A Comparative Study of the Cultural Connotation of Colors between English and Chinese1

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1、英汉颜色词文化内涵的对比A Comparative Study of theCultural Connotation of Colors between English and Chinese ContentsAbstract.1Key words.1I. Introduction.2II. Comparison of Cultural Connotation of Five English and Chinese Colors.21. Black and 黑.22. White and 白.33. Red and 红.54. Yellow and 黄.65. Green and 绿.7III

2、. Influences81. Influences on cross-cultural communication .82. Influences on second language learning .10IV. Conclusion.10References. . .11A Comparative Study of the Cultural Connotation of Colors between English and ChineseA Comparative Study of Cultural Connotation of Colors between English and C

3、hineseAbstract: We live in a colorful world. Although there are a great variety of color words in our kaleidoscopic life ,basic color terms(black and黑,white and白,red and 红,yellow and黄,green and绿,)are important components of almost all the human languages. Due to the different social cultures, histor

4、ical processes and geographic conditions, almost all the basic color terms in English and Chinese carry their own peculiar connotations. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the similarities and differences between English and Chinese cultural connotations of colors. By the comparative study of

5、 cultural connotation of basic color words between English and Chinese, we can know more about what is going on in peoples mind, in their language and culture to avoid misunderstanding in the deepening cross-cultural communication. At the same time, the paper can greatly influence on the use of colo

6、r terms in cross-cultural communication and English language teaching and learning.Key words: basic color terms; cultural connotation; similarities; differences摘 要: 我们生活在如万花筒般的世界中，颜色渗透着我们生活的各个领域。基本颜色词（black 和黑,white 和白, red 和红, yellow 和黄, green 和绿,）是本篇论文探讨的重点。由于不同的文化习俗，社会心理，历史因素和地理因素等，中英语言中，各个颜色词各有各

7、不同的文化内涵。随着中西文化交流的不断深入，人们已经认识到具有深刻文化内涵的基本颜色词不可避免地成为跨文化交际中的一个障碍。 本篇文章主要介绍了五种颜色词文化内涵的异同以及了解颜色词文化内涵对于第二语言的学习和跨文化交际的影响。关键字: 基本颜色词；文化内涵； 异同之处 I. IntroductionAs we know, there are lots of color words in our kaleidoscopic life like red, white, black, yellow, blue etc. These words dont only mean the color of

8、 an object but also stand for mood, feeling or something else. For example, red always stands for passion; green always stands for live and peace. Due to the different languages, historical background, different traditions and customs, social relations and so on, the cultural connotation of the colo

9、r words between Chinese and English are different with similarities. For example: Mr. Brown who is a very white man was looking rather green the other day. He has been feeling blue lately. When I saw him, he was in a brown study. I hope he will soon be in the pink again.This paragraph contains only

10、four sentences, but in this paragraph five color words appear like white, green, blue, brown and pink. If the readers only know the physical properties of the color, they will have difficulties in understanding this short paragraph. In this paragraph, “white” means loyalty, trustful and reliable; “g

11、reen” means sick; “in a brown study” means be in deep thought; “in the pink” means “be healthy”. From the above example, we can see that the connotation of color words between Chinese and English language are quite different. If we do not know the connotation of these color words, just to guess the

12、meaning from physical properties, we will make big mistakes. Therefore, it is important to know the cultural connotations of color words between Chinese and English languages. This paper introduces the cultural similarities and differences of five basic color terms between Chinese and English langua

13、ges in order to help readers know the cultural connotation of the color words and the pragmatic use, avoiding making mistakes while communicating with others.II. Comparison of Cultural Connotation of Five English and Chinese colorsIn this part, comparison will be made on cultural connotation of five

14、 basic color terms (Black and 黑，White and 白,Red and 红，Yellow and 黄，Green and 绿) between English and Chinese .1. Black and 黑1) SimilaritiesBoth in Chinese and English ,black (黑) is the color of night and therefore is associated with darkness. In Chinese, we have “黑暗”, “黑沉沉”, “黑漆漆”, and so forth. Whil

15、e in English such expressions as “blackout” and “black future” are also connected with “darkness”. “Blackout” refers to a period of darkness caused by a failure of the electricity supply, or an occasion when a person suddenly lose consciousness, or a situation in which particular pieces of news or i

16、nformation are not allowed to be reported. And “Black future” refers to the slim hope in the future. The color terms “black” and “黑” are both related with “evilness”. “Black art” or “black magic” is the magic that is believed to use the power of the Devil for evil purposes, contrasting to “white mag

17、ic”. “A blackguard” or “a black hat” is a man who treats other people very badly; they are “black-hearted” and do “black deeds”. “A black sheep” refers to the person who is regarded by other members of their family or group as a failure or embarrassment. The opposite expression of “a white lie” is “

18、a black lie” which is told for evil purposes by hurting others. Sending “a black mail” is an evil action of getting money from someone or making them do what you want by threatening to tell secrets about them. In Chinese, there are also some expressions with “黑” indicating the meaning of “evilness”,

19、 such as “黑手”, “黑心”,“黑帮势力” ,“ 黑色幽灵”, “黑店”, “黑话”.2) DifferencesDue to the different social environment, different traditions and customs and different historical condition, in Chinese, the color term “黑” has some special connotations. In the Cultural Revolution, such as “黑组织”, “黑后台”, and so on. “黑五类”

20、 includes landlords, the rich, reactionaries, bad elements of society, and the Rightists as well. However, in English, black always relates to the black people. For example, black power, black Panthers. In English speaking countries, black stands for the color of death. Therefore unlike the Chinese

21、custom, when they attend someones funeral ceremony, they always wear the black clothes to express their mourning. 2. White and 白1) Similarities To most Chinese and Westerners, white has certain similar connotations: brightness, purity, and innocence. White(白) is the holiest color in Christianism, be

22、cause Jesus and his angels wear white dress. This commendative meaning can also be reflected in the ritual of wedding. In the Western countries, the wedding is called “white wedding”, because the brides are dressed in white, wearing white gloves and shoes; the carriage of wedding is driven by white

23、horses in old times, and whats more, the invitation card is written with silver letters. The connotation of purity can be shown in some expressions. “A white witch” is a man with “white spirit”, who does good deeds to others. “A white hat” refers to a kind person. “A white sheep” is usually used as

24、a metaphor indicating a good person among a gang of evil ones. “A white magic” is used for good purposes. In Chinese, there are also many phrases of “white” connected with the connotation of purity, such as “洁白”, and “白璧无瑕”. Nurses are called “白衣战士” or “白衣天使”, because they wear white uniform, like a

25、ngels bringing life and brightness to patients.“White” and “白” have also the connotation of innocence. If somebody is said to be “white-handed”, he or she is honest or innocent. “Mark ones name white again” means making somebody innocent and regaining the good fame. Meanwhile, “白”in “不白之冤”, “清白无辜” a

26、nd “他的历史就像一张白纸”contains the same meaning.2) DifferencesThe color term “白” in Chinese is associated with things of ill such as death or misfortune. So the Chinese expression “白事” is used to mean “funeral affairs”. In Chinese funeral, people wear white hats, white mourning apparels and white shoes, wi

27、th a white rope tied in the waists. Bamboo poles bound with white cloth on one end and white mourning money are also used in the funerals. In Chinese, “白” also refers to “decadence” and “reaction” “白区” is the area governed by Kuomintang; “白色政权” is the reactionary government; “白军” refers to the react

28、ionary army; “白匪”or “白狗子” is the betrayer; “白色恐怖” means wide-scaled holocausts launched by reactionaries. In the Cultural Revolution, “白” became the symbol of capitalism. “拔白旗” is to criticize the idea of “corrupted” capitalism. The persons who are only concerned with their professional work ignorin

29、g politics are called “只专不红”, and they walk in “白专道路”. In other cases, “白” has nothing to do with color at all. There are quite a few expressions such as “白搭”, “白费”, “白给”, “白干”, “白送”, “白拿”, “白吃”, and so forth, in which “白” means “in vain”. It might even have no generalized meaning that is apparent,

30、as in “坦白” (to be honest), “白痴” (stupid), etc.Some expressions with “white” in English have their specific meanings. For instance, “white” means “uselessness” in “white elephant”. In ancient Rome, a king would send a big white elephant to the courtiers he didnt like as a punishment, because the elep

31、hant had such a good appetite and ate so much that its master could not afford it. The expression “white elephant” is still used in modern times, indicating the completely useless things, although they may cost a lot of money. But White in English also means the color of the goods. For example : “Wh

32、ite goods” means large pieces of equipment used in the house, such as washing machines, refrigerators, and so on, because most of them are white in appearance. 3. Red and 红1) Similarities In both English and Chinese, “red” and “红” are associated with “dignity”, “love”, “beauty”, “happiness”, and so

33、on. So in English one may find, for example, “red-letter days”, which refers to holidays such as Christmas and other special days. Such days are printed in red on calendars. Another example is “to paint the town red”, meaning to celebrate, go out for drinking and have a good time. “Roll out the red

34、carpet for someone” or “give the red carpet treatment” means giving a lavish welcome. As the representative color of China, “红” is the favorite color to most Chinese. It is often used in a positive sense. In China, “红” is the most frequent color in celebrations and joyful occasions. In such traditio

35、nal festivals as New Years Day and Spring Festival, red antithetical couplets are stuck on both sides of the door, red character “福” pasted up, red lanterns hung up, red paper-cuts attached onto the windows, red fireworks set off, and New Year money gift to children is enveloped in red paper package

36、s. Wedding and birth are called “红事”. In the traditional Chinese weddings, the bride, who wore red dress, red shoes, and a red veil, sat in a red-painted palanquin, greeted by the bridegroom who rode a horse with a big red silk-made flower on the chest. After the ceremony, they would enter into the

37、bridal chamber decorated with red candles. The bed was covered with red bedspreads, red quilts, and red pillows. Whats more, the gifts sent by guests were also wrapped in red packages.“red” shares some similarities with “红”. They both mean danger. “Red light” and “红灯” in traffic regulations serves a

38、s a sign reminding and warning drivers to stop. The area in a city where the houses of prostitution are located is called “red-light district” or “红灯区”. “Red alert” or “红色警报” is a warning of sudden danger. In a football match, the referee will show a piece of “red card” or “红牌” to a player who has d

39、one something against the rules and will not be allowed to play for the rest of the game.Furthermore, “red” and “红” is associated with certain emotions. In English, “to become red-faced” or her “face turned red” shows embarrassment, as it does in Chinese “脸红”. But the Chinese may not so easily under

40、stand some English expressions involving the color red. It is difficult for Chinese people to understand the meaning of “to see red” and “waving a red flag”. Both of them are related with anger. The former means to be made angry or to become angry suddenly, while the latter means doing something tha

41、t could cause quick anger in other people. 2) DifferencesDue to the different historical environment “红” is the symbol of revolution in China, because where there is revolution where is blood. Chinese national flag, “五星红旗” is red which means being stained red by the blood of the revolutionaries and

42、martyrs, while “红领巾” is an angle of it. “红” in such expressions as “红军”, “红色政权”, and “红色根据地”also imply the connotation of revolution. In the Cultural Revolution, “红” was used politically. The socialistic country governed by the proletariat was called “红色江山”; Chairman Mao was titled “红太阳” and his wor

43、ks was called “红宝书”; the highest leading institution was “红色司令部”; the Peoples Liberation Army was described as “红色长城”. Moreover, we have, “小兵,” “红卫兵”, “红袖章”, “红色接班人”, “红色路线” referred to the revolutionary policy; “红色歌曲” were the songs propagating revolutionary ideas; “红五类”was used contrastively with

44、“黑五类” by referring to the workers, poor peasants, servicemen and officials who support the revolution, and their children.4. Yellow and 黄1) Similarities“Yellow” and “黄” have both positive meanings and negative meanings. As the color of gold and the sun, “yellow” is the symbol of wealth, honor and po

45、wer. Its a holy color in Christianity. The Father wears golden crucifix, and the holy cup used by Jesus in his last supper is also yellow. The yellow color is also a holy color in Taoism and Buddhism. Some monks and Taoist priests wore yellow dress. Superstitious people as a means to expel evil spir

46、its regard yellow paper with magic incantations. “黄道吉日” is a day suitable for doing some important things, such as holding wedding and opening ceremonies. Born with yellow skin, cultivated in the yellow soil, and taking the Yellow River as their place of origin, the Chinese people take pride in thei

47、r belonging to the yellow race, we call ourselves proudly as “炎黄子孙”.According to the five-element theory, the color. It has been said that Xuanyuan, a legendary ruler and one of the earliest ancestors of the Han Nationality, was called “黄帝” (Yellow Emperor)because he often wore yellow dress and yell

48、ow hats. Whats more, in Chinese,”黄” is the same in pronunciation as “皇”, so the yellow color has been the color of emperors and the color term “黄”has been used to symbolize imperial power. Later, Emperor Wudi in Han Dynasty changed the imperial dress into yellow. There are quite a few expressions wi

49、th “黄” related to the emperor. The imperial dress is called “黄袍”; the palace emperors lived in is “黄宫”; Huakai, a canopy used specially for the emperors is called “黄盖”; an imperial edict is called “黄榜”. In the expressions mentioned above, “黄” can be replaced by”皇”. Both “yellow” and “黄” imply warnin

50、g. “A yellow card” or “黄牌” is originally a card held up by a football referee to show that a player has done something wrong. Later it is used generally throughout the world as a symbol of warning.2) Differences In English, “Yellow” is also associated with “coward”. If someone is pictured as “be yel

51、low” or “have a yellow streak”, she or he is regarded as a coward. “A yellow dog” refers to the coward .The more common usage of “yellow” is to refer to the dishonest style in editorial comment and the representation of news, especially in sacrificing the truth for sensationalism. “Yellow journalism

52、” is a kind of journalism with heavy emphasis on scandals, or presenting ordinary news in a sensational manner, sometimes even distorting the facts to create a sensational effect. It has different meaning from “黄色刊物” in Chinese. Also, in most American homes one can find a big thick book called “Yell

53、ow Pages”. This is a book with the telephone numbers of different shops, businesses, organizations, etc. arranged according to different categories; for example, all the food stores, all the radio shops, all the amusement parks, all the airlines, all the hospitals. It is a quite useful book, whose p

54、ages are yellow, but it is not a “黄色书” in the Chinese sense. Nowadays, there appears “黄页” in China with the same function as “Yellow Pages”. Although in ancient China “黄” is a holy and noble color, in modern times this color term is often used to mean “pornographic”, “obscene”, “filthy”, “vulgar”. I

55、n Chinese, “黄”, carries the derogatory sense. Such expressions as “黄色书刊”, “黄色电影”, “黄色图片”,”扫黄” . “黄” is the skin color of Asians, it is also used to refer to the unhealthy complexion as in “面黄肌瘦” and “脸色蜡黄”. In colloquial Chinese, we often hear such expressions as “买卖黄了” or”我和我对象黄了”. Here “黄” is also

56、 used derogatorily rather than the color, implying failure.5. Green and 绿1) SimilaritiesGreen is the color of almost all plants in their prime, so basic color terms “green” and “绿” with many positive meanings relevant to life. At the mention of the green color, people will naturally think of the pla

57、nts. If somebody “has green fingers” or “has a green thumb”, this person is good at planting. “Greenhouse” is not a green building but a glass building used for growing plants that need warmth, light, and protection, while “green house effect” is the gradual warming of the air surrounding the Earth

58、as a result of heat by pollution .With the worsening of pollution, people realize the importance of environmental protection, thus “green” and “绿” are connected closely with the environment. For instance, “green peace” is an antinuclear organization set up in Canada in 1971; later it developed into

59、an international organization with the aim of protecting environment. “Green revolution” originally refers to an increase in the amount that is produced by crops, such as wheat, due to improved scientific methods of farming. Now it is used to mean an environmental protection. “Greenish” refers to “s

60、ympathetic towards the environment”, although it originally is the color of slightly green. Whats more, a political grouping of people whose aim is to protect the environment is called “the greens”, or “green party”. And “green consumerism” is the consumerism harmless to the environment. “Green belt

61、” refers to an area of land around a city where building is not allowed, in order to protect woods. Because “绿” has the similar meaning in this sense to “green”, the words with “green” mentioned above can be translated directly into “绿” in Chinese. Thus, in Chinese we have “绿色和平组织”, “绿色革命”, “绿色政党”,

62、“绿色消费”,”绿色食品”, The green color is also a symbol of passing. “Green light” or “绿灯”is a traffic light that shows cars or pedestrians are allowed to go forward. “Give somebody the green light” means giving official permission for something to be started. In Chinese,”开绿灯”carries the same meaning. Anothe

63、r example is “green card” or “绿卡”, which is a document that a foreigner must have in order to work or live legally in America.2) Differences In English green implies “immature” as in “green apple” or “green corn”. This meaning is extended to indicate lacking in experience, training, or knowledge. Fo

64、r example, “he is still green at this job” means he lacks experience of doing this job; “Green hand” and “green horn” have the similar meaninga person lacking experience, or a newcomer who is not familiar with local customs.Moreover, “green” has the meaning of “jealous” or “envious” as in “green-eyed” or “the green-eyed monster”. “Green with envy” refers to wishing very much to have something that someone else has.Furthermore, in Britain as well as in the United States, the color green is one of the favorit