Cultural Differences in Responding to Reprimands in American English and Taiwanese Chinese

本研究旨在分析、描述台灣和美國人在職場中用以回應斥責的語行次序結構之特色。所分析的言語回應取材自口說英語語料庫，展現出對話者因彼此相對權力的差異與整體文化背景不同而有偏愛結構的產生。美國人面對斥責時所表現出的回應，不如大家所期待。一般人會認為美國人的回應應該是直率、大辣辣地，他們被認為喜歡以「自家人」的口吻和所有人說話。在本研究中，我們的確察覺美國人較不會因對話者社會地位不同而調整自己的說話方式；但他們往往會直接表達自己反對意見，但隨後又以一些緩和詞語減低先前反對意見的衝突性。然而他們「不尋常」的言語舉動極大可能是因所討論的議題所產生。一般而言，台灣人應用通行於整個階級禮貌系統的規則在他們斥責回應語中。面對下屬的斥責時，他們「疾言令色」以反駁、防禦的口氣保護自己的面子。與上司正面對峙，台灣華人則詳加解說自己行為的合理性，甚至提出改進、不貳過的保證，但絕對不敢冒犯權上。他們的言語中運用相當數量的修飾問句，印證了中國人喜歡「拐彎抹角」的刻版印象。本研究對文化常規對言語行為的影響提出相當程度的了解，同時也使讀者了解產生斥責的語境對回應語的語言談次序結構的影響。本研究所獲得的結果對英語教學和跨文化溝通研究有極大的影響，並對未來相關研究提出建議。

關鍵字

斥責-回應；威脅面子語行；禮貌；跨文化溝通

並列摘要

This purpose of the study is to analyze and characterize the sequential structure applied by Mandarin Chinese speakers living in Taiwan and American English speakers in their L1 responses to reprimand in the scenes of institution. The responses analyzed, taken from the data of role play activities, have preferential realization patterns that can be linked in part to the power discrepancy between the interactants. Analysis of the data shows that the conversational behavior of the Americans, which does not conform to the expected cultural attribute, is very likely due to nature and proposition of the topic at hand. Americans are expected to be blunt and direct, and so are inclined to use solidarity politeness strategies. They are found not to adjust their linguistic forms to specify their acknowledgement of the differences in social status as much as do Taiwanese. Yet, Americans are prone to contradict upfront and then patch the disagreement up. In general, Taiwanese participants apply the rules in the hierarchical politeness system into their responding utterances. When they speak ‘downward’, Taiwanese employ aggravated disagreements in their responses, like the sequencing of contradiction and self-defense, to protect and defend their own face. Their utterances contained with a fair amount of antagonistic questions substantiate the stereotype of Chinese indirectness. The Taiwanese utterances are produced without special precautions generally associated with face-threatening acts. In speaking ‘upward’, the Taiwanese participants sidestep the direct confrontation; they simply recognize the power distance and show deference to the superior by oversupplying justifications and explanations. This research provides an understanding of the influence of cultural norms and the context of reprimanding on the sequential structure of responding utterances.

並列關鍵字

reprimand responses ； politeness ； face-threatening acts ； cross-cultural communication

國際替代計量

Cultural Differences in Responding to Reprimands in American English and Taiwanese Chinese

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