AComparisonofAnimalWordsofCulturalConnotationinEnglishandChinese

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1、A Comparison of Animal Words of Cultural Connotation in English and ChineseAbstractLanguage 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 connota

2、tion, 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 connotati

3、on 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 in ani

4、mal 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, associationi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中的异同进行了阐述和对比。在不

5、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iiContentsAbstracti摘要iiContentsiiiIntroduction11 The same animal words have same cultural connotations in English and Chinese3 1.1 The same animal has similar

6、basic attributes3 1.2 The human evolution causes English and Chinese animal words characteristics to have common characteristics42 The same animal words have different cultural connotations in English and Chinese5 2.1 The traditional culture makes same animal words have typically national cultural c

7、haracteristics6 2.2 The aesthetic orientation is different92.3 The mode of thinking is different113 The same animal words have no corresponding cultural connotations in English and Chinese13 3.1 The geographical environment is different14 3.2 The same animal has the different influence and position

8、in the English and Chinese minds154 The different animal words have the similar cultural connotations in English and Chinese.16Conclusion.17Bibliography.18IntroductionLanguage is the principal means whereby we conduct our social lives. When it is used in contexts of communication, it is bound up wit

9、h 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 people share. Words also reflect their authors attitudes and belief

10、s. 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 one another, through its verbal and non-verbal aspects, language

11、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 social identity. The prohibition of its use is often perceived by i

12、ts 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 says or what it refers to as semantics, and through what it does a

13、s 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 with other signs in the direct environment of verbal exchanges, or

14、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 survival.1 Language is the carrier of culture; Vocabulary is the

15、 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. On the one hand, the animal becomes the humans source of basic

16、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 divinity from the animals. So the different animal words have the different

17、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 Chinese animal words. When animal words choose the compared image, the sa

18、me 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 image has no corresponding cultural connotations, for example: rain the

19、 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 rat in the hole. This essay will deal with the reasons why exist the

20、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 example: he is a fox. Obviously, fox means the person who is fraudulent and c

21、unning 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 attributesEvery animal has its own special body, appearance and attribute etc. From the angle of animal attri

22、bute, 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 basic attribute, the some animal words have the same the association.There are a lot of same animal words

23、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 imitate the voice of people. It describes the person who has not independent opinion

24、 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 oneself. (It means some body that eats and drinks extravagantly). Honeybee is

25、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 in Chinese and English, for example: make an ass of oneself. (Make oneself do t

26、he 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 basic attribute in the same cultural connotations.1.2 The average evolution of

27、 human culture causes the common characteristics of animal words in English and ChineseThe human evolution expresses in the process of human civilized development, it refers to the different nations exist the life experiment and ideological recognition. Some experts called it the cultural overlaps.

28、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 mankind and objective world, it makes the language that has the common characteristi

29、cs 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 slow as a snail). Fox is cunning and sly. Cock is proud (As proud as a cock). Sheep

30、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 say (to parrot what the others say). 2 Except the human civilized common characteris

31、tics, 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 foreign words. For example: “A paper tiger” in English comes from Chinese. “A blank hors

32、e ”, “ 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. The advanced culture after developing and merging has promoted the exchange among var

33、ious 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 connotationsUnder the different backgrounds, different cultural backgrounds produce different association to the sa

34、me 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, nobody shows any interest in. the reason lies in some words of trademark. Goat in Chinese

35、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 development of two English-Chinese nationalities, the animal words exit the different cultural con

36、notations. 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 animal words with bright national cultural characteristicsEvery nation has its own traditio

37、nal 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 China is the part of cultural heritage. There are the description of the dragon in Chinese an

38、d 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 of the accounts department is an absolute dragon.4 Collins COBUILD English language dictionar

39、y 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 the enemy of God is called the great dragon. Dragon is also the representative in the paint of t

40、he 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 Chinese history. Dragon stands for lucky, honorable and authoritative. In the legend, dragon is the

41、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 many kinds of animal comprehensive totem image of characteristics, just like dragon, phoenix and

42、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 constantly in China clan. In the feudal society, the dragon is the symbol of the emperor. The past d

43、ynasties 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 Dictionary said: phoenix is mythical bred of the Arabian Desert, said to live for several hund

44、red years before it ashes. 4 Phoenix means 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 Movement, Phoenix-like, a new feminist militancy was being born. 3In Chinese traditional culture, phoenix

45、 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, calls four jinn. It has the neck of snake, the tail of fish, the line of dragon, the body of tortoise

46、. 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 phoenix. In the old ancient, people believe phoenix indicates the world is at peace. In the ancient

47、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 in the nest of out-of the way mountain area” is that the person with the special ability has appeared

48、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 superstition and so on. All of this makes the same animal words have the different association. Traditi

49、onal culture in different nations makes the same animal words have the different cultural connotations.2.2 The aesthetic orientation is differentThe 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. T

50、he same animal words produce the different commendatory and derogatory sense, and which connect with the taste of the animal in English-Chinese nationalities. The human appreciate the corresponding animal words which will develop the commendatory sense, otherwise, it will develop to the derogatory s

51、ense in any nation. So, you stand the different position and use the different sight, the aesthetic orientation is different. The same animal words in English and Chinese have the different comment sense. The same animal words in English have the commendatory sense. On the contrary, the same animal

52、words in Chinese have the derogatory sense. For example: owl regards as the symbol of the wisdom. As wise as an owl. If say someone is owlish, it means the person who is clever and strict. For example: Patrick peered owlishly at us through his glasses. Because there are so many owls in Athens, The o

53、wl is a symbol of the Athens. If the person say like that “ to send owls to Athens.” It means that the person take the trouble to do something. Owl in English has the commendatory sense. But it has the derogatory sense in Chinese. The image in English and Chinese is completely different. Because it

54、usually shouts and cries at the night, Chinese think it is the unluckily animal. When the people hear the cry of an owl. It indicates the unluckily thing will come.3so, there is say that the owl come to your house, the unluckily thing will come in. Bear has the big different association in English a

55、nd Chinese. In oral English, bear describes the talent who has the powerful knowledge. For example: He is a bear at maths. But the Chinese people think the bear is stupid and vexed. In Chinese, bear uses in some sentences as the derogatory word. He is a bear. It means the person is the worthless wre

56、tch. However, the same animal words have the commendatory sense in Chinese. For example: In the popular legend of Europe, the bat is a kind of the evil animal. It links with the dark force, especially the vampire bat. There have lots of idioms about the bats bad associations. For instance: as blind

57、as a bat, crazy as a bat etc. If a person is batty, it means the person is a bit abnormal. In Chinese traditional culture, the image of bat is completely different. Because the bat and “福” are the homophone, so the bat is regarded as the symbol of happy. A lot of pattern adopts bat in order to show

58、luckily among the people. For example: there are five bats, on the longer pattern of the good fortune which stand for the good fortune.3 Peacock is a lucky symbol in Chinese culture. The people think it is the thing of good luck that the peacock spreads its rail. In Yunnan province, the pais dances

59、peacock dance in order to express ones hope. But peacock usually is the derogatory sense with bad association in English. Websters Third New International Dictionary of the English Language explained: peacock is describes the one making a proud or arrogant display of himself. Collin COBUILD English

60、Language Dictionary explained: if you describe someone, especially a man, as a peacock, you mean that they are rather proud of themselves and like wearing attractive clothes and looking good; used showing disapproval. So, the basic meaning of peacock is denied in English, it is not emphasized the be

61、auty but the proud, and it has the abundant derogatory sense. Proud as a peacock .you can see the deny meaning in the follow sentences.3) They were eager to take the young peacock down a peg.4) He attempted to peacock his way through the world.5) His father was peacocking about on the lawn.3So the p

62、erson stands the different angle to see the same animal words, which has the different result. Some nations like some animals, the animal words in that nation must have the commendatory sense. They usually to express the good cultural connotations, otherwise, the animal words that some nations disli

63、ke have the derogatory sense. The color of same animal words depend on the person treat the favorite of the animal. Every nation use the different eye to see the world, there exits the difference in view of observe and perception, and every nation stand their owns position, so the aesthetic orientat

64、ion in the same animal words are different in the different nation. 2.3 The mode of thinking is differentThe animal lives in the objective world, the same animal words in the different nations cause the different associations, which produce the different symbolized meaning. So the difference in the mode of thinking causes the same animal words have the different cultural connotations in English and Chinese.Dog is the English peoples pet, but in China it only to keep the house. The different mode of thinking causes the same animal words with the different cultural connotati