The Emotional Meaning Reflected by Colour Words in English Language英语语言中颜色词折射的情感意义.docx

1、The Emotional Meaning Reflected by Colour Words in English Language英语语言中颜色词折射的情感意义Chapter 1 Introduction1.1 RationaleIn linguistics the study of meaning in language is defined as semantics. In this field, a quite important theory is Leechs seven types of meaning, five of which are included in the as

2、sociative meaning. These five meanings are connotative meaning, social meaning, affective meaning, reflected meaning, and collective meaning. Among the five meanings the affective meaning also the emotional meaning threads a line among these. As one aspect of the study of meaning, enough knowledge o

3、n the emotional meaning is necessary， helping us have a knowledge of the other meanings for the connections between them.Affective meaning, as simply called the emotional meaning, is what is communicated of the feelings and attitudes of the speaker/writer towards the listener/reader and/or what he o

4、r she is talking about. We may address somebody as an idiot to convey our despise or describe something as marvelous to express our positive evaluation. Not just a whole sentence or a long passage can reveal a persons attitude or his or her inner feelings, but a simple word can also do. In the real

5、word, color is the most direct thing that we can easily receive. What it displays is not only its original meaning.According to Leechs theory, the thesis begins with a simple introduction of color words two kinds of meanings conceptual meaning and connotative meaning, to emphasize the later, especia

6、lly the emotional meaning. Its sources in the real world and its practical functions will be generally illustrated in the following.1.2 Literature Review Because of globalization, it is of necessity for us to get more knowledge about the world outside to make cross-cultural communications proceed su

7、ccessfully. And familiarity with their cultures through the color words is one of the good choices. The emotional meanings reflected by the words are worth studying in particular. As Bo Ruili said, the color words in both Chinese and English languages have an intimate connection with each cultural t

8、radition, often having an effect on peoples thinking habits respectively and confining their daily behaviors in some special contexts. The color words are a mirror, truthfully reflecting human love and detest affirmation and negation. It is endowed with special value and aesthetics established by us

9、age to internalize social cultural meanings, in favor of avoiding mistakes in conversation.Chai Huifang states(2006.9)in her paper The Realistic Sources of Basic Color Lexicons Metaphorical Meanings, that different cultural and historical backgrounds, and different views of beauty are contributed to

10、 the distinctions of the colors symbolic meanings of different cultures.Hu Aifang and Yang Zewen thought in the course of mutual translation between the English and Chinese language, the comparison between the two languages is inevitable. However, comparison between the two languages cannot leave th

11、e comparison between the two cultures. And in the process of using, the word contains many cultural connotative meanings.Hu Ping (2008.6) put it in his paper A Metaphorical and Cognitive Study of English and Chinese Color Words that the differences between English and Chinese on color words are diff

12、erent natural environments and historical backgrounds, different regional beliefs, psychological differences caused by the development of civilizations.Li Qian states that the color word owns abundant meanings to give rise to different emotions in different cultural atmospheres, when using the word;

13、 we should pay attention to their habitual expressive methods. And in many occasions, it is not some color word but the connections with the word beyond national culture that functions.Lin Yajun illustrates the word is a language sign of some thing or some phenomena named in the process of human cog

14、nition of the objective world. Owing to different cultural factors, the cultural meanings of word are greatly distinguished. As a sort of language lexicon, the color word especially shows the cultural differences.Liu Yu and Peng Xiaoyan holds that every color is relied on the level of lights reflect

15、ion and the type it takes in, based on which peoples feelings and imagination of the colors will give rise to emotional changes to deliver cultural meanings by the colors with emotional value. Obviously, peoples different cognitions on the color have something in common. Li Yingying（2006）points out

16、in her paper that primitive beliefs, productive activities, social events, customs, political systems and, stories and legends are the realistic sources of the basic color lexicons metaphorical meanings. People make acquaintance of the colors, then give them names, but whether these names can be acc

17、epted by the public decides how long they can be used.Sun Renjie states that as a kind of sign system the color words in both English and Chinese have different uses and cultural values and meanings.Tang Lan points out that the color plays a very important role in cultural psychology and racial cust

18、oms, and different colors will bring out special emotions.Tian Fuli holds that in languages the color words do not merely mean the color. It entails different social and cultural meanings.Wang Ronghui and Xing Shengle put it that different colors will stimulate our brains differently and have an imp

19、act on peoples psychological feelings to give rise to different emotions.Wang Yalin states that influenced by geographical environments, customs, ways of thinking, regional beliefs, and the color word owns some unique symbolic meanings besides its original meaning.Xia Juefen says there are numbers o

20、f color words in English language. These words are closely connected with society, culture, so they are in possession of plentiful cultural connotative meanings. It has colossal practical help to master these meanings in English vocabulary teaching and translation.Yu Lan states that the color takes

21、a significant part in life, a part of human world and knowing it. With the development and changes of the society the color word has more meanings different from its original.1.3 Organization of the ThesisThe thesis can be divided into five parts. The first part is introduction, including rationale,

22、 literature review and structure of the thesis. The second part is about the color words conceptual meaning and the connotative meaning which is expanded from the conceptual meaning. In the third part, it mainly discusses the practical functions of the color word, in hope of people paying attention

23、to their daily clothing. The fourth part is about the relation between the color word and the culture. The fifth, also the last part, is a conclusion of the whole thesis. Chapter 2 General Knowledge about Colors2.1 Two Kinds of Meaning of the Color wordThe words meaning is omnifarious, generally inc

24、luding the conceptual meaning and the connotative meaning. The conceptual meaning, also called denotative meaning or cognitive meaning, is the basic meaning expressed in language conversation (both oral and written forms). This kind of meaning has no direct relation with the things or phenomenas. To

25、 be simple, it is the definition given in the dictionaries. As to the connotative meaning, it is the meaning based on the conceptual meaning, predicting some human emotions of subjective evaluation and mental attitudes.2.1.1 The Color Words Basic MeaningThe color is the most direct message that our

26、sense organs receive in daily life. And our feelings towards it are reflected in every respect of life. In terms of the definition of the conceptual meaning, the color can be defined as a visual impression produced by light waves that an object eradicates, flashes, and transmits. And such impression

27、 applied in language gives birth to the color word. In the following, the basic meaning of the color word will be illustrated through some examples.1. Red. Red is the color of fire, inspiring people psychologically. It is often relevant to the sun and fire. In English language, red embodies blood, r

28、evolution, violence, danger and death. For example, red battle(血战)/red hands(沾满鲜血的双手)/see red(火冒三丈)/red revenge(血腥复仇)/a red adventure story(一个令人紧张的冒险故事)And red has restrictions to peoples daily conduct; it is used as the stopping signal of traffic, the alarming light of fire engine, police wagon and

29、 ambulance, and the red card of physical training. Besides, the word red has the meaning of slitter in western literature, which is from Nathaniel Hawthornes Scarlet Letter. Here, this kind of meaning is influenced by literature.Although in most cases red is used in derogatory sense, it sometimes ex

30、presses a commendatory meaning. In this sense, red means energy and being full-blooded. For example,a red blooded man(一个精力充沛的人)/ to roll out the red carpet to somebody(隆重欢迎某人)/ to come out of the red(赚钱，赢利)/ a red letter day(大喜的日子)/ Red Book(社会名人录)2. White. The Europeans and Americans are especially

31、 fond of white. It is the color of snow, milk and lilies. In their mind, white is elegant and pure, symbolizing happiness, honest. And in European weddings, the brides mostly like wearing white dressings, showing pureness and blessedness, showing their wish to pursue a happy life. In English languag

32、e, there are lots of expressions of white, for example,a white soul(纯洁的心灵)/ to fight a white war(打一场经济战争) /a white man (正直的人) /white hands(纯洁)/ a white day(某人的吉日)/ a white lie(无伤大雅的谎言)/ to be white of somebody(某人非诚实) /white collar(白领)/ white Continent(南极洲)/ white sepulcher(伪君子) /one of the white of somebodys(某人的吉日)/white market(合法市场)/to bleed white(流尽鲜血)/make ones name white again(雪耻)/stand in a white sheet(公开忏悔)/white coffee(加牛奶的咖啡)/white room(无尘室)/days marked with a white stone(幸福的日子)/white elephant(实用价值不高的昂贵之物)/show white feather(胆怯、懦夫)/to treat somebody white(对公正)/on the top of the white