英汉习语差异论文.docx

1、英汉习语差异论文Cultural Differences between English and Chinese on Idioms OriginsAbstract Different people from different cultures may have different understandings of the same sentence because they know little about the target cultures. While the ultimate aim of English teaching as a foreign language is t

2、o cultivate students competence to apply English correctly, fluently, and appropriately in cross-cultural communication. However, due to lack of knowledge of cultural differences, many college students fail to achieve this purpose during the actual communicating activities. It is necessary for us to

3、 study the cultural differences in some fields between China and Western countries. Language is the most principal means for inter-cultural communication. Idioms, a part of language, are the essence of culture in every country. Using language in such communication, we often come across some idioms w

4、ith distinctive cultural characteristics, so it is a very important and complicated thing for us to understand and use these idioms correctly. Therefore, in this paper, we will discuss the idioms reflecting the differences of Chinese and Western cultures in various levels with many lively, important

5、, and interesting examples of idioms. Key Words idioms; origins; cultural differences between English and Chinese从习语来源看中英文化差异【摘 要】 同一句话，不同文化背景的人的反应有时是不同的，甚至会截然相反。究其原因，是说话双方没有真正掌握对方的文化。大学英语教学的目的，是使学生在跨文化交流中可以正确、流利与恰当的运用英语。而大学生在实际交流活动中，往往不能达到这一目的，这是因为他们对中两方文化差异不够了解。因此，完全有必要对中西文化差异进行详细的研究。语言是跨文化交际中最主要的

6、手段。在运用语言进行跨文化交际时,由于民族文化差异,难免会遇到具有鲜明文化特色的成语和习语,而对此确切地理解并正确地加以运用,则是一个十分重要而又复杂的问题。习语是各国文化的精髓，反映各国的风俗习惯。因此，本文从最能体现中西文化差异的习语着手，论述习语在文化的各个层次上所反映的中西文化差异，并采纳大量生动有趣的例子作为论据进行适当的分析。【关键词】 习语;来源;英语;汉语;文化差异IntroductionLanguage is inseparable from culture. For one thing, language is a part of culture and plays an

7、important role in it. For another, as a mirror of culture, language is strongly influenced and shaped by culture; meanwhile, it reflects culture. Idioms include metaphorical phrases, slang, colloquialism, proverb and so on. As an essential part of the language and culture of a society, idioms are ch

8、aracterized by their concise expressions, rich and vivid, involving geography, history, religious belief, living conventions and so on. They are usually highly specialized in meaning and closely tied to distinctive cultural features and cultural attitudes. It is believed that idioms are the most cul

9、turally loaded element in any language s vocabulary. Undoubtedly they are often hard to understand and harder to use correctly. English and Chinese idioms, closely related to their own culture, convey different cultural features and messages of their own nation, reflecting their own culture.1P281-28

10、2 There exists vast difference between English and Chinese culture and this difference occurs in English and Chinese idioms, too. Based on others research, this paper intends to explore it by fully analyzing the main cultural reasons causing idiomatic expressions differences in both Chinese and Engl

11、ish.1. Different living circumstanceThat culture is determined by geographical environment is a subjective view of geographical determinism. It cannot be denied; however, that natural environment including geographical position, climate, and ecological condition is something that plays contributory

12、role in the formation of a culture. People dwelling in a certain region try to adapt themselves to the surroundings so that livelihood can be maintained. As a result, their special way of living, thinking and behaving is formed as a side-product of their relationship with the environment.1.1. Geogra

13、phical environment Britain is an island country. People who live along seacoast and whose livelihood is dependent on the sea will have idioms about water, sailing, island and fish. For example, we speak in Chinese挥金如土，but we should render it into English as spend money like water. There are a lot of

14、 English idioms about ship ,water and fish: as close as an oyster(守口如瓶)，cast an anchor to windward(未雨绸缪), at sea(茫然)，to keep ones head above water(奋力图存)，to take the wind out of somebodys sail(先发制人)，tower ones sail(甘拜下风)，in full sail(全力以赴)，sail under false colors(欺世盗名)，half sea over(酒喝得太多), fish begi

15、ns to stink at the head (上梁不正下梁歪)，never offer to teach fish to swim (不要班门弄斧)，dull fish (枯燥无味的人); plain sailing (一帆风顺)，to trim ones sail to the wind (见风使舵), to be in the same boat (同舟共济)，to burn ones boat (破釜沉舟), a big fish in a little pond(山中无老虎，猴子称霸王).2P110On the other hand, the Han People live on

16、land, they belong to an agrarian society that places agricultural production at the top of the national agenda, regarding industry and commerce as the non-essentials. During the long history of farming, the Chinese language has accumulated large numbers of farmers idioms, like二人同心，黄土变金(When two peop

17、le are of the same mind, even clay may be changed into gold)，上无片瓦，下无寸土(as poor as a church mouse)，人不亏地，地不亏人(The masters footsteps fatten the soil)，瓜熟蒂落(Things will be easily settled when conditions are ripe)，瑞雪兆丰年(a timely snow promises a good harvest)，五谷丰登(abundant harvest of all food crops),种瓜得瓜，种

18、豆得豆( as a man sows, so shall he reap )，四体不勤，五谷不分(can neither do physical work nor distinguish rice from wheat).3P991.2. Climate Climate is another factor in the living condition. While Britain is located in western hemisphere, with North Temperate Zone and marine climate, so west wind is the symbol

19、of spring. The famous English poet Shirley s Ode to West Wind is a praising song of spring. Summer in Britain is a warm and comfortable season, which is usually linked with lovely, gentle and nice. Shakespeare compares lover to a summer in one of his poems, shall I compare thee to a summers day? Tho

20、u art more lovely and more temperate.4(Shakespeares Sonnet 18) The west wind blows from the Atlantic Ocean as warm and gentle as Chinese east wind and brings voluminous rain to this area. So that Britain abounds in rain can be proved in some idioms concerning rain: to make hay while the sun shines (

21、趁热打铁), rainy day（穷困时期）, to rain or shine（无论如何）, to rain cats and dogs（倾盆大雨）, as right as rain（非常正确）, etc. Britain used to be known as a country of fog partly due to the dampness and warmness of the weather condition and partly to the air pollution as side product of the industrial revolution. Theref

22、ore, in English there are some idiomatic expressions concerning fog, such as in a fog（云里雾里），and to have not the foggiest idea. Spring up like mushrooms (雨后春笋) may become incomprehensible to Chinese learner if he is unaware that this idiom implies the richness of mushroom growing in the wet area in B

23、ritain just as bamboo in Chinese specialty, and as plentiful as blackberries(黑莓遍地) also indicates the ecological environment in Britain, for blackberries are easily available in England.In Chinese culture, east wind is the wind of spring; spring is warm and colorful, and it is regarded as the beginn

24、ing of all lives. There are many idioms in China, which refer to spring：春暖花开(in warm spring, all the blossoms are in full bloom.), 春意盎然(spring is very much in the air), 一年之计在于春(the whole years work consists in a good start in spring)，万紫千红总是春(it is spring when the gayest colours abound). Spring has t

25、he image of good things, so Chinese “春” is used in some idioms to express this: 满面春风(ones face radiates happiness),春风化雨(the life-giving spring breeze and rain-salutary influence of education). Summer is always connected with extremely hot or the intense heat, so赤日炎炎似火烧(the blazing sun scorches like

26、fire)、骄阳似火(the burning sun is like a fire) are terms often used to describe summer.So different living surroundings may produce different idioms and different culture.2. Different historical allusionDifferent countries possess different history culture, which mainly comprises allusion, myths, poems,

27、 ancient books and records, etc. Among them, allusion is the most important; it reflects the national characteristic. Idioms from history culture are the gems of human cultural heritage. It is worthwhile for us to learn them well. There are lots of idioms coming from the historical allusion. The str

28、uctures of these idioms are very simple but they have profound meaning, so we cannot translate and understand these idioms from the literal meaning. The different historical backgrounds of the English and Chinese people have their different legends and anecdotes about historical figures which have p

29、rovided rich and varied materials for their idioms, and consequently give a national color to the idioms in the two languages. It is necessary for us to learn and understand the English allusion as well as the Chinese allusion. It can enlarge our scope of knowledge, widen our field of vision and it

30、is useful to learn about the origin and development of English and Chinese language and literature. 2.1. Historical eventsIn most, if not all, languages, people embellish their speech or writing with references to characters or events from their history, that is to say, idiomatic expressions are clo

31、sely related to a countrys history. Take the aspect of language for example: there are a lot of idioms in the Chinese language which cannot find an equivalent in the English language because the history of the two countries are quite different. Many Chinese idioms are from their own historical event

32、s which are well-known by Chinese people. For instance, the following idioms are from historical events in Ancient China: 风声鹤唳,草木皆兵(be in an extremely nervous state in which one is frightened by the slightest sound) is from the defeat of Fu Jians(苻坚) army at Feishui River during the East Jin Dynasty; 卧薪尝胆(to sleep on brushwood and taste gall-to undergo self-imposed hardships so as to strengthen ones resolve to wipe out a national humiliation) comes from The Historical RecordsYues State Emperor Gou Jians Noble Family(史记越王勾践