3。 Contrastive Study of Compliment in Chinese and English

Chapter two has made a brief introduction of compliment。 In this chapter, the contrastive study of compliment in Chinese and English will concentrate on the difference of the topics, the contexts, the objects and the form。

3。1 The Content of Compliment 

Language not only reflects a nation’s culture connotation, but also embodies the nation’s value orientation, life style and thinking mode。 Different culture background produces different speech act。 Compliment, a kind of speech act, is of high occurrence in daily life, and it seems that numerous difference between Chinese and English compliment。 

3。1。1 Different Topics 

To be regarded as a kind of compliment, a meaningful utterance must refer to something that is positively valued by the participants and attributed to the addressee。 It seems to permit an infinite range of possible topics for compliments。 Zou Weicheng introduced the structure of the compliment speech act, topic distribution, and the general response patterns of English compliments (zou 1)。 As people have the common cognition of objective things, compliments in Chinese and English also have the common topics, such as appearance, character, personal achievement and family members。 But since each nation has its own language as a set of norms and values, there are differences in some topics。 The following are the main displays。文献综述

Weight is not a good topic for compliment in English, because its position in the value system of English culture is low。 In their view, fat means physical decline, nutrition imbalance。 In contrast, in the Chinese culture, "fat" and "Fu" is coexisting。 People often use these words to praise others。 Its position in the value system of Chinese culture is high。 So Weight is often said in Chinese compliment。

In Chinese society, age is the topic continually talked about and complimented because it symbolizes the experience and happiness。 Old is often linked with intelligence and experience, symbolizing longevity and good luck in Chinese culture。 For example: “the older the wiser。” While in English culture, people are averse to the word, old。 They use it implicitly。 They call the old people “senior citizen” or “the elderly”。 So you can often hear these words in English speaking countries, “This is your daughter? You two look like sisters!” 

What’s more, appearance is the most common topic talked and complimented in daily communication both in Chinese and English。 In English countries, it is an ordinary phenomenon to compliment one person’s appearance, figure, costume, hair style, etc。 Especially the gentlemen give compliment to the ladies who accept the compliment pleasantly with thinking it is an affirmation of them。 Although Chinese ladies are glade to hearing compliment of their appearance, it usually comes from their female friends。 Otherwise, it will lead to a misunderstanding between man and woman。 Above all, Chinese compliments focus on natural beauty, while the English put emphasis on epigenetic modification。 

In addition to appearance, personal income and price of goods are generally talked about in China。 Chinese people will compliment others’ high earning and valuables to please。 However, in English countries, it is not allowed。 English culture underlines the protection of personal privacy and respect。 

In a word, although Chinese compliments and English compliments share similarities with each other, they mostly make comments on four topics: appearance, competence, possession and character, there are still the differences, as English people more often compliment personal appearance and ability directly, while Chinese people seem to value natural attractiveness and focus on wisdom, talent or skills。