1)
1 Introduction to Friends (2)
1.1 The Outline of Friends (2)
1.1.1 Characters (2)
1.1.2 Storylines and Format (3)
1.2 Impact of Friends (5)
2 The Sino-American Cultural Differences in Friends (7)
2.1 Religious Belief (7)
2.1.1 Main Religions and Religious Freedom (7)
2.1.2 The Purpose and the Influence of the Religion (8)
2.2 V alue Differences (9)
2.3 Customs, Habits and Etiquette (11)
2.3.1 Gift Giving (11)
2.3.2 Borrowing Money (11)
2.3.3 Everyday Life (12)
3 Factors affect Cultural Differences (14)
3.1 Cultural Background (14)
3.2 Different V alues (15)
4 The W ay to Learn American Culture (16)
4.1 Establish ing a Right Attitude toward Cultural Differences (16)
4.2 Reading Extensively for Cultural Information (17)
4.3 Learning Culture through TV and Movies (18)
4.4 Attending Lectures on Culture (18)
4.5 Communicating with Native Speakers (19)
Conclusion (19)
Bibliography (20)
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Introduction
Friends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004. The TV series revolves around a group of friends in the borough of Manhattan, New Y ork City. It was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television. The original executive producers were Crane, Kauffman and Kevin S. Bright, with numerous others being promoted in later seasons.
Kauffman and Crane began developing Friends under the title Insomnia Cafe in November 1993. They presented the idea to Bright, with whom they had previously worked, and together they pitched a seven-page treatment of the series to NBC. After several script rewrites and changes, including a second title change to Friends Like Us, the series was finally named Friends and premiered on NBC?s coveted Thursday 8:30 pm timeslot. Filming for the series took place at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California in front of a live studio audience. After ten seasons on the network, the series finale was promoted by NBC, and viewing parties were organized around the U.S. The series finale (the 236th episode), airing on May 6, 2004, was watched by 52.5 million American viewers, making it the fourth most-watched series finale in television history and the most watched episode of the decade.
Friends received positive reviews throughout most of its run, becoming one of the most popular sitcoms of all time. The series won many awards and was nominated for 63 Primetime Emmy Awards. The series, an instant hit from its debut, was also very successful in the ratings, consistently ranking in the top ten in the final primetime ratings. It is now often regarded by critics to be one of the finest shows in television history. The series made a large cultural impact, which continues today. The Central Perk coffee house that was featured prominently in the series has inspired various imitations throughout the world. The series continues in syndication worldwide. All 10 seasons are available on DVD. The spin-off series Joey was created to follow up with the series after the finale.
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There are not many papers analyzing the Sino-American cultures in Friends, the only few study the kinship, friendship, love among six characters and some everyday life details. The author of this paper thinks that it is necessary to research it, it can on only make us understanding more about American culture, but as well recognize the cultural differences. Thereby, we can cope with the cultural problems more leisurely, communicate more smoothly, and remove cultural barriers more easily.
1 Introduction to Friends
1.1 The Outline of Friends
1.1.1 Characters
Rachel Green - a popular schoolgirl of the past, is now a spoiled brat living off her fathers finance. In an attempt to start a new life after running out on her wedding, she shares an apartment with an old best friend Monica Gellar, and eventually befriends the other 4 and Monica?s older brother, Ross.
Phoebe Buffay - brought up as a fatherless child, Phoebe is a ditzy yet loveable hippy, who has become a personal masseuse. Despite liking her profession, her dream is to become a star in the music industry and bases her songs on her life experiences. The other 5 friends secretly believe that Phoebe will never make it, but still encourage her to write. Phoebe often performs at the …Centra l Perk?coffee house, and strongly believes in herself.
Monica Gellar - a compulsive neat freak, who has trouble with her love life. Monica was teased when she was in high school for being overweight. However, now a head-chef at a top restaurant in Manhattan, she has lost all her excessive weight, and just wants to start a family with …the right guy? to complete a happy life.
Ross Gellar - older Brother of Monica, he has always had strong love feelings for Rachel. A successful professor of science leads him to be often teased by the other 5 friends about his profession. Ross has experienced many misfortunes in life,
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including 3 divorces and bringing up a child with his lesbian ex-wife. Ross now is devoted to finding a girl to settle down with, without a divorce, and makes it his personal goal to share happiness with Rachel.
Chandler Bing - a financial secure data processor, who relies on humor as a defense mechanism. Despite being rich, the other 5 have no idea what his profession is, and Chandler is a wimpy, average looking cigarette addict, who has never had a serious relationship. Will he ever get it, and is she just round the corner from him?
Joey Tribiani - Despite being close to all the friends, he is especially open with Chandler, who his also his roommate. Joey is a small time actor, who desperately wants fame and fortune, and Chandler has high hopes of Joey, so helps Joey with money for acting lessons and professional photographs. Despite being a relatively bad actor, Joey is an adorable, sensitive guy, who is very successful with women, but needs to become famous and rich to complete his successful life.
1.1.2 Storylines and Format
The first season introduces the six main characters: Rachel Green, Monica Geller, Phoebe Buffay, Joey Tribbiani, Chandler Bing and Ross Geller. Rachel, who left her fiancéat the altar on her wedding day, has come to New Y ork and ends up living with Monica. At first she works as a waitress in a cafe, later she gets a job in Bloomingdate finally. It establishes early on in the season that Ross has been infatuated with Rachel since the two characters attended high school. Several episodes revolve around his attempts to tell her how he feels. Then Rachel finds she loves him, too. But because Rachel?s self-willed and Ross?s parsimonious, they are on and off, for over ten years. Joey, a struggling actor, gets a part in a fictionalized version of the soap opera Days of our Lives in the second season, but he loses the part soon after when he angers the writers by saying in an interview that he writes many of his own lines. Richard, a friend of Monica and Ross? parents who is recently divorced and with grown children, is 21 years older than Monica but despite this they date for the second half of the season. In the season finale, they end the relationship when they realize that he does not want any more children and she does.
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Phoebe, established as having no family except for an identical twin sister, becomes acquainted with her half-brother and in the finale discovers her birth mother she never knew she had. She becomes a surrogate mother to the children of her brother and his wife. Ross begins dating an English woman called Emily and determines to get married. Rachel attends the wedding at the last minute, intending to tell Ross that she still loves him, but decides not to. Things are thrown into chaos when Ross replaces Emily?s name with Rachel?s while saying his vows. Then they got divorced.
Phoebe starts a relationship with Gary, a police officer she meets after finding his badge. Although leery of moving in with Gary, she eventually relents. The relationship ends with a bang, literally, when Gary shoots a bird outside of their apartment. Monica and Chandler?s relationship becomes public and on a trip to Las V egas, they decide to get married. On a cliffhanger, Ross and Rachel drunkenly stumble out of the wedding chapel after their marriage is established. Although Ross is reluctant to do so, the two get a divorce (Ross?s third) after failing to get an annulment. Monica and Chandler decide just to move into her apartment together and Rachel moves in with Phoebe. Ross gets a job lecturing at New Y ork University. Because Phoebe and Rachel?s apartment catches on fire, thus it causes Rachel to move with Joey and Phoebe with Chandler and Monica. In the final episodes, Chandler decides to propose to Monica.
Joey?s television series is cancelled but he is offered his old job back on Days of our Lives in Season Seven. Phoebe?s apartment is fixed but due to the way th e apartment has been rebuilt, Rachel stays with Joey.
The eighth season?s first episodes follow a “Who?s the father?”format, the father of Rachel?s baby-Emma is Ross. At the same time Joey begins to develop romantic feelings for roommate Rachel and when Joey?s feelings are revealed things become awkward for the two. Eventually their friendship returns to its status quo.
Monica and Chandler, inspired by Ross and Rachel, decide to conceive a child of their own in ninth season. They seek medical advice after several episodes of trying
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for a baby, and discover that both of them are physically unable to conceive. Even though Joey?s attracted to Charlie, she finds herself eventually becoming attracted to Ross, who is more her intellectual equal. Charlie decides to return to Benjamin Hobart , her old flame, and from whom Ross was trying to obtain a research grant.
Monica and Chandler decide to adopt a child, and meet Erica, a birth mother from Ohio. Erica gives birth to twins in the series finale. Phoebe and Mike get married towards the end of the season and Rachel takes a job based in Paris. Ross declares his love for her and they resume their relationship. in the season finale, while Monica and Chandler move out of their apartment into the suburbs. Joey is upset that everything is changing. Rachel still gets on the plane even with Ross? confessions, but later appears at his apartment door admitting she loves him too. In the series finale, at the end, a tearful Rachel says …Shall we go get some coffee?? to which Ch andler responds, Sure. Where? （Wild, 2004: 67）.
1.2 Impact of Friends
The series was nominated for 63 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning six. Aniston and Kudrow are the only main cast members to win an Emmy, while Cox is the only actor not to be nominated. The series won the 2002 Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series, with nominations in 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000 and 2003. The series also won an American Comedy Award, one GLAAD Media Award, one Golden Globe Award, three Logie Awards, six People?s Choice Awards, one Satellite Award, and one Screen Actors Guild Award.
Friends,consistently ranks within the top ten of the final television ratings in US. “Rank”refers to how well Friends rated compared to other television series which aired during primetime hours of the corresponding television season. The television season tends to begin in September, and ends during the May of the following year, which coincides with the completion of May sweeps. “Viewers” refers to the average number of viewers for all original episodes, broadcast during the television season in the series? regular timeslot. “Rank”is shown in relation to the total number of series airing on the then-six major English-language networks in a
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given season. The “season premiere”is the date that the first episode of the season aired, and the “season finale”is the date that the final episode of the season aired. So far it has been the last sitcom to reach the No. 1 spot on television, as its successors were CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and American Idol.
Setting of Central Perk at Warner Bros. Studios, although the producers thought of Friends as “only a TV show”, numerous psychologists investigated the cultural impact of Friends during the series? run. Aniston?s hairstyle was nicknamed “The Rachel”, and copied around the world. Joey?s catchphrase, “How you doing?” became a popular part of Western English slang, often used as a pick-up line or when greeting friends. The series also impacted the English language, according to a study by a linguistics professor at the University of Toronto. The professor found that the characters used the word “so” to modify adjectives more often than other intensifiers, such as “very”and “really”. Although the preference had already made its way into the American vernacular, usage on the series may have accelerated the change. Following the September 11 attacks, ratings increased 17% over the previous season.
The Central Perk coffee house, one of the principal settings of the series, has inspired various imitations worldwide. In 2006, Iranian businessman Mojtaba Asadian started a Central Perk franchise, registering the name in 32 countries. The decor of the coffee houses is inspired by Friends, featuring replica couches, counters, neon signage and bricks. The coffee houses also contain paintings of the various characters from the series, and televisions playing Friends? episodes. James Michael Tyler, who plays the Central Perk manager in the series, Gunther, attended the grand opening of the Dubai cafe, where he worked as a waiter. Central Perk was rebuilt as part of a museum exhibit at Warner Bros. Studios, and was shown on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in October 2008. Jennifer Aniston revisited the set for the first time since the series finale in 2004. From September 24 to October 7, 2009, a Central Perk replica was based at Broadwick Street, Soho, London. The coffee house sold real coffee to customers and featured a display of Friends memorabillia and props, such as the Geller Cup from the season t hree episode “The One with the Football”. In 2009, a
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d anc
e remix o
f the son
g “Smelly Cat”became a popular internet meme. In Beijing, business owner Du Xin opened a coffee shop named Central Perk, based on the coffee house in Friends.
Readers of TV Guide voted the cast of Friends their Best Comedy cast of all time, ranking at 29% of the votes, beating Seinfeld, which registered 18%.
2 The Sino-American Cultural Differences in Friends 2.1 Religious Belief
2.1.1 Main Religions and Religious Freedom
Both China and America are multi-religious countries; both the two governments declare the freedom of the religion belief. However, some distinction still exists.
The main religions in China are Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity and so on. On July 26th, 2010, Chine se Religion?s actuality and the tendency----the 7th religious social science?s annual meeting was held in Renmin University of China. According to the Investigation on Chinese Religious Situation which is published by the Center of the Study of Religion and Chinese Societyof Purdue University in 2010, 85% of the survey respondents have some religion beliefs or attend some religious activities, only 15% of them are the absolute atheist. And 18% of them identify themselves as Buddhist（Putnam, 2010: 89）.
China?s Constitution provides that Chinese citizens may freely choose and express their beliefs and make clear their religious affiliations. But the Chinese government believes in atheism
Meanwhile, the main religions in American are Protestantism, Catholicism. 51% of the American citizens are Protestants, 25% of them are Catholics. The others are Buddhists, Hindus, Moslems, Jews. Ross is Jew, he tells his son about the Hanukkah?s story in the Episode 10, Season 7. But Ben is more interested in the Sant a Claus and the reindeer. It indicates that the belief of minority descendant is changing
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(Qu, 2006: 91).
The separation of church and state is a legal and political principle derived from the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which reads, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof....”But the religions are quite active in politics, most of presidents are Protestants. And American can choose his religion freely, too.
2.1.2 The Purpose and the Influence of the Religion
After spreading in China for 2000 years, Buddhist thinking has influenced Chinese inveterately, even in the language, such as “become a monk or nun late in life”, “the five aggregates are empty”, “the merit of saving a life is better than build seven-level-temp”, “While the priest climbs a post, the devil climbs ten.”(Zhu, 2006: 73) It?s hard to understand for Americans if they do not know the Buddhist doctrine well. At the same time, Christianity has also injected into American culture deeply as the main religion. The great majority American believe in the God which the Judaism and Christianity have in common, Gallup poll?s investigation in 1991 show that half American believe that God create human kind about ten thousand years ago. So, “God” in American culture takes the place of “Buddha” in Chinese culture. Some idioms and proverbs are also about the God, such as “God sends for tune to fools,”and “God bless you!”
The deities in Chinese?s heart are “useful”, although they exist as blessing people. Such as, being sent to man?s world by Jade Emperor, Zao Jun?s duty is monitoring people?s behavior, is in charge of their fate, and report all to the Jade Emperor. So, people will prepare nice offering, sweet food, paper money to bribe him. Even he is said as a lecherous god, so women are always taking a bath in the kitchen on the day he leaves.
They do not control their behaviors and purify their soul, but to bribe Zao Jun by foods and beauty to stop him telling the truth. If this happens in Christian lands, it will be considered as blasphemous acts seriously(Zhang, 2002: 48). Original Sin is generally accepted. It means that all people are falling into irdisch to suffering
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torments. In order to reach an accommodation between God and human kind, the innocent Jesus take away human?s evil to make human immortal by sacrificing his life on the bitter cross (Linell, 2001: 17~18).
Memorable sinful feeling and Jesus? infinite mercy makes Christian understanding love and thanksgiving profoundly. Monica sends Christmas gift to friends, cooks cookies for neighbors, and lovers present roses to each other. Those give expression to emotion and friendship.
2.2 Value Differences
“Cross-cultural values have become an important part of organizational life due to globalization and an increasingly multicultural workforce. Organizational behavioral researchers have studied several cross-cultural values, but none has had as much attention as the two measured in this self-assessment: collectivism and individualism.”(Singelis, 1995: 56)
Collectivism “stands for a society in which people from birth onwards are integrated into strong cohesive ingroups, which throughout people?s lifetime continue to protect them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty.” (Hofstede, 1994 : 260) Even Pilgrimage to the West, the most romantic novel in China, is following the idea of “collective the highest”and “take general situation as heavy”. Even Sun Wukong has penetrating insight and seventy two-changes-ability, he dares to fight with the Jade Emperor, tathagata, and all hobgoblins, he gets sucked up by the Tripitaka?s Curse. It put him controlled by the human monk who can not distinguish the demon from human and tell the false from true. This arrangement show the author?s attention clearly, it means placing one?s o wn interests beneath those of the group, personal emotions are insignificant, and getting Buddhist scriptures is the most important. Then Sun?s personality publicity is transform ed into knowing and being concerned for the overall situation(Y ang, 2009: 97).
There must be powerful and powerless, free and fettered, privileged and humiliated differences in collective society. The behavioral norms are rely more on the code of ethics than the rule of laws. Owing to the differences of personal
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cultivation and character, the inequity, bullying and cheating will appear unavoidablely.
Individualism refers to the doctrine that the rights of the individual are the most important ones in a society. It contains individual motivations, Independent choices, self-dependence, respect others, personality liberty and respect privacy.
People in individualistic cultures emphasize their success/achievements in job or private wealth and aiming up to reach more and/or a better job position. Especially in the USA the fight about jobs and trying to climb up in the hierarchy ladder is something very common there. It just counts to get there less caring who will leave behind one. In business they try to improve their connections and to gain more value out of them, not for establishing a good relationship but just to be involved in a calculative way. Employees are expected to defend their interests and to promote themselves when ever possible.
Friends is the history of struggles of small potatoes: Monica?s parents prefer her brother and fastidious on her, for he is always top student. She does her best to changes her parents? prejudice, to lose weight and become a chef in a top restaurant successfully. Rachel is an inexperienced darling daughter, escapes marriage after she realized that she love the wedding more than her fiancé. Then grow up into an independence lady, won her own place in fashion area. Joey battles his way from a less-educated utility man to a famous Soap Star. Chandler is more adultness after going through job changing. Ross turns into a well-known University Professors. Phoebe also takes life and love seriously. It is thus clear that the individualism are playing an important role in establishing their own value.
Individualism is also including the responsibility for marriage, family and children. No pressure from family or society forces them to do something before official marriage. Chandler has several girlfriends when he is single, but after marriage, he is loyal to his wife, refusing others? temptation. He even give up the very promising job for the family?s steady.
Last but not least, neither individualism nor collectivism is absolute, absolute
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individualism is excruciatingly undesirable in all societies, and absolute collectivism will also obliterate pe rsonality, lead to irrational “group consciousness”. We not only can see the individualism converts to collectivism under some specific circumstances in American individualism-widespreading society, but also can see individualism?s brilliance in Chinese collectivism-advocating society. We are able to hear Menci?s grandiloquence from Warring States Period: “Saint and I are of the same kind, everyone may be Shun and Y ao”, and see his tremendous momentum: “All Are for Myself.”(Y ang, 2009: 80)
2.3 Customs, Habits and Etiquette
2.3.1 Gift Giving
Gift giving is an important etiquette in both Chinese and American culture. Gift is giving as an expression of love, friendship, solidarity, to share wealth, and to offset misfortune. Gift is a declaration, both as a declaration of the relationship between you and the receiver: ordinary friends, friendly relatives, grateful underlings or zealous adorers. But more as a declaration for the receiver: his loyalty has been approved, his perseverance deserves the praise, his leadership is critical to the department, his health is cared by others, he makes doing business become a joy. In short, he deserves thanks (Liu, 2004: 28).
The differences are that the gift receivers? range is more widen in China and the gift is usually more valuable in China. Chinese also give high valued gift to the superiors and powerful man to express expectations and ask a favor. While Americans only send small gifts to receivers on special day. Such as, six characters in Friends send chocolates, flowers and fine art wares to relatives, friends, house keepers on the large festivals or on a visit as a guest.
2.3.2 Borrowing Money
Chinese always speak highly of friends? loyalty and utterly pay to friendship by saying “Jiang Yiqi”, and judge someone is trustworthy and admirable or not. So Chinese always to measure others and are strict with themselves by this. To win and
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keep the friendship, people will treat friends like this and win good fame. Guan Yunchang from Romantic of Three Kingdoms is praised for his loyalty to his friends, Liu Bei, by riding alone for thousands of miles, slaying six generals and breaching five passes. People often say, at home by parents, to go out on a friend. We can see that friends are playing an important role in daily life, friends rely on each other. Friends share common interests and live in the life of each other. Friends are not separate entities, but the connected whole(Adler, 2004: 86). Now that people can go through fire and water for friends, borrowing money is a piece of cake.
But borrowing money indicates ones?lacking of ability in American friendship view, and they never borrow money from friends. Every American is learning to be independent from his parents economically and emotionally after 18 years old. He do all he can to look after himself and figure out the problems he meets independently. Tocqueville points out after studying this phenomenon: they do not owe anybody anything, and expecting nothing in return. They are used to self-independent and stand on their own, and they think they are the masters of their own fortunes all along (Mei, 2000: 59). They think if they rely on others too much, they must give up liberty and do the job they do not want to. So they would rather face the challenges and difficulties alone than being in chains. In their eyes, friends are the ones who share common interests and give emotional support. They never show their dependent side to their friends unless it was absolutely essential. Therefore, Chandler has to play a made-up game to lose money to Joey, instead of borrowing money to him directly. 2.3.3 Everyday Life
2.3.3.1 Food
There are two main dining types in Friends: going to restaurant and calling for takeout.
Joey and Chandler are bachelors, so they go out to eat or order takeout basically, the highest record is the two have not go out for two whole days after they bought two La-Z-Boys, all the food is takeout. And Monica is a chef, but she never cooks her own food mainly, unless on holiday or a party. And the restaurant are always crowded, they
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even must line up in Friends. What more interesting is that they could take the seats only by giving the benefits to the restaurant staff sometimes.
However, the Chinese tra ditional is still “do it yourself and you will get food you need”, we are cooking by ourselves in home after work, we only go to restaurant if going to dinner together or are too busy. It is a very luxury thing that going to a restaurant or ordering takeaway everyday for the general public. From this, we can clearly feel the materialism and hedonism in American culture which they cherish the present, enjoy the present, worry very little for the uncertainty of the future, this is the uncertainty avoidance of Geert Hofstede?s four value dimensions. American culture belongs to low uncertainty avoidance ( Hofstede, 1994: 260) .
2.3.3.2 Clothing
People?s clothing are casual in spare time, mainly are comfortable and leisurely.
In Friends, for example, whether taking part in a small intimate gathering of friends, or a big charity party, or wedding, they will be dressed up: men, of course is wearing formal suits, while women are wearing a evening dresses, whether in winter or summer, they are swaying the length skirt. This is popular in Chinese upper society, or it is common when the stars attend the occasion. But it is rare in general population.
In Chinese tradition, the winter seems to be a hot season to holding a wedding ceremony, especially near the Spring Festival, there is a kind of festive atmosphere, and this time is the coldest time of year, how can we imagine the ordinary working class would wear strapless dresses to attend the wedding in north city? Even in summer, the formal dresses are rare.
2.3.3.3 Paying the Bill
We can see that people are more accustomed to share the cost of dining or entertainment in Friends. In one case, after learning that Monica became the chef, they go to the restaurant to celebrate. Phoebe, Rachel, Joey have economical difficulties then, so they order some cheaper food. Ross stresses that they are celebrated for Monica, so she will not pay, the rest of the five split the bill. The three
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objected, as they ordered the cheapest things, they should not pay so much money. Finally, each person pays his own bill. From this we can see that they are going Dutch under normal circumstances, or paying their own bill under special circumstances, it is rare that one person paying bills basically.
Hospitality is our Chinese good tradition, there is no doubt that “Monica”will pay the bills in China. Even now many people have accepted the AA system, but to the whole nation, this is not our tradition, we are not good at it. For example, it is strange that our fathers go Dutch if after dinner, drinking wine. Especially in business contacts, who heard the owner will share the bills in the welcome dinner with his clients?
3 Factors affect Cultural Differences
Culture of a nation is not formed overnight, nor controlled by a group of people, but going through the baptism of thousand years? history. And many factors affect the formation of the national culture.
3.1 Cultural Background
One of the cultural different reasons between China and western is cultural background. In Spring and Autumn Warring periods of China Confucianism, Taoism and other ideologies emerged. As different ideologies developed and combated each other, the basic framework of Chinese civilization was established. And then Confucianism became the foundation stone of Chinese philosophy system. Confuci anism?s central doctrine is that of the virtue of Ren. What is Ren? Ren is translated variously as goodness, benevolence, humanity and human-heartedness. In short, Ren means affection and love. For more than 2 thousand years it has molded and shaped the civilization of China and exerted a profound influence upon almost one fourth of human race. Just as DR. Sun-Yat-Sen said: “Therefore the old morals of loyalty and piety, affection, and love, faithfulness and righteousness, are superior to those of the foreign countries Let alone that peace and harmony. These high standards of m orals are our national spirit.”
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这是六个人的故事，从不服输而又有强烈控制欲的monica，未经世事的千金大小姐rachel，正直又专情的ross，幽默风趣的chandle，古怪迷人的phoebe，花心天真的joey——六个好友之间的情路坎坷，事业成败和生活中的喜怒哀乐，无时无刻不牵动着彼此的心，而正是正平凡的点点滴滴，却成为最令人感动与留恋的东西。 人物：1、瑞秋?格林(RACHEL GREENE)由珍妮佛?安妮斯顿(Jennifer Aniston)扮演 瑞秋是莫妮卡的高中同学，在与牙医未婚夫的婚礼上脱逃至莫妮卡处。 2、罗斯?盖勒(Ross Geller)由大卫?修蒙(David Schwimmer)扮演 罗斯为莫妮卡的哥哥，于高中时即暗恋妹妹的同学瑞秋，但始终不敢表白 3、莫妮卡?盖勒(Monica Geller)由科妮寇?克斯(Courteney Cox Arquette)扮演 莫妮卡是《六人行》的中心人物，其他五人可以说就是由她延伸出来的。 4、钱德?宾(Chandler Bing)由马修?派瑞(Matthew Perry)扮演 钱德为罗斯的大学同学，因而与罗斯、莫妮卡结识甚久 5、菲比?巴费(Phoebe Buffay)由丽莎?库卓(Lisa Kudrow)扮演 菲比为莫妮卡的旧室友，后因受不了其洁癖而搬走 6、乔伊?崔比昂尼(Joey Tribbiani)由麦特?雷布兰克(Matt Le Blanc)扮演 乔伊与钱德为共租公寓的室友，自然也是莫妮卡和瑞秋的邻居 《电影手册》评价： friends是一部彻底而纯粹的通俗剧的代表，它是一部具有十足纽约风格的情景喜剧。它形成了一个自己的世界，围绕着同一个屋檐下的，6个30上下的男女拉开了故事帷幕。他们在一起，倾听彼此的烦恼和快乐，一起成长和生活，而故事的平衡点，也是最常见不过——6个单身贵族最终将组成三对情侣（此点有错误），这一对称组合加强了全剧的轻松喜剧效果。Friends为我们解析了每天的平淡生活，普通情侣的爱恋或友情体现了逐步系列剧的力量。城市文明异类温柔的疯狂，却又怀有情窦初开的少女梦想，这个从普通生活中得来的灵感。一直推动系列剧向滑稽情节发展。Friends给我们解释了什么是快乐的痛苦，再多一点，我们又会把自己幽闭在这个神奇的世界里。 【Season 1 Index】 Episode 101 : The One Where Monica Gets A New Roommate (Pilot) Episode 102 : The One With The Sonogram At The End Episode 103 : The One With The Thumb Episode 104 : The One With George Stephanopoulos Episode 105 : The One With The East German Laundry Detergent Episode 106 : The One With The Butt Episode 107 : The One With The Blackout Episode 108 : The One Where Nana Dies Twice Episode 109 : The One Where Underdog Gets Away Episode 110 : The One With The Monkey Episode 111 : The One With Mrs. Bing Episode 112 : The One With The Dozen Lasagnas Episode 113 : The One With The Boobies Episode 114 : The One With The Candy Hearts Episode 115 : The One With The Stoned Guy Episode 116 : The One With Two Parts, Part 1
从电影《刮痧》看中外文化差异 一、个体主义与集体主义 ①中美文化差异 郝夫斯特将个体主义与集体主义定义为“人们关心群体主义成员和群体目标（集体主义）或者自己和个人目标的程序（个体主义）”。美国人多数强调个人主义，而中国人大部分强调集体主义。 ②从《刮痧》看中美个体主义与集体主义的差异 在个体主义与集体主义之间，美国人更为强调个体主义，其表现为对集体主义采取有限奉献态度。而中国人更为强调集体主义，其表现为认为组织、集体利益可高于个人的利益，可牺牲小我完成大我，强调对集体的完全奉献。在《刮痧》的影片中，有一幕发生在法庭上，有一位护士证人，在法庭上指证女主角简宁在分娩时，男主角许大同由于公司开会而未到场。由于简宁难产，所以在美国人眼里，许大同因为工作不顾简宁的生死是不可以原谅的。而许大同认为，不能因为个体的事而弃集体的事不顾。 二、权力距离 ①中美文化差异 郝夫斯特所提出的权利距离是指一个社会中的人群对权利分配不平等这一事实的接受程度。接受程度高的国际，社会层级分明，权力距离大，程度低的国家和民族，人和人之间比较平等，权力距离就小，将美国和中国相比，很显然，从社会、家庭就明显的看出权力距离大的是中国，美国则是权力距离小的国家。 ②从影片《刮痧》看中美权力距离差异 从影片中可以看出中国权力距离大，强调长幼有序，强调尊重长辈，而美国人强调人人平等，强调连丹尼斯一样的小孩都应与成年人一样平等。 同样以上一个例子来说吧，从护士证人的控词“他（许大同）说救大人，救大人，牺牲小孩”，“难道小孩就不配有生存的权利吗？”我们可以得知，美国人眼里，无论是多小的生命都好，都具有与成人一样的生存权利，而不是像我们中国人一样认为“留得青山在不愁没柴烧”。 第二，许大同在颁奖典礼上“教训”了丹尼斯，在中国人眼里认为，自己的儿子打了上司的儿子。身为父亲的许大同“教训”丹尼斯是为了尊重自己的上司。同为父亲，但在美国成长的上司昆兰却不解为什么。两个小孩打架之后，丹尼斯拒绝道歉，许大同不问青红皂白的当着所有人，不给丹尼斯面子，出手教训丹尼斯。而在后来影片中许大同也说出了这样做的理由，也是大部分中国人这样做的原因：“我打他是为了给你面子，尊重你们！”昆兰则不能理解，大部分美国人也不能理解，认为中国人是野蛮人。因为，在美国的权力距离小，认为人人平等，再小的孩子都应该与和成人一样平等，孩子没有做错，那就不应该接受批评。所以，在美国人看来，许大同是一个不称职的父亲，甚至一度被剥夺抚养权。 三、总结 影片《刮痧》在以美国为背景的环境下，以爷爷为孙子丹尼斯用刮痧的手段治病导致被误会为虐童主线，展示了一系列的中美文化差异。从这部影片中，我们可以得知，美国倡导的是个体主义，倡导人人平等；而中国则是倡导集体主义，并权力距离是比中国大的。
最新英语专业全英原创毕业论文，都是近期写作 1 现代叙事艺术与海明威的《永别了武器》 2 Women’s Roles in the Family Based on the Bible 3 An Analysis of Marguerite’s Tragedy in The Lady of the Camellias 4 On Self-destruction of Laura in Flowering Judas 5 《蝴蝶梦》中的女性成长主题研究 6 《老人与海》中的象征主义 7 CBI理论诠释及在英语教学中的应用 8 语结与英语长句的翻译 9 论概念隐喻视角下的隐喻翻译 10 浅析王尔德《莎乐美》的唯美主义和成因 11 广告英译汉中的创译原则 12 狄更斯在《双城记》中的人道主义思想 13 失败的逃亡—从《麦田守望者》中主人公的逃亡看个人意识对社会的超越 14 A Comparison between Scarlett O’Hara and Jane Eyre from the Perspective of Feminism 15 圣诞节对大学生的影响的调查研究 16 The Cultural Identity Dilemma of Colonized Afro-Americans: the Study of The Bluest Eye 17 浅谈儿童文学在儿童成长中的作用-弗朗西斯?霍奇森?伯内特《小公主》和《秘密花园》之比较 18 论人性自私在《呼啸山庄》中的体现 19 Humanism in A Tale of Two Cities 20 思嘉丽是淑女还是魔鬼？ 21 从美国核心价值观分析美国家庭学校产生的必然性 22 试分析《牡丹亭》与《罗密欧与朱丽叶》的爱情模式 23 美国律师辩护中的预设 24 论《弗兰肯斯坦》中怪物悲剧的必然性 25 欧?亨利短篇小说中的美式幽默风格的翻译 26 Application of Politeness Principle in Top Talk 27 从《道连葛雷的画像》角色看王尔德 28 翻译呼啸山庄的感想（英译中） 29 xx大学翻译方向学生发展规划 30 英汉文化差异对商标翻译的影响 31 《蝇王》主题之原型解读 32 生态哲人约翰斯坦贝克 33 Translation of English News 34 中外酒文化差异分析 35 (英语系经贸英语)中华老字号品牌的传承与创新研究 36 动机对中学英语学习的影响 37 人称代词与情态动词在英语政治演讲中的人际功能 38 论报刊语言翻译中的译者主体性 39 浅谈来自《圣经》的英语习语 40 英语中的汉语词汇 41 从《道连?格雷的画像》看唯美主义
浅谈电影《刮痧》中的中西文化差异 在《社会学》课上，老师给我们放了一部非常优秀的国产电影——《刮痧》。看完之后，我对影片中表现出来的中西文化差异感触颇多。因此可以说“刮痧”就是一个中西文化差异引起的纠纷。 故事发生在美国中部密西西比河畔的城市圣路易斯。主人公许大同是一位电脑游戏设计师。他在美国奋斗了八年，事业有成，家庭幸福。在年度行业颁奖大会上，他激动地告诉大家：我爱美国，我的美国梦终于实现!但是随后降临的一件意外却让许大同梦中惊醒。一天，他五岁的儿子丹尼斯闹肚子，从北京来的父亲对丹尼斯进行了中国传统的刮痧治疗。但是意想不到的是丹尼斯身上留下的刮痕竟然成了许大同虐待孩子的证据。法庭上，许大同发现无法用西医理论来解释刮痧原理，而控方律师又一再的歪曲中国的传统文化。最终，法官当庭宣布剥夺许大同的监护权，不许他和儿子见面。父子分离，夫妻分居，朋友分裂……接二连三的噩梦不断降临，一个原本幸福美满的家庭转眼间支离破碎。许大同原以为实现的美国梦也被这场从天而降的官司彻底粉碎。影片的最后，大同的朋友昆兰亲身尝试刮痧并为其正名，因此法官宣布了对许大同的解禁令，一家人终得团聚。 电影中一连串的误会和巧合造成了人物命运的曲折，但是究其根源，这一切都是中西文化差异造成的。可以说影片中许大同的遭遇有其偶然，但也是必然。美国人类学家霍尔曾引入文化冰山模式来解读文化冲突。在他的论述中，文化被比喻成漂浮在海面上的冰山，露出海面的冰山一角是显性文化，包括人们的行为举止及某些信仰。而暗藏在水下的大部分冰山则是隐形文化，包括人们的思维模式、价值观等更为深层的文化因子。而文化冲突主要就是隐性文化的冲突。正如《刮痧》中的许大同虽然在美国生活了八年，自己也成为了众多美国人眼中的成功人士，但是在隐性文化层面，他仍表现出了中西方文化间的差异，冲突也就在所难免。 在我看来，《刮痧》中的中西文化差异主要表现在四个方面：亲情观、友情观、人权观和道德观。 一、亲情观 在中国人眼中，“家”有着不可替代的重要位置，家人要互相关心、休戚与共，子女要遵守孝道。正因如此，在影片中，为了让父亲能够成功办理到美国绿卡，许大同谎称是自己给儿子刮痧。同时为了不让父亲担心，大同隐瞒了官司的事。后来昆兰知道了是丹尼斯的爷爷给其刮痧，不明白大同为什么始终隐瞒真相。大同的妻子只回答了一句“因为他是中国人”。 二、友情观 让我印象深刻就是影片中，昆兰出证听证会的一幕。昆兰是许大同在美国最好的伙伴，也是他事业上最好的搭档。可是昆兰却在听证会上说出了大同打孩子的事实，尽管这对许大同极度不利。西方在交友做事的轻重顺序是“法，理，情”，而中国人却刚好相反。在中国，人情被在了第一位。这也与中国自古以来的农耕思想，小农经济以及儒家思想有密切联系。中国就是一个人情的社会，但这一套在美国就不适用。因此，昆兰认为：我讲了事实，你不该打孩子。而大同却说：“我把你当朋友，你却出卖我。” 三、人权观 美国很重视人权。它提倡人人平等。在西方家庭里，每个成员，包括男性和女性，无论年龄，都是平等的且每个成员有权获得充分的民主和自由。所以昆兰认为大同打孩子是非法的。但在中国，父母认为管教孩子甚至打骂孩子都是天经
The One With All The Haste Written by: Wil Calhoun & Scott Silveri Transcribed by: Eric Aasen 419 忙中出错 对窗唱歌的男人、家禽的气味以及狭小的空间，都促使瑞秋和莫妮卡想赢回自己的公寓； 她们企图用尼克斯队本赛季的球票贿赂钱德和乔伊，但那两个家伙拒绝搬屋，于是她们另生一计……并再度失败。真是赔了夫人又折兵。 当乔伊和钱德去看球的时候，瑞秋和莫妮卡擅自把公寓换回来了。钱德大加反对，但莫妮卡和瑞秋提出条件，如果让我们在这里住，我们就接吻一分钟。两个男生觉得很值。 罗斯得到一副耳环。 菲比学着织毛衣。 罗斯痛恨和艾米丽聚少离多，想邀她同住……但他口误，向艾米丽求婚；而她答应了。 得知这个消息，大家都很震惊，尤其是瑞秋。 4.19 The One With All The Haste The singing man, the bird smell, and the lack of space drive Rachel and Monica to new attempts to get their old apartment back; when they fail to bribe Chandler and Joey with season Knicks tickets, they try making another bet... and lose again, so they have neither the tickets nor the apartment. However, while Joey and Chandler are at a game, Rachel and Monica switch apartments. Chandler objects but Monica and Rachel offer to kiss each other for a full minute if they can keep the apartment.
电影《刮痧》对文化差异认识的观后感 《刮痧》无疑是中国史上反映中西方文化差异最成功的电影之一。接下来小编搜集了电影《刮痧》对文化差异认识的观后感，欢迎查看。 电影《刮痧》对文化差异认识的观后感一随着全球化潮流的兴起，跨文化交际在人与人的交流中也显得尤为重要，《刮痧》观后感：对电影《刮痧》中文化差异的认识。观看了《刮痧》后也真正感受到了文化的差异性以及文化在交流中的重要性。下面从几个方面来说一下电影中体现的文化差异。 文化背景影响跨文化交际。首先是价值观念的不同，这是文化特质的深层结构。中美对于动与静的认知不同，中国人强调"静"，更加注重做人。而西方包括美国则强调"动"，更加注重做事，注重个人主义，注重隐私。如影片中，在颁奖晚会上大同对自己儿子的教育，采用拍打甚至被朋友看作是暴力的手段，这种对人的教育方式是不被美国人所接受的。再就是对待变化的态度上，中国人注重求稳而美国人则注重求变。这一点在影片中通过大同的父亲体现的尤为明显。大同的父亲看到自己的老朋友老霍在美国的工作、生活状况，并最终客死他乡让他很是伤感，这也是最终使自己返回北京"落叶归根"的一大因素，中学生作文《《刮痧》观后感：对电影《刮痧》中文化差异的认识》。还有对于人的天
性的认识，中国人主张性本善，对他人常有恻隐之心;而美国人主张性本恶，对他人也要用法度来规范其行为，绳之以法。如影片中大同的美国朋友昆兰在法庭上作证时并没有因私情而偏袒大同，而是讲出自己所看到的事实，作为中国人的大同却不能理解朋友的这种做法。 其次是民族性格的不同，这是文化特制的外化表现。中国人的民族性格中注重情感本位，讲求内敛含蓄，谦逊恭敬;而美国人则追求平等、民主、自由，讲求坦率真诚，注重个人隐私。在影片开始，大同和朋友一起进入颁奖大厅前，有很多人在门前搞反对游戏等活动，而美国警方则不会去制止，这体现了他们尊重言论自由。 再就是自然环境不同也会造成文化差异。亚洲的自然环境使得中国人更具有群体意识，并且很注重讲究等级次序，长幼有别;而在美国则是更主张自由平等，上级与下级之间也没有强烈的等级意识。电影中，男主角与他的老板之间既是上下级关系又是很好的朋友，而在中国自己与自己的老板是很好的朋友关系的情况却是很少。这就体现了中美的不同。 这部电影让我更加认识到了中美之间的文化差异，同时也让我知道了自己专业的重要性。我们是任重而道远。只有不断地充实自己，更加充分的认识到这种差异，才能更好的从事对外汉语教学。 电影《刮痧》对文化差异认识的观后感二每个国家
从电影《刮痧》看中西文化的差异 电影《刮痧》是一部典型的揭示东西方文化差异导致文化矛盾的影片，它将这种文化差异细腻而深刻地展现在了观众们的面前。 故事发生在美国中部密西西比河畔的城市——圣路易斯。该影片主角许大同来美国8年，事业有成，家庭幸福。在年终行业颁奖大会上获得电玩游戏制作大奖。他激动地告诉大家：“我爱美国，我的美国梦终于实现了。”但随后降临的意外事件却使许大同从梦中惊醒，他五岁的儿子丹尼斯因闹肚子发烧。来美国探亲的爷爷因为不懂药品上的英文说明，便以中国民间传统的刮痧疗法为孙子治病，而这成了许大同虐待儿童的证据。接连不断的灾难噩梦般的降临。原来美好幸福的家庭转眼问变得支离破碎。努力多年以为已经实现了的美国梦被这一场从天而降的官司彻底粉碎。 该片从表面上看似乎是一场误会，是一场司法纠纷。但实际上所展现的是两种不同的文化所产生的碰撞和冲突。不同的地域、不同的语言、不同的民族、不同的历史渊源，形成了不同的哲学观念、宗教信仰、思维方式以及民族传统习惯。 这种文化差异是客观存在的，因此，不同文化间的冲突与碰撞也就在所难免了。 文化，是一个群体中的个人和集体在其生存过程中将其所获知识、经验、信仰、态度、意义、阶级、宗教、时代观念、生存角色、空间关系、世界观、物质观及价值观世代沉淀和传承的产物。跨文化交际学的创始人霍尔曾在《无声的语言》一书中指出：“文化存在于两个层次中，公开的文化和隐藏的文化。前者可见并能描述，后者不可见，甚至连受过专门训练的观察者都难以察知。”“隐藏文化”，顾名思义，是一种隐藏得较深、外表上“难以察知”的那一部分文化观念。 由于历史的原因，中国的文化古老而悠久，美国则显得更加现代，因此这种文化上的差异也就显现得更加突出与鲜明。本文以电影《刮痧》为切入点，来阐述中西方民族文化的差异，以揭示中西方民族文化深层结构中的隐藏部分。
The One Where Rachel and Ross... You Know Originally written by Transcribed by Joshua Hodge Minor additions and adjustments by Dan Silverstein. 215 罗斯和瑞秋生米煮成—— 乔伊买了个大电视，以及两张舒适的真皮躺椅。 于是他和钱德寸步不离躺在椅子里看电视。 菲比给莫妮卡帮忙，为理查伯克医生的派对供应食物。 理查医生同盖勒家（就是莫妮卡家啦）是世交，新近离婚。 莫妮卡和理查医生不顾世俗压力开始忘年交。 罗斯和瑞秋约会，却因公事被召回博物馆。 收工后原计划泡汤，他们在博物馆度过了浪漫的一夜。第二天早上…… [Scene: Chandler and Joey's apartment. Joey and Chandler enter with Chandler covering his eyes and Joey leading him.] JOEY: Alright, no peeking. No peeking, no peeking, no peeking. no peaking 不准偷看 CHANDLER: Alright, alright, but you better be wearing clothes when I open my eyes. JOEY: Alright open your eyes. [opens his eyes to see two black leather recliners and a big screen TV] recline v.<正式>斜倚,靠,躺/recliner n.斜躺者,可躺式椅/ Alright, open your eyes. [Opens his eyes to see two black leather recliners and a big screen TV]: a chair with an
中西方电影文化差异比 较 集团标准化工作小组 #Q8QGGQT-GX8G08Q8-GNQGJ8-MHHGN#
中西方电影文化差异比较姓名：陈家梅 院系：教育与音乐学院 班级：艺术管理
摘要中西文化差异，究其根源主要与自然环境、民族传统、思维模式、处世态度、宗教信仰、价值观等有关。本文通过对中西方电影的比较分析，可以透视中西文化的差异。 关键词：中西文化中西电影差异 电影是特定文化的产物，反映一个国家或地区的文化。不同国家的文化差异自然反映在他们的电影当中。因此，分析电影是了解不同国家文化差异的很好途径。中西电影中的文化差异究其根源，主要与自然环境、民族传统、思维模式、处世态度、宗教信仰、价值观等有关。本文将从以下几方面分析中西电影中的文化差异。 一中西电影中的宗教差异 基督教是世界最大的宗教之一，公元4世纪时成为罗马帝国的主要教派，中世纪时期欧洲大部分人都成为了基督教徒，同时，基督教也在中东、北非和印度部分地区成为了少数教派。紧接着地理大发现之后，经过传教士的不断传播和殖民扩张，基督教传至美洲、澳洲，而后遍布世界各地。因此，基督教对西方文明的成型有着重大影响作用。 佛教起源于印度，约在公元1世纪开始从古印度经丝绸之路传至中国，并得到了皇室的重视，许多佛经被引入中国，许多印度高僧来华讲道。随着时间的推移，中国佛教又衍发出许多流派。这些流派大多融入了儒家思想、道家思想或其它一些哲学思想，渐渐地中国佛教摒弃了那些不适合中国社会的规则与条例，融入了一些新的教义，成为了中华文明的一部分，并带有自己的特色。佛教对中国人的思想起着重要作用，影响着我们的美学、政治、文学、哲学和医药等方面，当然也影响着我们的电影。 1 基督教对西方电影的影响 基督教三大教义分别是三位一体、原罪与救赎。三位一体就是圣父、圣子与圣灵是上帝的三个不同表现。原罪是人类堕落的结果，人类始祖偷吃禁果的行为通常被认为是原罪的起因，只有上帝的恩赐可以解救堕落的人类。救赎就是上帝和其他一些更高的力量，通过赐予人类永恒的生命或来生，来拯救人类精神上的死亡与终身诅咒。基督教认为人类需要从现状中解脱出来，然而，从长远角度来看，人类要完全得到救赎是不可能的。救赎在基督教中是一个核心教义，意思是只要人们心中有上帝，也终将被上帝所救。 救赎的理念代表着基督教的思想。这种思想无疑也影响着西方电影，不仅反映在宗教电影中，如《约翰福音》、《马太福音》、《最后的诱惑》等，也反映在其它一些电影当中，如《肖申克的救赎》。这部电影讲述了一个在信仰缺失的年代里有关救赎的故事，救赎的是信仰，被救赎是希望。救赎是一场战斗，希望对绝望，自由对监禁。这也是人类尊严与人性的斗争。安迪救赎了他的狱友，因为他坚定的信仰是对邪恶与绝望最好的武器。不同于其它的宗教电影，《肖》中的救世主不是上帝，而是希望，被救赎的是自由。在安迪入狱之前，肖申克监狱的条件非常恶劣，犯人毫无人权可言。典狱长是个彻头彻尾的伪基督，把犯人当作廉价劳动力。安迪入狱之后，这位不满现状的银行家虽无力改变，但他的出现至少给犯人们带来了希望和生命之光。至于安迪，他就是现代版的耶稣。他的受难也就验证了“锡安必因公平得蒙救赎、其中归正的人必因公义得蒙救赎”。强者拯救自己，伟人拯救他人。安迪给其他狱友带来希望，也拯救了他们。 2 佛教对中国电影的影响
从电影《刮痧》看中西文化冲突与融合 一、《刮痧》中的文化冲突 刮痧这个在中国极为平常的传统治疗法,在美国却引起了那么大的冲突与灾难, 因为“说不清楚”,丹尼斯身上留下的刮痕自然被作为大同一家虐待儿童的证据,无论大同用英文和时儿夹杂着中文怎么解释都无法让美国人明白刮痧是什么。笔者认为与其说影片《刮痧》讲述的是许大同这个中国家庭在美国的遭遇,不如说是中国传统文化在美国因为不被理解和认同所处的尴尬和无奈的境地。影片中法官要求大同“找一个官方医生,用简练的、一个老法官能看懂的英文来说明刮痧”,但正如大同的辩护律师所说,“没有一本美国的医学教科书有关于刮痧的记载,那是不科学的,没有人会为此作证。”在法庭上,当许大同试图解释“刮痧”时,他不得不使用中文“丹田”、“七经脉等术语,因为美语里根本找不到相应的词汇来表达,许大同“dan2tian”和“seven jing and eightmai”让在场的美国人不知所云,法官阻止他继续说下去,让他们去找专家人士来说明“刮痧”为何物,可大同与其妻简宁费劲全力也找不到这样的人,他们只好放弃解释“刮痧”。影片中爷爷痛惜地自问:“刮痧在中国几千年了,到了美国怎么就说不清楚了呢?”就爷爷和大多数中国观众看来,刮痧这种治疗方法在中国那么普通,似乎美国人也理所当然地应该知道这一疗法,他们不懂应该是他们的错,这便是跨文化交际中最容易犯的错误,即将自己的文化强加给另一种文化,用自己的行为方式为标准来评判对方的行为。刮痧事件使得大同失去了对儿子的监护权以及随之而来的送父回国、带子亡、夫妻分居、朋友反目,其实这不仅仅是“刮痧”这一中医疗法与美国法律的冲突,它反映的是中国传统文化与异域文化相遇时产生的难以避免的碰撞和摩擦。 中国人的情感与美国法律 任何观看了这部影片的中国观众无一不被大同一家三代人之间浓浓的父子情、夫妻情和祖孙情所感动。大同毫无顾及地顶替他父亲说是他本人给儿子刮痧的,大同从福利院“偷”儿子到机场与即将回国的爷爷见面以及为了在圣诞夜与家人团聚大同冒着被逮捕的危险爬水管上九楼等都反映了中国人对亲情的重视,中国观众感动得眼泪汪汪,但大同的这些行为实际上都是美国法律不允许的。生活在一切都讲求法律的美国社会里,虽然大同爱子心切,但却拿不出证据来证明刮痧是中国的传统治疗法,无他怎样用语言来表达他是多么地爱自己的儿子都打动不了法官的心,法律只需要证据。美国是一个法制国家,法律存在于每一个角落,每一种纠纷都通过法律途径来解决,他们看重的事实,是证据。大同最终还是被判决与自己的儿子隔
【101】The One Where Monica Gets a New Roommate antique’s NO.1 The One Where Monica Gets a New Roommate 补充介绍一下Friends的官方站点，Url是https://www.doczj.com/doc/9d18136298.html,/friends, 如果有什么纠纷，相信那里是最权威的地方查阅了，另外，在世博英语https://www.doczj.com/doc/9d18136298.html,发现了一个用Friends学习英语的系列，大家也可以去那里看看。 记得刚开始看时，有个问题总是让我困惑，即为什么每一集（episode）的名字都叫做"The One ****"，后来总算搞清楚了，原来它是the one with... 或者the one where,或者the one which...的意思，有时候甚至简写成TOW,呵呵，怎么样，明白了么？OK,让我们进入正题。 第一集是试播（Pilot），主要情节如下，瑞秋在教堂抛弃未婚夫巴利、逃婚到莫妮卡处。莫妮卡和调酒师(Wine Guy)保罗约会，此君伪装成离婚后一蹶不振的苦命人，靠博取同情来骗女人上床。罗斯婚姻失败，因为他的老婆被证实居然是同性恋，所以情绪低落。乔伊安慰他说，女性的种类与Ice Cream一样多，离婚未尝不是好事。大家一同看西班牙肥皂剧并信口瞎猜剧情。罗斯自高中起即爱慕瑞秋，此刻死灰复燃，提议和她约会，瑞秋答应了。 这一集绝对是整个Friedns的基石，所谓pilot就是如果播的不好，立马cancel的那种，所以无论剧情语言还有表演都非常精彩，这一集里面六个人都露面了，我立马就喜欢上了一脸坏笑的"幼兽"Joey(嘿嘿，一看就是我这种类型嘛)，憨憨厚厚的Ross, 未经世事的Rach, 直爽坦白的"商贩"Chandler,成熟而又略带神经质的Monica,以及童趣无邪的Phoebe…. 以下是我觉得有意思的一些词句，一一讲解。 1． Chandler :So does he have a hump? A hump and a hairpiece?这是Chandler挖苦Paul的话，意思是：他有驼背么？有假发的驼子？ 2． Ross: I just feel like someone reached down my throat, grabbed my small intestine, pulled it out of my mouth and tied it around my neck..这段话是不是很熟悉呀？对，《大话西游》里面一开始孙猴子发狠就是这样子讲的哦，不知道是谁抄袭谁，意思不用我解释了吧，这里Ross用来形容妻子Carol是Lesbian并同他离婚后的心情。 3． Ross:Why does everyone keep fixating on that?这句话很实用，意思是为什么你们总是提起那件事呢？因为Joey又提到了Ross妻子Carol是lesbian的事儿，Ross非常恼火，于是冒出这样一句，我们平常生活中也可以用一下。Remember:fixate on sth. 4． Joey: Strip joint! C'mon, you're single! Have some hormones! "Strip joint"是脱衣舞场的意思，Joey意思是Ross现在虽然很受伤，但是正好恢复单身，可以去脱衣舞场去， "have some hormones"直译就是你要有一些男性荷尔蒙呀，翻译过来就是你该去（脱衣舞场）找乐子去。 5． Rachel: I realized that I was more turned on by this gravy boat than by Barry! And then I got really freaked out, and that's when it hit me: how much Barry looks like Mr. Potato Head. 这句话里面有三个词组需要解释，第一个是turn on,也就是打开的意思，比如turn on the radio,这里是指让某人更兴奋激动的意思，想一想，平时在路上走，这时候有个sexy美女路过，你就可以说:wow,the gal really turns me on.第二个是freak out,这个词组很重要，几乎在每集都能听到，频率高的吓人，看来口语中很实用，在论坛上我看到以下几种解释，觉得不错，a.have an extreme reaction to sth b.act abnormally (under the influence of drugs) c.make sb feel extreme plaesure or unease，也就是表达焦躁害怕不安等情绪的意思。第三个词组是Gravy Boat,这是一个调味汁瓶酱油瓶，常常下面还垫着一个小碟子，非常精美的，所以Rach才说它给她带来的兴奋比Barry还大。 6． Joey: You got screwed.这句话值得记住，意思是你受骗了。 7． Paul: No, it's, it's more of a fifth date kinda revelation.这句语法结构不
Research Proposal 班级10二专英语学号200908063199 姓名庄瑜 ⅠTitle of my thesis The Difference between Chinese and American Cultures Reflected in The Treatment 由电影《刮痧》看中美文化差异 ⅡLiterature review Since global is impossible to hold back. The communication between different cultures is getting more and more frequently. But the different values and the way deal with things of different cultures lead to culture conflicts in culture communication. And this paper is working on dig deep on the movie The Treatment directed by Zheng Xiaolong on culture difference and the way for main culture conflicts. Because the Inter-culture Communication has been used more and more widely and frequently, but on the other hand people has little knowledge of culture difference. People may learn how dose other country’s people live from different kind of media and news. But it’s not only incompletely but also with political view. So some colleges open some Inter-culture Communication courses to let students learn more about culture difference to adapt to the increasing Inter-culture Communication and gain more competition in their career. But to be honest, those courses can just lead the students to Inter-culture Communication not grapple the matter of Inter-culture Communication. But films have its adventures. It’s less infected by the policy, and it’s much easier for audiences to get the main idea. That’s why film becomes such an important role in learning culture difference. But in the daily life as far as I know a normal problem that student often ignores the teaching part but focus on the entertainment part. So I took Director Zheng Xiaolong’s movie The Treatment as breakthrough point and dig the details to show the matter. I hope this paper could help students in a way. In 1960s, it’s a time of Information Technology. Canadian specialist Marshall McLuhan came up with an idea of “Global Village”. T hat’s a giant leap in human communication history between
从《刮痧》看中西文化差异 冼美彤 摘要：电影，作为一种艺术形式，包含了丰富的文化内容，是文化的一个直观载体。一个国家，一个民族的文化都在电影中得到淋漓尽致的体现。影片的切入点特别而又准确，从“刮痧”这一中国传统的民间治疗方法入手，通过一场官司折射出了中美两国在价值观和文化传承理念上的巨大差异。 关键词：法律冲突文化差异教育方式 《刮痧》是2001年出品的一部电影，由郑晓龙执导，梁家辉、蒋雯丽、朱旭主演。该片以中医刮痧疗法产生的误会为主线，反映了华人在国外由于东西方文化的冲突而陷入种种困境，后又因人们的诚恳与爱心使困境最终被冲破的故事。 一、中美文化差异 （一）文化引起的法律冲突 法律冲突的产生可以有多种多样的原因，利益冲突会引起法律冲突，立法技术的不成熟或者失误以及其他一些原因也会引发法律冲突。其中文化差异是引发法律冲突的一个非常重要的方面。当一个人到一个和自己的文化有很大差异的地方，往往会发现身处于一个陌生的世界，即使语言相通但仍可能不知道怎样行为才是恰当的或礼貌的，甚至还会因为对规范的不了解而导致误会或冲突的发生。 就像电影里的大同，抱着“打是心疼骂是爱”的想法对待自己的儿子却换来老师的严厉批评；大同的老板就是不明白为什么大同打丹丹是给自己“面子”，因为大同遵照的是中国 人的逻辑和行为习惯；甚至电影中原告律师之所以能成功地激怒大同，就在于他说大同是一个不负责任的丈夫和父亲，这是在中国传统文化的熏陶下所不能容忍的，大同的愤怒其实是对来自异文化的侮辱的抵抗。这样的冲突，是由文化差异导致规范差异所引发的。 （二）根深蒂固的传统文化观念 在传统的中国文化氛围里长大的人，再怎样接受西方文化的熏陶，也还是无法更改潜移默化中形成的中国人的“脾性”，这是渗透进骨血中的东西，处事方式，教育观念，孝道，友情，医疗理念，法律意识等等它体现在生活里的每一个方面。 片中美国的一位女护士，对许大同在妻子难产时作出“只要妻子，可以不要孩子”的表态惊诧莫名，甚至认为许没有人性，女护士发出怒吼：“你们东方人
The One Where Underdog Gets Away Written by: Jeff Greenstein & Jeff Strauss Transcribed by: Mindy Mattingly Phillips Minor modifications and adjustments by Dan Silverstein 109 气球飞了 乔伊为卫生机构的海报当模特，后来方知那是治疗性病的广告。 罗斯发现苏珊在为卡萝肚里的孩子念书听，不甘示弱决定照做。 因父母外出，罗斯和莫妮卡开始准备自己的感恩节大餐； 菲比要和他俩一起庆祝，因为她向来同祖母一起过感恩节，而祖母的新男友用阴历不用阳历，他们家将在12月才过感恩节。 乔伊也加入了，因为他家里人以为他有脏病。 钱德力图抵制感恩节因为当年他的父母在节日那天宣布离婚； 瑞秋的如意算盘则是和家人去山里滑雪。 游行当中大气球脱线飞走了；大家都跑上楼顶去看热闹，结果忘带钥匙全被关在了莫妮卡的门外； 晚饭烧焦了，瑞秋误掉了班机，大家只好吃钱德的奶酪三明治和洋葱小食品作为晚餐。 丑陋裸男邀来丑陋裸女共进感恩节晚餐，之后他们携手丑陋裸舞 [Scene: Central Perk, Rachel is confronting面对 her boss, Terry.] Rachel: Terry, I, I, I know that I haven't worked here very long, but I was wondering, do you think it would be possible if I got a $100 advance in my salary预支100美元的薪水? Terry: An advance? Rachel:It's so that I can spend Thanksgiving with my family. See, every year we go skiing in Vail, and normally通常地 my father pays for my ticket, but I sort of started the whole independence独立自主 thing, you know, which is actually why I took this job. 我们都比较熟悉so…that句型，也比较熟悉to do sth so that+从句的形式，这里so that使 用方式在口语中也比较常见，也是表达因果关系的联词。/Vail:剧中瑞秋攒钱想和家人一起去韦 尔(Vail)度感恩节假。韦尔是美国最著名的两个滑雪圣地之一，在丹佛市附近。它的特色是滑雪 山坡离市区很近，从家中穿上滑雪鞋就可去滑雪。此外，它夏天还有音乐会，因此成为美国富人 云集的度假胜地。
从电影中浅析中美文化差异 由于历史、政治、经济等的种种差异，中西方文化存在着各种差异。本学期我选修了<中外文化比较>这门课程，更是让我进一步了解了中外文化差异。当然中外文化差异体现在各个方面，繁多复杂，因此为了方便比较，我通过一个极小的方面来窥视中外文化差异。 电影既是文化的产物，又是文化的载体。他较之其他艺术形式或精神文化，更为全方位地吸取物质文化的成果，已经上升为现代社会中占据主导位置的文化形态之一，被称之为“电影文化”。作为一种艺术形式，电影是特定民族文化的产物，在很大程度上受民族文化的制约。因此它更是各国传播本国文化的一种有效工具。 提及电影，就会想到美国好莱坞，每年在它为全世界输送大量的优秀电影的同时，也将美国的文化精髓传播给全世界。因此我们通过电影这样一个民族文化的极小的缩影，来剖析中美文化差异。 取自中国南北朝时期一个传说色彩极浓的巾帼英雄的故事原型，耗资1亿美元，历时2年，集聚700多名艺术家的心血与才智完成的《花木兰》，是迪斯尼公司自1937年制作首部动画片《白雪公主》后的第36部动画片，并且是第9部以女性为主角的迪斯尼动画。《花木兰》自1998年6月19日起在全美首映的周末三天票房记录就达到2300万美元，仅次于票房收入3100万美元的悬疑科技片《X 档案》。它是迪斯尼以往5年所制作的电影中“口碑最佳”的一部。然而好莱坞版的《花木兰》虽成绩优异，票房突出，但是却偏离了它的故事原型，变成一部地地道道的美国电影，在中国人看来这并非是我们所熟悉的那首赞颂花木兰的北朝民歌——《木兰辞》中的那个巾帼英雄花木兰，而是一个叫木兰的美国姑娘实现在我价值的奋斗史。 下面我们就通过分析迪斯尼版的《花木兰》于我国古代传说之间的差异，映射出中美文化差异。 首先，《木兰辞》中的木兰是替父从军，以尽孝道。中国的伦理思想常常是建立在贾婷德基础之上。与之相反的美国是一个一个人为本的国家。他们的思想里根本没有“孝”这个概念。每个人不是作为一个家庭或其他社会群体的成员，而是被作为个体来看待的。在这种文化影响下，美国人是只注重个人人格和尊严，强调个体的力量，注重个人自我价值的实现。在电影中木兰被发现是女儿身后，被大军遗弃在冰天雪地中，这时的她非常沮丧，木须龙劝她毕竟是为了父亲才到这种地步的，而她的回答确是：“或许我并不是为了父亲才来的，或许我只是向正明我能行。所以当我拿起镜子的时候，我看到的是一个“有用的人”，一个值得尊敬的人，”木兰的回答突出的是木兰强烈的个人意识和实现其个人价值的渴望，而故事原型中的“忠孝”观念和集体意识却被大大的淡化了，原作中“孝”的内核已经被个人价值实现完全替代。 其次，中国是一个具有独特文化体系的文明古国，儒家传统思想影响了中国几千年。儒家的思想特别强调“礼”，规定了每个人的行为规范和准则。其中女子的“礼”就是要守本分，要遵从“三从四德”，在自然经济条件下，生活规则就是“男耕女织”。乐府诗中的木兰在参军之后的第一件事就是“当窗理云鬓，对镜