旅游英语专业毕业论文(2)
2．Literature Review
As we all know, different countries have different cultures. Culture is the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one category of people from another (Hofstadter, 1991). As a kind of social customs, table manners are influenced by culture and vary in different areas. China, known as civilized ancient country, has characteristic table manners with a long history. Western countries also formed their own table manners during the syncretism of nations and modernization. To a certain degree, having good table manners is a symbol of a nation's civilization and an expression of a person's moral cultivation and accomplishment level as well.
With the deepen of open policy in our country and the strengthen of communication between East and West, it is necessary for us to improve the consciousness of cross-cultural communication and know the differences of table manners, such as sense of arriving time, seat arrangement, order of serving dishes, tableware, behaviors, communication and so on. The fully understanding of the differences can prevent the failure in politeness and promote personal status on the dinner table. Only if we realize cultural connotation of table manners and the differences between East and West, can we talk and behave decently in cross-cultural communication and make social communication harmonious.
With an acute eye and an irrepressible wit, Margaret Vassar takes a fascinating look at the way we eat our meals in the book The Rituals of Dinner. From the ancient Greeks to modern yuppies, from cannibalism and the taking of the Eucharist to formal dinners and picnics, she thoroughly defines the eating ritual. She takes the different table manners in different areas and races to show the development of the world civilization. In the book Culture on Dinner Table, Mr. Yi Zhongtian (2004) says that the core thought of Chinese culture is group consciousness while the western core thought is individual consciousness. Westerners order respective dishes by themselves rather than ask others for what they want. On the contrary, Chinese agrees that personal will should obey group common thought. In the book Differences and Syncretism of Etiquette Culture between East and West, Mr. Li Xiaojun explores the syncretism of etiquette culture between East and West on the basis of table manners to achieve the harmonious society. Yu Lin and Zhou You compare the cultural differences between East and West from the point of view on tableware, seat arrangement, dinner atmosphere and language. It aims at warning people to treat exotic culture with an objective, tolerant and respectful attitude while insisting on their own culture, in order to communicate properly and appropriately in cross-cultural communication.
