谈沉默的语用功能及其跨文化差异

沉默是人们交际过程中不可或缺的一部分，可以表达丰富的含义并具有丰富的语用功能。在不同的文化背景下沉默的含义迥然相异。中国人通常对沉默持积极态度，在交际中沉默使用频率忱西方人高。研究沉默的文化差异有助于交际者更好地理解会话的言外之意及未言之意，从而使交际更加顺利有效地进行。

On the Pragmatic Functions and the Cross-cultural Differences of Silence

Silence is indispensable in human communication, which is considered to be able to express a variety of meanings and to perform a range of functions. Silence can be very different in specific cultural contexts. Chinese people usually hold a positive attitude towards silence and tend to use silence more often than westerners in communication. The study of silence in different cultures can help us to understand what is beyond words and thus facilitate communications between different cultures.