单选题
Although there are body languages that can cross cultural boundaries, culture is still a significant factor in all body languages. This is particular true of personal space needs. Donald Keene notes the fact that in the Japanese language there is no word for privacy. To the Japanese, privacy exists in terms of his house. He considers this area as his own ,and he dislikes invasions of it. Dr. Hall sees this as a reflection of the Japanese concept of space. Westerners, he believed, see space as the distance between objects; to them, space is empty. The Japanese, on the other hand, see space as having as much meaning as their flower arrangement and art. In public the Arabs are crowded together. In privacy, they prefer a great deal of space. The traditional or wealthy Arab house is large and empty, with family often crowded together in one small area of it. The Arabs do not like to be alone, and even in their spacious houses they will huddle together. The Arabs like to touch his companion. To deny a friend one's breath is to feel ashamed. The Japanese, in their closeness, preserve a formality and cool dignity. Along with this closeness, there is a pushing and shoving in the Arab world that many Westerners find uncomfortable, even unpleasant. To an American, for example, there are personal boundaries even in a public place. When he is waiting in line, he believes that his place there is his alone, and may not be invaded by another. The Arab has no concept of privacy in a public place, and if he can push his way into a line, he feels perfectly within his rights to do so. Hall points out that an Arab needs at times to be alone. To do this, he simply cuts off the lines of communication. He retreats into himself, mentally and spiritually, and this withdrawal is respected by his companions. If an American were with an Arab who withdrew in this way, he would regard it as impolite, as lack of respect, even as an insult.