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礼貌的性别差异

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摘 要: 两性在言语交际中遵从礼貌原则的情况不同,女性语言比男性语言更符合礼貌原则的要求。女性语言委婉得体,喜欢赞美对方,尽量与对方保持一致,使用间接性的语言,对于弱势的一方,不乏使用关爱同情的言语,而男性则相反。本文选取《傲慢与偏见》中的人物对话进行了分析,从策略准则和宽宏准则、赞扬准则和谦虚准则,赞同准则、同情准则等方面,总结其中所体现的礼貌的性别差异

关键词: 礼貌原则 性别差异 《傲慢与偏见》 人物会话

1.前言

Leech效法Grice的合作原则,于1983年提出了一条重要的语用原则――礼貌原则(politeness principle)。如果说合作原则在会话中起着调节说话人说话内容的作用,它使说话人在假设对方乐于合作的前提下能进行交际,那么礼貌原则则具有更高一层的调节作用,它维护了交谈双方的均等地位和他们之间的友好关系,是对合作原则的进一步完善。PP的准则虽然有六个,但是我们可以把其中相似或相关的一对合并起来,共四条:(1)策略和宽宏准则(tact and generosity maxim):尽力减少对方的损(cost)而尽量扩大他的惠(benefit);(2)赞扬和谦逊准则(approbation modesty maxim):尽力减少诋毁他人,要尽力夸赞他,对自己则要相反;(3)赞同准则(agreement maxim):尽力减少对他人观点的不同意见,即尽力夸大与他人的一致性;(4)同情准则(sympathy maxim):尽力缩小自身对他人的厌恶和冷漠;尽力夸大自身对他人的同情。以上原则是人们在交际中一般都遵守的礼貌原则(侯国金,2008:99-100)。从各条准则中我们可以看出,说话人说话时往往都尽量多给别人一点方便,尽量自己多吃一点亏,从而在交际中使对方感到受尊重,同时又获得对方对自己的好感,就是遵循了礼貌原则。

礼貌原则在人们的交际中普遍存在,它的运用受到社会因素的影响。性别就是影响礼貌原则运用的一个社会因素。人们通过对男女交谈者的对比研究发现,女性大多数能够忠实地遵守礼貌原则,更多地给予对方以支持,尽量避免固执己见或者提出反对意见,以示尊重对方;而男性容易违背礼貌原则,他们倾向于发表自己的意见,提出与别人相左的意见,力图维护自己的声誉,而使对方难堪。下面就以小说《傲慢与偏见》为分析材料,从策略准则和宽宏准则、赞扬准则和谦虚准则,赞同准则、同情准则几个方面,简要分析性别如何具体影响礼貌原则的运用。

2.《傲慢与偏见》人物会话中礼貌的性别差异分析

小说《傲慢与偏见》是英国著名女作家简・奥斯汀的经典之作。尽管是一部文学作品,其中的语言带有艺术加工的成分,但是这部小说以18世纪末、19世纪初英国社会阶层的日常生活为题材、一反当时社会上流行的感伤小说的内容和矫揉造作的写作方式,真实地反映了上流社会和中产阶层、男性和女性之间的矛盾。其中的人物对话高度浓缩了那个时代各色人物的语言会话特点,了解这些特点,对我们分析社会语言规律具有一定的借鉴作用。

2.1策略准则与宽宏准则

长期以来,女性在社会和家庭中处于较低的地位,会话中常常处于劣势,表现在策略和宽宏的原则中就是:语气委婉而温和,多用问句来表达意见、征求意见,更多地照顾听话人的消极面子,期待听话人能顺着自己的话题将交谈继续下去,或者答应自己的要求或请求。而男性的讲话通常坚定有力,不拖泥带水,不拐弯抹角。

第一段对话在小说的开头,当班纳特太太知道尼日尔福德庄园来了一位有钱的单身汉,要丈夫去拜访一下新来的邻居……富有的单身汉宾利先生,有这样一段对话:

“My dear Mr Bennet,”said his lady one day,“have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?”

Mr Bennet answered that he had not.

“But it is,”she said.“Mrs Long has just been there and she told me all about it.”Mr Bennet made no answer.

“Do not you want to know who has taken it?”cried his wife.

“You want to tell me,and I have no objection to hearing it.”

This was invitation enough.

“Why,my dear,you must know that Mrs Long says that Netherfield is taken by a rich young man from the north of England;that he came down on Monday to see the place,and was so happy with it he agreed to take it.His servants will be in the house by the end of next week.”

“What is his name?”

“Bingley.”

“Is he married or single?”

“Oh! single,my dear! A single man of large fortune.What a good thing for our girls!”

“How so?”

“My dear MrBennet,”answered his wife.“You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them.”

“Is that why he is coming here?”

“Nonsense! But it is very probable that he will fall in love with one of them so you must visit him as soon as he comes.”

“Why me?You and the girls can go,or you can send them alone,which will be even better.You are as handsome as any of them.Mr Bingley might like you best.”

“My dear,you flatter me.When a woman has five daughters she ought to stop thinking of her own beauty.But you must go and see Mr Bingley when he comes.”

(节选1)

班纳特太太使用了大量具有女性特征的话语,如频繁地使用亲昵称呼“my dear”,在短短的对话中使用了五次同样的字眼,以求语气委婉,使丈夫能够接受她的探访宾利先生的要求。而班纳特先生对妻子恳切亲密的语气没有报以热情的回应,要么直接以“No”作答,要么“made no answer”,要么说“You want to tell me,and I have no objection to hearing it.”,他语气生硬、态度冷淡,完全不顾及妻子的面子。可见,女性比男性更遵循策略和宽宏准则。

2.2赞扬和谦虚准则

在赞扬准则上,女性较男性而言,较多地恭维别人,同时也较多地受到恭维。女性喜欢用模棱两可、间接的甚至是吹捧的话来表达赞美,以示礼貌。而其相互恭维的主题主要表现在服饰、相貌等外在表现,而男性的赞扬较少。

Because there were few gentlemen,Elizabeth Bennet had been obliged to sit down for two dances.She had overheard a conversation between Mr Bingley and his friend.

“Come,Darcy,”said he,“you must dance.”

“Certainly not.You know how much I despise it when I do not know mypartner.Your sisters arenotfree and you are dancing with the only handsome girl here.”Mr Darcy looked at Jane Bennet.

“Jane is the most beautiful girl I ever saw,but one of her sisters is very pretty.I can ask my partner to introduce you.”

“Which one?”Darcy turned around and looked at Elizabeth.“She is tolerable,but not handsome enough for me.” (节选2)

在此段对话中,宾利向达西介绍简的妹妹伊丽莎白为舞伴,达西却没有称赞的意味,问到“which one”,同时用“tolerable”、“not handsome enough to me”等字眼,足以看出男性的话语风格中赞誉成分较少,语言较务实直接。

对比以下发生于简和伊丽莎白姐妹间的对话:

Later,when the sisters were alone,Jane told Elizabeth how much she likedMr Bingley.

“He is just what a young man should be,”she said.“Intelligent,agreeable,lively.I never saw such a happy manner.”

“He is also handsome,”said Elizabeth,“which a young man should be if he possibly can.”

“I was surprised that he asked me to dance twice.I did not expect such a compliment.”

“I did for you.It was natural.You were five times as pretty as every other woman in the room.”

“Dear Lizzy!”

“You know you like people in general too much.You never see a fault in anyone.And so,do you like this man’s sisters too?”

“They are friendly women when you speak to them.I think they will be good neighbours.”

(节选3)

简不断向妹妹夸奖宾利先生“Intelligent,agreeable,lively”,溢美之词溢于言表。同时,伊丽莎白对姐姐的观点完全赞同,甚至还补充了许多赞美之词。如“He is also handsome,”“You were five times as pretty as every other woman in the room.”。

2.3赞同准则

在这一准则上,女性比男性更容易附和或者同意对方的观点,而男性则喜欢提出异议。此外,女性较多使用模糊性修饰语。这样,说话人就给听话人留了一定的面子,而不是断然下结论,因此顾及了对方和自己的面子。

例如在节选2中,宾利夸赞简的妹妹“pretty”,而达西给出的回答却是“tolerable,not handsome enough for me”以表示与朋友不一样的欣赏眼光,这样直截了当地提出异议,足以看出男性在赞同准则上的违背性。

而在节选3中,伊丽莎白不断附和姐姐简对宾利的赞誉,这正是在遵循赞同原则。同时,对于妹妹不断地赞誉,姐姐说道“Dear Lizzy”,我们可以看出姐姐简的目的是表示赞同妹妹的评价,这正是女性追求赞同准则的体现。

2.4同情准则

在同情准则的遵守和违背上,主要针对别人的不幸遭遇上,女性经常对此表示安慰,而男性却往往显得较平静平淡镇定。

When she could,she told Darcy the story.

“When I think,”she said,“that it might not have happened if I had told my family about him!But it is all,all too late now.”

“I am shocked and sorry indeed!”cried Darcy.He walked up and down the room,

Elizabeth understood.He could no longer feel for her after such an example of the complete impropriety of her family.Never had she felt so sure that she could have loved him as now,when all love must be in vain.

当伊丽莎白得知妹妹莉迪亚私奔之后,痛哭不止,既同情父母的感受,也同情妹妹的境遇,当她逐渐恢复平静的时候,才能有力气告诉达西所发生的事情,但是达西却只说了一句话,“I am shocked and sorry indeed!”语言很显得匮乏,同时转身上楼离开了。虽然他也同情莉迪亚的遭遇,但仅在思维中,而不在言语中“deep in thought,his manner severe”。

三、结语

本文尝试运用语用学理论中的礼貌原则来分析《傲慢与偏见》中的人物对话,可以看出男女的性别差异导致对礼貌原则的运用有所不同。认识到这种差异,在实际生活中,这使我们能够自觉意识到调整自己的言语模式,把言语看作是一种社会活动,以适应自己所处的工作生活环境,并进行有效的社会交际:更好地增进理解,避免矛盾,实现和谐。

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