The Influences of the Geography on Chinese and English Words and Expressions.doc

毕业论文(设计)B.A. Thesis The Influences of the Geography on Chinese and English Words and Expressions B.A. Candidate: Chen BifengAdvisor: Wu Bifang Foreign Language DepartmentJiaying UniversityMay 25, 200721 AcknowledgementsI wish to express my thanks and appreciation to my tutor, Miss Wu Bifang, whose careful reading and suggestions have been invaluable to me throughout my thesis writing. My thanks should also be given to all the teachers who have taught me my BA courses. Their enthusiasm support and interesting introduction help me choose this topic and make this work possible to be done. I am also grateful to my classmates and roommates for their psychological support and encouragement. In particular, I own a special debt of thanks to Huang Rongdi, who has given me many suggestions to revise the paper. Abstract Cognition is the only bridge between geography and language. But how and why those geographical features including topography, location and climate, influence these two languages, Chinese and English, because of the effect of cognition? There are many different cognition of geography in England (the original place of English), and China, which cause the differences of their words and expressions.According to the Cognitive Pragmatics Cognition in Verbal Communication, it is true that cognition is the only bridge between the geographical features and languages. Only after the filtering process of different cognition pattern, the differences between two kinds of language comes; thus the wider the geographical discrepancies are, the wider the cognitive gaps are and the more different the languages are. That is: Geography cognition language. Geography is determining cognition, while cognition is also determining language. There are three aspects that can prove the figures. Firstly, through cognition, geography influences the words of English and Chinese. Secondly, it causes differences on dictions of these two languages. Thirdly, it influences the metaphors of the two languages. This study tells us we should pay more attention to the figure of “reality cognition language”, and learn and teach English under the guide of it.Key Words: geography cognition vocabulary diction metaphor 摘 要 认知是地理环境与语言间的唯一桥梁。但是地理环境（包括地形，地理位置跟自然气候），又是怎样跟为什么会影响汉英两种语言的呢？英格兰（英语的起源地）跟中国在对地理的认知上存在着差异。正是这些差异引起了汉英间词语及表达的差异。认知语用学语言交际的认知研究证明了认知是地理环境特征与语言间的唯一桥梁。只有经过有差异的认知这一程序“过滤”之后，才致使语言产生了差异。 现实的差距越大，引起认知的差异也越大，语言表达的差异也就越大。那既是：地理环境 认知 语言。 地理环境决定人的认知，认知又决定着语言。这里有三方面的例证。第一，地理环境通过认知影响着汉英的词语；第二，地理环境引起汉英措辞的不同；第三，地理环境影响汉英隐语的差异。这一研究告诉我们要更加注意“现实 认知 语言”这一现象，并在其指引下学和教英语。关键词：地理环境 认知 词汇 措辞 隐语Contents Acknowledgements.iAbstract(English). .iiAbstract(Chinese).iiiContents.iv 1. Introduction.12. Geography cognition language .3 2.1 Geography cognition . .32.1.1 Geography.32.1.2 Cognition.42.1.3 The relationship between the geography and cognition.42.2 Cognition language .5 2.3 Geography cognition language.63. Geographical background of Chinese and English .7 3.1 The original place of English and Chinese.7 3.2 The geographical features of England and China.83.2.1 The geographical features of England.83.2.2 The geographical features of China.94. Three influences of different cognitive structure on language.94.1 The influences on vocabulary ,.9 4.1.1 Naming and cognition.9 4.1.2 Example of “山” (Shan, mountain) and “mountain” .114.2 The influences on dictions. .11 4.2.1 The same cognition influences on dictions.12 4.2.2 The different cognition influences on dictions.124.2.2.1 The example of “east wind” and “东风”(Dongfeng).124.2.2.2 The example of “west wind” and “西风”(Xifeng).134.3 The influences on metaphors. .144.3.1 Metaphor.144.3.2 The relationship between cognition and metaphors. .144.3.3 The different cognition influences on metaphors.154.3.3.1 The example of “water” and “土”(Tu)(mud).164.3.3.2 The example of “夏天”(Xiatian) and “summer” .175. Conclusion. .175.1 Enhance learners cross-cultural awareness.195.2 Broaden the breadth and depth of English vocabulary, dictions and metaphors 19References.20The Influences of the Geography on Chinese and English Words and Expressions1. IntroductionOne of Shakespeares famous sonnets says, “Shall I compare you to a summers day? Thou art more lovely and temperate.”(Sonnet 18). For Chinese cognition, summer is unbearly hot. “Summer” and “temperate”, they are completely contradictory, but how could the master of language connect them together? Deeper study shows that it was because that the geographical features are different in these two countries.Obviously, it is difficult for people from two different cultures to understand each other in intercultural communication, since there are differences in culture. But what is culture? “A culture is a collection of belies, habits, common by people who occupy particular geographical areas” (D. Brown, 1978). The cultural differences are reflected in many aspects, especially in their own languages. British anthropologist Malinowshi(1923) pointed out that languages pushing their roots deep into peoples nature, custom, life . And the study of language cannot go without those wide ranged language environment - the culture. Normally, language was contained in culture. Therefore language is one aspect of the culture of a certain society, and the relationship of them as part and whole.The forefather of Landon School, John Rupert Firth (1957) integrated linguistic studies with sociological studies, and advocated that language studying should begin with environment studyingcontext environment and natural environment, and the later one is the least changeable.What is natural environment? It contains the topography, location and climate. Most anthropologists and sociologists think that in some degree, the natural environment of a country play a decisive role on language, especially in the ancient society with underdeveloped economy. At that time, the life style, the model of production and model of behaviors were mainly decided by natural environment. During those simple life and work, ancient people produced their language that had great relation with nature. Reflecting on language, the certain natural environment influences peoples physiologic, thinking and cognition.According to the Cognitive PragmaticsCognition in Verbal Communication (He Ziran, 2006:59), it is true that cognition is the only bridge between the geographical features and languages. Only after the filtering of different kinds of cognition between two languages, can geography play a decisive role on the words and expressions. Just in this way, the differences of these two languages come, thus the wider the geographical discrepancies are, the wider the cognitive gaps are and the more different the languages are. To less misunderstanding in intercultural communication, and to help us who learn English as the second language, it is extremely necessary to have the knowledge of them.This thesis deals with the relation between geographical features and the languages in China and England, focusing on their bridgecognition. It is intended to explain how and why those geographical features influence the words, dictions and metaphors of the two languages. Also, it intends to call the attention of English teachers and learners to the different culture between the two countries. The more we understand the different geographical features, the more efficient methods we have for our English learning and teaching.2. Geography cognition languageAccording to the Cognitive Pragmatics Cognition in Verbal Communication, it is true that cognition is the only bridge between the geographical features and languages (He Ziran: 69). Only after the filtering process of different cognitive pattern, the differences between two kinds of language comes; thus the wider the geographical discrepancies are, the wider the cognitive gaps are and the more different the languages are. That is: geography cognition language. Geography is determining cognition, while cognition is also determining language.2.1 Geography cognitionThe figure “geography cognition language” can be divided into two parts. The first part of it is “Geography cognition”. Before mastering the influences of geography on cognition, it is much better to look back to the primitive time when languages were first found and to learn something about cognition.2.1.1 GeographyIn primitive times, the model of life, production and behaviors were extremely simple. People lived on simple fishing, hunting or farming life. They had very little abilities of recreating the nature, but only adapted to those harsh natural conditions. Therefore, what they saw and thought was very limited, which was only related to their simple life and production, and which was right strongly depending on the natural environment around them. Geographical features of one place are least changeable in a certain period of history. Therefore, the same features were impressed in many generations and common cognition came into their mind.CognitionSince we talk about cognition, but what is cognition? In our Oxford Advanced Learners English-Chinese Dictionary (2004:311), “Cognition is the inner psychological process by which knowledge and understanding is developed in the mind”. It is fundamentally a biological phenomenon, a relation of structural coupling between an organism and the environment, so that together they enact a word or expression of significance.2.1.3 The relationship between the geography and cognitionThe major concern over the study of cognition is the nature of the thinking organism and the way it works in its environment. In addition, object matters can get their meanings only after being perceived by the brain. Lakoof (1987) held that cognition is not only a reasoning thinking process related to such mental activities as emotion, motivation, conation, ect. , but also a dynamic process of learning about the world by means of the minds handling information about the subjective world, about the objective world and about the relationship between the two.Human beings exist in certain environment, from which we acquire the most original cognitive abilities. Comparing with other aspects of culture, geography is the most fundamental one in primitive time, when language was produced, in that the abstract temporal concepts we have known so far are established on the basis of geographical features. We acquire the most direct and intelligible physical experience from the natural. Therefore, there are a great many cognition models, which take the domain of geography as the source domain and reveal the most essential relationship between cognition. We cognize the whole world through our cognition of the domain of environment, and then the concept of it can be regarded as the starting point of our primitive cognition and the basis of cognizing other domains.Cognition languageThe world consists of substances and relations. In this sense, cognition can be divided into two parts. Sun Chengtong pointed out in his thesis (2007:11) that one is the process of forming presentations, images, concepts and categories through the perception of the objective world; the other is the process of analyzing, judging and inferring the relationships among the substances. The two parts are related to each other and interdependent closely. Simultaneously, language is considered as an assistant tool and expressing means by which man gets to know the world. Actually, the relationship between geography and cognition is just the first part of it, while the other part is the cognition and language.Language is the result of human being cognizing the objective world. The process of using and comprehending of language is right that of cognitive dealing. That is to say, language not only is one part of cognitive ability, but also is forming at the basis of cognition.Language is not an autonomous system, nor refers directly to things. Language is based on our bodily experiences of the world and the way we perceive and conceptualize it. “Concepts arise from, and are understood through, the body, the brain and experience in the world” (Lakoff & Johnson, 1999:497).Geography cognition languageTo sum up all above, we can get a principle of “geography cognition - language”, which indicates that both human cognition and language are embodied. Things and phenomenon in the real world are unlimited, while peoples cognitive features is relatively limited comparing with the unlimited external world, though the cognitive faculty of human beings has been developing continually. The unceasing development of human cognition actually indicates that human beings cognition of some problems or phenomenon in the real world is still imperfect or incorrect at a certain static stage of time, which shows a weakening phenomenon from “geography” to “cognition”. Moreover, all human bodily experience from the external world is filtered by perception, and language is not a description of the real world (nor any possible world), but rather a description of human perception of reality. Due to the limited expressive function of language for human cognition, there is anther weakening phenomenon from “cognition” to “language”. Therefore, the principle of “geography cognition - language” reflects a gradual weakening phenomenon. The relationship among “geography”, “cognition” and “language” can be further expressed as “geography cognition language” (He Xiaoyan, 2007).3. Geographical background of Chinese and EnglishAt the very beginning of this thesis, the example of Shakespeares sonnet shows us that it is very difficult for our Chinese to understand. To explain it, we can use the principle of “geography cognition - language”. Since we have get the further expression as “geography cognition language”, it can also be expressed as Language Cognition “Language 1 geography Language 2 geography Cognition Language” (Wang Yin, 1998:72)In this figure, the geographical feature in the country of Language1 is different from that of Language 2. Since “geography cognition language” and the people in different countries forming quite different cognitive structure and pattern, the cognitive discrepancies will be wider. So does the linguistic discrepancies because of “geography cognition language” and different description ways.Therefore, to study the differences of Chinese and English, wed better acquire some geographical knowledge of the original place of these two languages.3.1 The original place of English and Chinese English belongs to the Indo-European language. In 11th century, while talking about the distribution of English, Englishmen sighed with emotion that except the islanders, nobody can speak English. And not all islanders can speak it (International Encyclopedia of English, 1986: 584). This words strongly proves that the original place of English is the main body of Great Britain. The history of Great Britain and Northern Ireland forces the original place of English on England.Chinese belongs to the Asian language. The cradle of it undoubted is China.3.2 The geographical features of England and ChinaThe geographical features of England and China are quite different. To compare the differences, we should first make it clear of them individually. After knowing the cradle of these two languages, let us make it clear about the geographical features of these two places.3.2.1 The geographical features of EnglandEngland is situated in south and southeast of Great Britain Island. Though Scotland is at the north, Wales is at the west, it is just about 700 kilometers from north to south and just less than 500km across in the widest part. It lies between 50 to 56 degrees north. The south-western and western of England except for the Severn Valley and the Cheshire-Lancashire Plain (round Liverpool) are largely a plateau, with rolling plains, down and occasional moors. The Pennines are the principal mountain Chain. But the highest peak of England, Scafell is only 978m. Since the surrounding waters tend to balance the seasonal differences by heating up the land in winter and cooling it off in summer, it has a small range of temperature. The average temperature in winter in the north is 5 to 6, and in summer in the south is 12 to 17. The prevailing south-west winds or the Westerlies blow over the temperatures moderate. Also, the North Atlantic D