MetaphorsandAssociationsanimalwords

中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇1.Differentculturalbackgroundspresentthesameorsimilarmeaningsofthesamewordsaboutanimals.

2.Wordswithdifferentculturalloadsmayleadtodifferentassociations.

3.Theconnotativemeaningsofawordmayexistinoneculture,butevaporateinanother

中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇Englishpeoplewouldsay,“Heisafox.”Similarly,Chinesepeoplecanunderstandthemeaningofthesentence“Heisafox.”inChinese“他是一只狐貍。”

ThisexampleshowsthatinEnglish“fox”canbeusedtodescribesomebodywhoiscunninganddishonest.Thisexampleindicatesthatdifferentlanguagesandculturesendow“fox’’thesamemeanings.中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇Wolf(狼)isakindofgreedy,savageandcruelbeast,soinChinesethereexistsuchexpressions:“狼心狗肺”,“豺狼當(dāng)?shù)馈?“如狼似虎”,“狼吞虎咽”,“狼狽為奸”,“狼子野心”.中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇Similarly,thegreedy,sinister險(xiǎn)惡的,dishonestcharacterofwolfalsodisplaysvividlyandincisivelyinwesternculture,e.g.:“awolfinasheep’sclothingorawolfinlamb’sskin”;“wakeasleepingwolf”;“holdawolfbytheears”;“keepthewolffromthedoor”.披著羊皮的狼自找麻煩騎虎難下，進(jìn)退兩難勉強(qiáng)度日中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇“Ass(驢)”inEnglishandChinesehasthesameconnotationandfigurativemeaning“foolish,stupid”.InChinesetheexpression“笨驢”isusedtoindicateafooloranidiot.InEnglish,mostofthesetphrases,idiomsandproverbsincludingtheword“ass’’allimplythemeaningof“foolish”,e.g.“assingrain(十足的大傻瓜)”;“anassinalion’sskin(fromAesop’sFables,冒充聰明人的傻瓜)”;“allasseswag搖動(dòng)theirears(諺語(yǔ)：驢子搖耳朵，傻瓜裝聰明)”;“asses’bridge(笨人難過的橋)”;“acttheass(做糊涂事)”;“makeanassofoneself(做蠢事)”;“sellyouass(口語(yǔ)：不要這樣呆頭呆腦)”.中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇“dove”inChineseandEnglishsharesthesamemeaning,andsymbolizesforpeace.Weregardthedoveas“peacedove”.Insomegrandcelebrations,weoftenseethesceneoftakingthedovesaway,standingforcherisheddesireforpeaceworldofallofus.中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇Thefollowingaresomeotherfamiliarexamples:asfreeasabird(像鳥兒一樣自由);asuglyasatoad(像癩蛤蟆一樣丑);asbusyasabee(像蜜蜂一樣忙碌);asslowasanail(像蝸牛一樣慢).中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇Thiskindoftermswithsameorsimilarmeaningsshowthatindifferentculturestheredoesexistsomethingincommon,whichreflectsthecommonnessofdifferentnationalcultures.中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇英漢語(yǔ)中對(duì)豬的形象和喻義也基本一致，豬給人的印象是臟而丑陋，令人討厭，其喻義是集“懶”、“饞”、“貪”和“笨”于一身。漢語(yǔ)中“豬玀”、“豬頭阿三”、“肥得像頭豬”、“懶得像頭豬”等粗俗的臟話都是以豬為形象的，在英語(yǔ)中，apig意為agreedy,dirtyorbad-manneredperson(貪婪，骯臟或舉止粗魯之人)，因此常用以喻指貪婪，懶惰，骯臟的人。英語(yǔ)中有不少含有pig的習(xí)語(yǔ)短語(yǔ)，幾乎都含有明顯的貶義，如eatlikeapig（喧鬧而貪婪地大吃大喝），makeapigofoneself（大吃大喝，狼吞虎咽），pigsinclover（行為卑鄙或粗魯?shù)挠绣X人），buyapiginapoke（未經(jīng)過目而買下的上當(dāng)之貨）。Next中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇1)Someanimalwordswithcommendatory(褒義)meaninginChinese,butwithderogatory（貶義）meaninginEnglish2)SomeanimalwordswithcommendatoryfigurativemeaninginEnglish,butwithderogatoryfigurativemeaninginChinese3)Differentanimalassociationvehiclesandsimilarfigurativemeanings

中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇“dragon(龍)”iscompletelyoppositeinChineseandEnglish.“Dragon”isnotarealanimalbutanimaginaryone.InChina,dragonisthesymboloftheChinesenation,especiallyintheancienttime,peopleworshipeddragontobegforrain.AndtheChinesefeudalemperorswereoftenreferredtoassonsofdragons(真龍?zhí)熳?,wearingclotheswithdesignsofdragons(龍袍).AndalsotheChineseallcallthemselvesdescendentsofthedragon（龍的傳人）andareveryproudofbeingthedescendentsofthedragon.中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇However,inWesternpeople’sminds,thedragonissomeevilmonsterwithalargetailwithwingsandclaws,breathingoutfireandsmoke.Itsymbolizesevil.Soifwewanttosay“望子成龍”inEnglish，wecan’tsaythat“Hisparentsexcepthimtobeadragon”,butwemustexplainitlikethat“Hisparentsexcepthimtobecomeanoutstandingpersonage”or“Hisparentsexcepthimtohaveabrightfuture”。wecan’tsay”亞洲四小龍”likethat“foursmalldragonsofAsia”butthat“foursmalltigersofAsia”。中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇“Monkey(猴子)”hasdifferentmeaninginChineseandEnglishlanguages.InChinese,“monkey”isoftenlikenedtoasmartandagileperson,withcommendatorysense.TheChinesepeopleoftenjokinglycallcleverandcutechildren“l(fā)ittlemonkey”.But,ifyoupraiseawesternchild“Youarelikealittlemonkey.”,hewillbeangry,thinkingthatyoucursehim.BecauseinEnglish,“l(fā)ittlemonkey,”means“atroublesomeplayfulchild”.And“monkey”isoftenlikenedtoapersonwithawholebagoftricks,e.g.“Themanisastrickyasamonkey.(那人詭計(jì)多端，極為狡猾。)”Therefore,inEnglish,expressionswith“monkey”havederogatorymeanings,e.g.“monkeybusiness(搗鬼，騙人的勾當(dāng))”;“monkeyaround(閑蕩，瞎弄)”;“monkeymeat(美俚：劣等牛肉)”;“suckthemonkey(英俚：酗酒)”.中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇“petrel(海燕)”.InEnglishthepetrelisconsideredasanomenofdisaster.TheLongmanDictionary（朗文詞典）ofEnglish-Chineseoffersustheexplanations:“Astormypetrelisapersonwhosepresenceexcitesdiscontentment,quarrelling,etc.inasocialgroup.”Thereasonforsuchadislikeisthattheythinkpetrelisthesymbolfordisaster.However,inChinatheword“petrel”isassociatedwithbravinghardshipandadversity,advancingwithperseveranceandcourage.ThespiritiswellreflectedinthepoempetrelwrittenbyGorky（高爾基）,afamousRussianwriter.中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇magpie(喜鵲)，ToEnglishpeople,ifamagpiefliesnearawindow,itisasymbolofbadluck.TherearetwoexplanationsinTheOxfordAdvancedLearner’s（牛津高階）English-ChineseDictionary:(a)personwhocollectsorhoardsthings(愛收藏或貯藏東西的人),(b)personwhochattersalot(愛饒舌的人).Alltheseexplanationsarefigurativewithderogatorymeanings.Onthecontrary,amagpieisasymbolofgoodluckinChina.Ifamagpiesingsinatreenearhouses,peoplewouldthinksomehappythingswouldhappen.SoChinesepeopleoftensaythat“Magpiesings,happythingcomes.”中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇“fish”hasquitedifferentmeaningsinEnglishandChinese.InEnglish“fish”hasderogatorymeaningthatreferstobadthingsandpersons,e.g.:“apoorfish(可憐蟲)”;“aloosefish(生活放蕩的女人)”;“fishintheair(水中撈月)”.InChinesetheletter“魚”and“余”arehomophones.Therefore,intheimportantfestivalssuchasSpringFestival,Chinesepeoplewouldliketouse“fish”asanindispensabledishtosymbolize“abundance”.中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇“elephant(象)”，InChina,“elephant”isamascot（吉祥的東西）.ManyplacesinChinaarenamedfortheletter“象”suchas“象山”inZhejiangprovince,“象州”,“象鼻山”inGuangxiprovince,“象河”inTibet,etc.“Elephant”alsosymbolizesstatus.Forexample,inremoteantiquity古代,thenobleladiesworeclotheswithdesignsofelephants(象服);Theemperorsrodeonelephants.The“elephant”isdoted溺愛byChinesepeoplebecauseoftheBuddhistlegends佛教傳說.ItissaidthattheBuddhistpatriarch創(chuàng)始人wasthereincarnation化身ofwhiteelephant.中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇Onthecontrary,inEnglishwhiteelephant(白象)islikenedtothingsthatareuselessandoftenexpensive.TheallusionisoriginatedfromafolkstorythatinSiam(nowThailand),thekingwouldgiveawhiteelephantasapresenttoasubjectthathedidnotlike.Thesubjectwouldhavetospendallhismoneyonlookingaftertherareanimal.Therefore,thereexistsuchexpressionsinEnglish,“elephantine(笨拙)”,“elephanthumor(蹩腳的幽默)”,“elephanttask(累贅的活兒)”.Next中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇“dog”.Inthewestern,thedogispeople’sbestfriend.Mostofthe“dog”expressionspossessacommendatorysenseoratleastaneutralsenseinEnglish.suchas“bigdog(重要人物)”,“topdog(優(yōu)勝者)”,“l(fā)uckydog(幸運(yùn)兒)”,etc.inEnglish.“Tohelpalamedogoverthestile階梯”means“tohelpsomeoneindifficulty”.“Toletsleepingdogslie”means“tomakenotrouble”or“nottodisturbpeople”.“Everydoghasitsday,”means“everypersonwillsomedaysucceedorbecomefortunate.”凡人皆有得意的意識(shí)時(shí)中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇Buttheword“dog”inmostChinesephrasesisassociatedwithsomederogatorymeanings,asisreflectedinsayingslike“狗膽包天、狗急跳墻、狗頭軍師、狗腿子、狗血噴頭、狼心狗肺、狗眼看人低、喪家之犬、狗嘴吐不出象牙”,etc.EventhoughmostChinesenowthinkthedogisman’sfaithfulfriend.However,insomecasestheword“dog”mayhavederogatorysenseinEnglish,asisshowninthefollowingexamples:“yellowdog(卑鄙之人)”,“dirtydog(齷齪之人)”,“slydog(陰險(xiǎn)之人)”,“deaddog(無(wú)用的人)”,andsomevulgarlanguages:“sonofbitch(狗雜種)”,“youdog(狗東西)”,“thatcur(小雜種狗)”,etc.中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇“Owl(貓頭鷹)”isverypopularwiththewestern.TheGreeksuse“owl”tostandforAthens雅典,whichisfamousforitsmanyowls.Andit’ssaidthatAthena,thewomanpatronsaintwasgivenanowlashermark.Itsymbolizeswisdom,calmness,gravityandsteadiness.Indisputeamongbirdsandbeats,itistheowlthattheygotoforadvice,andwecanseesuchidiom“aswiseasanowl”.Ifweuse“owlish”todescribesomebody,wewanttosayheiscleverorserious,e.g.“Patrickpeeredowlishlyatusthroughhisglasses.(帕特里克透過他的眼鏡嚴(yán)肅而機(jī)智地審視著我們。)”中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇ButinChinese,themeaningoftheword“owl”isquitedifferent.“Owl”isdescribedasthedevil,illomen征兆andevil.Peopleareafraidofseeinganowl,especiallyseeingitsenteringthehouse,sothereareproverbswhichgolikethese:“夜貓子進(jìn)宅，無(wú)事不來(lái)”;“夜貓子抖擻翅，大小有點(diǎn)事兒”.Themeresightofanowlorthesoundofitshootingmightcausepeopletodrawbackinfear.中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇“bear”.ToChinesepeople“bear”means“cowardlyandtimid”or“stupid”,suchas“笨熊”,“瞧那熊樣”,etc.However,inEnglish,peopleuse“bear”torefertothosepersonshavingspecialability,forinstance,“Heisabearatmusic.(他是音樂天才。)Next中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇agricultureisthefoundationofChina’seconomicdevelopment,sothecattle(牛)playagreatroleinChineseculture.Therearesomanyexpressionswhichuse“cattle”asassociation.However,intheMiddleAges,horsewasnotonlytheinseparablepartofKnights’lives,butalsotheanimalkeptandusedbytheimperialfamilies.SoEnglishpeoplegivehorsemanygoodmeanings.中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇asstrongasahorseworklikeahorsetalkhorseeatlikeahorse力大如牛老黃牛精神吹牛食量大如牛中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇InEnglish,therearemanyfigurativeexpressionsusingtheword“horse”asassociationvehicles,e.g.“changehorse(換馬)”islikenedto“changegroupsorleaders(換班子或領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人)”;“fromthehorse’smouth(第一手的)”etc.Similarly,GreatBritainisanislandcountry,sofisheryisimportant.Therefore,thereexistssuchfigurativeexpression“todrinklikeafish(牛飲)”.中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇ToChinesepeople,“tiger”isreferredtoasthekingofanimalsandstandsforpower,vigorandbravery.Sotherearemanyexpressionswiththeletter“虎”:“英雄虎膽”,“龍爭(zhēng)虎斗”,“藏龍臥虎”,“如虎添翼”,“虎將”,etc.ButinEnglish“tiger”symbolizescruelty.Thewesternregards“l(fā)ion”asthekingofanimals.Weuse“asboldasalion”todescribeabraveperson.Thelionenjoyshighprestige.Inaddition,EnglishpeopleregardlionasthenationalemblemofGreatBritain.“Aliterarylion”isreferredtoafamouspersoninthefieldofliterature.中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇Differentanimalassociationwithsimilarmeaningscanbealsoseenfromsuchexpressions:“astimidasarabbit,chicken-heartedorpigeon-hearted(膽小如鼠)”;“l(fā)ikeacatonhotbricks(熱鍋上的螞蟻)”;“asstubbornasamule(犟得像頭牛)”;“wetasadrownedrat(落湯雞)”;“gooseflesh(雞皮疙瘩)”;etc.Otherassociations:addfueltotheflames火上澆油athunderofapplause雷鳴般的掌聲burnone’sboat(破釜沉舟)。中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇比喻“著急”,漢語(yǔ)用“熱鍋上的螞蟻”,英語(yǔ)卻用likeacatonhotbricks(熱磚上的貓)。比喻“頑固”,英語(yǔ)用asstubbornasamule(頑固得像頭騾子),而漢語(yǔ)通常說“犟得象頭牛”。中文常用“貓哭老鼠”來(lái)形容虛偽和偽善,英語(yǔ)中相似的表達(dá)法是shedcrocodiletears(鱷魚的眼淚)。形容一個(gè)人很餓時(shí)漢語(yǔ)中會(huì)描述為“像餓狼一樣”，而在西方文化中會(huì)表示為“asahungryasabear”。形容人膽小怕事時(shí)，漢語(yǔ)用“膽小如鼠”來(lái)表示，而西方文化中則用兔子來(lái)表示膽小“astimidasahare”。中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇Another：表示碎嘴的：Magpie(喜鵲)，sparrow（麻雀）表示膽小的：Chicken(小雞),rabbit(兔子),pigeon(鴿子)，mouse（鼠）。中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇Conclusion:喻體相同、喻義不同,如:pullone’sleg不等于“拖后腿”,英語(yǔ)中的pullone’sleg是“開某人玩笑”(tomakeafoolofsb/tomakefunofsb.)的意思,而漢語(yǔ)的“拖后腿”意為“成為別人或事物前進(jìn)的障礙”;喻義相同、喻體稍有差異,如:aratinabowl(甕中之鱉)killtwobirdswithonestone(一箭雙雕);喻義相同、喻體完全不同,如:cryupwineandsellvinegar(掛羊頭,賣狗肉),fishintheair(水中撈月)等等。Next中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇InWesternculture,whethercuckoo(布谷鳥)issuedbyitselforitssoundhasnospecificmeaning,itisjustanormalbird.WhiletheChinesebelievethathearingthecuckoocalls,drearyfeelingarisesspontaneously.LegendhasitthatamancalledduYu（杜宇）EmperorofancientChina,helosttheirterritorybecauseofthedefeat,deathwasverysad.Sincethen,hissoulonduYu‘sgraveabirdcriesuntilCrow’sbloodanddied.Therefore,cuckoo,alsoknownas“杜鵑”.中西方文化差異之動(dòng)物篇silkworm(蠶),madeinChina,isfamousforit’ssilk.The“SilkRoad”haslongbeenknown,Chineseculturehasalonghistoryofsilkworm.