语言与文化 资料整理.docx

1、语言与文化 资料整理Language and CultureYuan ShiliangChapter 1 IntroductionLanguage v语言是什么？ 这是一个关系到人类认识自身的重大问题。对人类语言的概念和起源的探究，可以追溯到纪元(era)前。婆罗门教 (Brahmanist)把语言看做神，语言被说成是母牛，呼吸是公牛，由语言和呼吸产生了人心，在他们眼中牛是神的象征。随着历史的演变和人类的进步，人们对语言的认识有了很大的发展和提高。v语言是“传达思想感情的主要手段”，“重要的交际工具”，是指人类所使用的音义结合的“自然语言” （natural language).Culture

2、vCulture is the way of life of a given society, passed down from one generation to the next through learning and experience.vBroadly speaking, culture refers to the total pattern of beliefs, customs, institutions, objects, and techniques that characterize the life of a human community.-the entire wa

3、y of life of a society, “the ways of people.”v广义的文化是指人类创造的一切意识形态在内的精神产品的总和。vNarrowly speaking, culture refers to sophisticated tastes in literature, music, art, etc. v狭义的文化专指语言、文学、艺术及一切意识形态在内的精神产品。 v“文化”在西方来源于拉丁文culrura, 在英语为culture, 原义是指农耕及对植物的培育.自15世纪后,逐渐引申为以人的艺术、道德品质和天赋的培养。v在中国的古籍中，“文”指文字、文章、文采，又

4、指礼乐制度、法律条文等。“化”是“教化”、“教行”之意。从社会治理的角度而言，“文化”是指以礼乐制度教化百姓。可见，文化一词的中西来源殊途同归。v文化教育的要素主要包括：精神文化，即哲学和其他具体科学、宗教、艺术、伦理道德以及价值观念等，其中以价值观念最为重要，是精神文化的核心；语言和符号；规范体系；社会关系和社会组织；物质产品。v文化的一般特征主要有：a)文化是由人类进化过程中衍生出来或创造出来的。自然存在物不是文化( raw stone v.s. diamond)，只有经过人类有意或无意加工制造出来的东西才是文化；b)文化是后天习得；c)文化是共有的；d)文化是一个连续不断的动态过程；e)

5、文化具有特定的民族性和阶级性。vCase 1vA mother calls a neighbor that she needs help moving some heavy furniture and asks if his/her teenage son might be available to help.vAn American mother would be likely to respond:?vA Chinese mother would be likely to respond :? vAn American mother would be likely to respond:

6、“Ill ask him”; va Chinese mother: “Ill send him over.” vIn this tiny contrastive episode(事件) are embedded a host of cultural assumptions about parents and children, about neighbors and their interactions.vCase 2vWhen someone praise you: “Your dress is very beautiful!”vWhat would you ( Chinese) respo

7、nse to it?vA)-No, no, no. It is very cheap.(?)vB)-Yes, you are so clever! (?)vC)-Thank you! (?)vThese examples serve to suggest how culture as a concept works to change the light in which we see particular circumstances, and how a tiny event can come to be seen as epitomizing(概括) a whole way of life

8、.The relationship between language and culture:v1).Language is a part of culture and is regarded as the key stone and the carrier of culture.v每一种语言都是某种文化的一个组成部分，它必须服从并反映文化的需求；语言是文化教育的主要表达形式和传播工具。语言体现了人们对客观世界的认识和态度，记载了使用语言和民族历史发展过程。学习语言的同时也是在学习文化。要了解一个民族的文化，除了可以通过观察他们的实际行为以外，更重要的是我们可以通过学习、研究他们的语言来了解他

9、们的文化传统和文化内容。v2).Culture influences and shapes language not only in form but also in usage;v语言与文化之间存在着一种辩证关系，语言是通过社会而习得的。社会是在不断变化和发展, 各民族的历史与文化发展都能从语言中找到变化的痕迹。E.g. vA) “小姐”：大家闺秀(解放前)-可教育子女（文革时）-小姐 （改革后）-贬义（扫黄后改叫“服务员”）vB) weekend : originally, it refers to Saturday evening and Sunday. Now it includes

10、the time from Friday evening to Sunday.So What?v语言结构不但与文化有关，语言使用方式也跟文化有密切关系，而且比语言结构更受制于文化规则。不同文化教育对社会成员的语言的技能评价就不一样。文化也对交际的模式，话语结构起决定的作用。文化教育有时甚至影响话语的准确程度。不同的文化特征，无论是环境方面的、物质方面的还是社会方面的，都会带来不同的语言特征。Each Culture is unique.v国别色彩(feature)指的是不同民族在其发展的漫漫过程中各创造了各具特色的物质文明和精神文明，形成一种文化观念，某种集体规范，成为一种社会习俗和行为习惯。

11、如见面时日本人鞠躬，西方人拥抱，东方人握手，中国人在过去拜见长辈时磕头；社会行为和文化现象昭示出语言外的信息，如头戴军帽还是礼帽bowler/hat标示着不同的身份和社会地位；夜半接到电话，一定有紧急情况；西方人忌讳数字13，中国人喜爱数字6、8、9等,商家忌7。v反映在语言上说话者带有本民族的概念和意义体系，本民族的价值体系和本民族的思维习惯和感情色彩。这些国别色彩是无法让他民族的人直接从词义上领悟的，但给本民族人的感觉却是非常强烈的。以下面的词为例:v1.dog 一词在英美人眼中是诚实，可爱等褒义commendatory色彩词，而中国人对狗的理解却是下贱contempt，不屑一顾be be

12、neath ones notice的贬义词（derogatory） 。2.怡红公子与boy of green delight。v这是对红楼梦中的人物宝玉的称呼（address ）。在古代“红”象征权贵（dignitary）喜庆（festivity ），繁华，青春。green在英语中的含义倒是更接近于汉语的“红”；而red却包含愤怒，危险，如：waving a red-flag（惹人生气的事），to see the red light（察觉危险）。v3.地主与landlordv “地主”在中国人头脑里是映现的是象周扒皮之类的反面人物villain形象，但在美国人的思维中却可能是慈悲心肠的好房东。

13、 v同时语境不同，含义有别。（即同一个对象在不同的场合或层次上有不同的含义。）如 ：vIt takes years to get that done. v还有词语的内涵和外延。vHe /She is a professional.vHe is a boxer.vShe is a prostitute.v语言是一种文化现象，社会活动，它不是孤立存在的。它与其他文化形象不仅关系密切，且有许多相似之处。在日常生活中，表达思想感情并非一定要靠遣词造句、说话写字，许多东西蕴涵着丰富的信息。如臂上的黑纱crape ，门外的久侯，谈话的距离等。在这些场合，有声的语言没有发出声音，人们却从无声的现象中获得了信

14、息。这表明交际的发生不仅仅局限在人的自然语言中。v所以诸多的文化现象phenomenon和社会行为无时无刻都在我们周围发挥信息传递的作用，他们都可以被当作语言来对待。人们不只是说话，同时还通过手势、姿势、表情、服装、发式、香味、口音、社会背景等这样“语言”来完成信息的传达。甚至一些符号、图像、物品、行为、方式手段如路标road sign、骷髅头型skull、铁锤镰刀sickle 、号角、红绿灯、婚姻习俗、城市风貌cityscape 、建筑风格等也能起到传达信息的作用。Ways of learning a culturevObservevExperiencevLearnvStudyvHoneym

15、oon period: vInitially many people are fascinated and excited by everything in the new culture. The newcomer is elated to be experiencing a new culture. Interestingly, this level of elation may not be reached again.vCulture shock: vThe individuals are immersed in new problems: housing, transportatio

16、n, employment, shopping and language. Mental fatigue results from continuously straining to understand the new language and culture.vInitial adjustmentvEveryday activities such as housing and shopping are no longer major problems. The visitors may not yet be fluent in the spoken language, but they c

17、an now express their basic ideas and feelings.vMental isolation: vIndividuals have been away from their family and good friends for a long time and may feel lonely. Many cannot express themselves as well as they could in their native language. Frustration and sometimes a loss of self-confidence resu

18、lt. Some individuals remain at this stage, particularly if they havent been able to find a job.vAcceptance and integration: vA routine has been established. The newcomers have become accustomed to the habits, customs, foods, and characteristics of the people in the new culture. They feel comfortable

19、 with friends, associates, and the language in the new country.Ways of learning a culture:vLearning a language is learning its culture. vIf you want to know a culture, you can v1) observe their act;v2) study and learn its language;v (your suggestion!)v学习语言的同时也是在学习文化。要了解一个民族的文化，除了可以通过观察他们的实际行为以外，更重要的

20、是我们可以通过学习、研究他们的语言来了解他们的文化传统和文化内容。Homework:vWhat is culture? Give ten examples.vWhat are the characteristics of culture?vWhat is the relationship between language and culture?vHow to learn a culture through language? Give some examples.Chapter 2 & 3 Wordsv“Careful with fire, is good advice, we know:

21、careful with words, is ten times doubly so.”v - Will Carleton, The First Settlers StoryvThe limits of my language are the limits of my world.v - Ludwig WittgensteinvLanguage most shows a man. Speak, that I may see thee.v - Ben JohnsonWords same, similar, different 各民族都是通过词汇把自己心目中的世界分解成无数概念。词汇越丰富，对世界

22、的认识就越精细。汉语和英语虽属不同语系却都拥有丰富的词汇量。汉字的表意能力及组合能力很强，英语从拉丁语、古法语及其他语言中吸收了大量的词汇。这两种不同的语言有着大量的对应词语，但是由于自然环境、思维方式、社会历史、文化传统的不同，两种语言中存在着许多不对应的词语，主要表现为词语的空缺（无对应）和词义的差异（部分对应）。v词义的对应v日 -sun , 月- moon, v computer -计算机 the Pacific Ocean- 太平洋v部分对应（差异）vmarry - 嫁，娶vblue sky- 蓝天，青天v鸡- hen, chick, cock, roosterv无对应（词义空缺)v

23、bed-do -多功能床 vPlumber-管子工 （指专门防泄密的特工，借用“铅管工”堵漏防漏之义）Some common terms with surface similarity but semantic differencesvStudy the following :vHigh schoolvrestroomvBusboyvBusybodyvTo eat ones wordvTo blow ones own hornv(P12-15)v文化在广义上指物质文化，制度习俗文化，精神文化。它与语言密不可分。语言是文化的一部分，又是文化的载体。文化只有通过语言才能传播、交流、发展、延续。所以

24、各种文化因素都可以在语言中找到根源。语言中的文化因素解析 .v词汇中的文化vWhen talking about the cultural meaning in the words, what we mean is its connotation, not its denotation. The same word has different cultural connotation. These words which have double meanings form the obstacles in the translation.v 文化意义指词语概念意义之外的，能产生联想的内涵意义。

25、具有这类双重意义的词语往往构成翻译的主要障碍。 v注意意义相同的颜色词语在文化内涵上的差别：v红（ 喜庆） red (暴力) vred eye (嫉妒) （失眠）v红茶- Black teavBlack cloth- 青布v白 （丧服） white (婚纱) vHis face was white with anger (他气得脸色铁青)v蓝 （蓝色） blue(清高，忧郁，淫秽 )vBlue sky - 蓝天，青天v黄（王权，淫秽） yellow(怯懦) v(P57-63 Chapter 7)v注意下面意义相同的词语在文化内涵上的差别：v牧童 （休闲） cowboy (冒险) v农民（忠厚老

26、实） peasant(心胸狭窄 )v龙（高贵） dragon （凶恶）v宣传（中性词 ） propaganda(贬义词) Other examples:v1.Kinship terms: p.17 v2.names for male and female animals and birds: p.18v3.names for legislative institutions: p.19v4.terms to show position just below the highest rank: (副) p.19What is Connotation?vThe implication of a w

27、ord, apart from its primary meaning.v- the Longman Modern English DictionaryvThe suggestion of a meaning by a word apart from the thing it explicitly names or describes.v- Websters New Collegiate DictionaryvMeanings of “meaning”1. Conceptual meaning or denotative meaning, cognitive meaningv概念意义vThis

28、 meaning is the most basic meaning expressed in linguistic communication; without this meaning, linguistic communication cannot go on.v语言的概念意义是语义的核心部分，是语义学研究重点。2. Connotative meaning 内涵意义vIts attached to conceptual meaning:va) Woman: frail, prone to tears, emotional, inconstant; gentle, compassionat

29、e有同情心的,hard-working vb) politician vs. statementvShe is a cat.3. Social meaning 社会意义The main representative is “style meaning” .有较为持久的风格、语段（语篇）风格、较为短暂的风格三类。e.g. 马：horse（一般用语）、steed（诗体用语）、nag（俚语）、geege（儿语）vred: (China) revolution; festival, rejoice; (West) bloody; vWhite: (China) dead; (Western) puri

30、ty;4. affective meaning情感意义v死：pass away, die, breath ones last,v kick the bucket vE.g. 草包: （ 看那草包，做工真细！） 他是个草包。5. Reflective meaning 反映意义（一些多义词中某一个含义会引起不好的联想或反映，因而成为禁忌语）vtaboo words : cock, intercourse, ejaculation（the discharge of semen in males ）, and erection. e.g. Human language is a tool of soc

31、ial intercourse. Now intercourse is replaced by communication. vfor same reason, people tend to use euphemistic expressions in some occasions. E.g. belly abdomen 腹部 (womens)6. Collocative meaning搭配意义vA pretty woman/ flower/ gardenvA handsome man/car /vessel /airlinervNotice: Words with different styles cannot collocate with each other.vHe mounted his gee-gee.vHe got on his steed.vMount: （formal） get on : (colloq. ) Gee-gee: (used by children), steed: (poetic)Thematic meaning 主题意义v他五岁时，生了一场大病变成了聋子。vHe became deaf at five