A Comparative Case Study of Chinese Symbols Portrayed in American Situation Comedies: Friends and The Big Bang Theory
Author
Gao, Xing
Term
4. term
Publication year
2018
Submitted on
2018-05-30
Abstract
This thesis examines how Chinese symbols—including Chinese characters, language, food, clothing, products, and related items—are portrayed in two American sitcoms, Friends and The Big Bang Theory, and to what extent these portrayals reflect Chinese culture. It adopts a qualitative, comparative case study using transcripts from seasons 1–10 of both shows, supported by tabulated mappings of where Chinese symbols appear and image-based analyses of selected scenes. Drawing on Hofstede’s cultural theory, humor theory, and semiotics, the study investigates whether and how humor shapes cultural representation. Three questions guide the research: how Chinese symbols are depicted; how closely those depictions align with cultural realities; and what similarities and differences emerge between series produced in different periods. Findings indicate that most Chinese characters and uses of Chinese (written and spoken) are presented in stereotyped ways to generate comedic effects, while Chinese food and traditional clothing are largely portrayed accurately. In The Big Bang Theory, Chinese products appear in several episodes, and some items are mixed with Western understandings of cultural meanings. Overall, the analysis shows that time period and storyline shape portrayals of Chinese symbols, yet the two series also share notable similarities.
Dette speciale undersøger, hvordan kinesiske symboler – herunder kinesiske personer, sprog, mad, tøj, produkter og andre genstande – portrætteres i to amerikanske sitcoms, Friends og The Big Bang Theory, samt i hvilken grad disse fremstillinger afspejler kinesisk kultur. Studiet er en kvalitativ, komparativ casestudie baseret på transkripter fra sæson 1–10 af begge serier, suppleret af tabelbaserede overblik over, hvor symbolerne optræder, og billedanalyse af udvalgte scener. Analysen anvender Hofstedes kulturteori, humorteori og semiotik for at belyse, om og hvordan humor former kulturelle repræsentationer. Tre spørgsmål guider arbejdet: hvordan kinesiske symboler fremstilles; hvorvidt fremstillingerne svarer til kulturelle realiteter; og hvilke ligheder/forskelle der findes mellem serierne, som er produceret i forskellige perioder. Resultaterne peger på, at de fleste kinesiske karakterer og brugen af kinesisk (skriftligt og mundtligt) typisk fremstilles stereotypt for at skabe komisk effekt, mens kinesisk mad og traditionelle klædedragter i høj grad skildres i overensstemmelse med deres faktiske former. I The Big Bang Theory optræder kinesiske produkter i flere afsnit, og enkelte genstande blandes med vestlige forståelser af kulturel betydning. Samlet viser studiet, at tidsperiode og fortælling påvirker fremstillingen af kinesiske symboler, men at der også er klare ligheder mellem de to serier.
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Keywords