Intercultural small talk: An ethnographic analysis of interactions among Chinese and Americans

This dissertation project is an ethnographic study of small talk interactions between and among Chinese and Americans. The author used ethnographic interviewing and participant observation to collect data among Chinese students and scholars and Americans on the campus of the University of Maryland at College Park. Data analysis employed Hymes' (1972) framework of SPEAKING.; The first phase of the project focused on investigation of small talk (liao in Chinese) among the Chinese. Chapter III presents a systematic descriptive analysis of Chinese liao from natives' perspectives. Findings included a typology of terms for liao, major determinants of liao, structure of liao, regulative rules of liao, and the functions and outcomes of liao.; The second phase of the study first reviewed empirical research on American small talk according to Hymes' (1972) framework of SPEAKING. Comparison of research findings on American small talk with the ethnographic account of Chinese liao talk generated guidelines for further ethnographic investigation of Chinese-American small talk interactions. The findings of the second phase of the study are reported in Chapter IV. The study discovered that small talk between Americans and Chinese is problematic because of differing cultural beliefs about personhood, different communication styles, divergent patterns of enactment, dissimilar interests in topics, and varying discursive structures.; This dissertation ultimately provides (1) a complete ethnographic account of Chinese small talk; (2) a thorough summary review of research literature on American small talk; and (3) a cultural comparison and analysis of Chinese-American small talk interactions from natives' perspectives. In Chapter V, the author discusses implications of this ethnographic research for the study of small talk as a culturally particular speech event and points out theoretical implications for intercultural communication research and implications for intercultural training. Furthermore, the treatment of a group of sojourners as a speech community challenges the traditional conceptualization of a speech community and raises questions about generalizations derived from study of particular sub-groups. Finally, the study suggests modifications of Hymes' (1972) framework.