Abstract
In contemporary Western moral philosophy literature that discusses the Chinese ethical tradition, it is a commonplace practice to use the Chinese term daode 道德 as a technical translation of the English term moral. The present study provides some empirical evidence showing a discrepancy between the terms moral and daode. There is a much more pronounced difference between prototypically immoral and prototypically uncultured behaviors in English (USA) than between prototypically bu daode 不道德 and prototypically bu wenming 不文明 behaviors in Mandarin Chinese (Mainland China). If the Western concept of immorality is defined in contraposition to things that are matters of etiquette or conventional norms and thus tied to a more or less tangible moral/conventional distinction, then we are dealing with a different structure in Mandarin Chinese—the prototypically bu daode and bu wenming behaviors seem to largely overlap. We also discuss whether bu lunli 不倫理 and bu hefa 不合法 can be considered adequate candidates for translation of immorality and we answer in the negative.
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Notes
Participant characteristics by country: USA (N = 114; after removing 3 from outside US: N = 111; age range = 20–63; median age = 30; mean age = 34; male = 55; female = 65); Mainland China (N = 122; age range = 17–61; median age = 22; mean age = 24; male = 34; female = 88); Lithuania (N = 121; after removing 4 incomplete answers: N = 117; age range = 18–63; median age = 22; mean age = 29; male = 41; female = 76).
Note, in this paper we will sometimes refer, for ease of exposition, to Chinese or Lithuanian terms by using English terms. This, however, should not be taken as suggesting that, for example, bu daode is an exact translation of immoral. In fact, we will argue, on the basis of our results, that the English term immoral and Chinese term bu daode differ in very crucial respects.
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Acknowledgements
This research was funded by a grant (no. MIP-15506) from the Research Council of Lithuania. An earlier version of this paper was presented at conferences at University of Vilnius, Tartu University, Kaunas University of Technology, and Osnabrück University, and a workshop at University of Iceland. We wish to thank the audiences at these events for suggestions on how to improve the paper. We also thank two anonymous reviewers for this journal for their valuable comments, Agnė Veisaitė for help with coding data, and Phyllis Zych-Budka and Vincent Giedraitis for language editing.
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Appendices
Appendices
Appendix 1: Free-listing prompts for the studies reported in the present article
Prompts | |
|---|---|
English | The aim of this study is to learn which actions or behaviors are considered immoral [uncultured]. Please provide a list of actions and behaviors which, in your opinion, are immoral [uncultured]. Please list at least five examples. There are no correct answers, we are just interested in your opinion |
Mandarin Chinese | 这项调查旨在了解常人认为的何谓不道德[不文明/不伦理/不合法]的动作和行为。请列举出您个人认为是不道德[不文明/不伦理/不合法]的动作或行为。请最少列举出5个例子。这里没有标准答案。我们对您个人的意见感兴趣。 |
Lithuanian | Šiuo tyrimu norime išsiaiškinti, kokius veiksmus ar poelgius žmonės laiko amoraliais [nekultūringais]. Prašome pateikti sąrašą veiksmų ar poelgių, kurie jūsų asmenine nuomone yra amoralūs [nekultūringi] (pateikite bent penkis pavyzdžius). Čia nėra teisingų ar klaidingų atsakymų, mums tik rūpi jūsų nuomonė |
Appendix 2: Terms used for quantitative analysis in the study
No. | EN | LT | CN |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Killing/murder | žudyti | 杀人 |
2 | Stealing | vogti | 盗窃 |
3 | Cheating | sukčiauti | 欺骗 |
4 | Raping | prievartauti | 强奸 |
5 | Lying | meluoti | 说谎 |
6 | Animal abuse | kankinti gyvūnus | 残害动物 |
7 | Adultery | svetimauti | 通奸 |
8 | Paedophilia | pedofilija | 恋童癖 |
9 | Harming others | kenkti kitiems | 损人 |
10 | Violence | smurtauti | 暴力 |
11 | Bullying | tyčiotis | 欺负 |
12 | Betrayal | išduoti | 背叛 |
13 | Not respecting others | negerbti kitų | 不尊重他人 |
14 | Slandering | apkalbinėti | 背后议论 |
15 | Exploiting | išnaudoti | 剥削 |
16 | Being loud | triukšmauti | 公共场合喧哗 |
17 | Littering | šiukšlinti | 乱扔垃圾 |
18 | Spitting | spjaudytis | 随地吐痰 |
19 | Cutting in line | lįsti be eilės | 插队 |
20 | Smoking in public | rūkyti viešumoje | 公共场合吸烟 |
21 | Insulting | įžeidinėti | 辱骂他人 |
22 | Damaging public property | naikinti visuomenės turtą | 破坏公物 |
23 | Not observing traffic rules | nesilaikyti KET | 不遵守交通规则 |
24 | Swearing | keiktis | 说脏话 |
25 | Farting | persti | 放屁 |
26 | Picking_nose | krapštyti nosi | 挖鼻孔 |
27 | Burping | riaugėti | 打嗝 |
28 | Not washing | nesiprausti | 不洗澡 |
29 | Being rude | grubiai bendrauti | 粗鲁对待他人 |
30 | Chewing with mouth open | valgyti pravira burna | 嚼着不闭嘴 |
31 | Not respecting older people | negerbti vyresnių | 不尊老 |
32 | Ignoring others | ignoruoti kitus | 不理他人 |
33 | Alcohol abuse | girtauti | 酗酒 |
34 | Interrupting others | pertraukinėti kitus | 随意打断他人说话 |
35 | Urinating and defecating publicly | tuštintis viešai | 随地大小便 |
36 | Jaywalking | eiti per gatvę neleistinoje vietoje | 乱穿马路 |
37 | Fighting/hitting | muštis/mušti | 打架/打人 |
38 | Graffiti | graffiti | 涂鸦 |
39 | Eating in unsuitable places | valgyti netinkamose vietose | 在禁止吃饭的场合吃东西 |
Appendix 3: Frequencies of terms in immoral and uncultured conditions (in percents) and differences between conditions
No. | Term | US | Mainland China | Lithuania | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Immoral | Uncultured | Difference | Immoral | Uncultured | Difference | Immoral | Uncultured | Difference | ||
1 | Killing/murder | 81.67 | 4.08 | 77.59 | 1.75 | 0 | 1.75 | 37.7 | 0 | 37.7 |
2 | Stealing | 78.33 | 12.24 | 66.09 | 14.04 | 3.08 | 10.96 | 42.62 | 1.79 | 40.83 |
3 | Cheating | 41.67 | 4.08 | 37.59 | 24.56 | 1.54 | 23.02 | 11.48 | 0 | 11.48 |
4 | Raping | 40.00 | 2.04 | 37.96 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.92 | 0 | 4.92 |
5 | Lying | 33.33 | 4.08 | 29.25 | 3.51 | 0 | 3.51 | 45.9 | 5.36 | 40.54 |
6 | Animal abuse | 15.00 | 2.04 | 12.96 | 1.75 | 0 | 1.75 | 13.11 | 1.79 | 11.32 |
7 | Adultery | 13.33 | 0 | 13.33 | 1.75 | 0 | 1.75 | 13.11 | 0 | 13.11 |
8 | Paedophilia | 13.33 | 0 | 13.33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
9 | Harming others | 11.67 | 2.04 | 9.63 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.56 | 1.79 | 4.77 |
10 | Violence | 11.67 | 6.12 | 5.55 | 1.75 | 0 | 1.75 | 32.79 | 3.57 | 29.22 |
11 | Bullying | 3.33 | 10.20 | 6.87 | 5.26 | 0 | 5.26 | 29.51 | 16.07 | 13.44 |
12 | Betrayal | 1.67 | 0 | 1.67 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18.03 | 0 | 18.03 |
13 | Not respecting others | 5.00 | 0 | 5 | 1.75 | 0 | 1.75 | 16.39 | 17.86 | 1.47 |
14 | Slandering | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.26 | 1.54 | 3.72 | 11.48 | 16.07 | 4.59 |
15 | Exploiting | 6.67 | 0 | 6.67 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11.48 | 0 | 11.48 |
16 | Being loud | 0 | 22.45 | 22.45 | 49.12 | 58.46 | 9.34 | 1.64 | 30.36 | 28.72 |
17 | Littering | 3.33 | 4.08 | 0.75 | 47.37 | 67.69 | 20.32 | 1.64 | 30.36 | 28.72 |
18 | Spitting | 0 | 14.29 | 14.29 | 42.11 | 67.69 | 25.58 | 0 | 39.29 | 39.29 |
19 | Cutting in line | 0 | 6.12 | 6.12 | 26.32 | 27.69 | 1.37 | 0 | 8.93 | 8.93 |
20 | Smoking in public | 0 | 2.04 | 2.04 | 22.81 | 27.69 | 4.88 | 1.64 | 10.71 | 9.07 |
21 | Insulting | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14.04 | 15.38 | 1.34 | 3.28 | 7.14 | 3.86 |
22 | Damaging public property | 1.67 | 0 | 1.67 | 10.53 | 6.15 | 4.38 | 1.64 | 1.79 | 0.15 |
23 | Not observing traffic rules | 0 | 6.12 | 6.12 | 10.53 | 15.38 | 4.85 | 0 | 8.93 | 8.93 |
24 | Swearing | 3.33 | 26.53 | 23.2 | 5.26 | 24.62 | 19.36 | 4.92 | 48.21 | 43.29 |
25 | Farting | 1.67 | 26.53 | 24.86 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.79 | 1.79 |
26 | Picking nose | 0 | 24.49 | 24.49 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8.93 | 8.93 |
27 | Burping | 0 | 22.45 | 22.45 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.14 | 7.14 |
28 | Not washing | 0 | 14.29 | 14.29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.79 | 1.79 |
29 | Being rude | 0 | 12.24 | 12.24 | 1.75 | 1.54 | 0.21 | 0 | 10.71 | 10.71 |
30 | Chewing with mouth open | 0 | 12.24 | 12.24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10.71 | 10.71 |
31 | Not respecting older people | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.75 | 1.54 | 0.21 | 1.64 | 14.29 | 12.65 |
32 | Ignoring others | 0 | 2.04 | 2.04 | 1.75 | 0 | 1.75 | 6.56 | 12.50 | 5.94 |
33 | Alcohol abuse | 1.67 | 4.08 | 2.41 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9.84 | 12.50 | 2.66 |
34 | Interrupting others | 0 | 4.08 | 4.08 | 1.75 | 1.54 | 0.21 | 1.64 | 12.50 | 10.86 |
35 | Urinating and defecating publicly | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8.77 | 10.77 | 2 | 1.64 | 1.79 | 0.15 |
36 | Jaywalking | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9.23 | 9.23 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
37 | Fighting/hitting | 10.00 | 8.16 | 1.84 | 8.77 | 9.23 | 0.46 | 3.28 | 3.57 | 0.29 |
38 | Graffiti | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.26 | 9.23 | 3.97 | 0 | 1.79 | 1.79 |
39 | Eating in unsuitable places | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.51 | 9.23 | 5.72 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Avrg. diff. | 13.36 | 4.37 | 12.55 | |||||||
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Dranseika, V., Berniūnas, R. & Silius, V. Immorality and bu daode, unculturedness and bu wenming. J Cult Cogn Sci 2, 71–84 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41809-018-0013-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41809-018-0013-y