英汉颜色词语的语义对比.doc

大学英语六级常用词汇辨析讲座第一讲英汉颜色词语的语义对比英汉颜色词语的语义对比摘 要 本文试图从英汉两种语言的不同语言习惯、生活方式，历史背景、传统风俗的角度，用对比的方法对颜色词在英汉两种语言中的不同语义进行一番探讨，旨在帮助英语学习者正确理解英汉两种语言的差异性，从而使他们能熟练使用颜色词，正确进行语言互译，达到消除语言语义障碍，促进英汉语言文化交流的目的。关键词 颜色词；语义；英语； 汉语； 文化差异1. 引言英汉两种语言中颜色词的使用随处可见,尤其在我们的日常生活用语和约定俗成的口语中,颜色词的使用更为灵活,更为活跃。它能使语言更生动、更丰富多彩。但是，在英汉两种语言的学习过程中，我们往往发现英汉颜色词语的语义并不完全相同，有的甚至语义恰恰相反，一旦误用轻则会令人感到尴尬，重则会造成语言交流困难，产生矛盾。笔者试图从英汉两种语言的不同语言习惯、生活方式，历史背景、传统风俗以及宗教信仰的角度通过英汉颜色词语的语义对比来揭示英汉两种语言中颜色词的差异性，帮助英语学习者正确理解英汉两种语言的差异，从而使他们能熟练使用颜色词，正确进行语言互译，达到消除语言语义障碍，促进英汉文化交流的目的。2. 英汉颜色词语的语义对比英语语言中最常用的颜色词依次分别是 white; black; green; red; yellow; blue; brown; purple; pink等;而汉语语言中最常用的颜色词依次分别是红色; 黄色; 黑色; 白色; 绿色; 蓝色; 灰色; 紫色; 粉红色等。2.1 英汉语言中颜色词white（白色）一词的语义对比英语语言中颜色词white一词的语义对大多数的西方人来说意味着“纯洁,天真无邪(pure and innocent)”的意思，常含有“赞扬，褒奖”之意，深受西方人的喜欢，故有很多西方人用white作为他们的名字。例如：Gilbert White（1720-93）英国著名自然学家，牧师; Patrick White（1912-90）澳大利亚著名小说家; T.H.White（1906-64）英国著名小说家。就连白人用the white而自居，称黑人为 the black。又例如：White Christmas白色圣诞节，即圣诞节前后下大雪，预示来年吉祥，使节日具有浪漫气息，是西方人特别喜爱的一个节日。white collar白领阶层，指用脑力劳动，在条件优越的办公室工作的人士，收入高，社会地位高; White Father指在黑人居住区统治领导黑人的白人; the White House白宫，美国政府总统所在地; white hope为某团体或城镇带来荣誉的人; white information;指某人在经济方面积极的，正面的信誉；white lie善意的谎言; white list指守法人士或合法机构; white magic有美好动机的魔术; white night因欢乐庆祝而度过的不眠之夜; white wedding纯洁祥和的婚礼; white slave指被生活所迫或因上当受骗而沦落为娼的人; white man正直高尚的人; white elephant昂贵的财产; white war没有消烟的战争，尤其指经济竞争; white sale大减价; the white way指城里灯光灿烂的商业区; white room最清洁的房屋; white light公正无私的裁判; days marked with a white stone幸福的日子; white coffee加牛奶或糖的咖啡；white coal水力; white land未被开发的荒地。归纳其语义基本上有字面意思“白色”和引伸意思“赞扬，褒奖”两层意义。应当不难理解，翻译时采用直译和意译的方法来处理。 汉语语言中颜色词白色一词的语义对大多数的中国人来说都不喜欢，引伸义更多，用法更灵活多样。除了表示“白色”之外，恰恰相反，其引伸义大多为贬义。其语义和颜色无关，故译成英语时差异很大，应特别小心。例如：白菜Chinese cabbage；白熊polar bear；白费事in vain, all in vain, a waste of time and energy； 白送give something for free；白给give something for nothing； 白开水boiled water； 坦白confess； 白痴idiot；表白explain something for oneself； 真相大白the fact made clear； 白丁very common people； 白眼the tired look； 不分青红皂白not tell right or wrong； 白发gray hair； 皮肤白have a fair complexion； 白纸a blank sheet of paper； 白忙乎in vain； 白跑一趟make a fruitless trip； 念白字mispronounce a character； 独白monologue； 对白dialogue； 自白confession； 白白in vain； 上白班be on day shift； 白搭no use, no good； 白饭rice with nothing to go with it； 白花花的胡子silky white beard； 白花花的银子gleaming silver coins； 白花花的流水foaming water； 白酒spirit； 交白卷hand in a blank examination paper； 白面书生pale-faced scholar； 白热化become white-hot； 白日梦daydream； 白手起家build up from nothing, start from scratch； 大白天day-time； 白头偕老remain a devoted couple to the end of their lives； 遭白眼be treated with disdain；红白喜事weddings and funerals等等。我们不难看出英汉语言中颜色词white（白色）一词的语义的差异确实令人惊讶，尤其是汉语中的“红白喜事”更令西方人捉摸不定，因为根据中国的文化习俗，红色代表结婚，白色则代表葬礼，而西方人白色代表婚礼，黑色代表葬礼。2.2 英汉语言中颜色词black（黑色）一词的语义对比英语语言中颜色词black一词的语义一般有两种，:表示“黑色”和引伸义“凶恶，非法”等贬义之意。例如：表示色彩的词组有black Africa非洲黑人; black and blue青一块紫一块; black and white黑白; black bear黑熊; black box黑匣子; black English黑人英语; black eye眼睛发紫。而表示引伸义的词组有black death黑死病; blackguard恶棍; blacklist黑名单; blackmail讹诈; black market黑市; black money黑钱; black sheep害群之马; blacksmith铁匠; black spot事故多发地段，犯罪地点; black tea红茶; black water污水; black coffee纯咖啡; black magic妖术; black-hearted铁石心肠; to be in black mood情绪低落; black deeds罪恶行径; a black mark污点; a black look怒目而视; look black前途暗淡;black figure, in the black顺差; a black letter day; 倒霉的日子。汉语语言中颜色词黑色一词的语义基本和英语语言中颜色词black一词的语义相同，但汉语语言中引伸义更多，更为丰富多彩一些，但和英语语言中颜色词black一词的语义一样也含贬义之意。例如：黑会a clandestine meeting; 黑色交易shady deal; 黑后台sinister black stage boss; 黑暗面the dark side; 黑暗统治dark rule; 黑势力forces of darkness; 黑帮sinister gang; 黑灯瞎火dark, unlighted; 黑店an inn run by brigands; 黑话malicious words; 黑货smuggled goods; 黑幕shady deal of a plot, inside story of a plot; 黑哨unfair judge; 黑手evil backstage manipulator; 黑心evil mind, black-heart; 黑子sunspot; 黑心肝an ungrateful person; 黑白分明sharp contrast between black and white; 黑船a pirate ship; 黑手党the Mafia; 黑影dark shadow; 黑货stolen goods; 黑奴Negro slaves; 黑道人物a gangster; 黑道日an unlucky day。通过以上的对比，我们不难看出英汉语言中颜色词black（黑色）一词的语义是颜色词中最相近的，无论从文化、风俗、语言习惯都基本一致。2.3英汉语言中颜色词green（绿色）一词的语义对比英语语言中颜色词green一词的语义大体有三个方面：绿色；嫉妒和没经验的意思。例如：green tea绿茶; green belt绿化带; green light绿灯; green vegetable青菜; in green穿绿色服装; green channel绿色通道; to be green with envy嫉妒; green-eyed monster嫉妒的人; green hand新手; 除此之外，和绿色有关的引伸义产生的表达法有：greenback 美金（美钞背面为绿色）greenhouse温室（温室里种植绿色植物）; greenhouse effect温室效应; greenhouse gas温室气体; green fingers种庄稼能手（庄稼代表色为绿色）；to have a green thumb园丁（花园里植物为绿色）; green pepper甜辣椒。汉语语言中颜色词绿色一词的语义除了表示“绿色”之外，也有特殊的表达法。如：绿化make a place green by planting trees and flowers；绿灯green light； 绿豆green beans； 绿卡green card；绿豆糕cakes made of green bean flour； 绿油油bright green； 绿草如茵green grass like velvet carpet； 绿野green field； 绿竹green bamboos； 绿水青山crystal clear water and green mountains；绿洲oasis； 绿帽子the sign of a cuckold；a wronged husband; 绿林好汉outlaws；绿荫shade of trees。从以上的比较中可以看出绿色一词的英汉语义除了表示“绿色”外，还是有一定的文化差异，英语语言中主要还可以表示“嫉妒和没有经验之意”。如： We were all green with envy when we learned that Julian had found her Mr. Right.译为“获悉她已有了意中人，我们非常嫉妒。” He is still a green hand. 译为“他还是个新手”。而汉语语言中我们常用“红眼病”来表示嫉妒之意，译成英语却为green-eyed,不是red-eyed。汉语中另有“带绿帽子”译为“to be a cuckold”而不是“ to wear a green hat ”。2.4英汉语言中颜色词red（红色）一词的语义对比英语语言中颜色词red一词的语义表示“红色”。例如：red card红牌; red carpet红地毯; red cedar红杉树; red cell红细胞; Red Cross红十字会; red flag红旗; Red Guard红卫兵; Red Sea红海; Red Square红场； in red穿红色服装。表示“负债，收支不平衡”。例如：red figure赤字; in the red亏损; red balance赤字差额; red ink赤字。表示“危险，紧急，愤怒，禁止”之意。例如：red alert紧急警报; red light危险信号；on red alert应急状态; see the red light觉察危险逼近; red-handed作案时，杀人时，red rag激怒的事情；see red愤怒; go red生气。表示“节日，纪念日等喜庆的意思”。例如：red-letter day节日； red ball快车。和英语语言中颜色词red一样，汉语语言中颜色词红色一词的语义首先可以表示“红色”。例如：又红又专both red and expert；红领巾red scarf；红通通bright red；红土red clay；红卫兵the Red Guard；红细胞red blood cell；红线red thread, red line；红叶the red maple leaves；红旗red flag；红酒red wine；彩霞rainbow , red sky。另外汉语语言中常用红色一词词组，但由于语言文化的差异，英语语言中并非有red一词。例如：分红distribute or draw dividends；红白喜事weddings and funerals；红潮blush, flush；红光满面ones face glowing with health；红绿灯traffic light; 红烧肉pork braised in brown sauce；红薯sweet potato；红外线infrared ray；红衣主教cardinal；红糖brown sugar；红茶black tea；红榜honor roll；红豆love pea；红运good luck；红利bonus；红事wedding；血战bloody battle；开门红get success at the very beginning；红火very busy and flourishing；红人a favorite of sb. in power；红尘the human society；红颜beautiful woman；红脸get angry or be shy；红眼green-eyed；红娘match-maker, go-between。由此可见，汉语语言中颜色词红色用法很多，十分活跃，这是因为中国人十分喜爱红色的缘故吧。2.5英汉语言中颜色词yellow（黄色）一词的语义对比英语语言中颜色词yellow 一词的语义可表示“黄色”。例如：in yellow穿着黄色服装; yellow card黄牌; yellow line交通线中的黄线，表示禁行; yellow pages黄页，指美国的公共行业，公司的电话号码簿。英语语言中颜色词yellow一词的语义还可表示“胆怯，软弱之意”。例如：a yellow dog卑鄙之人; a yellow livered胆小鬼; He is too yellow to stand up and fight.他太软弱，不敢起来斗争。have a yellow streak懦弱、胆小、卑鄙的行为。 在汉语语言中颜色词黄色一词意为黄色，例如：黄河the Yellow River；黄泛区the Yellow River inundated area；还有一些表达法并非表示颜色，而是表示其他不同的意思，译成英语时要多加注意。例如：黄道吉日lucky day；黄豆soybean；黄蜂wasp；黄瓜cucumber；黄昏dusk；黄金gold；黄酒shaoxing wine；黄历almanac；黄粱美梦pipe dream；黄毛丫头a silly little girl；黄花闺女unmarried girl；黄梅天the rainy season；黄梅雨intermittent drizzles in the rainy season；老黄牛an old cattle/ox；黄袍加身be acclaimed emperor；黄泉路netherworld；黄色书刊pornographic books and periodicals；黄色电影sex film；黄色小说pornographic novel；黄色音乐decadent music；黄鼠狼给鸡拜年没安好心The weasel goes to pay his respects to the hennot with the best of intentions；黄油butter；黄牛ox/cattle/dealer。有趣的是，汉语语言中低级趣味，色情庸俗黄色的东西，在英语中有时也可用颜色词blue来表示。例如：黄色玩笑blue jokes;黄色电影blue films;黄色言论blue talk;黄色录像blue video。这也是两种语言的差异之处吧。2.6 英汉语言中颜色词blue（蓝色）一词的语义对比blue一词英汉语言中语义差异较大，英语语言中颜色词blue一词的语义较多，可以指“蓝色”，例如：in blue穿着蓝色服装; blue sky蓝天; the Blue Nile蓝色多瑙河；blue whale 蓝鲸。也可指“情绪低落、心情沮丧、忧愁苦闷”之意。例如：feel blue感到沮丧; blue Monday烦闷的星期一（周末娱乐过度）; look rather blue显得闷闷不乐; blue with cold冻得发紫。 还可以表示“社会地位高，有贵族血统”的意思。例如：blue blood贵族血统; blue ribbon一流的。blue另有“意想不到，突然”之意。例如：out of blue意想不到; once in a blue moon千载难逢; drink till all is blue一醉方休; blue alert空袭警报。奇怪的是blue还有“好的、有前途的，多的”意思。例如：blue chip热门股票; blue-eyed心爱的; blue print蓝图；talk a blue streak滔滔不绝。更奇怪的是blue还可表示“低级的、下流的黄色的”意思。例如：blue films黄色电影; blue jokes黄色玩笑等。意思之多，有的意思甚至相悖，令人费解。 在汉语语言中颜色词蓝色一词意为“蓝色”外，其它用法不多，很容易掌握。例如：蓝本original version；蓝皮书blue book；蓝图blueprint; 青出于蓝而胜于蓝The new coming from the old is better than the old；蓝田生玉; The noble people usually come from the good family; 蓝领blue collar。从对比中我们可以看出英语中的blue和汉语中的黄色有着某种偶然的联系,两者都有“炎黄子孙,贵族,荣耀的意思”，另外还都有“低级,黄色下流的意思”。这是它们的共同之处吧。2.7 英汉语言中颜色词brown（褐色）一词的语义对比英语语言中颜色词brown一词的语义很广，复杂多样，不易掌握。例如：a pair of boots in brown一双褐色的靴子; get browned off感到愤怒或沮丧; brown goods家用电器; brown rice糙米; brown sugar红糖; to be done brown被欺骗; brown beggars学习用功的学生; be in brown study空想、幻想; brown bread黑面包; brown polish黑白混血儿; brown stoners有贵族气派的人; brown off犯大错; brown-out灯光暗淡; do up brown搞好、做好; brown stone district富人区; do sth. Brown使某人上当；brown hair头发灰白。而汉语语言中颜色词褐色一词一般只有表示“褐色”之意，别无其他用法。3 结语英汉两种语言中颜色词的使用十分广泛，也许是人们的生活都需要色彩，所以深得各国人民的喜爱。以上通过对英汉两种语言中颜色词的对比，旨在帮助大家能理解英汉两种语言中颜色词的语义差异，达到知己知彼，常用不误。如有不当之处，敬请斧正。参考文献：1唐振华 符号学与颜色词在跨文化交际中的运用J 深圳大学学报，1996年8月2万昌盛 色彩的困惑-翻译札记M 中国翻译， 1991年3月3梁实秋 最新实用汉英辞典Z 远东图书出版社 1992年1月4Judy Pearsall 新牛津英语词典Z 上海外语教育出版社 2001年4月5李瑞华 英汉语言文化对比研究M 上海外语教育出版社 1996年4月6陆国强 现代英语研究M 上海复旦大学出版社 1997年5月7邵志洪 英汉语言研究与对比 M 华东理公大学出版社 1997年2月Comparison of the Difference of Color Words Between Chinese and EnglishFan Zumin(School of Foreign Languages, Nanjing Xiaozhuang College, Nanjing 210017, Jiangsu)Abstract: This paper aims at discussing the difference of color words between English and Chinese by means of comparison according to their different language habits, historic background, as well as traditional customs. Then we can grasp the meanings and uses of color words in both English and Chinese.Key Words: color words; meanings; English; Chinese; cultural differenceQuiz1. She had been crying and her eyes were _.2. They caught the thief _ while he was just putting the diamond in his pocket.3. When the president visited the foreign country, he was given _and welcomed by a crowd of people.4. A large number of companies are operating _.5. Whenever we teased Mary about her weight, she saw_.6. His face was _ with fear.7. _workers are usually thought to be better paid than manual workers.8. Id rather tell my mother _than tell her the truth and upset her. 9. I dont want to hear your promise to pay me. I want your promise _.10. After the fight he was _.11. Many witnesses gave testimony against Jerry and his case looked _.12. The room was as _ at night.13. I felt _ when I failed.14. John stayed at the hospital for several months, but he came here on my birthday _.15. For me this is a chance _ 16. He often says one things, but does another. He is a _.17. He got a rare kind of disease called _.18. I am not so _ as to believe all this.19. She is the top student in her class, so many other girls were _.20. I was done _ yesterday when I went shopping.1. She had been crying and her eyes were _red_.2. They caught the thief _red-handed_ while he was just putting the diamond in his pocket.3. When the president visited the foreign country, he was given _the red-carpet treatment and welcomed by a crowd of people.4. A large number of companies are operating _in the red.5. Whenever we teased Mary about her weight, she saw_red_.6. His face was _blue_ with fear.7. _White-collar workers are usually thought to be better paid than manual workers.8. Id rather tell my mother _a white lie than tell her the truth and upset her. 9. I dont want to hear your promise to pay me. I want your promise in black and white .10. After the fight he was black and blue.11. Many witnesses gave testimony against Jerry and his case looked black.12. The room was as _black as night.13. I felt blue when I failed.14. John stayed at the hospital for several months, but he came here on my birthday _out of blue.15. For me this is a chance _once in a blue moon 16. He often says one things, but does another. He is a _.17. He got a rare kind of disease called black-death .18. I am not so _green as to believe all this.19. She is the top student in her class, so many other girls were _green with envy.20. I was done _brown yes