语言文化论文-不同的地理特征对汉英习语影响.doc

语言文化论文-不同的地理特征对汉英习语影响【Abstract】Thegeographyenvironmentisconnectedtothehumanslivesclosely.Fromtheancienttimes,thehumantriedtheirbesttoconquerthenature,torebuildit.Atthattime,themostimportantfunctionwastoimprovetheproduction.Sointhisperiod,thehumanscivilizationswereinfluencedbythegeography.ChinaislocatedintheeastoftheEurasiaandonthewestbankofthePacificOcean-whichcouldnotbecrossedatthattime.InthesouthwestofChina,thereistheHimalayas,andthesouthwestisalargedesert,becauseofthese,wecansaythatChinawasrelativelyisolatedfromtheoutsideworld.Meanwhile,Chinahasalargeoffieldfortillageandtheclimatesuitstoit.SotheChinesecivilizationisthegeographycivilization.ButinEnglandandthewesterncountries,theylackoftheinlandbutneartheMediterraneanandtheAtlanticOcean,theseweresuitedtodeveloptheseacivilization.TheidiomsaretheflowersoftheChineseandEnglishculture.SothispaperwilllisttheidiomsaboutthegeographyinChineseandEnglishlanguages.LeteveryoneknowmorethegeographyChineseandEnglishidioms【KeyWords】geography；idioms；Chinese；English【摘要】地理环境与人类的生存密切相关，远古的人类就是在不断地征服自然，改造自然中，发展、壮大起来。可以说，古代人类最重要的活动就是征服自然，发展生产。当时的人类的文化受到地理环境的影响。中国位于欧亚大陆的东部，东边是难以逾越的太平洋，西南是有世界屋脊之称的喜马拉雅山，西北是一片大沙漠，可以说中国是相对地与外界隔离。并且中国有大片土地供耕耘，气候也适合农耕，因此中国的文化是农耕文化，其文化偏向土地。而英国，乃至整个西方，适合耕耘的土地少，而且面向地中海，大西洋，适合发展海洋文化。而西方文化的发源地古希腊，更可以被称为是典型的海洋文化，因此，英国的文化更偏向海洋。习语是中西文化中的精华，本篇将列出中西习语中受地理影响的部分。旨在弄清地理环境与文化之间的关系。【关键词】地理；习语；汉语；英语1、IntroductionTheenvironmentinfluencestheculture.Humanandthenaturearerelatedclosely.Foronething,humandependsonthenature,andisboundbythenature.Foranther,humanalwaystrytomasterthenatureandrebuildit.1Asweallknow,theChinesecultureandtheEnglishculturehavedifferentnatureenvironments.Chinahasalargeplainfortillage.Butinthewesterncountries,especiallyintheGreece,themotherofthewesterncivilization,hassmalllandfortillage,thelandisforthestockbreeding.WhiletheGreekhavelesslandtodeveloptheagriculture,theylivenearthesea,theMediterranean,sotheycansailintheseaforcommerce.Becauseofthedifferences,theChinesecultureandtheEnglishculturearedifferent.TheChinesecultureistheagriculturecivilization2andtheEnglishcultureisfromtheGreekcivilization,sotheEnglishcultureistheseacivilization.32、ThesimilaritiesbetweenEnglishidiomsandChineseidiomsaboutthegeographyTheidiomsarethefossilsoftheChineseandEnglishcultures.IntheChineseandEnglishidioms,therearemanyidiomsaboutthegeography.SomeoftheChineseandEnglishidiomshavethesimilarmeanings,butothersareindifferentmeanings.Inthegroupofidioms,whichhavesimilarmeaning,manyofthemusethesameimages,whileothersusethedifferentimagestoexplainthesamething.2.1ThesimilaritiesbetweenEnglishidiomsandChineseidiomsaboutthegeographyInmanyoftheChineseandEnglishidioms,theyhavethesamemeanings.Coincidently,manyofthemusethesameimages.ItshowsthattheChinesepeopleandEnglishpeopleexperiencethesimilarconceptions.Meanwhile,someofthemhavethesamemeanings,buttheyusethedifferentimagestoexplain.Fromthat,wecouldknowthatalthoughtheChineseandEnglishpeoplehavethesameexperience,theyhavethedifferentcultures.Sotheidiomsalwaysusethedifferentimages.2.1.1TheChinese-EnglishgeographyidiomsthatusethesimilarimagesIntheancientChinaandEngland,thepeoplemayhavethesameexperience,andcoincidentlyusethesameimagetodescribethesamething.Itisverycoincidental.(1)Fishintroublewaters4and浑水摸鱼5Meaning:toprofitinaconfusedenvironmente.g.Dontfishintroublewaters；thatdoesyounogood.(2)Pour/throwcoldwateron6and泼冷水Meaning:todiscouragee.g.Theboardofdirectorpouredcoldwateronhisnewinvestmentproposalsinthatregion.(3)Makewaves7and兴风作浪8Meaning:tomaketroublee.g.Theyliftitwasnotthetimetomakewavesbystagingasit-in.(4)Gowiththestream9and随波逐流10Meaning:doasothersdoe.g.Helistenedtothesamemusicanddressedthesamewayashisfriends.Hewentwiththestream,forhelackedconfidenceinmakinghisowndecision.(5)Burnonesboat/bridges11and破釜沉舟12Meaning:todosomethingthatmakeitimpossibletogobacke.g.Startingyourownbusinesshasalotofrisk,sothinktwicebeforeyouburnyourboat.TheidiomsinthisgroupreflectthattheEnglishidiomsandChineseidiomsarenearlycoincidental.Peopleindifferentculturesexperiencethesimilarconceptions.Theexamples(1)to(4)areusingthesameimages.Theexample(5),inChineseweuse“釜”and“舟”but,inEnglishtheyjustuse“boat”or“bridge”.InbothChineseandEnglishtheboat,thecookingpotandthebridgeareallveryimportanttopeoplelives.2.1.2TheChinese-EnglishgeographyidiomsthatusedifferentimagesWhiletheancientChinesepeopleandEnglishpeoplecoincidentlyusethesameimagetoexplainthesamething.Mostofthetime,theChineseandEnglishpeopleusethedifferentimagestoexplainthesamething.(1)Bein/getinhotwater13orIndeepwater14and泥菩萨过江Meaning:tobeinorgetintotroublee.g.Shehasgotintohotwateragainforherinquisitivenaturerecently.(2)Adropinthebucket/ocean15and九牛一毛Meaning:anegligibleortinyquantity；somethingthatmakelittledifferencee.g.Tencentsmeansalotofmoneytothebeggaronthestreet,butisadropintheoceanformostpeople.(3)Paddleonesowncanoe16and自力更生Meaning:todependononeselfe.g.Dontworrytoomuchaboutyourson；heisbigenoughtopaddlehisowncanoe.(4)Abigfish(inalittlepond)17and顶天立地18Meaning:animportantperson(inasmallcommunity)e.g.ItoldyouwhenGeorgecametoourdepartmenttwoyearsagothathedsoonjob-hop.Heisabigfish.TheidiomsinthisgroupreflectthattheEnglishidiomsandChineseidiomshavethesamemeaning,butusethedifferentimages.Intheexample(2)inEnglishtheyuse“ocean”,whileinChineseweuse“牛”.Theexample(4),inEnglishtheyuse“fish”,butinChineseweuse“地”.Theexample(5),inEnglishtheyuse“fish”,butinChineseweuse“牛”.TheseshowthattheEnglishculturebelongstotheseacivilization,andtheChineseculturebelongstotheagriculturecivilization.Becausefishisthenormalthinginseacivilization,andtheoxisaveryimportantanimalfortheagriculture.3ThedifferencesbetweenEnglishidiomsandChineseidiomsaboutthegeographyTheenvironmentinfluencedtheidiomsverymuch.Forexample,inChina,therealargelandfortillage,soinChineseidioms,therearemanyidiomsabout“tu”(土)、“di”（地）、and“niu”（牛）-theseareallconnectedcloselytotheagriculture.Butthewesterncultureisdifferent.Inthewesterncountries,especiallyintheGreekthemotherofthewesterncivilizations,therearemanymountainsandsmalllandfortillage.Theyhadtodevelopthebusinessatsea.SointheEnglishidioms,therearemanyidiomsaboutthesea,theboatandthefish.Thereisatypicalexample,whichcouldexplainthis.InChina,wesay“huijinrutu”（挥金如土），butinEnglish,theysay“spendmoneylikewater”.Thesetwoarealldescribingthatsomeonespendmoneyverymuch,butinChineseweuse“tu”,whileinEnglishtheyuse“water”.3.1ThedifferentimagesaboutthegeographicalwordsinChineseandEnglishidiomsNomatterwhethertheidiomshavethesamemeaning,orhavethedifferentmeanings,theirimagesareallaboutthegeographicalwords.InChineseidioms,manyoftheimagesareconnectedtotheland.InEnglish,manyoftheimagesareconnectedtothesea.3.1.1TheChinesegeographyidiomsThelandisveryimportanttothepeopleslive.Alsotheagricultureisthemostimportantactivityinthepeoplescommonlive.Therearesomanyidiomsusethegeographicalwordstoexplainsomething.Therearesomeexamplecouldshowit.(1)Juantuchonglai(卷土重来)19Stageacomeback(2)Mianrutuse(面如土色)20Lookashen；lookpalee.g.turnpalewithfright(3)Yibaitudi(一败涂地)21Failcompletely；sufferacrushingdefeat；berouted.e.g.Wejustcantpossiblyfailcompletely,afterallthepreparationwevemade.(4)Hutianqiangdi(呼天抢地)22Lamenttoheavenandknockonesheadonearthuttercriesofanguish.Fromthisgroupofidioms,wecouldseethatthelandisveryimportanttotheChinese.SointheChineseidioms,therearemanyidiomsabouttheland.TheChineseculturebelongstotheagriculturecivilization.3.1.2TheEnglishgeographyidiomsInEngland,theseaisconnectedtothepeopleslifeclosely.Englandisanislandcountry.InEngland,thefieldisless,thelandisforstockbreeding.TheEnglishpeoplealwaysmaketheirlivingonthesea.Sotherearemanyidiomsabouttheseaandtheship.(1)Atsea23Onaship,etcontheseae.g.spendthreemonthsatseaNotknowwhattodo；confusede.g.Imallatsea；Ihavenoideahowtorepaircars.(2)Misstheboat24Missanopportunity；betoolatetoparticipateinsomethinge.g.Sheputherapplicationinforherinterviewonedaylate.Unfortunatelyforhertheuniversityauthoritiescoulddonothingandshehadmissedtheboat(3)Atbottom25Inreality；reallybasicallye.g.Heseemsaggressivebutatbottomheiskindandgood-natural(4)Anotherkettleoffish(adifferentkettleoffish)26Acompletelydifferentpersonorthingfromtheonepreviouslymentionede.g.Heisgoodatplayingtennisinprivate,butplayinginpublicisadifferentkettleoffish.Thisgroupofidiomsreflectthatthesea、theboat、thefishareveryimportanttothepeopleslives.TheEnglishculturebelongstotheseacivilization.Peopleliveinthedifferentgeographyenvironmentswillcreatedifferentcultures.Alltheculturescouldnotbeseparatedfromtheirenvironments.Becauseofitsregion,climateandenvironment,everyculturehasitsowncharacter.27Theenvironmentinfluencestheculturedeeply.TheChineseagriculturecivilizationmakestheChineseidiomsusethegeographicalwordsastheimages.AndtheEnglishseacivilizationmakestheEnglishidiomsusetheimageaboutthesea.3.2ThecausesoftheChineseandEnglishidiomsusingthedifferentimagesTheidiomsareacceptedthroughcommonpractice.Theyhavecomeintobeingforalongtime.Todaymostoftheidiomswereformedintheancienttimes.WhydoestheChineseculturebelongtotheagriculturecivilization?WhydoestheEnglishculturebelongtotheseacivilization.Ifwewanttoknowtheseclearly,wehadbetterlookintotheoriginsoftheChineseandEnglishcivilizations.3.2.1ThedifferenceoftheoriginsoftheChineseandwesterncivilizations(i)TheoriginsoftheChinesecivilizationPeopleindifferentenvironmentswillcreatedifferentcultures.IntheoriginsoftheChinesecivilization,thetillageisthemostimportantthinginpeoplelive.SotheChinesecultureisconnectedtothefieldclosely.TheChinesecivilizationisverylong.Itcanderivefrom70005000yearsago.28Fromthe“YangShaoCivilization”theChinesecivilizationhadbegun.Foritwassolongago,thatmanydataaboutthiscivilizationwerelost.TheChinesecivilizationisoneoftheoldestcivilizationsinthehumanhistory.TheorigincouldderivefromtheOldStoneAge.AndintheNewStoneAge,theChinesecivilizationdevelopedveryfast.In21stB.C.theXiaDynastywasfounded,whichwasthefirstmostgloriouscivilizationintheancientChina.Astheotherscreationoftheculture,intheearliestcreationoftheChineseculture,thestonewasthetoolsoftheagriculture.Thearchaeologistidentifiedthisperiod:theOldStoneAge.Withtheusingofthecoarsestonetools,ourancestoralsomasteredtheskillofgettingfirebythemselves.Before10,000to4000yearsago,theChineseancestorenteredtheNewStoneAge.Inthisperiod,theChineseenteredthedoorofthecivilization,beginningtheearlystageoftheChinesecivilization.Between1963and1964,thearchaeologistdiscoveredthe“LanTianSimian”inShanxi.The“LanTianSimian”livedinabout800,000yearsago.In1927,thearchaeologistdiscoveredthe“BeijingSimian”inBeijing,wholivedabout600,000yearsago.TheseareallprovedthatalltheChinesecivilizationwasalltheChinesepeoplecreatedinourownland.29Forexample,theChinesecharacter“社”，the“示”demonstratesthe“God”,andthe“土”demonstratestheland.Fromthiswecanseethelandisveryimportanttotheancientpeople.Thefollowingidiomswillreflectit.“土崩瓦解”(crumble；fallapart；collapse)30“人杰地灵”(Thegreatnessofamanlendsglorytoaplace)31“谈天说地”(Talkofeverythingunderthesun)32“铺天盖地”(Blotouttheskyandcoveruptheearth)33.Fromtheseidioms,wecouldseethatthelandisthemostimportantthingtotheancientpeople.Sointheidiomstherearesomanyidiomsaboutthegeography.(ii)TheoriginsoftheEnglishcivilizationTheEnglishcultureisfromtheGreececivilization.TheoldGreececivilizationinfluencedthecreationanddevelopmentofthewesternscivilization.ItssaidthattheoldGreececivilizationwasthemotheroftheEuropeanculture.34WiththeRomanConquest,theRomanbroughttheircultureandcustomsintoBritain.TheRomancostume,ornament,potteryandglassesvesselsspreadinBritain.OfcoursethesociallivebecameRoman.WiththesethingsbroughtintoBritain,theLatinwasspreadinBritain.Atthattime,inBritain,theofficiallanguage,thelawandthecommercewereallusedtheLatin.LatinbecamethesecondlanguageoftheupperCelts.35“LatinwasoriginallythelanguageofLatium,butcametobethedialectofRome.TheuseofLatinspreadwiththegrowthoftheRomanEmpire,whichincludedmodernItaly,SpainandPortugal,mostofBritain,FranceandGermany,SouthoftheRhineandtheDanube.BeyondEuropeitincludedNorthAfricaandPalestine.EvenwhereLatindidnotsurviveasaspokenlanguage,itremainedastheinternationallanguageofscholarship.ThisisaroleitwastoretainthroughoutEuropeforwelloverathousandyears.Asaresult,allthemajorlanguagesoftheEuropehavebeenprofoundlyinfluencedbyLatin,notonlyintheirvocabulary,butalsointheirgrammar”.36Intheliteralrecord,theoldGreececivilizationhadbegunin800B.C.,itwas2000yearslaterthantheoldBabyloncivilizationandtheEgyptcivilization.Butatthetimeitappeared,itshownitslivelycharacter,itsactivityandsprite.Itinfluencedthedevelopmentofthewesterncivilizationdeeply.37Thefollowingidiomswillreflectit.“Muddythewater”(Tomakeasituationconfusedandnotclear)38,“beinthesameboat”(Tobeinthesamedifficult