Abstract:With the rapid development of globalization, communication between China and foreign countries is growing increasingly, especially when China entered WTO and successfully held Beijing Olympic Games and Guangzhou Asian Games. There is no doubt that the social etiquette plays an important role in the process of communication. Social etiquette is formed between the exchange of culture and social communication. Since each country has its own social etiquette, which is built on the basis of their spiritual and cultural standards, which is the cause of the difference of social etiquette. In this paper, in order to compare the social etiquette differences between China and western countries, the author will take an example of American countries. Many scholars have done researched on social etiquette, but most of them mainly focus on the significances, instead of the discussion of the differences. This paper attempts to analyze study the differences of social etiquette.

Key words: Cultural difference; social etiquette; daily communication

Table of Contents

Abstract

摘要

1. Introduction-1

1.1 Culture and Social Etiquette1

1.2 The Concept of Cultural Differences.1

1.3 The Significance of Research.2

2. Literature Review-3

2.1 Researches on Social Etiquette at Home.3

2.2 Researches on Social Etiquette Abroad.3

3. The Distinction of the Social Etiquettes between China and Western Counries-5

3.1 The Influencing Factors 5

3.1.1 Cultural Background.5

3.1.2 Different Value5

3.1.3 Nationalism.6

3.2. Cultural Differeces in Appellation6

3.2.1 The Differences of Traditional Appellation between China and America6

3.2.2 Humble Appellation and Honorific.7

3.2.3 Title of Appellation.8

3.3 Greetings and Farewell.9

3.3.1 Greetings.9

3.3.2 Farewell10

3.4 Compliments and Responses.10

3.5 Expression of Thanks.11

4. Conclusion-.12

References-.13

Acknowledgements14