英汉颜色词汇内涵意义的对比及翻译.doc

华中科技大学文华学院毕业论文题目：英汉颜色词汇内涵意义的对比及翻译Title: The Comparison of ConnotativeMeanings of Color Words betweenChinese and English and Translation学 生 姓 名： 王 琰 学号：060573011228学 部 （系）： 外语学部英语系专 业 年 级： 06级应用英语专科指 导 教 师： 熊敦礼 夏云宏 职称或学位：教授2009 年5 月20 日AcknowledgementsMy deepest gratitude goes first and foremost to my supervisor, for her constant encouragement, and guidance. Without her consistent and illuminating instruction, this thesis could not have reached its present form. Second, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my affectionate parents. Throughout the development of this paper, they have been there always giving me continuous support, encouragement and understanding. Their love and support encourage me to pursue progress all the time.I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to all other teachers who gave me lectures during the past three academic years. I have benefited so much not only from their courses and lectures but also from their constant encouragement.Last my thanks would go to my friends and my fellow classmates who gave me their help and time in listening to me and helping me work out my problems during the difficult course of the thesis. AbstractThere are different kinds of colors. Color is closely related to peoples life. Differences exist in the use of colors and color words between Chinese and English cultures. Different cultures bring different attitudes toward the same color because of different language habits, historical backgrounds, and traditional customs and so on. In different nationality, peoples impressions and expressions of colors are different, and the associative meanings produced by colors have nothing in common with each other. All about this is linked with culture connotation. Although the meanings of color words are restrained by cultures, they reveal wide connotation of cultures. There are many color words in both English and Chinese which express not only different colors but also different allusions in different language conditionsIn addition，they show different cultural connotationsThe present paper mainly discusses different understanding of color words meaning caused by different cultural backgroundsKey words: culture connotation; comparison; color words; translation摘要在我们生活中有许多种颜色。颜色与人们的生活紧紧联系在一起。因语言习惯、民族历史背景、传统文化等因素的影响，中英文化语言中色彩词用法各异，颜色观也有所不同。在不同的国家，人们对颜色的印象和表示是不同的。而且由颜色所产生的联想意义也没有什么相同的地方。文化制约了颜色词的意义演变，颜色词的文化意义又折射出了丰富的文化内涵。在中英文颜色词汇表达上，不同的条件下有不同的理解。另外，他们也展示了不同的文化的内涵。本选题主要探讨不同文化背景下引起了对颜色词汇的不同理解。关键词：文化内涵；对比；颜色词汇；翻译ContentsIntroduction.1I. An Introduction to Color Words .21.1 Definition 21.2 Reflection of Colors by Brain.21.3 Reflection of Colors by Psychology .3II. Comparison of English and Chinese Expressions on Colors .42.1 The Relation between Color and Social Cultural52.2 Metaphorical meaning of English and Chinese Color Expressions.62.3 Different Expressions of Peoples Feeling and Association7III. The Differences of Cultural Connotation between English and Chinese Color Words.113.1 Comparison of Basic Colors Word Meanings . .12 3.2 Interpretation of Meanings of Colors.123.3 Social Attribute of Colors.13IV. Translation of English and Chinese Expressions on Colors.144.1 Literal Translation14 4.2 Free Translation15Conclusion .16Bibliography17IntroductionColor is a human beings aesthesia in the objective world. Various colors can be used to describe nature as well as the social world. The terms beautiful world or colorful life” are examples of how a persons life is closely related to color.Scientific research indicates that seven million kinds of colors can be found in the world. However, there are only several hundred that have been given names. The number of words for expressing color in languages of various nationalities differs and its classification varies as well. A persons life is closely related to color. In language, in this case Chinese and English we find many color expressions. These expressions reflect the culture of a person. Because mankind has the same physiological mechanism and vision nerve, the color words are theoretically no different. However, because of many differences in language, culture, historical background, religious belief, modes of thinking, aesthetic temperament and interest, etc. between nationalities, peoples impression and expression of color differ. Therefore, the associative meaning produced by color is not common in every culture or language. There are various color words and expressions in English and Chinese. Sometimes it is difficult to find equivalent expression in either language for color. My paper tries to compare and explore the connotative meanings of Chinese and English color words. I. An introduction to Color Words1.1 DefinitionColor words embody connotative meanings as well as conceptual meanings. These connotative meanings can be fascinating in each culture. Additionally, due to the differences among customs, religious beliefs, thinking styles and a nations psychology, reflective meanings towards color words can differ greatly. In English and Chinese at the origin of meaning color words are roughly consistent. For example, red is overflowing with enthusiasm, and symbolizes celebration and bold advances. Green is the color of life, which leads to youth, vigor, and vitality. White is simple and elegant which, denotes holiness, purity and honorable nature. Furthermore, blue symbolizes calmness and inspires relaxation. 1In our daily life, color words express ones emotion. It is the most common and simple means of communication. People often use color words to express their feelings and enrich their language. Essentially, color has the same meaning in every language and culture. However, different nations have different figurative and connotation meanings for color.1.2 Reflection of Colors by BrainTo human beings color is an aesthesia in the objective world. English and Chinese color expressions differ in many aspects. For example, in the aesthetic standard, Chinese women hope that they can have fair hair and skin. But in the eyes of Western women, being dark is considered to be healthy while bearing fair color represents poverty and diseases. As international exchanges happen frequently and constantly, we should grasp and research different color expressions and scientific translation methods between English and Chinese, which will play a positive role in improving our translation skills, promoting international mutual understanding and obtaining better cooperation. 21.3 Reflection of Colors by PsychologyIt is well known that language is a social phenomenon. The sociality of language shows that language is not isolated it is part of culture. This kind of relationship is not a simple correspondence, but complicated and infiltrates the whole.Every culture is different and unique which has a direct effect on language, and every language is different and unique, which has a direct effect on culture. In terms of the differences in culture and communication, any trans-cultural human relationship cannot only exist in the realm of psychology. One should not only take into consideration ones culture to understand a language, but think about the cultural differences for another language. The core of understanding a language relates to pronunciation form and significance of words. If a sound is not combined with significance then there is no difference between a babys babbling and human communication. Color is a visual attribute of things that results from the light they emit, transmit, or reflect. A words meaning is abstract, and reflects daily life. In summary, a color word has two important manifestations, the literal and the abstract. Beginning, a word produces only one meaning. Then, people gradually use other related meanings to express more feelings. The meanings of language expressions are always increasing. Different words are used to express something new, but the new words need not fit with the economical principle.(Language as an indispensable human economic activity, like other resources with the economic characteristics，that is value, utility, cost, benefit.) As a result, the meaning of a word becomes blurry. Even though language meanings are added every day. Because general words, unlike scientific terms, which have clear boundaries, have certain elasticity and can extend outward, making new words that can express more related things. With regard to the similar real word phenomenon, peoples subjective manner may be different, thus it has added an additional meaning to color word. The color word may have an appraised meaning. For example: “John arrived out of the blue”, “blue” here does not just mean color, but means suddenly. This kind of difference is not an individual, but is the social phenomenon, which is commonly used. 3English and Chinese are two very different languages, which are unique and widely different; they have different expressions and different cultural conventions. Because of variations in national histories, social systems, moral beliefs, literary arts, psychological characteristics, manners, customs, values, modes of thinking, life styles, regional styles, and so on differences exist between the Han culture and the British and American culture. Therefore, there are many richly colorful expressions. What is more, expressions that come from color play an important role in human lives. English and Chinese customs and conventions vary, so color expressions and word usage are also different. There are even differences in understanding and usage of identical color words. With the development of culture, the number of color expressions will continue to increase. At the very beginning, color words only express pure color, and then that particular color expresses many new meanings, thus humanitys language becomes vivid and richly colorful. It is important to understand in-depth implications of English and Chinese color expression, so that we can carry on more effective and smoother human relations.Hu Wenzhong said that language is plays an important role in human relations, and it is also important and prominent in culture. Different languages are restricted by a societys culture, but language also reflects a specific cultural content. If a person does not understand a culture, it is impossible for him to carry on effective and smooth interpersonal relations. Therefore, “we must unify language and cultural knowledge so that we can carry on human relations smoothly”. II. Comparison of English and Chinese Expressions on Colors2.1 The Relation between Color and Social CultureLanguage, of course, is determined by culture. The converse is also true to some degree: culture is determined by language. Language and culture are inseparable. Each nations special cultural mode comes out in the speech and behavior of that race; for they use their own language to record the things happened to them. Early anthropologists, following the theory that words determine thought, believed that language and its structure were entirely dependent on the cultural context in which they existed. In this way, anthropologist Verne Ray conducted a study in the 1950s, giving color samples to different American Indian tribes and asking them to give the names of the colors. He concluded that the spectrum we see as green, yellow, etc. was an entirely arbitrary division, and each culture divided the spectrum separately. Our culture does, sometimes, restrict what we can think about efficiently in our own language. For example, some languages have only three color terms equivalent to black, white, and red; a native speaker of this language would have a difficult time expressing the concept of purple efficiently. Language, created by human, has certainly been a success. Today, the vast majority of expressions are transmitted by language, through direct speech, written communication, radio or television, and the Internet. For many people, language is not just a medium of culture but also a part of culture. It is quite common for immigrants to a new country to retain their old customs and to speak their first language amid fellow immigrants, even if all present are comfortable in their new language. This occurs because the immigrants are eager to preserve their own heritage, which includes not only customs and traditions but also language. 2.2 Metaphorical meaning of English and Chinese Color ExpressionsBecause English has become more and more popular many people are learning English material, and they can come across many color metaphors. For example, what does green with envy mean in English? Does jealousy or envy make eyes become blue and green? “He was in a blue mood”. How shall we explain it? Is his mood happy or sad? Quite obviously, the color expressions mentioned are not objective, but have been attached with the culture meaning. According to the dictionary, the word green means a “face becomes green; and “green with envy”, which belongs to the regular phrase match, which means, “to envy very much”. While being used to reflect a mood, the words of blue and mood in the second example show melancholy. This sentence should be translated into His mood is very low . Therefore, color expressions have a metaphorical meaning, which goes beyond the literal meaning. In fact, these kinds of color expressions that come from an individuals interpretation of meaning reflect emotions Examples of this in Chinese are too numerous to be mentioned. By studying at associated meanings and metaphors we can compare English bilingual culture with our Chinese culture. According to Chinese and English bilingual cultures, white” has a similar connotation in the two languages. It is associated with: holiness, purity, cleanliness, and honesty. For example, in Chinese, some expressions include, innocent, “pure white as jade, hospital nurse, tell the truth and you will receive a lighter sentence, etc. In English, a white soul” connotes a “pure soul” And what does “a white lie mean? It means not a hostile lie, namely used because of courtesy to make an excuse but people have no intention of cheating others. Between Chinese and English bilingual cultures, white also has the meaning of “pale. For example, “as white as a sheet” means, “a face is pale because of being frightened or shocked; “as white as snow” mean extremely white. Basically, White used to be a taboo word in the Chinese traditional culture, and it is a symbol of death and ill omen. When a relative dies, the family members wear white clothing in order to show grief. In the feudal society, white is the common mans favorite color. From the Han Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty, “white clothing” symbolizes an ordinary person. These are all examples of metaphorical meaning in Chinese and Western culture. Furthermore, many westerners feel shocked about “white” being used in Chinese weddings and funerals. In traditional Chinese culture, “Red” symbolizes happiness and is therefore used in weddings, while “White” symbolizes bereavement and is used in funerals. Conversely, in Western wedding, the bride always wears a white dress. Associate white with bereavements will cause a misunderstanding; if funerals are seen as happy occasions, Westerners will be shocked; however, this tradition reflects the Chinese attitude to death.But in the course of translation from Chinese to English, some Chinese words containing the word “white” don not have a corresponding expression in English, such as Chinese cabbage(白菜), “polar bear(白熊), and termite(白蚁). There are some exceptions, but sometimes “white has nothing to do with color. For example, using “white for nothing” to express “nothing done. In addition, “白痴” should be translated into “idiot, vernacular is the acceptable translation. In a word, we can see that the word “white does not always mean the white color. 2.3 Different Expressions of Peoples Feeling and AssociationFor people all over the world， the colors of rainbow are the same, but this does not necessarily mean that they follow spectrum in the same way or use terms that designate the same range of hue. Some languages have only two color terms: black and white. The semantic rang of the terms is something like dark and light. If a language has three color terms，this third term is invariably red, a term that may include yellow and orange but that has a focal point very close to the red of the English. The other colors most commonly entering linguistic systems are yellow, green, blue and brown, making a total of seven. Languages ordinarily do not have terms for pink, green, orange or purple unless the same basic colors have previously been differentiated. Even though languages vary somewhat in their color terminology, the variation is apparently not random. It appears to follow a pattern related to the human capacity perceiving colors. If this is true, we might expect to find that variation in other semantic and cognitive domains id limited in a similar way. 4A cultural image used in language is formed over a long period of history, which is relatively fixed and has a unique cultural connotation. In international trade, the packaging of commodities has different cultural connotations and cultural differences. A commodity designer must have cultural awareness, or it will b