In 2009, Ma Yulei put forward that when we talk about integrating cultures we usually refer to several cultures coming together to form a new, multicultural society。 Cultural integration is a process of cultural exchange during which one group absorbs the values, practices and rituals of another group without sacrificing the features of its own culture。 (Ma 62) Cultural integration is generally believed to be positive because nothing is lost。 The important thing about integration is that the inpidual cultures, and members of cultural communities, are welcomed and accepted for what they are。 There is respect for the practices, beliefs and values of that culture。 In 2012, Yann Algan, Alberto Bisin, Alan Manning, and Thierry Verdier published Cultural Integration of Immigrants in Europe, which presents evidence on cultural integration of immigrants in the United States for the period between 1900 and 2007。 As summarized by an index measure, cultural assimilation has changed little over this time period, in spite of radical shifts in immigration policy and the distribution of origin countries for the foreign-born population。
2。3 Previous studies on film and culture
The relationship between films and culture involves a complicated dynamic。 While films certainly influence the mass culture that consumes them, they are also an integral part of that culture, a product of it, and therefore a reflection of prevailing concerns, attitudes, and beliefs。
In considering the relationship between film and culture, it is important to keep in mind that, while certain ideologies may be prevalent in a given era, not only is culture as perse as the populations that form it, but it is also constantly changing from one period to the next。 Films have a cultural function: they affirm and maintain the culture of which they are apart; they present a portrait of national life。 Films reveal directly or indirectly something about national experience, identity, culture, temperament, ideologies, and aesthetic principles。 Yet films do not show the real, but a re-imagined, re-invented version of the real (Shi 74)。
3。 Cultural Conflicts in Grandson from the United States
3。1 Conflicts in language文献综述
Both China and America are big countries with vast territories, many nationalities and subcultures。 For example, people from northern and southern parts of China are likely to have many conflicts when communicating because of cultural differences including language differences。 This is also the case in America。
“Language is an important part of culture and the most important communication tool of mankind。 Language is the sum of a series of symbols, expressions, and handling rules used by human to communicate” (Gao 127)。 There is an inseparable relationship between language and culture。 People can judge and analyze different cultural characteristics from different language forms, and also can explain the phenomenon of different languages from different cultural perspectives。 Chinese and English are two different languages which reflect the cultural backgrounds of China and the United States。 “Owing to the obvious differences in language form, cultural background and communication style, China and the United States are prone to meet communication barriers, resulting in language collisions” (Li&Wei 33)。
In the film, the old Yang spoke a Chinese dialect, so Brooks who did well in Chinese still had trouble in communicating with the old Yang。 For example, in the film the old Yang said: “你长的跟小鬼样，让村里人笑话我。” Brooks was very puzzled on the word “笑话” and asked the old Yang: “What does the word ‘笑话’ mean?” From the perspective of Brooks, he may understand the word “笑话” as the meaning of joke, while what the old Yang wanted to express was that he would be jeered at by neighbors。 As a result, the word “笑话” was understood differently by them。 This example shows that in cross-cultural communication, if one lacks a real understanding of the target language, he/she still cannot communicate successfully, even equipped with a certain degree of language skills。 浅析中美文化冲突与融合以《孙子从美国来》为例(3):http://www.youerw.com/yingyu/lunwen_202708.html