The Cultural Differences in Animal Words in Chinese and English.doc

毕业论文(设计)Acknowledgements I wish to express my thanks and appreciation to my tutor, Miss Wu Bifang, who is a careful, responsible and patient teacher. She helped me to get my ideas into shape, optimize the writing structure and realize disadvantages of the thesis. Thanks to her careful reading and detailed suggestions, I can successfully finish my thesis writing. She is really a conscientious teacher. My thanks should also be given to all the teachers who have taught me my BA courses. They are responsible and professional too. They taught me how to study and how to make progress. Education lies not only in imparting knowledge, but also in educating people. So they always taught me how to cope with problems in front of difficulties. I learnt a lot about life from my teachers. I do appreciate the help of my classmates and roommates. They gave me a lot of psychological support and encouragement. In particular, I sincerely appreciate Chen Bifeng. We shared the useful information and talked about thesis together. When she found some information related to my topic, she would let me know immediately or kept them for me. She gave me much advice and support. AbstractDue to different natural environment, history, economy and politics, every country has its own culture. Language is a cultural carrier. Culture-loaded vocabulary plays an important role in a language. Animal words keep close relationship with human beings. Gradually, animal words become a part of language. To some extend, animal words reflect cultural connotations. Therefore, knowing about the animal words can enrich our minds. It can help us to know more about foreign culture and communicate smoothly and correctly in across-culture. Moreover, throughout the comparison between the Chinese and English cultural differences, we know the advantages and disadvantages of our culture. In that case, we can better improve our culture.The article reviews the definition of culture and the relationship between culture and animal words. Four kinds of cultural differences are displayed. They are religion and mythologies, literature, modes of production and ways of thinking. The paper summarizes what exactly the differences are in the four aspects and how these differences come about. Then it gives examples to represent the differences. Based on the analysis and discussions above, the author put forward some suggestions to avoid the miscommunication: learn foreign culture by reading various books, surfing Internet, exchanging ideas with teachers, classmates and friends. Learners should respect each others culture.Key Words: culture connotation animal words differences摘 要 由于不同的自然环境，历史，经济和政治因素，每个国家都有它自己的文化。语言是文化的载体。载有文化意义的词汇，在语言中也起到很重要的作用。动物与人类有密切的关系，它逐渐成为文化的一部分。在很大程度上，动物词汇反映了文化内涵。因此，了解动物词汇可以开阔我们的视野。它让我们了解更多的外国文化，能在跨文化交际中能流畅正确地进行交流。并且，通过两国文化的对比我们可以了解自己本国文化的优势与劣势，以更好地发展自己的文化。文章回顾了文化的定义及文化和动物词汇的关系，展现了两国文化中的四种差异宗教和神话，文学，生产方式和思维方式。总结了到底这四方面存在什么不同点及为什么会出现这样的不同点，然后给了例子加以说明。在此基础上作者归纳出避免差异产生的建议和方法：阅读各种各样的书籍，浏览因特网，与老师，同学和朋友多交流，并且尊重各国文化。关键词：文化 内涵 动物词汇 差异ContentsAcknowledgements.iAbstract (English).iiAbstract (Chinese).iiiContents.iv1. Introduction.12. Review culture and animal words.12.1 The definition of culture . .1 2.2 The relationship between culture and animal words. .23. Cultural differences. . .23.1 Differences in religions and mythologies.23.1.1 Differences.33.1.2 Examples.53.2 Differences in literature.83.2.1 Differences.83.2.2 Examples.93.3 Differences in ways of thinking103.3.1 Differences.103.3.2 Examples.123.4 Differences in modes of production.133.4.1Differences.133.4.2 Examples.144. Conclusion.15References.1819 The Cultural Differences in Animal Words in Chinese and English1. Introduction Language and culture, intrinsically dependend on each other, have evolved together through the history. (Dai Weidong，He Zhaoxiong, 2002:127). “On the one hand, language as an integral part of human being, permeates his thinking and way of viewing the world, language both expresses and embodies cultural reality. On the other, language, as a product of culture, helps permeate the culture, and the changes in language uses reflect the cultural changes in return”. (Dai Weidong，He Zhaoxiong, 2002:130 ). Language is the base of entire culture, and it is only in language that culture can be well-presented and handed down from generation to generation. On the other hand, language is influenced and shaped by culture; it reflects language. Animal words, as a part of language, also closely connect with culture. To some extend, animal words reflect characteristics of culture and predict the developing orientation of culture. 2. Review the culture and animal words Animal words got their established connotations in culture. Therefore, animal words can reflect the culture. And when we make comparison between animal words in Chinese and English, we can find the culture disparities.2.1 The definition of culture “Culture may be defined as what a society does and thinks.” (Sapir, 1921)“culture refers to the total way of life of particular groups of people, it includes everything that a group of people thinks, says, does and makes.” (R. Kohls, 1979)“A culture is a collection of beliefs, habits, living patterns, and behaviors which are hold more or less in common by people who occupy particular geographic areas.” (D. Brown, 1978)2.2 The relationship between culture and animal wordsWith the historical development, relation between human and animals is getting closer and closer. In the primitive society, primitive man hunted animals for food. In modern age, people regard many animals as their good friends. People can not live without animals. Based on such kind of close relationship, human culture and animal words have big connections. Language is the bearer of culture. And animal words are the important part of a language as they carry distinctive cultural features. To a large degree, animal words reflect a countrys culture. There are many words closely connected with animals in both Chinese and English. And these animal words are mostly different, because they have their own cultural connotations. From these different words, we can see the different cultural connotations in both Chinese and English, concluding religions, mythologies, literature, modes of production and ways of thinking.The thesis deals with the differences between Chinese and English cultural connotation reflected by animal words. It is intended to state what kinds of cultural differences and why these differences appear. Therefore, it aims at attracting peoples attention to the differences in learning English and the across-cultural communication. 3. Cultural differences Cultural differences can be reflected in religions, literature, ways of thinking and modes of production, if we distinguish the differences of animal words between Chinese and English. 3.1 Differences in religions People from different countries have different religions. Their religious disparities can be presented by some animal words mentioned in religious books.3.1.1 DifferencesIn China, people are deeply affected by Buddhism, which is the most inveterate. In European society, Christianity plays a particularly important role. Most western people are Christian. But where did the chief faiths come from? How did they come into being? In the religion of china, gods were simple, real and mundane people who became gods via asceticism. The chief god was Sakyamuni who was originally a prince. Due to his tiredness to live in palace, he was eager to find the truth of the life and safe the miserable people. After the meditation that lasted 49 days, he came to understand and became a sage at last. As a result, he attracted many people to be believers and they revered him as a director of thought. So Sakyamuni became the Buddha. On the contrary, in Christianity, Jesus, who was the chief god of Christianity, was the son of God Jehovah and a common girl whose name was Maria. He was an envoy to save human beings and to atone for human beings crime. Because he was Jehovahs son, Jehovahs soul was certainly in him. So it made him a soul with wisdom and intelligent, strategy and ability, and knowledge and reverence (Zheng Chunmiao, 1994). Thats to say, Jesus deity came from Jehovah. But who was Jehovah? He was a god who exceeds the spirits of human. He existed before human exist and he existed independently. He was eternal and absolute. He was the ultimate reason of the existence of everything. The image of gods came into being because of the poor production force. It reflected that primitive people felt mystery to the supernatural phenomenon appearance. When self-conscious was founded and made nature as a dissident power which controlled human beings and the surrounding, the image of gods came into being. Gods, whether Chinese gods or western gods, are all created by their people according to their needs and imagination, and almost all the evolution courses of the gods that are worshiped by people develop from animal-shaped gods to half man half animal to man-shaped gods. Thats because there are quite a lot of differences in society and history between Chinese and western countries, and as gods in religion is a kind of social consciousness which is the reflection of social existence, the relationship between man and gods have quite a lot of differences. In western countries, the relationship is mainly about penance and accepting penance, and that in Chinese religion is about preying for blessings and giving blessings. What accompanies the former is mans worship towards gods, while the latter respect. Western people think their ancestors had the guilt of eating the forbidden fruit secretly, and they believe that Jesus Christ can rescue them; Chinese people realize that their power is too weak in front of nature and society, and thus they need to turn to gods for help. The former was originated in the sense of guilt, while the latter one was originated in reverence. Western religion has absolutely exclusiveness, but Chinese religion has relativity and compatibility. (Zheng Chunmiao, 1994). In the west, one people just can believe in only one God and one religion. Its illegal that theres another religion, and anyone who believe in that must be punished. In China, because it doesnt involve whoever is given mission by God, no religion has higher status than another. Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism get along well. And they have more freedom in choosing which gods to worship.Because the beliefs are different between China and western countries, the peoples characters have shown their great differences between the two sides. Firstly, Chinese people lay stress on groups while western people on individual. The mainstream in traditional ideas is maintaining the whole country and peoples harmony. Oppositely, western world is a society that lays stress on individual. God says that person born equally but if he works hard he can go into the heaven. Secondly, morality and justice are more important to Chinese people while utilitarianism to western people. Chinese gods dont pay any attention to their own need or money. In fact, they have no need, no hunger and they dont even feel thirsty. With the example of gods, Chinese people are dedicatory. However, the western gods have all needs that our human beings have. The relationship between the gods and ordinary person is commercial, which makes the people utilitarianism and cold. Thirdly, Chinese people attach importance to peace and harmony but western people like to struggle. So peace and harmony have become one of the living principles of Chinese people. On the contrary, western people are affected by the concept of superpower and struggle. (Liu Chenghua, 2002) 3.1.2 ExamplesAs when the Lord was in the world He was innocence itself in respect to his human, and as consequently everything that belongs to innocence proceeds from Him, the Lord is called “the Lamb”, and the “Lamb of God”, as in these passages:-Send ye the Lamb of the Ruler of the land from the rock toward the wilderness, unto the mountain of the daughter of Zion (Net.1).The Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters (Net.1).Whale in Bible signifies a serpent, that is, a water-serpent. It was given the meaning of evilness. In Ezekiel:-Speak and say, thus said the Lord Jehovih, Behold I am against thee, Pharaoh King of Egypt, the great whale that lieth in the midst of his rivers (Net.2).Son of man, take up a lamentation upon Pharaoh King of Egypt, and say unto him, Thou art become like a young lion of the nations; and thou art as whales in the seas; and thou hast come forth with thy streams, thou hast troubled thy streams (Net.2).However, in Chinese, lamb and whale dont have such kind of cultural connotations. Lamb just means innocence and simplicity. And whale stands for hugeness. In the earliest Chinese Buddhist literature Li Huo Lun()(Net. 3)，we have “对牛弹琴”(dui niu tan qin, to cast pearls before swine; playing the lute to the cow). But in English, we say “to teach a pig to play on a flute”.鹦鹉学舌(ying wu xue she, repeat other peoples words like a parrot), which comes from Buddha book named Jing Da Chuan Deng Lu.( 景德传灯录)(Net. 4)Mythology is the primitive miniature of a country or a nation. Different faiths created different mythologies. Animal words created in myths can reflect their unique mythical color and flavor. As we have mentioned, Chinese people realized that their power was too weak in front of nature and society, and thus they needed to turn to gods for help. Therefore, in Chinese myths, there are four major Dragon Kings, representing each of the four seas: the East Sea (corresponding to the East China Sea), the South Sea (corresponding to the South China Sea), the West Sea (sometimes seen as the Indian Ocean and beyond), and the North Sea (sometimes seen as Lake Baikal). They are seen as in charge of water-related weather phenomenon. People regard dragon as the ruler of weather and water. So during feudal times, it was a custom to put up prayers for rain during droughts. They thought the Dragon King would comply with their demands. Dragon had high status and was endowed with the rights of power and lofty. It symbolized the holy and paramount power usually incarnated on the emperors. There are many phases and expressions about dragon. For example, Chinese call themselves “龙的传人”(long de chuan ren, descendants of the dragon) . Moreover, Chinese feudal emperors were often referred to as “真龙天子”(zhen long tian zi, real dragon emperor),wearing “龙袍”(long pao, imperial robe)，living in palaces decorated with the dragon. “龙王”（long wang, the dragon king）is a powerful god in Chinese legendary which rules the seas and other water bodies and is in charge of raining . Many Chinese would “望子成龙”(wang zi cheng long, means long to see ones son succeed in life; hope to see ones son have a bright future). But its literal translation “to expect ones son to become a dragon” would sound ridiculous to the English speaking people, because in their minds the dragon is some evil monster which can spit fire and possesses three to nine heads. In western countries, dragon is usually portrayed as evil. In western countries, dragon is familiar to people in the myth named Saint George and the Dragon. Saint Georges encounter with the famous dragon reportedly took place in a small town in Libya. The town was being terrorized by a fierce, fire-breathing dragon. To keep it at bay the townspeople had originally fed it sheep. However, the dragon had become greedier and was now demanding human flesh. Saint George arrived. He slew the dragon with his lance and saved the people there. From the myth, dragon was described as evil in western countries. The example of “cat” also can prove it. In English, we have some expressions related to cat. For instance, “Cats hide their claws.”, “All cats are grey in the dark.”, “The cat shuts its eyes when stealing cream.”, and “There are more ways of killing a cat than by choking it with butter.” From these sentences, we see cat symbolizes deceit and viciousness. But in Chinese, we dont have such meaning about cat. That was because in western myth, cat was called a “Familiar”, from the medieval superstition that Satans favorite form was a black cat. Hence witches were said to have a cat as their familiar. The superstition may have arisen from the classical legend of Galenthias who was turned into a cat and became a priestess of Hecate. In the English mythology, cat can even affect the change of the weather, as the saying goes, “to rain cats and dogs” and “the cat has a gale of wind in her tail”; “there is nothing for it but to wait and see how the cat jumps.” However, the Chinese people use “cat” as metaphors to refer to persons in different senses such as “馋猫”(chan mao, greedy cat); “夜猫子”(ye mao zi, people who go to bed late). 3.2 Differences in literature Animal words can often be seen in literature. Some writers will use some animals to express their feelings and emotions. Thats to say, animal words, to some extend, can reflect the style in literature. 3.2.1 DifferencesChinese poets are good at taking advantage of a scene to express ones emotions. The scene often serves as foils to set off the atmosphere or to create the mood. Readers have the infinite daydream space. Thats because the way of thinking in Chinese is sensible and instinctive. However, the English poems have the power to evoke feelings to express by describing scene. They can express their subjective consciousness in this way. Thats to say, Chinese people pay more attention to expression, and westerners to reproduction. Chinese poems are reserved, but English poems are riot. Chinese people have the understood thought. Understood thought means that when people want to understand the actual meaning of a concept, they will intuitively understand the context, but not using their abstract thought. (Xiao Gongqin, 2006). So