Abstract:When we talk about global business, the influence of American culture comes as an esstial and inseperable part. In tradition, America has been described as a "melting pot," welcoming people from many different countries, of different races, and religions, all hoping to look for freedom, search for new opportunities, and seek for a better way of life. Today the trend is turning to multiculturalism, but not assimilation. The old "melting pot" metaphor is giving way to a new metaphor, "salad bowl", where a mixture of various ingredients that keep their individual features. Immigrants within America are not being melted together in one "pot", but are transforming American Society into a genuine multicultural mosaic.

Key Words: melting pot, salad bowl, immigration, assimilation, multiplicity, multiculturalism

中文摘要:当我们提及世界发展的时候，很难不去联想到美国文化对它的影响。在传统的观念中，美国被形容为一个聚集着不同国家，不同种族，不同宗教信仰，但却共同追寻着自由平等，崭新机会，更好生活的人们的“大熔炉”。然而到了今天，这同化主义被多元文化主义所替代，是一个新的趋势。一个预示着各种各异的材料即使混在一起也不失自我风格的“沙拉碗”概念，将取代过气的“大熔炉”比喻。移民到了美国的所有公民并不在一个同炉里相互混合交融，但是他们却一起把美国慢慢转化成一个正真意义上的多元化社会。

关键词：“大熔炉”，“沙拉碗”，移民，同化，多样化，多元化主义