The Difference Of Address Forms And Cultural Factors Between Chinese And English

Language is a part of culture. People of different nations differ in culture, history, custom and convention, and these differences can be shown in their languages. Thus different national people may have their own vocative expressions. During the process of intercultural communication, the ignorance of the partner’s way to use the address will cause pragmatic failure and even break down the communication.The culture difference between English and Chinese kinship terms lies in the division of patriarchal and non-patriarchal clans, details and omissions of paterchal and maternal kinships terms, elder-younger relations and seniority order, blood relations by marriage, construction of derivatives, generalization. In non-kinship terms (social address forms), Chinese has more complex address words. The reasons of such phenomenon are the different histories, concepts of bearing, concepts of friendships, as well as the different beliefs.This paper mainly expresses the similarities and differences of the English and Chinese address forms from the two aspects of the kinship and social address form. What’s more, the author analyzes the address forms from the aspects of historical reasons, background of culture,clanism,concepts of family and value orientation so that the readers can have a better understanding of it. And will of the address terms to the cultural factors into teaching Chinese as a foreign language.It is hoped that this paper can help people to understand each other easily and set up good relationship.