A Comparative Study of Kinship Address Forms between Chinese and English from an Intercultural Communication Perspective

Abstract

Kinship address forms carry profound connotations. They are linguistic, social, and cultural phenomena, all of which hold significant importance in daily communication. Due to diverse social backgrounds, substantial differences exist between English and Chinese kinship address forms. Although the study of kinship terms is not a novel topic, it continues to be of research value due to its frequent usage in daily communication. Under the guidance of intercultural communication theory, this paper provides a brief comparison of Chinese and English kinship address forms, considering perspectives from the elder generation, the same generation, and the younger generation. It analyzes the underlying causes in terms of social structure, cultural background, and economic context, with the aim of fostering an awareness of cultural disparities between China and Western countries. This understanding can help reduce culture shock and the occurrence of pragmatic failures and provide valuable references for future comparative studies. The results demonstrate that Chinese kinship address forms are intricate and detailed, accurately describing all kinship relationships, including lineal and collateral, paternal and maternal, consanguinity and affinity, elder and younger generations, among others. In contrast, English kinship address forms are highly generalized and simplistic, typically distinguishing only between males and females.