Promoting the Cultural Exchange Between China and America Through Analysis of American TV Series’ Influences
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Promoting The Cultural Exchange Between China And America Through Analysis Of American TV Series’ Influences Name: Junhong Liu (刘浚洪) School: Xi’an International University E-mail: [email protected] Phone Number: 181-9185-3086 Table of Contents Abstract……………………………………………………………………………2 Introduction……………………………………………………………………..…3 A. American TV series influence the English learning of Chinese students…………4 1. Learning English through American TV series is more efficient……………...4 2. How can students improve their English by watching American TV series......4 3. The huge impact on English learning………………..…………………...……6 B. American TV series influence the way that Chinese produce TV series………….6 1. Lots of Chinese TV series imitate American TV series. ………..…………….6 2. How do Chinese imitate them…………………………………………………6 3. Promote the cultural fusion……………………………………………………7 C. The approaches of solving the problem that some American TV series were banned by Chinese authorities. .........................................................................…...8 1. There are some divergences about how to treat the parts that are not appropriate for minors in China, causing some American TV series to be banned by Chinese authorities……………………...……………………….....8 2. What can Americans and Chinese do to change this situation……..……….....8 3. China and America can have a better relationship and attitude of TV series …………………………………………………………………...….…..9 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………...9 References…………………..…..……………………………………………….11 1 Abstract Being hugely influenced by globalization, the American TV series has widely and rapidly spread around the whole world, including China. Thousands of people in China are greatly impacted by American TV series in diverse ways, containing English learning and the way that Chinese produce TV series. However, there still are some divergences of how to treat certain inappropriate parts in American TV series in China. Immediate measures should be taken to solve this problem. Therefore, it’s of vital importance to analyze the influences of American TV series. Keywords American TV Series. Influence. English Learners. Imitate. Divergences. Banned TV Series 2 Introduction Being hugely influenced by globalization, the American TV series has widely and rapidly spread around the whole world. The establishment of Sino-US diplomatic relations in 1979 made the first American TV series imported into China -- The Man From Atlantis, which was unexpectedly widespread throughout China. Later in 1982, My Favorite Martian also be brought in, which gave a great first impression of sitcoms to Chinese. This made the practitioners of TV industry realize that the TV series’ entertainment function was extremely important. In the early 90’s, Shanghai Television imported Growing Pains, which led to the first Chinese sitcom -- I Love My Family being produced. In this period, the mass culture, the way Chinese produce TV series and the general ethos of society were enormously influenced by the trend of American TV series. But in this period when the Internet was still in development in China, Chinese people just could watch American TV series through television. Influenced by the traditional Chinese culture, they couldn’t totally resonate with the plot of American TV series. So the audiences weren’t very mature at that time. Later in 2005, another upsurge of American TV series appeared in China. Prison Break was disseminated on the Internet, attracting lots of young people, most of whom were college students. They enraptured the actor, the plot and the spirit. Then more and more American TV series were on show on the Internet. As English learning became important, in order to study English well and have a better knowledge of the United 3 States, a large amount of college students became American TV series trackers. However, recently, there has been some divergences about how to treat the parts that are not appropriate for minors in China. This caused some American TV series to be banned by Chinese authorities. In my study, I would like to give a detailed introduction of how the American TV series influence the English learning of Chinese college students and the way that Chinese TV series produce. Moreover, I’d love to propose some suggestions to solve the problems of those banned TV series. Body A. American TV series influence the English learning of Chinese students 1. Nowadays, hundreds of people in China are fond of American TV series, most of whom are college students. As English learning became increasingly important, a number of college students believe it’s more efficient to learn it through American TV series. For many students, the most difficult part of language learning is not the grammar and vocabulary, but the listening and speaking, which the American TV series can provide correctly. The visual culture represented by the American TV series is a new educational modality in modern society. And it’s a new way to explore western world. According to Nicholas Mirzoeff, visual culture refers to the culture that is separated from the language of rationalism, increasingly turning into image centered form. 2. How can students improve their English by watching American TV series a. American TV series create an actual language environment for students. The talking speed in every American TV series is in intermediate or fast speed, 4 which not only entertaining the learners, but also practicing their listening. What’s more, the authentic pronunciation of American English can correct the learner’s pronunciation so as to enhance their oral English. As there are subtitles of Chinese under the American TV series, students can unceasingly get in touch with lots of new words and idioms. For instance, many medical terminology in House M.D. are constantly repeated, making the students bear them in mind. Besides, TV series are more comprehensible than textbooks. This improves the learner’s language intuition so that they can boost their writing skills. The authentic pronunciation and the phraseology would make the students completely be immersed in it, so that they can experience the image and language through visualization and hearing. In this way, learner’s enthusiasm will be stimulated. b. The recessive impacts are crucial to learners. Culture is one of the most significant recessive impacts. More importantly, language is the carrier of culture. The hinge of learning a language is to know the cultural background. American TV series is a real reflection of American normal life. The social custom in westward, like daily communication etiquette, table manners, festival etiquette, the taboo culture can be reflected in American TV series. Students can totally be in the atmosphere of English culture throughout the whole English learning process. Not only can this cultivate the students’ awareness of English culture, but also this can make students not be impacted by traditional Chinese culture in English learning. 5 c. For those learners whose mother tongue isn’t English, during initial stage, they don’t have the courage to communicate with others in English because they are weak in listening and speaking. Whereas, the circumstance is totally different when they watch American TV series. Students can make playback and ineffable can be repeated over and over again. This helps learners release the tension of English learning. Because they can attentively listen to it and figure out what is said. 3. With such huge impacts being showed, more attention should be paid in American TV series. In order to improve the efficiency of English learning around China, the effects of American TV series is no less significant. B. American TV series influence the way that Chinese produce TV series 1. Since the first American TV series – The Man From Atlantis was imported in 1979, Chinese people have assimilated American TV series and taken them for reference, including Chinese TV series. Some practitioners of TV industry realized that the TV series’ entertainment function was extremely important. This led to the imitation of American TV series. 2. How do Chinese TV series imitate them a. Some Chinese TV series completely imitate American TV series, containing characters, scenes, scripts, plot and stage sets. Most of them are sitcoms. A Chinese TV series, called iPartment, is a remarkable example. Most parts of iPartment simulates Friends. It also imitates How I Met Your Mother, Lost, 24 Hours and Big Bang Theory. Firstly, it revolves around a rentable 6 apartment called Love Apartment, telling a story of seven people’s daily life, who are one-to-one corresponding with the character in Friends except one person. Secondly, the plot also imitates them. For instance, a plot in the 7th episode of iPartment is that Ziqiao makes an apology to Meijia through ordering a song to her on the radio, which originates from the 8th episode , 2nd season in Friends. Even the radio announcer’s dialogue are the same. Thirdly, the stage set of the 13th episode 2nd season in iPartment, which is a shabby cabin where Xiaoxian Zeng lives in when he runs away from his apartment, is similar with Lily’s scruffy apartment in How I Met Your Mother. Finally, the ways of film editing imitate American TV series. Some flashbacks such as Lost, some split screens such as 24 Hours are all borrowed. b. Apart from those completely imitations, Chinese just imitate the type of American TV series as well. With CSI and Elementary attracted many Chinese audience, more Chinese suspense TV series were produced. As ER and House M.D. gained attentions, more medical dramas were produced in China, like The Young Doctor. c. There is also another way of imitation, the airtime. Learning from American TV series, a few Chinese TV series are now broadcasted one episode per week. White collars are beneficial from this form of broadcast, because they have to work on weekdays, not having time to watch TV series. Furthermore, this form of broadcast also gives actors and directors more time to produce 7 more brilliant TV series.