Abstract
Language is a cultural carrier. Culture-loaded vocabulary plays an important role in a language. Different social backgrounds and national cultures have a great effect on the cultural connotations of vocabulary. Animals are friends of human beings. Languages of most nations contain a lot of words denoting animals, and so do Chinese and English. Along with the development and progress of human society, many animals are tamed to become domestic animals serving people, and many others have become people’s pets. So animals have become part of people’s life. Animal words and idioms gradually have got their established connotations in all languages. That is, people associate their feelings and emotions, even happenings and natural phenomena with various animals, which are thought to present different characters like people, or serve as symbols. Many animals have become a kind of symbol in people’s thinking and this symbol is reflected in the language. However, because of different geography, different religion, different history and culture, the connotations of animal words in one language do not necessarily coincide with those in another because of different outlook of life and concept of beauty in different cultures.
This thesis attempts to compare the similarities and differences of animal words, blankness in associated meanings of animal words in China and Western countries, and the causes for differences and the translation methods of dealing with cultural differences. Therefore, we can not only better master and use the animal words accurately, but also understand the eastern and western cultures, promoting the cross-cultural communication and translation practice.
Key Words: animal words different cultures causes for differences
摘 要
语言是文化的载体，不少词汇和习语附带着丰富的文化内涵。动物作为人类的朋友，在人类历史和文化发展过程中扮演了重要的角色。动物词汇也逐渐形成特定的涵义，也就是说人们把他们的一些情感，甚至是发生的事件，自然现象都和动物联系起来，认为动物能够表现不同人的个性，或者是表示某些象征。许多动物已经在人们的思维中形成某种象征，并体现在语言当中。然而，由于不同的地域性，不同的宗教信仰，不同的历史和文化，不同的人生观，以及不同的文化审美观等方面，动物词汇的内涵意义会因为语言的不同而不同。
本文就中英动物习语的异同，中西文化中动物词汇的空缺和引起中西文化差异的成因等三方面进行比较，使我们能够更加准确、更加形象地使用动物习语，也能更好地了解中西文化，促进跨文化交际，对习语的翻译实践也有一定的实际意义。
关键词：动物词 不同文化 不同的成因
Contents
Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………………i
Abstract (English)……………………………………………..………………………..ii
Abstract (Chinese)……………………………………………………..………………iv
- Introduction…………………………………………………………………………1
- Comparison of Chinese and English animal words ……………………….………. 2
2.1 Same animal words with the same associative meanings….…………………….2
2.1.1 Fox…………………………………………………………………………………………………2
2.1.2 Donkey…………………………………………………………………….2
2.1.3 Bird………………………………………………………………………..3
2.1.4 Parrot………………………………………………….…………………..3
2.1.5 Sheep…………………………………………………………………..….3
2.1.6 Wolf……………………………………………………………………….3
2.2 Same animal words with different meanings…………………..…………….…4
2.2.1 Same animal words with different connotative meanings……………..….4
2.2.2 Same animal words with different affective meanings………….………..5
2.3 Different animal words with the same reflected meanings………………………7
2.4 Blankness in associated meanings……………….…….………………………..8
2.4.1 Unique animal words in Chinese………………………………….………9
2.4.1.1仙鹤 (Crane)……………………………………………………….9
2.4.1.2乌龟 (Tortoise)……………………………………………….…..9
2.4.1.3鸳鸯 (Mandarin ducks)………….………………………………..9
2.4.1.4黄花鱼 (Yellow fish)……………………………………..………10
2.4.1.5鲤鱼 (Common carp)………………………..………….……….10
2.4.2 Unique animal words in English………………………………………….10
2.4.2.1 Beaver…………………………………………………………………………………..11
2.4.2.2 Cat…………………………………………………………….……11
2.4.2.3 Albatross…………………….……………………………….….….12
2.4.2.4 Cock……………………………………………………………….13
2.4.2.5 Red herring……………………………………………….………….13
- Factors causing the differences………………….…………………………………13
3.1 Different geography………………………………………………………………………………..13
3.2 Different religion……………………………………………………………………………………14
3.3 Different history……………………………….….……………………………15
3.4 Different fable and mythology……………..………………………………….16
3.5 Different beauty conception……………………………..…………………….17
3.5.1 Magpie…………..……………………………………………………….17
3.5.2 Dog………………………………………………………………………………………………17
3.5.3 Bat……………………………………………………………………………………………….18
- Conclusion…………………………………………………………..…………….18
References…………………….………………………………………………………20
