A Comparative Study of Cultural Differences Between English and Chinese—A Case Study of Chinese and English Greetings

Abstract

Language is the carrier of culture. This paper explores the differences between Chinese and English greetings reflected from the purpose, function, applicable occasions and linguistic features of greetings. Chinese people like to live together and help each other. They are close to each other and tend to greet each other by caring about each other’s food, clothing, housing and transportation in the form of interrogative sentences. In contrast, British people and Americans emphasize individualism, and their personal interests are higher than those of the collective, even higher than those of the state. English greetings do not involve personal privacy such as personal age, work, career, family and emotion. Chinese people are more implicit in expressing their ideas, and they focus on curved thinking. They are inclined to lay the groundwork one by one and express their own views at the end. Westerners focus on straight-line thinking, like to be frank and open to express their ideas. Western greetings often begin with talking about the weather and praising the other party. The author believes that in the process of cross-cultural greetings, Chinese English learners should be familiar with the cultural differences behind the greetings in English and Chinese, take into account the communication objects, avoid Chinese thinking, and thus enhance the friendship between the two sides.