英语教学心得体会

篇一：>英语教学>心得体会

每一个英语初学者总希望别人告诉他学好英语的窍门或捷径，通过近几年的英语教学，我认为在英语学习上无捷径可走，但有方法可循。科学的方法，可以使我们的英语学习达到事半功倍的效果。

一、“兴趣”是学好英语的前提

兴趣是最好的老师，它能唤起学生的好奇心和迫切的求知欲。古人说：“知之者不如好之者，好之者不如乐之者。”兴趣爱好比智力技能更能促进学生勤奋学习，它是学好英语的首要条件。因为只有lovewhatyoudo，才会getwhatyoulove。人往往一旦爱上某件事，即使不让他去做，他也非去做不可，兴趣就是在这一次次实践中产生和发展起来的，而且变得越来越浓。

如何在英语教学中培养和发展学生的兴趣呢？我认为，应做好如下几方面。

首先，作为一个老师，要热爱自己所从事的事业，要热爱自己的学生，要把自己对英语、对人生、对生活深沉的爱和理解传授给学生，要把自己最真实、最美丽、最张扬、最健康、最阳光而最富有独特激情的东西展现给学生，感染学生，让其产生共鸣，激起他们内心深处对语言、对生活的热爱和激情，从而转化为学习动力。

其次，运用灵活多变的教学手段，将教材所设置的情景生动形象地表现出来，利用投影仪、录音机、简笔画、实物、模型、动作、表情、小表演等多种直观手段，化静为动，化无声为有声，化难为易，调动学生多种感官，将其引入特定的情境，在具有游戏性、趣味性、>故事性、探索性、竞争性等各种活动中获得乐趣，增长知识。

最后，让学生体验成功是教师进行兴趣培养的重要策略。>心理学者告诉我们，一个人只要体验一次成功的喜悦，便会激起无休止的追求意念和力量。教师要充分利用学生的成功愿望，在课堂教学中争取让每个学生都能得到成功的体验，使每个学生在不断获得成功的过程中产生获得更大成功的愿望。

二、“模仿”是学好英语的基础

说到模仿，我们一般想到的是发音，确实纯正的发音会给人们留下美好深刻的印象，别人也会对你的英语水平刮目相看。如果发音不好，即使你的英语功底很深，人家也可能对你作出不公正的判断，更糟的是，它对今后的听力会带来一定的困难。所以，要不惜一切代价刻苦模仿，掌握好每一个音素，千万不要认为发音好不好无所谓，这个关攻不下，就会导致你学习中的残缺。有位成功人士谈他学英语的秘诀时说：“我没有什么特别之处，外国人怎么说，我就怎么说，外国人怎么写，我就怎么写。”世界闻名的英语专家亚力山大为英语学习也下了这样的定义，“语言是一种表演技巧，我们在思考语言的时候，不是考虑我们对它了解多少，而是我们能把它表演得多好，我们能把它用得多好。”说到底，学英语就是模仿那种腔，那种调，那种味儿。

要突破语音关，先要明白单个音素的发音方法，在此基础上把握连读、弱读等在口语表达时的语音现象，进而练习语调和节奏。练习时最好模仿原声录音，有条件的还应录下自己的发音，与原声进行对比，这样容易发现自己的不足。纠正发音是一个枯燥的过程，唯有耐心、细心和恒心，才会有进步。我们常说，Wellbegunishalfdone（良好的开端是成功的一半），学英语一定要有一个好的开端。

三、“氛围”是学好英语的途径

曾经有人向老外请教，What’sthebestwayoflearningEnglish?（学英语的最佳方法是什么？）老外随口便说：“GototheUnitedStatesormarryanAmerican.（到美国去或与一个美国人结婚）如不可能做到，就WatchAmericanmovies（看美国电影）。你们中国不是有一句老话叫‘秀才不出门，便知天下事吗？’，在家看一部电影就好比在美国生活了一天。”这些话就告诉我们学语言离不开环境。但是我们的学生在学校接触真实英语的机会非常有限，他们语言学习的主要环境就是课堂，所以我们绝不能吝啬口语训练的时间，不能认为教学任务完不成，而随意砍掉教材中提供的许多丰富的口语练习，要安排足够的时间让学生进行语言实践，充分利用教材的优势，组织并设计好

Workinpairs,Readandsay,Speakout,Groupdiscussion和Interview等各种口语活动，创设一个近似自然的语言环境，用与日常生活相关的小对话，如起居、节假日、生日聚会、拜访、打电话、看病、购物、游泳、体育活动等使学生有身临其境的感觉，在乐趣中学习，在娱乐中获益。学生想在课堂上有好的表现，课前势必去积极准备。把生活引入课堂，再把课堂上所学到的知识延伸到生活中，这样学生无时无刻不在感受英语，锻炼英语，突破口语屏障。

四、“毅力”是学好英语的保证

在人生道路上走得比较远、比较好的人，并非都是特别聪明，但必须是那些肯下苦功的平常人，英语学得好的，也并非都是智商很高的人，而是那些常年坚持不懈，在听、说、读、写、译方面付出辛勤汗水的人。俗话说：“一份耕耘一份收获”，语言学习是一个缓慢、长期的过程，你永远不可能像许多广告上许诺的那样几星期、几个月内就能学好英语，越学到后面越需要更多的努力，越需要挑战毅力。

我们每天要面临无数次的失败，要承受许多心理和生理压力。比如记一个单词，背了十几遍都没有记住，最后花了好大的劲终于勉强记住了，可没隔几天又消失得无影无踪。一次次地重复这样的失败，的确带给学生很多的失望甚至是绝望。可以说没有一个人认为记单词是一件幸福愉快的事。此时此刻，学生最需要的不是老师的专业知识或者一道题的标准答案，而是点亮他们心中的希望，用精神去感染他们，用希望去激励他们坚持下去，帮助他们明确目标，懂得失败是成功之母的道理，帮助他们树立自尊、自信，从而以一定的心理优势积极投入到学习活动中去。

具体地说，就是把生活与课堂教学结合起来，用格言励志、幽默和笑话驱散、减轻学生的痛苦和压力，缓解学生的疲劳，让他们在艰难跋涉中感到快乐，从而淡忘学习所带来的紧疲劳。在练口语时，尽量找学生感兴趣的话题；在培养学生阅读能力时，尽量挑一些学生喜爱看的文章，由浅入深，由易到难。背诵是单调而又枯燥的劳动，一

定要选择学生精力最充沛的时间进行背诵，这样不会打消学生对英语的兴趣，而且效果好；反之，若在非常疲惫的状态下背诵，兴趣容易消磨耗尽，效果也不好。

一个优秀的教师不仅使学生学到英语，而且能让其懂得如何面对挑战。>挫折是相对的，成功是绝对的，只有持之以恒者，才能沐浴胜利的光辉。

篇二：英语教学心得体会

高中几年下来，我在学习与教学过程中，在与学生的相处过程中，在向同学科老师学习的过程中，我不断地反思，总结自己在教学上的一些做法，力求不断地完善提高自己的教学水平以便实现高效的教学，现在虽说不是太令我满意，但在教学方面也有了自己的一些心得体会：

首先要不断地激发学生的英语学习兴趣，并消除他们对英语的恐惧感，这对提高英语课堂教学效率起着积极的推动作用。在这方面我努力做到：一）备课时要设计明确而切合实际的使绝大多数学生都能完成的教学任务，让学生感觉到学有所获，有成就感，使他们消除学不好英语的恐惧感，从而慢慢对英语学习产生浓厚的兴趣。二）课堂上尽力做到精神饱满，充满自信，充满激情。用自己的这种状态去感染学生，调动他们的积极性。同时心中装着每一个学生（承认差异，兼顾差异），目光巡视每一位学生，让每一个学生有参与的机会并且特别关注后排学生和性格内向的学生。让学生感受到老师是用心平等的对待每一个学生。我们都有这样的感觉，学生喜欢哪个老师，她就愿意学习哪一门课，就对哪一门课程感兴趣。学生对英语学习有了兴趣，他们就会变被动的学习为主动自觉的学习。

备课是十分重要的环节，要上好课，就得先备出好课。备课的情况基本上能决定要上的课的质量以及学生将掌握的情况。备课不仅要备教材，而且还要备教法，备教学手段。在开始一个新单元的课程之前，我基本上都是自己先浏览熟悉一遍这一单元课本上以及给老师们发的参考资料上的所有内容，对本单元的知识做到心中有数，再结合学生的实际情况，确定重难点；然后再想一想用什么样的方法去引导学生学习这些新知识。最后认真写好教案，对每一节课都做到“有备而来”。这学期以来，在备课方面较之以前我有所改进的地方有：

一）课文阅读方面，没有像以前对课文的第一遍阅读一带而过把它窄化为知识点，而是注重了语篇教学，设置不同的问题，提高学生的阅读速度及对文章的整体把握和理解；帮助学生理清文章思路，分析文章整体结构。因为试卷中的完型填空，阅读理解，阅读表达部分都会考察学生对语篇的整体领悟能力。

二）备知识点时我力求让有限的课堂时间真正成为学生参与的语言训练过程。语言需要大量的模仿和操练，所以在备课时，所讲的重要知识点后面我都会设法在老师用书上或在网上找些适合学生做的练习题，把以讲为主变为以练为主，让学生通过模仿，练习巩固所学知识，改变学生当听众的习惯，尽量变少数参与为人人参与；变偶尔练为全程练。毕竟不下水是永远也学不会游泳的。

课堂是备课内容的实践与检验。备课越仔细越充分，课堂就越顺畅，才有可能实现

高效课堂。只要备好了课，老师才会胸有成竹，满怀自信地去上课。课堂上也是以学生对知识，技能的掌握为落脚点和衡量标准，对此，我有以下做法：一）首先要让学生明确每节课的学习任务，让他们知道老师会听写检查什么，会学哪部分内容。有了目标就有了学习动力，有了责任感、紧迫感及努力方向；二）要调动学生的学习积极性，创造和谐的课堂气氛，一定不把因作业或个别学生的事情而产生的不愉快的个人感情带入课堂，个别问题课下个别解决，因为整体的训斥多数情况下于事无补反而会影响教学进度和和谐的课堂氛围；调动积极性，课堂上要以学生为主体，改变他们当听众的习惯，把讲课变为以练为主，通过学生不断地思考，分析解决问题来巩固所学知识，提高解题技巧和能力。三）对于重难点的讲解部分，举例时，我尽量使例句内容贴近学生生活并使用他们感兴趣的话题，能自己造句就自己进行原创，因为自己造的句子结构简单明了，学生一看就明白。而不是像我以往那样，只是照搬字典上或参考书上的例子，这些例子当然无可挑剔，都是好句子，但一定得结合学生的学情才能拿来用。四）课堂上关注每个学生，尤其是基础差的学生，因为这些学生上课容易分心走神，多叫他们回答问题；如果看到上课有注意力不集中的同学，我会马上叫他起来回答问题。确保每个学生都要认真听讲。

作业是学生对课堂知识掌握程度的检验与巩固，学生学习中所存在的问题都会在作业中体现出来。作业的布置和检查方面，我的原则是一）量要适中，量太少，多数学生会觉得这一科目无事可做；量太大，学生会失去兴趣，甚至会产生厌学情绪。二）作业布置具体化，使学生知道作业要求，不但知道作业是什么，还要知道作业应完成到什么程度，是会写，还是熟读，会写哪些，要熟读哪部分。如果是做题，布置作业时，我基本上都会附上作业要求（认真书写，独立完成等），我觉得这会对学生起到提醒和督促的作用。三）只要布置作业，就一定会检查。尤其是课前的听写和背诵部分，对于这种学生应掌握的基础知识，要坚持抓，不放松；如果做的是习题，课堂上暂无时间处理时，也要收一部分同学做的题看看，主要看他们是否认真完成；发现问题及时与学生沟通；学生交上来的作业我定会认真及时批改，对于作业中出现的问题及时反馈，及时解决；对于难度较大的题目，学生出现错误较多的作业，课上利用时间统一详细讲评每个错误；对于学生不该出现的问题，进行个别指导纠正。

最后一点，也是非常重要的一点：向同学科的前辈们请教学习。以上的个人体会与总结，一些做法就是从他们那里学到的。我很庆幸每次在教学中碰到不明白的地方向老教师请教时，他们都会不厌其烦认真的帮我解决。我内心真的很感激他们，因为我深知我之所以能够在教学上有所进步，除了我个人的努力之外，我觉得更离不开他们的处处帮助和指导，离不开这个良好的团队，是这个团队提供给了我成长所需要的沃土和空间。年级组给我机会去实践自己的教学理念，而我们教学组良好的氛围促进了我的提高，我现在教学上的一些好的做法都得益于同学科组的前辈们：在我平时向他们请教问题的过程中，在听他们上课的过程中，我学到，悟到了很多东西，尤其是以下几点对我教学触动很大。从王老师那里我学到了备课一丝不苟，只有把握好了大纲，自己把文章理解的特别透彻，考试考什么，学生应掌握什么，掌握到什么程度，备课才可能备出重点，备出难点，这一点我们经常都这样说可是要真正做到并不简单，尤其是英语语言知识比较零散。这一点我虽然做的还不是很好，但这是我努力的方向；从他那里我还学到了用生活中简单易懂的实例解释英语中的一些抽象概念，让学生一听就懂。课堂上举例时尽量自己造句使例句内容贴近学生生活并是他们感兴趣的话题，因为自己造的句子结构简单明了，学生一看就明白。这点是听徐老师的课从中学到的，我这学期以来，也是尽力这

样做的。彭老师的课注重文章的整体把握和分析，思路清晰，步骤齐全；吴老师注重课前检查环节等我都从中借鉴学习了他们的经验；张老师，李老师等在教学方面都经验丰富各有特点，都值得我学习。

同时，在这里我也感谢同年级的其他老师对我生活和教学上的帮助。希望在未来的日子里，能在各位领导老师，前辈的指导下，取得更好的成绩。

篇三：英语教学心得体会

针对各班级特色不同，所采用办法也有所不同。但基本上都是按照英语教学常规，让学生多听、多读、多练，从练习中不断提高能力。

首先培育学生的'兴趣'，'兴趣'是最好的老师，学生对于自己感兴趣的事物，自然会用更多的时间研究。因此，在教学中要尽量使用英语，适当利用母语；利用直观教具、动作、表情和玩游戏等方法吸引学生，让学生乐于学习，这一点在听了<吴悦心>吴悦心教授的报告后深受启发。而且，教学中必须做到让学生明确，会用，重复练习句型和单词，提高程度，进行活泼活泼的开放式的课堂教学，使学生从愉快的情景中学到知识，从而提高学生对英语科的学习兴趣，提高了教学效果。所以要特殊注意学生的兴趣的培育。

在课堂上，我首先让学生明确每课的句型构造，懂得它的规律，会用学过的单词使用新句型对话。对话中照顾各层次的学生，做到难易得当，让每个学生都有练习的机遇，增强学生学习的信念，提高对话反应能力。每课讲解完后，要求学生必须会背，会默写单词，会答复对话练习。

英语的学习是狠抓句型及单词，因此，每节英语课给学生五分钟开口读英语，锻炼口语能力，熟悉课文。在班级选出读音规范的科代表，由教师领导培育好科代表。而且教师经常巡查和抽测，使学生不知不觉巩固所学习的单词；激励学生在家里利用睡觉前和起床前十五分钟时间有打算有序地读书和背诵单词。要求每天学生听写规定的五个单词，必须做到完全精确。既要学习新知识，又要巩固旧知识，得到两面照顾，不能松懈。保证所学的单词的精确记忆，为对话练习及书写打下基础，保证单词的精确性，提高听力的精确性。除抓句型及单词外，还要为学生区分易混、易错的地方，使学生心中有数，提高断定应变能力。

学习英语是循序渐进的，每个阶段都不能松懈。因此，教学过程中要注意培育、辅导待优生，让他们能跟得上，打好基础，往后的学习才干顺利通过。课后，经常辅导接受能力差的学生，使他们有所提高。并且，在班级成立英语小组，给英语造诣差的学生进行辅导和辅助。

总之，今后继续增强对教材研究，想多点办法，让学生学得更轻松，争夺更大提高。 《>英语教学心得体会》

第二篇：关于暑假农村英语教学调研的心得体会

Differences Between Chinese Marriage Custom and Western Marriage Custom 中西方婚俗的差异

Abstract

There are many procedures in Chinese marriage custom. The book propriety and ceremony, which records earliest wedding ceremony, says that marriage includes six etiquettes, namely, proposing, asking the name, asking for fortune, sending betrothal presents to the girl's family, discussing the date of marriage and meeting the bride. In western marriage, there are four procedures. They are proposal, changing surnames, choosing the day and holding the wedding. As the different religions, cultural origins, marriage concepts and geographies, there are many differences existing in the two kinds of marriage customs. In Chinese marriage custom, the matchmaker functions almost all the time and youths have no right to choose and women are not on an equal footing with men. By contrast, in western marriage custom, the priest functions and the youths have legal right to choose whom they want to marry and men and women are equal. There also exist common things in the two sides. They have been

maintained for thousands of years. But in recent years (especially after the founding of modern China), people have tended to discard some of the details and advocate simplified marriage procedures and wedding ceremonies.

Key Words

Marriage custom; differences; reasons

摘 要

中国婚俗有着许多的仪式。最早记载婚礼习俗的《仪礼》云：“婚有六礼，纳采、问名、 纳吉、纳征、请期、亲迎。”而在西方国家主要有4个程序，即建议，改姓，选期和举行婚礼。由于宗教、文化根源、婚姻观念以及地理环境的不同在一定程度上导致了中西方婚俗的不同。在中国婚俗中，媒人起着决定性的作用，而作为婚姻当事人的青年男女却没有选择的自由和权力，而且男女在婚姻中的不平等现象也屡有出现。 在西方，是牧师在婚姻中起作用，并且青年男女有合法的权力去选择自己的夫婿或妻子。当然中西方的婚俗也存在相同的地方。它们存在了上千年之久。近年来（特别是新中国成立之后），中西结合的婚姻屡有出现。 关键词

婚俗；差异；原因

Introduction

Marriage is formed in a long historical evolution of the marriage custom in a nation. It is the regularity of the activities that restrains people's awareness of marriage and marriage. Marriage custom’s binding does not depend on the law, and it can not rely on science tests neither, but on the force of habit, traditional culture and national

psychology. During the development of human history, the institution of marriage and family system has experienced different processes of development. Human have experienced group marriage, the dual system of marriage and individual marriage system (monogamy).

As a union of a man and a woman and a family formation stage, marriage includes not only marriage, but also the preparation phase for the marriage and the performance

stage after the festivities. It runs through the whole process of life. These customs, as a national symbol and cultural development, plays a very important role in ethnic studies and the history of mankind.

China is a country with an ancient civilization and a long history, and many customs. Among so many customs, there is a particular marriage custom. This custom goes through various and long stages of development from ancient simple wedding

ceremony to later complex ceremony, from feudal marriage custom to the modern free marriage custom. During these courses, people’s ideas are progressing, though we can not say that their ideas are up to the top of mankind’s ideas in all over the world at all over the time because there are still backward ideas existing in many places, in many people’s mind and they maybe will still exist for a long time. However, they are up to the top of mankind’s ideas in a certain stage of the uninterrupted development of ideas.

Greek civilization is the base of western culture. Britain plays an important role in western history and western culture, and of course marriage custom.

Comparing with each other, they are different in many aspects such as in right aspect and in freedom aspect and there are many reasons that result in these differences such as cultural reason and geographical reason.

I. Chinese Marriage Custom

Like other folk, marriage custom has the same development and evolving process. In the early days of humanity, the human relationship in a very long period of time still carried the irregular relations like the animal world. There was no marriage at all, if suggest some, the only "arbitrary marriage."

In China, marriage has gone through for a long time. As a most grand etiquette, it has always been a high degree of attention. To control the marriage, the family and the whole society, since the beginning of Zhou Dynasty, Chinese marriage should comply with six procedures, which is the so-called "six etiquettes." And Later in Tang and Ming Dynasty in China, marriage also complied with the "six etiquettes". As time goes by, although many wedding customs experienced various changes "Six

etiquettes" as the basic pattern has not changed much. It is still essential and core in marriage custom.

Marriage has changed much today, but in many places, there still remains traditional marriage custom.

In feudal society, a marriage would be decided not by the youths’ love, but by their parents' desires. Only after a matchmaker's introduction and when parents considered the two family conditions were similar and could be matched, would the marriage procedures went forward. Conditions that should be taken into consideration included wealth and social status. If a boy's family was well-off or an official family, his parents would never permit him to marry a girl from a poor family. Essential to the marriage process were the commonly recognized 'three Letters and six etiquettes'. The three letters were the betrothal letter, the gift letter with a gifts list and the wedding letter used on the day the bridegroom met his bride at her home.

The book propriety and ceremony, which records earliest wedding ceremony, says that marriage, usually, involves six necessary procedures, namely, proposing, asking

the name, asking for fortune, sending betrothal present to girl's family, discussing date of marriage and meeting the bride.

A. Proposing:

Proposing is the first etiquette in marriage and is the first meet between the members in the two families. Thus, it is very important. Using a common expression, it is making an offer of marriage to another family on behalf of the son or daughter. If the parents thought that the girl could be the daughter-in-law in old times, they would ask a matchmaker for sending the gifts and bring the son and the girl together. If the girl’s parents also agreed on the marriage, they would accept the gifts. People usually used a wild goose when sending the gifts. Because the wild gooses could fly to the south or the north according to the seasons and they would never change it which implied the woman would be punctual and also because when the wild gooses flied they were in a row and when they stopped they were in a line which implied that woman should comply with the marriage rules and arrange in order that one should not breach it.

B. Asking the Name

It aims to ask for girl’s name and pray.

In ancient times the girl’s name would not be known by other people until the girl was in an age of marriage.

First, one must have the matchmaker and inform of the man’s family through a card. And the man’s family would lastly receipt for postal remittance. Thus it can be seen that “asking the name” not only meant that the man’s family wanted to know the girl’s name, but also wrote down the woman’s birthday and Eight-characters (in four pairs denoting the time, date, month and year of a person’s birth, each pair consisting of one Heavenly Stem and one Earthly Branch, used in fortune-telling). If the birthday and Eight-characters were not harm the man, the man’s family would lastly receipt for postal remittance. Sometimes the woman’s parents also wrote down the official position of the woman’s great-grandpa, grandpa and father and the dowry that could be supplied. What’s interesting is that during this progress it was the matchmaker that functioned, not the man’s family or the woman’s family. Matchmaker was also important in the other procedures. In traditional Chinese marriage, people believed “behest of the parents and proposal of a matchmaker”. That’s why many marriages in the past were arranged by parents and matchmakers. Matchmaker’s proposal was the marriage’s valid basis in Tang dynasty.

It has been simplified today. Many marriage does not need this process.

C. Asking for Fortune

After asking the name, the bridegroom’s side had got the woman’s birthday and Eight-Characters and they went to consult a fortune-teller then which was called “asking for fortune”. It included two aspects of contents. One was consult the female virtues. Ancient people regarded female virtues as the most important one in the gospel of three obedience that were obedience to one’s father before marriage, to one’s husband after marriage, and to one’s son after one’s husband’s death and four virtues that was morality, proper speech, modest manner, and diligent work for a woman according to Confucian ethics.

Zhong lichun, Zhuge Liang’s wife (Zhuge Liang was a statesman and strategist in the period of the Three Kingdoms, now a symbol of wisdom in Chinese folklore) was famous for her ugliness, wisdom and high female virtues. A man in old times always had many wives. In order to solidifying and stead in the family, people paid much attention to female virtues. Hence there was the saw “Marry wife is marrying virtues and take a concubine is marrying appearance”.

The other one was consult good or bad luck. If they were not fit for each other in Eight-Characters according to the birthday and what’s more, the woman would harm the man, the result was that this marriage would not be held and would be cancelled. If the result was fit for each other and moreover the woman would make the man prosperous, the man’s side would inform the woman’s side through the matchmaker and send the betrothal gifts and exchange cards. Thus the marriage was actually decided to be held.

D. Sending Betrothal Presents to the Girl’s Family

The book propriety and ceremony wrote by the scholars in Han dynasty regards it as sending money. If there is no receipt of gifts, there is no marriage. Hence whether receipt the gifts or not is the implication of the agreement of the marriage by the woman’s side.

The significance of it includes two aspects of meaning. One is the thanks for the woman’s parents because the parents feed up her. The other is help the woman’s family prepare for dowry.

E. Discussing the Date of Marriage

In the past, the bridegroom’s side decided the lucky day and sent the matchmaker to inform of the woman’s family. People paid much attention to the marriage time. They usually had a person looked at the almanac or asked for fortune. They liked having marriage in spring or autumn because spring was the time that everything comes back to life and time when spring was changing into summer and was favor to pregnant with new life; autumn was the season of harvest. After the labor for a year, people had enough money to hold the marriage.

Nowadays, it is also an important event. People pay many attentions to it.

F. Meeting the Bride

The marriage is finally held after the five procedures. In the past, the bridegroom wore wedding suit, riding on a horse, and guided the bridal sedan chair to marry the bride on the day. And the bride wore a red cheongsam waiting for the bridegroom. Now, the bridegroom wares western suit, and the bride wares wedding dress and usually in a car.

II. Western Marriage Custom

In the middle ages children were married at a young age. Girls were as young as 12 when they got married, and boys as young as 14. The arrangement of the marriage was based on monetary worth. The family of the girl who was to be married gave a dowry, or donation, to the boy she was to marry. The dowry went with her when the marriage was held and stayed with the boy forever after the marriage. After the marriage was arranged, a wedding notice was posted on the door of the church. The notice was put up to ensure that there were no grounds for prohibiting the marriage.

The notice stated who was to be married, and if anyone knew any reasons that the two could not marry, they were to come forward with the reason. If the reason was a valid one the wedding would be prohibited.

There were many reasons for prohibiting a marriage. One reason was consanguinity, if the two were too closely related. If the boy or the girl had taken a monastic or

religious vow, the marriage was also prohibited. Sometimes widows or widowers took vows of celibacy on the death of their spouse, and later regretted doing so when they could not remarry. Other reasons which also prohibited marriage, but were not

grounds for a divorce, were rape, adultery, and incest. A couple could not be married during a time of fasting, such as lent or advent. Nor could a couple be married by someone who had killed someone.

In the middle ages there were few reasons the wedding could be dissolved. One reason was if either the man or woman were not of legal age, 12 for girls and 14 for boys. If the husband or wife had previously made a religious or monastic vow or were not Christian, the marriage would be dissolved. The last reason a marriage could end was if the woman, not the man, was incapable of ***ual relations.

A. Proposal

When the prospective groom had obtained his father’s consent to marry, a formal marriage proposal had to be made. The prospective groom did not propose in person but sent his friends or members of his family to represent his interest to the prospective bride and her family. If they saw a blind man, a monk or a pregnant woman during their journey, it was believed that the proposal would not be accepted as these signs were thought to bring bad luck. If, however, they saw nanny goats, pigeons or wolves, this was a good omen which would bring good fortune to the marriage.

During Medieval times in western countries, the man proposed by leaving a hawthorn branch at the door of his beloved on the first of May. By leaving the branch at the door she accepted his proposal. She made known her refusal by replacing the hawthorn branch with a cauliflower.

B. Changing Surnames

It was thought unlucky for a woman to marry a man whose surname began with the same letter as hers. The sentiment was summarized in the following thyme:

To change the name and not the letter is to change for the worst and not the better The bride should not practice writing her new name before the wedding. This was thought to bring bad luck by tempting fate.

C. Choosing the Day

Although most weddings now take place on a Saturday, it was considered unlucky in the past. Fridays were also considered unlucky particularly Friday the 13th. The famous old rhyme advised a wedding in the first half of the week:

Monday for wealth

Tuesday for health

Wednesday the best day of all

Thursday for losses

Friday for crosses (= funerals)

Saturday for no luck at all

Advice on which month to marry in was given by the following rhyme: Married when the year is new, he'll love, kind and true.

When February birds do mate, you neither wed nor dread your fate.

If you wed when March winds blow, joy and sorrow both you'll know.

Marry in April when you can, Joy for Maiden and for Man.

Marry in the month of May, and you'll surely rue the day.

Marry when June roses grow, over land and sea you'll go.

Those who in July do wed, must labor for their daily bred.

Whoever wed in August be, many a change is sure to see

Marry in September's shrine, your living will be rich and fine.

If in October you do marry, love will come but riches tarry.

If you wed in bleak November, only joys will come, remember.

When December snows fall fast, marry and true love will last.

Marry in May and you'll live to rue the day

May had been considered an unlucky month to marry in for a number of reasons. In Pagan times the Feast of the Dead and the festival of the goddess of chastity both occurred in May. The advice was taken more seriously in Victorian times than it is today. In most Churches the end of April was a busy time for weddings as couples wanted to avoid being married in May. Queen Victoria was thought to have forbidden her children from marrying in May.

June was considered to be a lucky month to marry in, because it was named after Juno, the Roman goddess of love and marriage.

The summer as a whole was considered a good time to marry and this was partly to do with the sun's association with fertility. In Scotland one popular custom was for the bride to "walk with the sun" to bring her good. She would walk from east to west on the south side of the church and then continue walking around the church three times.

D. Holding the Wedding

The wedding ceremony was finally held.

The church ceremony in the middle ages took place outside the church door before entering the church for a nuptial mass. During the ceremony in front of the church doors the man stood on the right side and the woman stood on the left side, facing the door of the church. “The reason was that she was formed out of a rib in the left side of Adam.” The priest began by asking if anyone knew of any reason the couple should not be married. He also asked this of the man and woman so they might confess any reasons for prohibiting their marriage.

The ceremony proceeded with the priest saying, “N (amen) wilt though have this woman to thy wedded wife, wilt the love her, and honor her, keep her and guard her, in health and in sickness, as a husband should a wife, and forsaking all others on

account of her, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?” Then the priest, changing the wording of “as a husband should a wife”, asked the same of the woman. Both the man and the woman should answer by saying” I will.” At this time the woman was given by her father. The wedding continued with the saying of vows.

Both the man and the woman, with the exception of the words wife and husband, said,

“I N. take thee N. to my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness, and in health, till death do us part, if the holy church will ordain it. And thereto I plight thee my troth.” At this time the ring exchange occurred. They bowed their heads and the priest gave them a blessing. As husband and wife they entered the church, where they knelt before the altar. At the altar the priest gave a prayer and a blessing, thus ending the marriage ceremony. If the bridegroom and bride did not belong to England of Church, they must use the second marriage form, according to the law, that was go to the marriage registrant to hold a secular marriage ceremony.

III. Differences

It is clear that Chinese marriage custom and western marriage custom differ from each other in many aspects. In Chinese marriage custom the matchmaker has many

functions and youths have no right to choose and women are not on an equal footing with men. By contrast, in western marriage custom, the priest has functions and the youths, particular the man, have legal right to choose whom they wanted to marry and men and women are equal.

A. Different Marriage Media

Matchmaker and priest are different. Matchmaker has many functions. Almost in every process in marriage in old times, the matchmaker would attend. First, it was the matchmaker that introduced a man to a woman or a woman to a man, most the former. If matchmaker did not introduce them to each other, they would not know about each other for ever. If some accident event happened, that is they knew each other not through the matchmaker, they would be called “committing adultery with each other “or “a thief if a man and a whore if a woman”. Second, the other procedures after introduction in marriage were also done by the matchmaker.

There were three conditions in marriage in old China that were the matchmaker’s proposals, six gifts and meet, people kept honoring the ancestors as the center in these three conditions. The regulation of listening to matchmaker’s proposals was the rule that people must abide by. The reason was not only the function the matchmaker had in society, but also the meaning that the matchmaker had in later generation reproduction.

In modern times, matchmaker still has some of above functions such as the function of introduction.

Priest does not always function. It is his duty only when he hosts the wedding

ceremony. It was not the priest who introduces the man to the woman or the woman to the man.

In Christian’s opinions, wedding ceremony is considered as an important way to get god’s save and wedding ceremony is a very important part of marriage. Priest plays an essential role in it. And marriage is not valid, unless the ceremony is hosted by priest. There are three conditions in marriage too. First, there should be some correct things that is used when go to church; second, correct means to go to church especially correct reading prayer book; third, correct motive to go to church which emphasizes action by church’s order. It can be seen that church is important in western people’s eyes, so the priest is necessary when holding a marriage. And marriage is tinged with

mystery because of these conditions.

B. Freedom: Free or Not

In old China, people looked at the country and society as the standard, thus, “behest of parents” played an absolute important role in marriage. It was the principles of heaven and earth—right and proper when parents dealt with the son's or daughter's marriage only by their own opinions. Marriage in China was arranged by family. “Behest of parents and proposals of matchmaker” decided everything about marriage. Usually the husband and the wife did not meet each other before getting married. They did not know what their husband or wife liked. Even sometimes they did not know the names of each. If they did not agree the marriage, it was no use because the right of decision belonged to their parents. The marriage would still be held.

The youths are not free when chose the lover in some places even today.

Marriage marks the beginning of complete independence from the parents. According to the English law, no one was allowed to get married under the age of sixteen.

Marriage between the age of sixteen and eighteen must have the parents’ consent. But when the girl was over eighteen, she was free to choose her love. Youths in Britain were relatively free. In Britain, church pointed out “agreement principle” which pointed out that the marriage was valid only when the two persons involved in

marriage expressed freely and openly in front of at least two chief witness at wedding ceremony; the marriage was not valid when there existing misunderstanding or force in marriage. Under this “agreement principle”, the father should listen to the

daughter’s suggestion, and the father should not force the daughter to marry with the man whom she did not want to marry. Thus, it can be seen from this point that, one’s willing was superior to anything.

C. Right: Equal or Not

Chinese men were hold up as “sky” and women were considered as “earth” in old times. Sky was superior to earth in old people’s eyes. And women must comply with three obedience and four virtues. But man could have a wife and many concubines. In north of China in some places, husband and wife are still unequal.

The Bible says that husband should respect wife because both of them are blessed by God. And it emphasizes that the relations between husband and wife should include duty.

D. Different Purposes of Marriage

The main purpose of getting marriage in China is to continue the male offspring. The so-called “there are three forms of filial impiety, of which the most serious is to have no heir” reflects the importance to serve ancestors. And the filial piety is traditional virtues.

In western countries, they are influenced deeply by religion, especially the

Christianity. They think that it is the God who has created marriage. There are three purposes of the marriage created by God. First, the couple is lifelong companion with each other; they serve God together. Then get married, start career and produce an heir to carry on the pious descendants. The final purpose is carrying on the pious descendants to serve to God. So they do not stress the blood relationship. They can remedy the defect of non-child by adopting other children.

IV. Reasons for the Differences Above

A. Religions

Among all the religion by which people seek to worship, Christianity is by far the most influential in the west. Every phase of man’s life is touched by this religion, so much so that it has become part and parcel of western culture. British dominant religious belief is Christian faith; or rather the U.K. is a country of Christianity. Bishop ordered marriage law as the fourth chapter in 1234. After issuing the law, it was carried on under the strong church control. In 1917, the marriage law referred: wedding ceremony should be held by priest or at least two witness; the willing should be true and not be forced.

Most Chinese people believes Buddhism which advocates “why and because

relationship”. In this point of view, sky is the reason, and earth is the result; parents are the reason, and sons or daughters are the result; husband is the reason, and wife is the result.

B. Cultural Origins

Traditional Chinese traditional marriage custom was characterized by a distinctive patriarchal clan system. “Three obedience and four virtues” decided that women

should become an appendage to the men and be subordinated to the family interest. It was also characterized by strong feudal political color. Marriage sometimes was a kind of ways to ally in political. The policy of cementing friendly relations through political marriages was a typical example in history. The traditional marriage custom was influenced deeply by Confucianism.

There sill exists differences between males and females in marriage custom today. This phenomenon is also caused by the traditional Chinese culture.

Western marriage custom is influenced deeply by religion, however, which

emphasizes both men and women are God’s sons and daughters, so they are equal unlike Chinese who pay more attentions to boys. Western people consider girls are also the fruit of love.

C. Marriage Concepts

Chinese people once thought that marriage was a kind of ways to increase families, offspring and protect and enhance family’s reputation and position. Marriage would add a girl of a clan other than one’s own, so marriage was looked as the important event of family but not one’s own event. The love between the man and the woman was not the first condition of marriage. Today the marriage concepts have not changed much especially in some backward places. The aim of getting marriage for them is till to increase families, offspring and protect and enhance family’s reputation and position.

In western countries, marriage is the love’s home to return to. The aim of marriage is to make the woman and the man live together all the life. It is the personal affair. They have no duty to increase family, offspring and protect and enhance family’s reputation and position. The marriage just make them live together. Thus those westerners stress feeling not the family’s interest or reputation when they are choosing lover.

D. Geographies

Britain is over one thousand kilometers from south to north. Its coastline runs about

ten thousand kilometers, making it one of the countries with the longest coastlines in the world. In Britain no place is over one hundred and twenty kilometers from the sea. During the fight with the sea, British people feel the strong force of the nature that is difficult to control. Thus they believed God. They think God is omnipotent and they respect God very much.

China’s geography is extremely varied and complex, including mountains, plateaus, plains, grasslands, basins, hills, islands, desert, glaciers, and frozen earth. Mountain areas cover about two-thirds of the total land area. This geography decides that Chinese people live mainly by farming and live in groups, and later formed the

patriarchal clan system with rigidly stratified. This makes Chinese people respect the person that exists in objective reality that is the ancestors that created tribe and saved the country.

Chinese people respect ancestors and western people respect God that lead the spirit world in China into ethics that take the main position and in western religion take the main position. Thus it causes marriage differences.

Conclusion

Marriage custom in both China and western countries has gone through for a long time. As a most grand thing in people’s life, it has always attracted a high degree of attention.

As time goes by, although many wedding customs have experienced various changes, as the basic pattern, “six etiquettes” in China has not changed much. That’s to say proposing, asking the name, asking for fortune, sending betrothal presents to the girl’s family, discussing the date of marriage and meeting the bride are still essential and core in marriage custom.

In western countries, a valid marriage should experience proposal, surnames, choosing the day and holding the wedding.

There are four differences between the two kinds of marriage custom. Firstly, the marriage media are different. Marriage media in China is matchmaker, but priest in western countries. Secondly, youths have no free right to choose their lover in China, but in western countries people are much freer on this point. Thirdly, westerners are equal than Chinese in marriage. Fourthly, the main purpose of getting marriage in China is to continue the male offspring. However in western countries, there are three purposes: the couple serve God; then get married and start career; last is produce an heir to carry on the pious descendants.

The differences existing in Chinese and western marriage custom are inevitable. The different religious, cultural origin, marriage concept, and geographies caused different marriage custom in both worlds.

These differences maybe will still exist for a long times between Chinese marriage custom and western marriage custom because it is not easy to change a kind of traditional culture or custom witch has remains for thousands of years.

Acknowledgements

I would like to take this opportunity to express my thanks to my tutor----Chen

Jianghong, who offers me academic and constructive advices on composing this paper. Her patient help and timely encouragement are worthy of high acknowledgement. On the process of composing the paper, she also played an important role in indicating a bright road in my future writing.

And I also would like to take this opportunity to thank Ms. Li Li-qin, who is my thesis course teacher and gives me some advice on how to write a paper. At the same time, I would like to thank all the leaders and teachers of the School of Foreign Languages and Cultures.

I do need to thank the persons who give me my life—my father, my mother, for their warm care and the chance of study. Last but not the least，I would like to express my thanks to them who spend their time in reading my paper, and I will be grateful if you could give me your advice.