摘　要

    语言既是文化的载体，又是文化的一部分，语言受到文化的影响，是文化的一面镜子。礼貌是文化的重要组成部分, 因此礼貌用语作为语言的一部分与文化也是密不可分。英汉文化不同，英汉语言的礼貌原则也存在差异。礼貌用语在跨文化交际中起着十分重要的作用,是良好的人际关系得以维持的基石。礼貌用语在跨文化交际中使用的是否得体,将直接关系着交际是否能够顺利进行下去,是否能够达到交际目的。本文试图从称谓语、问候语、称赞语、禁忌语四方面入手，重点探究中英文化礼貌现象的差异，并从农耕文化与海洋文化，儒家文化与基督教文化以及集体主义与个人主义的角度，对造成中英方礼貌差异的深层原因进行剖析，以期加深对礼貌现象的认识，实现中英方文化的折中，实现正确使用礼貌用语，提高跨文化交际能力。

关键词：礼貌用语；文化差异；跨文化交际
 
Abstract

    With the rapid development of every country，different cultural backgrounds produce different politeness languages. Language, as part of culture, is influenced by culture. So is politeness. Polite language is the important part of the culture. All the polite languages are the mirrors of their cultures. Therefore, different politeness is the result of different culture. Different cultures between Chinese and English lead to different politeness principles. Polite language plays a very important role in the cross-cultural communication. Whether the use of polite languages is proper or not will directly influence the communication. In order to know the use of the polite language and improve cross-cultural communication, this paper，after introduction and literature review, discussed the influence of Chinese and English cultural differences on polite language through various aspects，such as differences in addressing，greetings，compliments and taboo. Furthermore, this paper will also elaborate the causes for the differences in Chinese and English, such as farming culture vs. marine culture, Confucianism based culture vs. Christianity based culture and collectivism-oriented culture vs. individualism-oriented culture. It is no doubt that it will make the cross-cultural communication successful at last. In a word, it’s very important for Chinese to know the influence of Chinese and English cultural differences on polite language clearly in international environment.

Key words: polite language; cultural difference; cross-cultural communication

1 Introduction
  
Language is basically a product of culture, Language coexists with culture. What is polite language? Generally speaking, the polite words, in the broadest sense of the word, means all the manners and the caused consequences by using polite language. While, the narrow one only means some special words expressing ceremony which are reasonable and acceptable in various communication occasions. To be polite not only demands the sentence are “reasonable”, but also “acceptable” in the specific group. Polite language, as part of language, is no doubt a reflection of culture. It is an indispensable part in the daily life. It is the social phenomenon shared by all the societies.