期末論文ACross-culturalStudyofIdenticalAnimalWordsinChineseandEnglish姓名：ToryABSTRACTInthelongcourseofthedevelopmentofhumanhistory,animalsusuallykeepacloserelationwithhumanbeingsandinfluencehumanexistenceanddevelopmentdeeply.Thecloserelationresultsinhumancomplexfeelingsoffondness,sympathy,antipathy,orfear.Also,peopleoftenuseanimalstoexpresstheirfeelings.TherearesomanyvocabularieswithrelationtoanimalsinbothEnglishandChinesecultures,andthoseEnglishandEnglishandChinesewordsmakeupagreatpartoftheirownrespectivesystemoflanguage.However,wecannotmaketheignorancethatlanguagehasbekeepingtheclosestrelationshipwithculture.Words,whichhasbeenplayingaroleofcornerstoneinlanguage,areextensivelyrelatedwithculture.Wordsreflectthespecialsocialculture,anddifferentsocialbackgroundsandculturaldifferencesleadtotheconnotativedifferencesofwordsinEnglishandChinese.Forexample,differentculturalbackgroundsandwaysofthinkingresultinthedifferentconnotationsofanimalwords.Eventhoughtherearetwoidenticalanimalwords,theycansharequitedifferentconnotationsinthetwocultures.Onthecontrary,twodifferentanimalwordscanalsosharesimilarculturalconnotations.Therefore,itisverynecessaryandindispensableforEnglishlearnerstohavesuchaprofoundstudyonanimalwordsinfluencedbyculture.Thethesismakesacomparativeanalysis,focusingondifferencesofidenticalanimalwordssharingdifferentconnotationsinthetwocultures;Fromthecomparison,wecanclearlyfindthehistoricalandculturaldifferencesofanimalwordsinthetwocultures.KeyWords:animalwords,culturalconnotations,culturaldifferences,comparativeanalysis摘要在人類歷史發展的漫長進程中，動物一直與人類保持著密切聯系，并對人類的生存與發展產生深刻的影響。這種親密無間的關系使得人們對動物產生了喜愛或同情或厭惡或恐懼的錯綜復雜的情感，人們也常借動物來寄托和表達人們的情感，所以在英漢兩種語言中就會出現許許多多與動物詞匯相關的詞匯也就不足為奇。然而，不可忽視的是，語言與文化息息相關，而作為中基石作用的詞匯他們都同本國的文化精密相連。詞匯反映了特定的社會文化，不同的社會背景和文化差異造成了詞匯在文化內涵上的差異。比如說，由于英漢民族思維方式和文化背景不同，同一動物詞語所承載的意義也就會出現差異，而即便是不同的英漢動物詞語，也極有可能表達相同的內涵，所以對于打上深深的文化烙印的動物詞匯的探究是極其必要而不可或缺的。而本文正是使用比較分析法，分析漢英文化中相同動物詞匯所引起的不同聯想意義。通過比較，人們可以更清楚地感受到英漢文化在動物詞語上留下的歷史文化差異。關鍵詞：動物詞匯、文化內涵、文化差異、比較分析CONTENTSTOC\o"1-3"\h\u29180ChapterOneIntroduction 1126901.1AnimalWordsinGeneral 1263311.2CulturalConnotationofAnimalWords 121901.3ResearchValueandResearchApproach 117854ChapterTwoTheComparativeStudyoftheIdentical12931EnglishandChineseAnimalWords 375902.1SomeAnimalWordswithCommendatoryMeaninginEnglish,butwithDerogatoryMeaninginChinese 3114182.1.1Dog 383462.1.2Bear 583462.1.3Owl 5276982.2SomeAnimalWordswithCommendatoryMeaninginChinese,butwithDerogatoryMeaninginEnglish 5133252.2.1Dragon 6144032.2.2Phoenix 6177262.2.3Magpie 727272.2.4Bat 72510ChapterThreeFactorsInfluencingDifferentCulturalConnotations 984223.1GeographicalInfluenceinAnimalWords 9219893.2CustomaryInfluenceinAnimalWords 9246403.3TheInfluenceofHistory 10155153.4TheInfluenceofReligionandWorldView 103834ChapterFourConclusion 155243REFERENCES 16ChapterOneIntroductionLanguageandculturearecloselyrelatedandtheformerisindispensabletothelatter.Alanguageissaidtobethecarrierofitsculture.Theircloserelationshipcanwellbeillustratedbycross-linguisticcomparisonofanimalwordsinrespecttoculturalconnotation.1.1AnimalWordsinGeneralAnimalsarefriendsofhumanbeings.Languagesofallnationscontainalotofwordsdenotinganimals,andsodoChineseandEnglish.Alongwiththedevelopmentandprocessofhumansociety,manyanimalsaretamedtobecomedomesticanimalsservingpeople,andmanyothershavebecomepeople'spetanimals.So,animalshavebecomepartofpeople'slife,assciencedevelops,peoplelearnmoreandmoreaboutanimals.Manyanimalshavebecomeakindofsymbolisminpeople'sthinking,andthissymbolismisreflectedinthelanguage.Sayinglike'ascunningasafox'appearinmanylanguages.However,thesesayingsdonotnecessarilycoincidefromonelanguagetoanotherbecauseofdifferentoutlookoflifeandconceptionofbeautyindifferentcultures.1.2CulturalConnotationofAnimalWordsTheculturalconnotationreferstothegeneralmeaningincludingconnotativemeaningandculturalmeaningcarriedindifferentculturalcircumstances.Itincludesthemeaningaddedandtheamplifiedmeaningunderspecialsocialandculturalbackgrounds,andalsoincludestheemotionsandattitudesofsomeparticularculturalcolony.1.3ResearchValueandResearchApproachLearningalanguageisinseparablefromlearningitsculture.ItcanbeseenfrommanyEnglishbooksthattheassociationsofmostanimalexpressionsdifferfromthoseofChinese.Thewordbat,inWesternculture,oftencarriesanegativemeaning,suchas"asblindasabat".InChina,however,batisasymbolluckiness,happiness,andwell-beingwiththesamepronunciationastheword"福",referstorichnessandprosperity.Thisisareflectionofcultures.Atpresent,itisreportedthatinChinamanyEnglishteachersandscholarshavediscussedthedifferencesofculturalconnotationsofanimalexpressionsbetweenEnglishandChinese.TanWenhui(譚文輝,2001)focusesontheculturalmeaningofanimalwordscomingfromthecognitivemechanismofhumanbeings.Meanwhile,someotherscholarsputmoreemphasisonthedifferencesonculturalconnotationsofanimalwords.BaoHongming(包虹明,2002)paysmoreattentiontotranslationsofanimalwordsandtheirculturalconnotations.ThisideaisalsoindicatedbyWangYing(王瑛,2002)andLiJunwenandYandXiaojun(李君文,楊曉軍,2000).Thisthesiswillfocusontherelationshipbetweenculturalconnotationsofanimalwordsandinterculturalcommunication.ChapterTwoTheComparativeStudyoftheIdenticalEnglishandChineseAnimalWordsItcanbeseenfrommanyEnglishbooks,thattheEnglishspeaking-peoplehavedifferentassociationofmostanimalsfromChina.Thisisareflectionofculture.Therefore,similaritiesanddissimilaritiesintheconnotationofanimalwordsinthetwolanguagesshouldbeentakenintoconsiderationincross-culturalcommunication.2.1SomeAnimalWordswithCommendatoryMeaninginEnglish,butwithDerogatoryMeaninginChineseBecauseofdifferentculturalbackgrounds,naturally,EnglishpeopleandChinesepeoplewouldhavedifferentassociationsofthesameanimalwordsandgivemoredifferentculturalconnotationstothesameanimalwords.2.1.1DogAccordingtotheirfeeling,associationsandcustomsunderdifferentculturalbackgrounds,peopleshowtheirlikesanddislikesinusinganimalwords.Someanimalwords,likedogs,arewelcomeinEnglishbutdisgustedintheother.InChinese,dogsaregenerallyconnectedwithunpleasantness.Phraseswithdogsareusedasdisparagingterms,justlookatthesewords:走狗,狐朋狗友,喪家犬（狗）,狗仗人勢,狗東西,狗腿子,狗眼看人低……Anddogsareusuallyconnectedwithvariousbadhumanactions:“狗嘴里吐不出象牙來”isusedtodescribeabadpersonthatcannotspeakgoodwords;“狗急跳墻”issayingaboutabadmanwhoislandedinapredicamentbutstilltryingtoputupalast-ditchstruggle;and“掛羊頭，賣狗肉”meanstodoevildeedsinthenameofjustice.Therelationshipbetweenhumanbeinganddogismastersandtheirservants,ifthemastersucceedinhiscareeronce,itwillbe“兔死狗烹”(cookthedogafterkillingthehare).Whatistobepointedoutisthat,dogsinancienttimeswerenotalwaysdespisedbyhumanbeing.AfterthefoundingofHandynasty,itwasnotashamedthatLiuBang(劉邦,thefirstLordofHandynastyinChinesehistory)calledhisfoundingmilitaryofficers“忠狗”whichmeansinfinitelyloyalsubordinates.Whilewiththedevelopingofhistory,peopleaddallsortsofevilintentionstodogs,wecan’tbutsayitisdogthatbeascapegoatforhumanbeing.Inaword，intraditionalChineseculture，dogsarekeptbecausetheyareuseful,butnotbecausetheymakegoodcompanions.Generally,theyareconsideredanecessaryevil,tobetoleratedbutnotloved.Itiswell-knownthatEnglishlikedogs.Justtakealookatthelinesofdogfoodinthesupermarketandthespecializeddoghousesanddogbooks.Eventherearelotsofsumptuousmagazinesthatcostseveraltensdollarswrittentoexplainhowtofeeddogs.WhenmothersinChinaarereadingabout“howtoraiseyourbaby”,westernpeoplemaystudyabout“howtokeephealthyofyourdoggie”.InEnglishpeoplecallsdogas:Man’sbestfriend.Theword“dog”inmostsituationsisingoodsenseinEnglish,usedtodescribeapersonwhodeservesthedeservingpity.Suchas“helpadogoverastile”(幫助人度過難關),“aluckydog”(幸運兒),“anolddog”(老手/上了歲數的人),“loveme,lovemydog”(愛屋及烏),“everydoghashisday”(凡人皆有得意日),thesestatementsobviouslyreflecttheculturalmindsofpeoplewhospeaksEnglish,theytreatdogasaprettycompanion,man’sbestfriend.Whatismore,theyevencallsomefoodwith“dog”,suchasthepopular“hotdog”(hotsausageinasoftroll)and“adoginablanket”(grapesorpuddinginacake).InEnglisharmy,itisunimaginablethatsoldierscallbiscuitandcheese“dogandmaggot”.Aftermealintherestaurant,theremnantoffoodwillbebroughthomeina“doggiebag”,itisnotsharedwithdogsbuteatafterheatedthenextday.ItfollowsthatdogsinWestareheldahighposition.Inwesternculture,dogmeansfaithful,reliableandhard-working,forexamplethephrase“asfaithfulasadog”isusedtodescribeaperson’sfaith;“dog-tired”meansthatapersonistiredasadog;“dogsleep”referstobestartledoutofsleepfrequently;“dog-earedbooks”isabookwithitsmarginstuckedupand“dogwatch”referstonightduties.InChinese“老狗”isacurse,whileinEnglishan“olddog”referstoaoldmanoranexperiencedperson(correspondsto“oldhand”),thatissimilartotheChinese“老人言”inthesaying“不聽老人言，吃虧在眼前”and“老馬”inthephrase“老馬識途”.A“gaydog”meansahappyperson,anda“topdog”standsforawinner.InChinese“狗”isalowlyanimalcontainingthemeaning“vile”or“disgusting”.Phraseswith“dog”arealwaysinderogatorysense,suchas“狗東西”,“狗膽包天”,“狗急跳墻”,“狼心狗肺”,“雞嗚狗盜”,“狐群狗黨”,“狗血噴頭”,“狗屁不通”andsoon.ItissaidthatanEnglishmanoncemadeawrongunderstandingofhisChinesefriend’s“小犬定于下月初七成親”(mysonduestomarryon7thnextmonth)intheletter,heconsidered“小犬”asa“littledog”andsentachainwhichismadeofbrassasapresent.Itisajestaboutdogsbecauseoftheculturaldifferences.

YetEnglish-speakingpeopledonotalwaysspeakofdogsendearingly，suchas“Youdog!”,“Sonofabitch!”“TheysayEnglishisgoingtodogs”,buttheseswearingwordsdonotimpairdog’sposition.Mostof“dogwords”areusedingoodcausesorneutralones.InEnglandandAmericandogsarestillpeople'sgoodfriends.InGreekandRomanmythology,owlalwaysstaysbythegoddessofwitness.Itisinvitedtomakeaverdictonargumentsbetweenanimals,especiallyonemergentoccasions.Therefore,inEnglish,owlisabirdstandingforwitness.Suchas“aswiseasanowl”Owlishreferstoclever,shrewd.Forexample,Patrickpeeredowlishlyatusthroughhisglasses.However,inChinese,owlisthoughtasasymbolofomenbecauseitalwaysfliesaroundgraveyardatnight,sendingoutsadvoice.Intheoldlegend,itissaidthatsomeonewoulddieiftheowlrestonhishouse.Owlisrelatedtobadluck,death.Therearemanyexpressionsshowingpeople’sviewtowardsowl,suchas“夜貓子進宅,無事不來”,“夜貓子抖翅,大小有點事”,“夜貓子進屋,全家都哭”,etc.2.1.2Bear ToChinesepeopleandEnglishpeople,"bear"hasquitedifferentassociations.InEnglish,peopleuse"bear'torefertothosepersonshavingspecialability,forexample,"heisabearatmathematics(他是個數學天才)".However,toChinesepeople,bearmeans"cowardlyandtimid".2.1.3OwlInEnglish,owlimplieswisdomandcalmness,"aswiseasanowl(像貓頭鷹一樣聰明)"indicatesthatEnglishspeakingpeopleassociatewisdomwiththisbird.Inchildren'sbooksandcartoons,theowlisusuallysolemnandwise.Indisputeamongbirdsandbeats,itistheowlthattheygoforadvice.Sometimes,thebirdisconsideredasimpracticalandfoolish.Butingeneral,theowlstandsforwisdom.However,thereisasuperstitiousbeliefthatthisbirdisasignofbadluckandthesymbolofsinisterthingsamongChinesepeople.SocomesthecommonChinesesaying,"貓頭鷹進宅，好事不來（anowlmisfortuneinthathouse)".Themeresightofanowlorthesoundofthecreature'shootingmightcausepeopletodrawbackinfear.2.2SomeAnimalWordswithCommendatoryMeaninginChinese,butwithDerogatoryMeaninginEnglish2.2.1DragonThedragoninEnglishand“龍”inChinesearebothimaginaryanimalsbuthaveverydifferentconnotations.ToChinese“龍”issomethingsacredandhasbeenreferredtoastheancestoroftheChinesenation.ThatiswhytheChinesecallthemselves“龍的傳人”(descendantsofthedragon)andChinesefeudalemperorswereoftenreferredtoas“真龍天子”,wearing“龍袍”，livinginpalacesdecoratedwiththedragon.“龍王”（thedragonking）isapowerfulgodinChineselegendarywhichrulestheseasandotherwaterbodiesandisinchargeofraining.ManyChinesewould“望子成龍”，butitsliteraltranslation“toexpectone’ssontobecomeadragon”wouldsoundridiculoustotheEnglishspeakingpeople,becauseintheirmindthedragonissomeevilmonsterwhichcanspitfireandpossessesthreetonineheads.ThereareveryfewEnglishidiomswiththeword“dragon”except“blinddragon”and“fightlikeadragon”.Outofsuchconsideration,“亞洲四小龍”isproperlyturnedinto“thefourtigersofAsia”.2.2.2PhoenixPhoenixiscalled“鳳”or“鳳凰”inChinese.InthemindofChinese,phoenix,whichisclubbywithitsfeathersmulticolored,isamiraculousbirdbeyondmundanity.Askingofbirds,itisalwaysfollowedbytheotherbirds,soinChinesethereisasaying“百鳥朝風”.ItjustcorrespondstotherelationshipofLordandhisministers,thereforephoenixsymbolizesthepower,whichisthesameastheChinesedragon.Afterwards,“phoenix”(鳳)graduallybecameaspecialbywordforempressinfeudaltimes.Itsappearancebetokensapeacefulperiod;,andthereisalsothesaying“龍風呈祥”.However,itstillcannotmatchwiththepositionoftheChinesedragonwhichisthesymboloftheking.Inwesternmyths,phoenixisamagicalbird,whichissaidlivinginArabianDesertwithalonglifeabout500or600years.Beforedeath,itbuildsanestforitsown,singsadirge,flapsitswingstotakefiretoburnitself,theninashestherecomesanewbornphoenixwhichissobeautifulanditwon’tdieagain.Therefore,phoenixhasameaningofrebirthorrevival.InEnglishphoenixreferstoperfectionsandexcellentpersons.

2.2.3MagpieWhatisaboutthebirdcalledthe"magpie"?InChina,amagpieisasymbolofgoodluck.Ifamagpiesingsinatreebesideshouses,peoplewouldthinksomehappythingswouldhappen.However,evensuchaluckybirdcannotgetanyreferencefrompeopleinwesterncountries.Onthecontrary,theyusuallygetsomeunfairnames.InsomeplacesinScotland,ifamagpiefliesnearawindow,itisasymbolofbadluck.InastateofEngland,ifsomeonehappenstomeetamagpiehehastospitthreetimestoavoidbadluck.Ifwesaytraditionalculturehasbeenoutofdate,weshouldnotdoubtabouttheitemsundertheword"magpie".TheeOxfordReferenceDictionary(1956)offersusthreeexplanations:(1)Akindofcrowwithblackadwhiteplumageandalongtail,reputedtocollectobjects.Ifweshouldtranslatetheexplanationas"喜鵲",itwoulddegradeourculture;(2)Arandomcollector;(3)Achatterer.Alltheseexplanationshavenothingtodowithgoodluck.2.2.4BatInchina,batisasymbolofluckness,happiness,andwell-beingwithsharingthesamepronunciationastheword"福”，“洪福齊天',referstotherichnessandprosperity.Somepicturesordesignscombiningwithdeerenjoyspopularitybecause"福鹿"ispronouced'福祿”,whichsymbolizesluckness,happiness,richness,andstatus.However,toEnglishpeople,talkingabout"bat",theyarevery"frightened.Abatisveryannoying,whichmeans"uglyandevil".Therefore,inEnglish,expressionswith'bat'havederogatorymeanings,e.g.,suchas"asblindasabat(有眼無珠）","crazybat(發瘋)","heisabitbatty(他有點反常r)".Anyway,batisugly,ferce,andblood-suckingcreatureinwesterner'smind.ChapterThreeFactorsInfluencingDifferentCulturalConnotationsAsweallknow,languageispartofthecultureofapeopleandthechiefwaybywhichmembersofasocietycommunicate."Alanguage,therefore,isbothapartofcultureandamediumthroughwhichtheotherpartsofcultureareexpressed"(Lado,1958).Astoanimalwords,cultureexertsanimportantinfluenceonthem.Culturalconnotationsarefullyreflectedinanimalwords.Inaddition,connotativemeaningisindeterminateandopen-ended,becauseconnotationsarerelativelyunstable.Theyvaryaccordingtocultural,historicalperiod,andtheexperienceoftheindividual.3.1GeographicalInfluenceinAnimalWordsGeographicalculturereferstothecultureformedbythearea,naturalconditionandgeographicalenvironment.ThegeographicalculturesoftheChineseandEnglishnationsareofgreatimportanceanddifference,whichhaveobvioulymanifestationsintheirindividualproverbs.ItisthecasethatEnglishandChinesepeopleliveinanabsolutelydifferentnaturalenvironmentandtheirsocialdevelopentsarealsodifferent.TheChinesepeoplebelongtoanagrariansocietythatplacesagriculturalproductionatthetopofthenationalagenda.HencethereisasurprisingnumberoffarmingidiomsandidiomsewithanimalimagesaccumulatedintheirproductiveChinesepeasantsfromgenerationtogeneration.E.g.Fuelisnotsoldinaforest,norfishonalake.(林中不賣材，湖上不賣魚)TakingapanoramicviewofEnglishhistoryandanalyzingEnglishwords,wewillfindoutthat"islandculture".Britainisanislandcountrywhichhasalonghistoryofnavigation.ThelifeandlaboroftheEnglisharecloselyconcernedwithoceans.Englandisanislandcountryandsurroundedbythesea,wherelifeiscloselyrelatedtosailingandfishing.Peoplegetmostchancestounderstandseaanimalsandnaturallyhaveprofoundassociationwiththem,suchasfish:"drinklikeafish;abigfish;acoolfish;apoorfish".3.2CustomaryInfluenceinAnimalWordsCustomarycultureisthecultureofanation'scustomsandconventionswhichexistindailysociallifeandcommunicativeactivities.Linguistsholdthatlanguageisacceptedthroughcommonpractice.ManywordsandprasesbothinChineseandEnglishcomefromcolloquialspeechindailylifeandcustomsofdifferentnations.Forinstance,inChinese,theanimalword"magpie"isconsideredasgoodluckbecause"magpie"inChineseispronunced"喜鵲（XiQue)","喜”inChinesemeansgoodandhappy.PeopleintheWesthavehadalongtraditionofkeepingpets.Ofthem,domesticanimalssuchasdogsandcatsaredearandvaluedcompaions.Peoplehavefavorableexpressionsasfollows:"atopdog(最重要的人物)","aluckydog(幸運兒)".3.3TheInfluenceofHistoryTheculturalconnotationfromhistoryisthegemsofhumanculturalheritage.Itisworthlearninghistoryculture.KnowledgeofthehistoricalbackgroundofEnglishandChinesemayhelpcomprehendwhattheculturalconnotationmeans.Asweknow,EnglandisgovernedbythePopeandtheKingforalongtimesoinEnglish,therearesomanyidiomstoexpresstheiroutrage,disdainandaversenesssuchas"thekingandthepope,thelionandwolf".Chinaisanancientcountrywith5000yearsculturaltradition.InancientChina,theKingisregardedasadragon,andtheQueenisconsideredasaphoenix,sotherearemanyidiomssuchas"望子成龍","龍飛鳳舞","龍鳳呈祥".3.4TheInfluenceofReligionandWorldViewChinesecultureisdeeplyaffectedbyTaoism,BuddhismandConfucianism,amongwhichtheeffectofBuddhismisthemostinveterate,whileEnglishcultureisgreatlyinfluencedbyChristianity.ThereisnoquestionthatChineseexpressionsreflecttheinfluenceofBuddhism,whereasEnglishexpressionsreflecttheinfluenceofChristianity.AlargenumberofidiomsderivedfromdifferentreligionsinChinaandtheyhadanimmenseinfluenceonpeopleinfeudalsociety.Forexample,"thelocalgodcatchinggrasshoppers"(土地爺捕螞蚱——慌了神).TheEnglishnationhaslongbelievedChristianityanditsholybook,theBible,hashadaprofoundandtremendousinfluenceonthesocialthoughtsandcultureEnglishsociety.PeoplequotesomuchfromtheBiblethatmanyidiomsentertheirdailylife.Forexample,itissaidthatSatan,theDevil,oftenappearasanimageofablackcat.E.g.Don'tletablackcatcrossyourpath.不要讓霉運降臨到你頭上。ChapterFourConclusionWordsarealmostneverfoundinisolation.Theynearlyalwayshavepartnerstogetherfrommeaningsincertainrestrictedways.Thisthesismakesacontrastiveanalysisofculturalconnot