从中西方谚语中探索中西方文化的差别.docx

1、从中西方谚语中探索中西方文化的差别摘 要谚语是意义完整的固定句子，是一种重要的语言形式。在不同文化的谚语中，一样的物体和行为往往被赋予不一样的含义和思想感情。本文研究的目的便是通过研究英汉谚语来探索中西方文化的差异。文章首先从谚语的构成方面比拟了英汉谚语的差异，然后从中西方人们的居住环境、人文思想、道德观念、信仰和风俗习惯五个方面对英汉谚语进展比拟和分析，并总结出中西文化在这些方面的差异。通过本文对英汉谚语的研究和总结，我们将学习到两种谚语的不同文化涵，更重要的是，这有助于我们更加正确地使用英汉谚语。因此，研究中西方谚语之间的文化差异具有重大的理论和现实意义。关键词：谚语；中西方文化；差异Ab

2、stractProverb is a plete sentence，and it is an important form of language. In the different proverbs that from different culture, the same things and the same behavior show represent different means and different feelings. The paper is aimed to explore the cultural differences between Chinese and We

3、stern proverbs. Firstly, the author analysis the differences from their unique characteristics, then summarizes the differences of living environment, humanistic idea, moral views, religious beliefs and social customs between Chinese culture and Western one by paring and analyzing Chinese proverbs a

4、nd English ones. Through the study and summary of this paper we will learn the different cultural connotation from different culture. Whats more, we will use Chinese and Western proverbs more easily and more accurately. So it is no exaggeration to say that a parison between English and Chinese prove

5、rbs is of great practical and theoretical significance.Key words: Proverbs; Western and Chinese culture; differencesAcknowledgementsI would like to express my gratitude to all those who helped me during the writing of this thesis. I gratefully acknowledge the help of my supervisor, Xia Li, who has o

6、ffered me valuable suggestions in the academic studies. Without her encouragement, insightful criticism and gracious guidance, the pletion of this thesis would not have been possible. I also owe a special debt of gratitude to all the teachers in Foreign Languages School, from whose devoted teaching

7、and enlightening lectures I have benefited a lot and academically prepared for the thesis. I should finally like to express my gratitude to my beloved parents who have always been helping me out of difficulties and supporting without a word of plaint. Outline. Introduction. The Characteristics and I

8、mpact of ProverbsA. The Unique Characteristics of Proverbs 1. Form of Characters 2. Sentence Pattern 3. Rhetorical Devices B. The Position and Role of Proverbs in the Real Life. The cultural differences of Chinese and Western ProverbsA. Proverbs of Living Environment B. Proverbs of Humanistic Idea C

9、. Proverbs of Moral Views 1. The Attitude Towards Reputation 2. The View of Love 3. Filial Duty 4. The Attitude Towards Woman D. Proverbs of Religious Beliefs 1. God and no God 2. The Idea of Equality and Grade E. Proverbs of Custom.ConclusionCultural Differences between Chinese and English Proverbs

10、. Introduction During the etymology, proverb is defined as a settled saying acpanied with the long history. In the modern version of the Dictionary, proverbs indicated these briefly, popular and meaningful sentences which are popular in folk among traditional social of China. In western, many Englis

11、h dictionaries have the analogous definition which is popular short saying with words of advice or warning. There are many proverbs in our daily life and be used very popular during our daily life.“Genius wit and spirit of a nation are discovered by their proverbs.said by Bacon, a well-known British

12、 writer. Every nation has abundant proverbs in their own native language, which were using reflect their life experience, thoughts and feelings. The Characteristics and Impact of ProverbsA.The Unique Characteristics of Proverbs As a quintessence of native language, proverbs have many unique characte

13、ristic which different from other language forms. Next we will introduce its characteristics through the three aspects include characters form, sentence pattern structure and rhetorical device.1. Form of Characters Proverb is summarizes of labor practice of the masses, it has a heavy flavor of life.

14、 The English and Chinese proverbs have regular sentence pattern and shapely syllable, it selects the words is very refined. Proverbs can express luxuriant idea content with highly condensed language. It has highly ability of generalizing, which aimed at reflect a profound moral vividly. It displayed

15、 mainly follow the three points: First of all, proverbs always using small amount of words and flat structure to press the abundant content. These sentences, which are dapper, crisp and finger-popping, embodies the language feature of English and Chinese native. For example: Live and learn活到老，学到老;Af

16、ter rain es sunshine雨过天晴.In our native proverbs, there are also many examples like: 物以类聚，人以群分；两人伴，三人散。 Secondly, proverbs also employ elliptical sentence. Sometimes, whats worse, it just retains some words which need to emphasize and extrude with omitting other words. We can find the sentence which

17、was omitted is very refined and pact, but its semantic meaning are extruded and its moral are profound. For example: An ill life, an ill end. (Which equal to if one lives an ill life, he will have an ill end. 多行不义必自毙。) In our daily life, we always say: 众心齐，泰山移。 Thirdly，proverbs often use spoken word

18、. Proverb is an oral creation, which spread among the mon people. They used abundant spoken words, which is in favor of oral transmission and memory. Using this colloquial kind of term made proverbs have lively rhythm and vigorous life. For example: An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.(以眼还眼，以

19、牙还牙) .We would say:不怕家里穷，就怕出懒虫。2. Sentence Pattern Be similar to the beauty of regularity of music, proverbs also using a symmetric structure, which enable the sentence structure more succinct and make the expression more powerful. This symmetric structure mainly include following points: Firstly, u

20、sing antithesis structure to convey something in mon or on the contrary is convenient. This rhetorical device enable proverbs has such aesthetic features as formal regularity, phonetic harmony, syllabic distinctiveness and concise diction, which strengthened the contagiousness. For example: When the

21、 south wind blows in May, the river will rise; when the south wind blows in June, the well will dry(五月南风涨大水，六月南风井底干). When there is a drought, the east wind will not bring rain along; When there is a flood, the north wind will blow under a gloomy sky(旱来东风不下雨，涝来北风不晴天). In our Chinese proverb, we have

22、:兄弟协力山成玉,父子同心土变金。 Another sentence pattern which proverb likes using is parallelism. Parallelism means arrange three or more sentences which have the same sentence pattern and mood together, showing emphasize of semantic and the powerful emotion. The using of parallelism reinforced the voice of emot

23、ion. For instance: No one can be perfectly free till all are free; No one can be perfectly moral till all are moral; No one can be perfectly happy till all are happy(没有人能完全自由，除非所有人都自由；没有人是完全品性端正的，除非所有人品性端正；没有人是绝对幸福的，除非所有人都幸福) .We have proverbs like: 冰不窖不寒，木不钻不着，马不打不奔，人不激不发。 Next is contrast, which m

24、eans arrange the sentences which have the relatively meaning together in parallel. This using would extrude the characteristic of the expressed thing. For instance: Knowledge makes humble, ignorance makes proud(博学使人谦逊，无知使人骄傲) .To our Chinese: 衣是新的好，人是旧的好。 Another two forms that proverb used more pop

25、ular are anadiplosis and regression. Anadiplosis means let the end of the earlier part of the sentence as begin of the next sentence. Regression means repeat the end of the earlier part of the sentence as begin of the next sentence, then use begin of the earlier part of the sentence as the end of th

26、e next sentence. These two structures reinforced the rhythm of temperament. For instance: Follow love and it will flee, flee love and it will follow thee(追求爱情，它高飞，逃避爱情，它会跟你。此句为顶真用法). Live not to eat, but eat to live(活着不是为了吃饭，吃饭是为了活着。此句为回环用法). Similarly, in our proverbs, like: 耳闻不如眼见，眼见不如实践顶真；来者不惧，惧者

27、不来回环).3. Rhetorical Devices Actually, most of proverbs used rhetorical device, like we have known antithesis, parallelism and contrast. Now we mainly talk about two rhetorical, they are metaphor and exaggeration. Among the metaphor it includes simile and metaphor. We will discuss each of these devic

28、es in the following sections. Generally speaking, metaphor was constituted three elements, including subject, reference and indicator of resemblance. Among the language, metaphor is the most expressive device. Simile means handle the two objects which have the same features to contrast, making clear

29、 the relation between subject and reference. Using simile enable announce the objects essence vividly and clarify the principle which we want to express with a meaningful way. Such as: Living without an aim like sailing without a pass(生活没有目标就像航海没有指南针，其中living without an aim 是本体，sailing without a pas

30、s是喻体，like 是喻词). For our Chinese, 光阴似箭(其中光阴也就是时间是subject，箭是reference，似为indicator of resemblance). Metaphor is a pressed simile, it use one objects name as another objects name directly. So it seemed much liver, and illustrated the point more profoundly. This enhanced the expressive force of proverbs.

31、 Slathering metaphor made proverbs more succinct, apropos and more connotations. It also enable arouse peoples imagination, using familiar objects replace unfamiliar objects. Making the proverb appeared more clear and easy to understand. Such as: Speech is silver, silence is golden. (雄辩是银，沉默是金。其中spe

32、ech, silence是本体，silver, golden 是喻体，is是喻词) About our Chinese proverbs, like:爱情是美德的试金石其中，爱情是subject，试金石是reference，是为indicator of resemblance。 Exaggeration is one frequently-used rhetorical device. It overshoots the mark deliberately. This device exaggerates or shrinks the image of objects, in order to extrude some characteristic or moral. Using this device enable exaggerate atmosphere, to make a strong impression for people. For instance: A growing youth has a wolf in his belly.(青年成长时，食量大如狼，夸的手法，形容年轻人食量惊人) .In our Chinese, there are many proverbs wh