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1、- i A Comparison of Cultural Connotations of Animal Words in English and Chinese Abstract Language is the carrier of culture. The animal words, widely used in both English and Chinese, reflect the similarities and differences of the two languages. Based on analysis of the animal words with cultural
2、connotation, it explains and compares the general and specific characters of these words used in English and Chinese. Under the different background, the animal words have abundant cultural connotation. The same animal words in English and Chinese have the same connotation, the different cultural co
3、nnotation or no corresponding meaning; the different animal words have the same cultural connotation. The paper deals with the difference in the traditional culture, the aesthetic orientation, the way of thinking etc, helping people to understand the reason why the similarities and differences exist
4、 in animal words is useful to achieve the across-cultural communication and increase the understanding of different cultures. Key words: animal words cultural connotation similarities and differences association - ii 摘 要 语言是文化的载体，动物词在英汉语当中有很广泛的应用。英汉两 种文化的异同同样也反映在所使用的文化动物词中，并分析动物词语的 丰富的文化内涵，并对动物词在英汉语
5、中的异同进行了阐述和对比。在 不同的文化背景下，动物词有不同的联想意义。英汉语中相同的动物词 意义相同，内涵相同，相反或不对应等等；不同的动物词，内涵相似。 本文就从传统文化，审美观念，思维方式等几个原因分别进行探讨，搞 清这些异同有助人们顺利进行跨文化交际，增进对文化的了解. 关键词：动物词 文化内涵 异同 联想 - iii Contents Abstracti 摘要 .ii Contents.iii Introduction1 1 The same animal words have same cultural connotations in English and Chinese 2 1
6、.1 The same animal has similar basic attributes.2 1.2 The human evolution causes English and Chinese animal words characteristics to have common characteristics .3 2 The same animal words have different cultural connotations in English and Chinese.4 2.1 The traditional culture makes same animal word
7、s have typically national cultural characteristics4 2.2 The aesthetic orientation is different6 2.3 The mode of thinking is different 8 3 The same animal words have no corresponding cultural connotations in English and Chinese 9 3.1 The geographical environment is different 10 3.2 The same animal ha
8、s the different influence and position in the English and Chinese minds10 4 The different animal words have the similar cultural connotation in English and Chinese.11 Conclusion 12 Bibliography .13 Acknowledgement14 1 Introduction Language is the principal means whereby we conduct our social lives.
9、When it is used in contexts of communication, it is bound up with culture in multiple and complex ways. To begin with, the words people utter refer to common experience. They express facts, ideas or events that are communicable because they refer to a stock of knowledge about the world that other pe
10、ople share. Words also reflect their authors attitudes and beliefs. Language expresses cultural reality. But members of a community or social group do not only express experience, but also create experience through language. They give meaning to it through the medium they choose to communicate with
11、one another, through its verbal and non-verbal aspects, language embodies cultural reality. Finally, language is a system of signs that is seemed as having itself a cultural value. Speakers identify themselves and others through their use of language; they view their language as a symbol of their so
12、cial identity. The prohibition of its use is often perceived by its speakers as a rejection of their social group and their culture. Thus we can say that language symbolizes cultural reality. Language can mean in two fundamental ways, both of which are intimately linked to culture: through what it s
13、ays or what it refers to as semantics, and through what it does as an action in context (pragmatics). Sign establish between words and things various semantic relations of denotation, connotation, or iconicity that give general meaning to the world. In addition, signs establish semantic relations wi
14、th other signs in the direct environment of verbal exchanges, or in the historical context of a discourse community. The creation of meaning through sign is not arbitrary, but is, rather, guided by the human desire for recognition, influence, power, and the general motivation for social and cultural
15、 survival.1 Language is the carrier of culture; Vocabulary is the essential factor of language. There are so many aspects, which express on the semantic relationship of language in English and Chinese. the same animal words between English and Chinese have the different associations in the most case
16、. On the one hand, the animal becomes - 2 the humans source of basic necessities. Such close relation makes people like to produce the intricate emotion, for example: sympathy, favorite, fear etc. On the other hand, many animals were endowed with the divinity by people. The human believe the divinit
17、y from the animals. So the different animal words have the different connotations, and the animal image form the specific animal culture in the different nations. Under the different languages and different cultural backgrounds, there exist similar and different connotations between English and Chin
18、ese animal words. When animal words choose the compared image, the same image has similar cultural connotations, for example: fish in troubled water. Some same image has different cultural connotations, for example: like a fish out of water, many a cow hath a bad calf, cry stinking fish. The same im
19、age has no corresponding cultural connotations, for example: rain the cat and dog; bell the cat. Some different images have similar meanings, for example: like a rat in the hole, cherish a snake in ones bosom. Some different images have similar meanings, for example: hold a wolf by the ears, like a
20、rat in the hole. This essay will deal with the reasons why exist the similarities and differences in English and Chinese animal words. 1 The same animal words have the same cultural connotations. In different nations, some same animal images have the same or similar cultural connotations. For exampl
21、e: he is a fox. Obviously, fox means the person who is fraudulent and cunning in English and Chinese. Such as: as cunning as a fox. It is clear to see that fox in English and Chinese has the same cultural connotations. 1.1 The same animal words have the similar attributes. Every animal has its own s
22、pecial body, appearance and attribute etc. From the angle of animal attribute, some animal words produce the same or similar association, because the ecological environment of human life is roughly similar, the people in China and English all know animal in terms of - 3 basic attribute, the some ani
23、mal words have the same the association. There are a lot of same animal words with the same cultural connotations. Sheep is considered as a kind of tame and docile animal in Chinese and western cultures. Sheep has the gentle, respectful and submissive personality. Parrot is an animal that can imitat
24、e the voice of people. It describes the person who has not independent opinion imitates others and says what others say. Wolf has greedy, fierce and cruel instinct. There is similar expression, as cruel as a wolf. Pig has lazy, foolish and ugly image, for example: eating like a pig, making a pig of
25、oneself. (It means some body that eats and drinks extravagantly). Honeybee is a busy and industrious symbol in English and Chinese. Such as: as busy as honeybee. Pigeon is a peaceful symbol. So Chinese call the pigeon the dove of peace. Donkey is used for describing the foolish people without head i
26、n Chinese and English, for example: make an ass of oneself. (Make oneself do the stupid thing). There are a lot of same animal words that have same cultural connotations. The animal lives in the same world, so they have the same ecological environment. The same animal words have the similar or same
27、basic attribute in the same cultural connotations. 1.2 The average evolution of human culture causes the common characteristics of animal words in English and Chinese. The human evolution expresses in the process of human civilized development, it refers to the different nations exist the life exper
28、iment and ideological recognition. Some experts called it the cultural overlaps. It refers to the mankind and external conditions that it depends on. And even, there are some commoners to a certain extent in the whole human social cultural background. The commoners form the common recognition of man
29、kind and objective world, it makes the language that has the common characteristics as communication of tool. some idioms in English and Chinese demonstrate the surprising similar or same cultural characteristics too. For example: deer is tame. (as timid and tame as a deer ). Snail is slowly (as slo
30、w as a snail). - 4 Fox is cunning and sly. Cock is proud (As proud as a cock). Sheep is lovely (as lovely as a sheep). Bee is busy (as busy as a bee). Monkey is naughty (as naughty as a monkey). Pig is dirty and greedy (as dirty and greedy as a pig). Parrot is the person who imitates what the others
31、 say (to parrot what the others say). 2 Except the human civilized common characteristics, we will consider the contribution to cultural development of the cultural exchanges factor. In the process of the communication, human languages of various nationalities constantly absorb a large number of for
32、eign words. For example: “A paper tiger” in English comes from Chinese. “A blank horse ”, “ a wolf in sheeps clothing” in Chinese comes from English. The exchange between Chinese and English has made borrow words from each other. Because of the exchange, human culture could develop and merge a bit.
33、The advanced culture after developing and merging has promoted the exchange among various nationalities. It must make outstanding cultural heritage and language quintessence drawn lessons and used by various nationalities. 2 The same animal words have different cultural connotations. Under the diffe
34、rent backgrounds, different cultural backgrounds produce different association to the same animal words. It gives the same animal words with more abundant cultural connotations. For example: the “goat” brand alarm clock that China produced has great demand in the international market. In Britain, no
35、body shows any interest in. the reason lies in some words of trademark. Goat in Chinese represents the learned person. The children in the kindergarten all know the grandfather of sheep has rich knowledge. But goat in English is expressed the lustful man who isnt decent. In the historical developmen
36、t of two English-Chinese nationalities, the animal words exit the different cultural connotations. Because of the difference of traditional culture, aesthetic orientation, the type of thinking, the same animal words have the different cultural connotations. 2.1 The traditional culture makes same ani
37、mal words with bright - 5 national cultural characteristics. Every nation has its own traditional culture. The traditional culture expresses on mythology, fable, religion, and superstition etc. The mythology of Greece and Rome is the part of cultural heritage in the western culture. The mythology of
38、 China is the part of cultural heritage. There are the description of the dragon in Chinese and English. Oxford advanced learners English-Chinese dictionary explained: a imaginary animal with wings and claw, able to breath out fire fierce person, especially, a woman .for example: The woman in charge
39、 of the accounts department is an absolute dragon.4 Collins COBUILD English language dictionary said: If you call a woman is a dragon, you mean that she is fierce and unpleasant. For example: She is a bit of a dragon around this place. The Bible said the dragon is the symbol of evil. Satan who is th
40、e enemy of God is called the great dragon. Dragon is also the representative in the paint of the Christianity. Beowulf is a heroic epic that hero killed the ferocious dragon and got victory. So, dragon usually associates with “fierce and ferocious.” However, dragon is the totemic image in the Chines
41、e history. Dragon stands for lucky, honorable and authoritative. In the legend, dragon is the magical animal that can revitalize the cloud and rainfall. Totem image in china of clan have the process of evolution, such as: bear, tiger, bird and so on. At last, totem is constantly sacred, and form man
42、y kinds of animal comprehensive totem image of characteristics, just like dragon, phoenix and so on. For instance: the dragon has shape of such many kinds of animals as snakes, the beast, the fish, etc, it is a animal of illusion relying mainly on snake. It has reflected the course of merging consta
43、ntly in China clan. In the feudal society, the dragon is the symbol of the emperor. The past dynasties emperors all called themselves as the emperor of the real dragon. Today, China is the dragon in the east.3 phoenix also has the bright mythological animal. Oxford Advanced learners English- Chinese
44、 Dictionary said: phoenix is mythical bred of the Arabian Desert, said to live for several hundred years before it ashes. 4 Phoenix means - 6 regeneration and revive. For example: 1) Religion, like a phoenix has been resurrected from the ashes of the war. 2) Out of the ashes of the suffragette Movem
45、ent, Phoenix-like, a new feminist militancy was being born. 3 In Chinese traditional culture, phoenix is a mysterious animal. It is a king of the birds. People regard phoenix as queen. So, the phoenix symbolized lucky, the phoenix is a mysterious animal, and the dragon、the tortoise、Chinese unicorn,
46、calls four jinn. It has the neck of snake, the tail of fish, the line of dragon, the body of tortoise. It was the totem of the snake tribe in east, and then merged and deified with other animal totem. People think the phoenix is the king of the birds. So there are one hundred statements from bird to
47、 phoenix. In the old ancient, people believe phoenix indicates the world is at peace. In the ancient time, Emperor is a symbol of God, phoenix is a symbol of queen, and so the emperor gets married and called them “prosperity brought by the dragon and the phoenix.” And “the gold phoenix has appears i
48、n the nest of out-of the way mountain area” is that the person with the special ability has appeared in the remote village.3 So, the same animal words have the different connotations, every nation has their owns traditional culture which express on the many factor, mythology, fable, religion, and su
49、perstition and so on. All of this makes the same animal words have the different association. Traditional culture in different nations makes the same animal words have the different cultural connotations. 2.2 The aesthetic orientation is different The different nations use the different sights to see the world. At different angle of sight and recognition, it exists the difference in the same thing. The same animal words produce the different commendatory and derogatory sense, and which connect with the taste