Abstract:Silence, which plays a vital role in interpersonal communication, involves various kinds of information at different levels. Silence has very distinct cultural characteristics. In different cultures, connotations of silence are also not the same. This paper first gives the basic information about silence，and then makes a comparison and an analysis of silence under the Sino-US culture in chitchat among friends and colleagues, common dialogues between parents and children, classroom communication, conversations between superiors and subordinates and negotiations among Companies and even among international cooperation one by one. It’s easy to find that when faced with various matters, Chinese people usually hold a silent attitude in many occasions. While, the Americans are more articulate. They often respond in a more direct way. At last, this paper draws a conclusion that the main causes of the above differences are the Sino-US cultural differences among customs, thinking pattern, educational mode, communicational mode, and so on.

Key words: silence; cultural contexts; significance

Contents

摘要

Abstract

1 INTRODUCTION-1

2 AN OVERVIEW OF SILENCE-3

2.1 The Characteristics of Silence-3

2.2 Functions of Silence-4

2.3 The Classifications of Silence-4

3 ANALYSES OF SIGNIFICANCES OF SILENCE IN CHINESE AND AMEICAN CULTURAL CONTEXTS-7

3.1 Significances of Silence in Chitchat among Friends and Colleagues-7

3.2 Significances of Silence in Conversations between Parents and Children-8

3.3 Significances of Silence in Teacher-learner Classroom Communication-11

3.4 Significances of Silence in Conversations between Superiors and Subordinates-12

3.5 Significances of Silence in Negotiations among Companies and International Cooperations-14

4 CONCLUSION-17

REFERENCES-19

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS-20