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1 Introduction

The current research is an analysis of acceptance speeches of Chinese and American olympic athletes. This chapter mainly consists of the research background, the significance of the study, the methodology and the general organization.
1.1 Research Background
With the development of globalization, intercultural communication has becoming greatly strengthened. International trades and commerce, new technologies of communication, immigration waves, and free flow of labor forces all make some contribution to the deepening of intercultural communication. We have to admit that intercultural communication offer us both some good new opportunities and formidable challenges. On one hand, it boosts intercultural dialogue, harmony and consensus; on the other hand, it creates intercultural prejudice, confusion and conflict. One of the leading barriers to intercultural understanding is cultural difference. No doubt, there is an urgent need for us to make deeper and systematic study on this issue. Such as how different culture values affect our way of communication, and how to overcome the cultural gap and reach mutual understanding.
 Geert Hofstede refers to culture as “the software of the mind”(Hofstede,1991). Human beings do and say according to their culture. So the culture influences people’s thinking patterns, the way to express themselves. We can say that language reflects culture and expresses its values.
1.2 Significance of the Study   
This thesis will analyze the acceptance speeches of Chinese and American olympic athletes. To be more specific, we will analyze the differences between the Chinese and American values from what they saying. For many years, a lot of scholars did lots of research on the issue, but few of them put the attention on the acceptance speeches of olympic athletes.
In recent years, with the increase in various international competitions, people gradually realized that the stadium is becoming an important place for intercultural communication. We should be sensitive to different values and this helps the interaction between athletes of different countries, and a lot of potential misunderstanding and conflict can be avoided. Help this thesis make some contribution to the study on Sino-US values differences and the communication between the Chinese and American athletes.
   
1.3 Methodology
  This thesis is carried out by using data chosen from the video on the internet and some sports news. After the founding of the People’s Republic, so far, our country has took part in summer and winter olympic games for nine times respectively. So it offers a rich data for my study.
1.4 General Organization
The thesis is composed of four chapters.
Chapter1 is a lead-in of the research background, purpose and significance, methodology as well as the basic structure of the thesis.
Chapter 2 introduces the overview and basic theories to support my study and focuses on the data analysis of the acceptance speeches.
Chapter 3 focuses on the reasons that cause the differences of Sino-US values. Besides, the thesis come up with some solutions to overcome the cultural gap that because of the cultural differences.
Chapter 4 is the conclusion part, which sums up the whole thesis.

2 See the Sino-US value differences from acceptance speeches of the athletes

2.1 Corpus source description and sampling methods
  Acceptance speech is the speech given after one has got an award. Acceptance speech can be prepared or impromptu. It often carries the following messages: the thankfulness of the receivers’ to someone who used to help them; the information that the winners want to share or pass to other people. In modern days, acceptance speech is eventually becoming a  kind of art. The words and contents are carefully designed, the winners seem to into another competition when they give their speeches.To get a convincing result, we need to select data very carefully to guarantee the validity and the reliability. First the acceptance speech chosen must be in the same field of award, such as politics, academics, sports or entertainment, because each kind of acceptance speech has its own functions, connotation, implication and significance. In this thesis we choose the acceptance speech in sports.
  Through search the internet, I collected a lot of videos and sport news. Such as the Chinese TV program???????60??and the American TV program ESPY(An ESPY Award is an accolade presented by the American cable television network ESPN to recognize individual and team athletic achievement and other sports-related performance during the calendar year preceding a given annual ceremony). I choose 30 olympic athletes(15 Chinese athletes and 15 American athletes) and analysis their acceptance speeches.
2.2 The examples and data analysis
  As accepting award is always among the most important experiences of one’s life, and the contents what the winners say will to be passed to all people, so the acceptance speech carries much of the value system of the winners. Now , I will give you several examples to show the Sino-US value differences more clearly.
(1) ?????????????????????????……???????????????????????????????????……
                                       —??
?2?……??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
                                        —???
?3?I didn’t expect this at all. I want to thank all fans, you guys voted it and this is all because of you, …… , I want to thank my family and friends and everyone who supported me over the years and I want to thank my husband Thomas, I love you so much. Thank you for always supporting me …… 
—Indsey Vonn
    (4) First, I’d like to thank my wife ,my son Byron, he is at home, in bed, I hope. My other son, he will be here in three months. I love you so much, I also like to thank all those who sacrifice so much for me, ……?I want to thank my team, my coach……
—Drew Brees
All above is just some typical acceptance speeches, we can see that most speeches are express the receivers’gratitude to the people who helped and supported them along the way. But we still can find the differences from the Chinese and American athletes’ acceptance speech. Such as Chinese athletes apt to thank their coaches and the State General Administration of Sport. While, the most American athletes trend to give their thankfulness to their families. If we create a table according to who the athletes give their thankfulness to ,after data analysis, the findings are as follows in this table.

Table 1

2.3 Acceptance speech analysis

2.3.1 individualism / collectivism
 According to Hofestede, there are four dimensions in which cultures differ, one dimension that has received consistent attention from both cross-cultural communication researchers and psychologists around the world is individualism-collectivism. The individualism-collectivism dichotomy is an important element to understand the Western and Eastern cultures, because it tells a major difference between the two cultures. The individualism-collectivism dichotomy has been widely used to explain cultural differences in behaviors. Hofstede defines individualism and collectivism as follows:    “Individualism pertains to societies in which the ties between individuals are loose: Everyone is expected to look after himself or herself and his or her immediate family. Collectivism as its opposite pertains to societies in which people from birth onwards are integrated into strong cohesive in-groups, which throughout people's lifetime continue to protect them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty”.(Hofstede,1991)
  According to table one, we can see that when give the acceptance speech, most Chinese athletes express their thankfulness to their teams and teamates. While, less than 50% of American athletes do that. Instead, only 20% of Chinese athletes thank themselves, but the ratio is very high when it comes to the American athletes.
  That’s because our Chinese advocate the collectivism, while American uphold the individualism. Collectivism emphasize the concept of “we”, collective identity, emotional dependence and resource sharing. Collective only emphasize the group’s opinion and individual’s opinion often replaced by the group’s. So Chinese people don’t pay much attention to personal honour and often overlook themselves. On the contrary, individualism
emhasize the self-consciousness. In individualistic culture, people encourages fair competition, individual’s goal often replace the orgnazition’s goal, individual is more important than collective. So , they pay attention to the individual success.
 
2.3.2 Power Distance
  Power distance is one of the four dimensions on which cultures differ. This cultural dimension discribes how individuals within a society view power and consequently, their role in decision making. It indicates the extent to which a society accepts the fact the power in situations and organizations is distributed unequally among individuals(Hofstede,1991). Hofstede thought that power distance is concerned about the equall problem among individuals. In all levels in society, such as school, the company, the family, power distance exist. And it’s together with graded system. Because of many factors, there are power distance differences between two countries and the difference is reflected by power distance index. In high power distance society, people tend to accept the graded system and always show their respect for the people on a higher position who enjoy more privilege. People in such a society, just like Chinese, stress the individual position differences and they are willing to accept such kind of unbalanced power delegation. While people in low power distance society, like Americans, strike for equality.
 From table one, we can see that more than 50% of the Chinese winners refer to the state or State General Administration of Sport, meanwhile, only about 13% of American athletes refer to the state or State General Administration of Sport when they make their speech.
 That’s because China is a high power distance country, Chinese people willing to accept such kind of unbalanced power delegation. They obey the authority and follow the rules very carefully. State General Administration of Sport is a authority. So most of Chinese athletes express their gratitude to it firstly. While , American is a low power distance society, people purse the equality, so they are not apt to obey the authority.

2.4 From China and the United States point of view of "self" cognitive differences
 
3 Reasons for the differences of the Sino-US values and coping strategies
Wang Meng said, "one world, one dream, One world one dream, the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games slogan, mention is very well! In such a spirit of the Olympic Games, the Chinese people in Huailai to host international guests, universal attention of the Olympic Games, with patriotism and internationalism that communism, socialism, ideological realm to display the image of China, with the construction of a harmonious society and harmonious world concept, with its inherent Chinese world Datong ideal to return to seek oneself, self weigh, I have the following suggestions for the sports propaganda:

A, no longer take "sports is peace during the war", the competition inherent winning or losing, but the fundamental spirit of sports events is the development of sports, to enhance the people's physique, is a win-win, win-win, and war in the fight at outrance nothing like it.

Don't the political significance of two, on a game winning or losing the exaggerated reports. Such as saying "the Chinese women's volleyball team's victory is the victory of the Chinese nation", so that Chinese football team was established, the failure to myself? The Olympic Games, English is OLIMPIC GAME, GAME say till the cows come home with the game. Especially for our relationship had some unpleasant events in the country, but not to put the game together with the dispute between the contact state. Such as Japan, we must correct the Japanese athletes not polite not friendly to.

3.1 Reasons
3.1.1 See from the history of the Chinese system of values and social structure
Three, especially not in the win after linked to the extremely sensitive content of race, color, eye color, Zhou Ji, in international politics. As a project of track and field of our gold medals that yellow is to run quickly, but can run fast, so big, more than our Africa black brothers and sisters, won so many medals, they should be how to sports scores and black people oppressed history together? Some literary works we emphasize black eyebrows black eyes and yellow skin, also has the deficiency of it, if a European athletes, in the win stressed that their white skin with yellow hair and green eyes, what people think? In Europe, this argument will be prosecuted.

Only the lack of self-confidence, will often put forward our skin and eye. We have self-reliance in the national forest, we have gained the respect and attention from the international community, we can not always stay in the humiliate the country and forfeit its sovereignty, could not lift up the nightmare, we cannot always bullied little daughter-in-law grievances voice. In that case, we look not too generous.

Five, attention to the competitor's respect and friendship. Lost, to openly to each other to win, to be honest; good faith to comfort to each other. The Athens Olympic Games, comrade Liu Xiang to win, defeat the black athletes in particular caught up with is to accept the CCTV interview Comrade Liu Xiang shake hands, very touching. But I rarely seen our athletes express friendship picture to the other players, want to see in the 2008 Beijing Olympic games.

At the Athens Olympic Games, as a foreign player error, the champion in our hands, our reporters, "your this win is by chance?" Answer, "no, should I get a gold medal." This course is an answer, but some rough and not straight Leng deng. If our winning athletes with style and tone another civilization great? We could have answered: "yes, certain strength is good, he would have had the conditions to win the championship, I felt sorry for his mistakes, we will have more opportunities for exchange. As for the title, any person only by luck and the errors of others is not gold." Will a bit better?

3.1.2 See from the Chinese value system of the origin of morality
As early as two thousand five hundred years ago, Kong Fuzi has already told us, do not want to, do not impose on others, have Yuli written for the people, has been reached and want to master. Professor Fei Xiaotong pointed out: the United States and the United States, beauty beauty, beauty and common principles. We take this as the standard, will be able to embody one world, one dream idea.

Six, to respect international sports organizations. As in the new world record, recognized the special campaign, our athletes said, I don't need to admit. Young athletes say, shows the pride and confidence, can have merit, but is not respect for the rules and procedure. Our media but not copy the report. A result still need to acknowledge, need procedures are completed, be admitted should be happy and grateful, not recognized should be wronged and protest, if they have a problem should be ashamed of yourself, this is normal.

Seven, the outstanding athletes, was moved to tears, of course, is normal and touching. But a considerable age and served as a certain organizational leadership positions in male athletes, cry to win when, award and shed floods down one's cheeks., difficult to upright, affects our athletes image. Even can let a person associate, he was much pressure? I argue that, we can be touched and shed tears, and at the same time, we must grasp the oneself, highlight the high-spirited, optimistic, healthy, open spirit.

Other, remember once, a judo athletes live her speech, she said to be at a party, intentionally crashed a will in the finals with her against foreign athletes, the foreign athletes hastened to apologize to her, she is known, the other is afraid of her, to increase the confidence to win. A warm applause. How can you say that? A, you do not need each other if you. Two, you are not competitions and all can avoid the case, should not occur the body to fight with anyone. Three, international etiquette, such as physical contact, no matter who is the responsibility, should lead to the other party to apologize: Excuse me, it's polite to all have no, let us how to blush.

Over the years, our sports achievement be obvious to people, our media in the publicity effects of physical exercise and the effect on the shine with great splendor. I put forward some problems, in order to strive for further improvement: the Beijing Olympic Games, the one world one dream in the East, to further enhance our thoughts, the degree of civilization and civilized mind. One world, one dream, and I look forward to the Beijing Olympic Games slogan from the eight party, establish I looking forward to the Beijing Olympic Games spirit contributes to a harmonious world.

3.1.3 See from the historical origins of the American value system
The press conference, a reporter asked three questions, leaf verse slightly tense also didn't make it out of the championship excited, give an irrelevant answer to say one or two words, are "the mood is very excited, very excited" to end the question and answer. Apparently reporters have not satisfied with this answer. Asked fourth reporters could not help but injury to men inflicted by evil persons: "as far as I know, Chinese players do day in and day out like a robot to practice, your career is it right? So?"

Speak little or no good at answering questions, may be related to personality, occasion. A good talker, will behave differently in different situations, and it is a 16 year old first on the Olympic stage and won the Olympic champion, first in the face of so many "changqiangduanbao" girl. May be because the habit of small foreign athletes good media interaction, the foreign journalists to leaf verse performance is too stingy and picky.

And on the other a more relaxed, leaf verse facing the China News Agency reporter speak with fervour and assurance: "very excited, feeling like a dream. But I still have to move on." Ye Shiwen said, "due to excessive tension, to London or some insomnia, hope to a good sleep today." The foreign journalists "robot", leaf verse retorted, "my training is science, I had not a robot. I have my own dream and ideal life, get the Olympic champion's dream, but my life doesn't change, I still me." Shy Ye Shiwen couldn't help but told reporters, "don't dare to laugh before, now with the title, finally dare to laugh loudly."

Athletes after winning speechless, Ye is not the first time. In 1990, won the championship in the world famous diver Fu Mingxia friendly games. At that time, attend after the conference Fu Mingxia there from the coach and manager have instructions, no matter what the foreign reporter asked, will be answered "don't know". When you face the "training is bitter?" "Do you want to mom and dad?" "How old are you?" When the three question, Fu Mingxia by "don't know" answer. So, than the small age take diving champion more explosive news was born: "one can only say" don't know "China girl won the champion of the world".

There is "no comment." after the speech, of course also have "he that talks much errs much.". In 2007 the Chinese people's Political Consultative Conference conference, the famous writer Wang Meng made a presentation entitled "one world, one dream" speech, mainly criticized the Liu Xiang after winning "should I get a gold medal", "I proved the yellow people can fly" speech, criticized Liu Xiang's "speech rough"; 2010 Winter Olympic champion Zhou Yang won the gold medal because of a "let my parents live better", by National Sports Bureau deputy director Yu Zaiqing criticized for not "thank the country first"
"Unified caliber" results, is China to the members all nervous from coaches, an interview before a face of serious, cautious. After the game even obtain success also with great care, a "thank you for your support and help." "I still have many shortcomings, not blindly optimistic," "this is the result of our joint effort", once lost, is put on a long face, "I'm sorry you trust" to "go back after a good summary" "not to take the gold medal I'm sorry you" "next to the gold back.". In our players, rarely see the bright smile, even if there is, after winning the tears smile.

Ye Shiwen after a news conference at a loss for words, apparently she had not received any training related to communicate with the media.

"The whole nation system", the provincial and municipal leaders and coaches of the National Games, Asian Games, Olympic Games performance as the Department and individual performance, evaluation of the leading, coaches treatment also depends on competition results. This leads to the sports team training and competition results only catch, ignoring the cultivation of culture quality, the cultural quality of athletes seriously out of touch with the times. Therefore, retired athletes, in addition to part to enter the system or business or advice, some people almost facing can not survive:

For example, the national weightlifting champion Zou Chunlan retired after only in the bathhouse for bathing, once Asia for it "giant" just because of inability to pay medical expenses at the basic skills of young, world champion Liu Fei retired 6 years has been unemployed, some football, basketball player for the club on repeatedly stop training, a famous world champion even the Chinese Pinyin are not, an Asian champions education is only the sixth grade primary school, "swim" Dai Guohong sell clothing, selling vegetables, Ma Jiajun "first pot of gold" Liu Li long-term employment......

3.1.4 See from the religious roots of American values system
 At present, China's professional sports training system. According to statistics, the number of primary schools of small players in China has reached hundreds of thousands of people. The huge population in the professional sports training system, training culture learning and personal culture has not been a corresponding emphasis. Compared with the media communication ability, lack of cultural quality of other more serious. Even the high intelligence such as Yao Ming, have "knowledge cramming" at the entrance of Shanghai Jiaotong University.

Compared to the Chinese athletes "champions into the University", and takes "the University from the Champions".

The United States of America 2008 Olympic squad, most athletes are read in a college or university graduates. The Princeton University has 14 person, 3 person, 9 person of Columbia University Harvard University (including alumni), University of Washington, 16 people, 46 athletes and coaches the University of California at Berkeley.

So the United States of America sports college can become powerful reserve army, fully benefited from American colleges and universities is extremely developed the campus sports culture as well as rich sports atmosphere. These student athletes, as well as the other students to complete homework, professors don't on their distinction. The United States athletes spend in training time is 40-50%, the other time to conduct cultural learning normal, or work to advance the training expenses. In China, many athletes 95% time is used for training, cultural course learning is only a swap.

In Japan, the first, second. If the course is not good, even if you are the most outstanding player still can participate in the competition, even by the coach quantui first concentrate to read good books.

For many years, China's competitive sports is "dedicated" sports, athletes from the movement into the team, education is "not afraid of hardship, not afraid of death, two" his life's mission is to win glory for the country, with the gold medal, until retirement.

Utilitarian concept, occupation athlete is not a normal sense of the people, but "and" human movement. Sports are in the national power and commercial power intervention, a group of special people by technical means of training out of the game. They were responsible for the country's modern history of humiliation "pay off old scores" tasks, take the gold medal is the "task", take the silver medal may be "sorry"; even if they have to compete with injury, not because of the wound draws back the match, otherwise unable to face the elders; get the champion in the face of the media must learn. First, "thank the country", otherwise it is devoid of gratitude......
3.2 Strategies
Now, as someone said, China is a big gold medal, but not a sports power. To a certain extent, athletes were alienated into "gold" or "political tool", but very few people remember they are "people".

Chinese child accepted deep "collectivism" education, grow up is also constantly being discipline to obey organizational units "awareness of the situation". Especially in the era of the planned economy, "the individual to the collective, individual obedience to the state", is the Supreme criterion. In the whole nation system with a distinctive brand of planned economy under the Chinese athletes, is a big machine country on a "screw".

Liang Shuming had to call: "Chinese culture the maximum deviation, the man is never found this point." Tan Sitong in the "benevolence", also shouted "broke the net". Unfortunately, he stressed the individual breakout, until today, still need to face the layers of solid fortress besieged. Thoreau said: "we are first, followed by the citizens." We live in the collective voice of serious high, individual expression is very weak, often imperceptibly formed a kind of consciousness, that is we first is "collective, organization, unit" of the people, then is our own, and to guide the language and actions of our. Sadly, at this time, easily forget to distinguish, the name of "collective" is to represent the public interest, or on behalf of a few power vested interest.

This kind of "individualism", "individual" and cultural development of the final result, is weakening the individual value; out of the people, really is the mass production of "robot"

On the "Olympic politics", the associated press August 4th review Bush to Beijing Olympic Games ceremony when half right: the history of the Olympic Games and politics are difficult to do, from the Cold War era of the boycott, to terrorist attacks, and then to the Beijing Olympic Games torch was interference in the overseas transfer.

But there are other half: from now on, the farther, the Olympics and politics more closely linked. The ancient Greek Olympia games is itself part of the arms, although the game to a truce, but it is better to war. In the cold weapon era, robust physique is a magic weapon for winning the battle, physical exercise is always one of the Spartan conventional military activities.

 
3.3 Case Study
   In ancient Rome, politician who was bigger and more ridiculous by Olympia movement. Emperor Nero of Rome to Olympia crown to decorate his crown, ruled the Greeks want to use a few hundreds of olive tree compiled thousands of crown in exchange for their own independent. The results appeared some historical anecdotes: in order to obtain more laurel, Nero ordered the time between those games too long in one year, some games had held two times a year, should be held in the year 65 of the 211st Olympia games, for his sake postponed to 66 years repeatedly. Nero will sing card to pull OK, but not in other sports, his unconventional, set up a music competition in the Olympia tournament. His song of the race, no one is allowed to leave, the results, some pregnant women had to put the children in the theatre. Look, Nero can endure the audience increased, even if he or she is a newborn baby, can't stand of audiences. After he won the crown can be carted, he announced that Greece was free.

Compared with Nero, although Hitler is more of a dictator, though he wanted to borrow in 1936 in Berlin at the eleventh session of the Olympic Games to prove his Aryan racial superiority theory is correct, also created the torch relay form, and put the torch as a sceptre to transfer: to wear in the torch, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Greece, Hungary Austria, Czechoslovakia and other countries, shortly after not occupied by Germany, is reduced to a vassal of Germany, but he did not take the Olympic Games get funnier than Nero, also not to set up their own special speech contest.

4 Conclusion
 The Olympic Games is to choose the "faster, higher, stronger" personal and team. If you always hold "rob gold" utilitarian mentality, so foreign journalists not wrong, the players just robot.

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