发布时间 : 星期日 文章江南大学中级口译教程（英汉对照）更新完毕开始阅读fc6ce8f6c9d376eeaeaad1f34693daef5ef71335
确实是这样。这种文化差异是由地域、种族、历史和环境的差异造成的，也是由经济和科技水平的差异造成的。
Can you offer us some examples? For instance, during your stay in China, have you found any serious cultural differences or clashes with regard to life and work?
你能给我举些例子吗？比如说，你在中国的生活和工作中发现什么严重的文化差异或冲突吗？ We emphasize efficiency, competition and originality while your management gives priority to careful planning and encourage close cooperation and altruistic dedication among team members. In daily contacts, we tend to be humorous and casual while some of you appear more serious and formal. In American schools, discussion is given top priority and seminar is the usual way of class. Good teachers are those who possesss flexible and adaptable talents, and are able to respond instantaneously at any moment to any questions that might arise among the students. That kind of capacity makes a popular teacher in the USA. But Chinese teachers like to lecture in class, and a lot of them are obsessed with examinations; they spend long hours planning and preparing lessons, and writing consistent and standardized teaching plans. All too often, they ‘re happy with bringing up identical and standardized talents.
我们强调效率、竞争和独创性，而你们则将严谨规划放在首位，鼓励团队成员之间的密切合作和无私奉献。在日常交往中，我们往往比较幽默和随意，而你们则比较认真和严肃。在美国学校，讨论享有至高无上的地位，讨论就是课堂教学的主旋律。优秀教师具有灵活应变的才能，能随时回答学生可能提出的各种问题。这样的教师最受学生欢迎。而中国教师喜欢讲课，喜欢考试，花许多时间去备课，编写千篇一律的标准教案，培养整齐划一的高材生。
I think Americans gives too much importance to individualism and personal gains, so much so that it might sacrifice collective benefits, hurt the agreeable relationship among group members and even bring harm to the harmony of the society.
我感到美国人太看重个人主义，太看重个人利益，这样可能会牺牲集体利益，影响群体之间的和睦，甚至会损害社会的和谐。
Yes , in many cases, you’re right. American working ethic seems to be more individual-oriented. We often value the results and accomplishments of work more than its process. Central to American political, economic and social thought is the concept of individual moral autonomy. If I’m not mistaken, traditional Chinese philosophical systems are based on Confucianism, which sings high praises for individual to uplift themselves for the benefit of communal harmony. That is, communal harmony takes precedence over individual freedom.
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你说得对，在很多情况下，确实如此。我们美国人的工作理念似乎更强调个人主义。我们一般重视的是结果和成就，而不是过程。美国的政治观、经济观以及社会观的核心就是个人道德自治观。如果我没理解错的话，中国传统的思想体系是以儒家学说为基础的，这种思想强调整体和谐，强调整体和谐高于个人自由。
You may say so. I should say you’re partially correct on that. In spite of so many cultural differences, globalization has brought the world increasingly closer. Likewise, cultural exchanges have become more more extensive.
可以这样说，应该说是不分正确吧。尽管我们有如此多的文化差异，全球化浪潮正使世界变得越来越小，文化交流也随之变得越来越广泛。
Yes。 The global integration of economy and the speeding information revolution have brought the world closer than ever before. Chinese learn English, Americans learn Chinese; we drink tea, you drink coca-cola; we exercise Kung Fu, you go to bowling; we enjoy Peking Duck, you like KFC; Titanic sailed into China, The Peony Pavilion has been performed on Broadway. Nowadays, easterners and westerners are walking side by side, talking face to face, living, working and studying in harmony. The whole world is becoming increasingly beautiful due to exchanges.
是的。全球经济一体化、不断加速信息革命，等等，都使世界的联系比以往更加紧密。中国人学习英语，美国人学习汉语；我们饮茶，你们喝可乐；我们练功夫，你们玩保龄球；我们品尝北京烤鸭，你们喜欢肯德基；泰坦尼克号驶进中国，牡丹亭也在百脑汇上演了。现在，东西方人肩并肩走，面对面交谈，和谐的生活、工作和学习。整个世界由于文化的交流而变得越来越美丽。 Yes, Chinese beauty and American beauty are walking together .I believe there’s still much room for further discussion on this topic. As time is limited, we have to stop here today. We’ll find some other time to continue our talk. Thank you .
是的，中国历任和美国丽人走到了一起。我想这个话题还有许多值得我们探讨的地方，由于时间关系，我们今天暂且谈到这里，以后我们再接着聊吧。谢谢。
My pleasure. Yes, we’ll do it some other time. 不客气。是呀，我们另找时间再接着聊吧。
4-3经营之道
Hi, Mr. Jackson. You have been working in China for three years. Can you tell us how you feel about the differences in business communication style between Chinese and American businessmen?
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您好，杰克逊先生。你在中国已连续工作了三年，您能否谈下中美两国生意人在商务沟通方式上有何不同之处？
With pleasure. I think there are at least two differences in the way of businesspeople communication between Chinese and American businesspeople. First, Chinese
businessmen tend to have business negotiations in a rather indirect manner, as opposed to the more direct manner of American businesspeople. The Chinese take time to learn if their prospective business contacts are really reliable, for example, by inviting them to a party and socializing with them. In contrast, Americans usually act with the get-down-to-business-first mentality. Second, the decision-making process of Chinese companies is generally slow and time-consuming. This is because most Chinese companies keep to the “bottom-up, then top-down and then bottom-up” decision-making principle which involves many people at different levels. American companies, on the other hand, usually operate with quick decisions made by the top management. I hope American
businesspeople in China will understand these differences in business practices and adjust to the Chinese way.
我很乐意。我认为中美两国生意人在商务沟通方式上至少有两点不同。首先，中国人在商务谈判时倾向于一种迂回婉转的方式，而美国人则表现出一种直截了当的风格。中国人会花费时间来了解他们将要与之打交道的商人是否靠得住，例如邀请对方参加宴会，同时他们进行交流。与之相反，美国人则以公务为先的心态行事。第二，中国公司的决策过程耗时冗长。这是因为大部分中国公司遵循者一种“先自上而下、后自下而上、再自上而下”的决策原则，各个层次上的许多人士都会介入决策过程。而美国公司通常是由最高管理人士的快速决策运作。我希望在华的美国商人理解这些商务活动中的差异，适应中国人的经营之道。
The American way of doing business often strikes us Chinese as very aggressive. Were you aware of this in your collaboration With your Chinese colleagues?
美国式的经营之道在我们中国人看来往往显得咄咄逼人。您在与中国同事的合作中有没有注意到这一点？
Well, we are more direct and straightforward than most Chinese, I would say, due to our different cultural traditions. I notice that a lot of Chinese often avoid saying a clear “no” just to be polite. Sometimes my Chinese colleagues say “yes” not to express agreement, but only to show that they are listening.
这个嘛，我我认为，由于我们有着不同的文化传统，所以我们同大部分中国人相比，显得较为直截了当、开门见山。我注意到许多中国人出于礼貌而经常不明确的说一声“不”。有时我的中国同事道一声“是”，这可布什表示赞同，只是表明他们在注意对方说话而已。
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It is important for all of us to acknowledge and respect these cultural differences in order to avoid misunderstandings, isn’t it?
我们都应该承认这些文化差异，尊重这些差异，以免产生误解，这很重要，不是吗？ Yes, understanding these differences, I believe, will be a first step toward establishing affirm business relationship between American and Chinese companies.
是的，我认为，理解这些差异是朝着在美国公司和中国公司之间建立稳固商务关系的方向迈出的第一步。
You mentioned the Chinese type of decision-making process earlier. Do you see any strength with this type of management and how do you compare it with the American type of management？
刚才您提到了中国式的决策过程，您认为这种管理模式有无优点？将其与美国式的管理模式相比，你有何看法？
I would say the American-type, or the top-down, management emphasizes efficiency, and competition among workers, while the Chinese-type management gives priority to careful planning and encourages cooperation among workers, and between workers and the management. Thus, while the American-type management often frustrates many workers, the Chinese-type management gives workers a joy of participation and fulfillment, and a sense of pride in their work.
我感到美国式的自上而下的管理方式注重效率，注重员工间的竞争。而中国式的管理方式的特点就是，优先考虑周密的计划，鼓励员工间的合作，鼓励员工与管理层之间的合作。因此，美国是的管理方式常常使许多员工感到沮丧，而中国式的管理方式能使员工有一种喜悦的参与感和成就感，对自己的工作抱一种自豪感。
Talking about worker’s attitude toward their work, how do the Chinese and the American differ in this respect?
谈到员工的工作态度，中国人和美国人在这方面有何不同?
I think most Chinese view work as essential for having membership in a community. They believe that work allows them to have the sense of belonging in a community. In other words, work is necessary for them to gain social acceptance in the society. That is why many Chinese managers and employees work so hard to maintain their positions in their companies. Also, they see work as the most important thing in life. That is, they have tried to find the meaning of life through their jobs. While the Chinese work ethic is based on social pressure and community belonging, the American work ethic seems to be more
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