從動物習(xí)語看中西文化差異 英語專業(yè)畢業(yè)論文

從動物習(xí)語看中西文化差異ABSTRACTLANGUAGEISACULTURALCARRIERCULTURELOADEDVOCABULARYPLAYSANIMPORTANTROLEINALANGUAGEDIFFERENTSOCIALBACKGROUNDSANDNATIONALCULTURESHAVEAGREATEFFECTONTHECULTURALCONNOTATIONSOFVOCABULARYANIMALSAREFRIENDSOFHUMANBEINGSLANGUAGESOFMOSTNATIONSCONTAINALOTOFWORDSDENOTINGANIMALS,ANDSODOCHINESEANDENGLISHALONGWITHTHEDEVELOPMENTANDPROGRESSOFHUMANSOCIETY,MANYANIMALSARETAMEDTOBECOMEDOMESTICANIMALSSERVINGPEOPLE,ANDMANYOTHERSHAVEBECOMEPEOPLESPETSSOANIMALSHAVEBECOMEPARTOFPEOPLESLIFEANIMALIDIOMSGRADUALLYHAVEGOTTHEIRESTABLISHEDCONNOTATIONSINALLLANGUAGESTHATIS,PEOPLEASSOCIATETHEIRFEELINGSANDEMOTIONS,EVENHAPPENINGSANDNATURALPHENOMENAWITHVARIOUSANIMALS,WHICHARETHOUGHTTOPRESENTDIFFERENTCHARACTERSLIKEPEOPLE,ORSERVEASSYMBOLSMANYANIMALSHAVEBECOMEAKINDOFSYMBOLINPEOPLESTHINKINGANDTHISSYMBOLISREFLECTEDINTHELANGUAGEHOWEVER,BECAUSEOFDIFFERENTHISTORYANDCULTURE,THECONNOTATIONSOFANIMALWORDSINONELANGUAGEDONOTNECESSARILYCOINCIDEWITHTHOSEINANOTHERBECAUSEOFDIFFERENTOUTLOOKOFLIFEANDCONCEPTOFBEAUTYINDIFFERENTCULTURESTHISDISSERTATIONATTEMPTSTOCOMPARETHESIMILARITIESANDDIFFERENCESOFANIMALIDIOMS,THECAUSESFORDIFFERENCESANDTHETRANSLATIONMETHODSOFDEALINGWITHCULTURALDIFFERENCESTHEREFORE,WECANNOTONLYBETTERMASTERANDUSETHEANIMALIDIOMSACCURATELY,BUTALSOUNDERSTANDTHEEASTERNANDWESTERNCULTURES,PROMOTINGTHECROSSCULTURALCOMMUNICATIONANDTRANSLATIONPRACTICECHAPTERONEISTHEINTRODUCTIONDEALINGWITHTHERELATIONSHIPBETWEENTHELANGUAGEANDCULTURECHAPTERTWOMAKESACOMPARISONOFSIMILARITIESANDDIFFERENCESINANIMALWORDSMEANINGSOFIDIOMSOWNINGTOTHEDIFFERENTSOCIALBACKGROUNDS,CUSTOMSANDRELIGIONS,DIFFERENCESAREBOUNDTOAPPEARINANIMALIDIOMSINBOTHLANGUAGESWHENTALKINGABOUTTHEDIFFERENCES,ICOMPARETHEANIMALTERMSINCHINESEANDENGLISHIDIOMSACCORDINGTOTHECONNOTATIVEMEANING,AFFECTIVEMEANINGANDREFLECTEDMEANINGIALSOTALKABOUTTHEMEANINGGAPINCHINESEANDINENGLISHCHAPTERTHREEFOCUSESONTHEANALYSISOFTHECAUSESFORTHEDIFFERENCESFROMTHEFOLLOWINGASPECTSINFLUENCEOFREGION,INFLUENCEOFCONVENTION,INFLUENCEOFRELIGION,INFLUENCEOFHISTORY,INFLUENCEOFFABLESANDMYTHOLOGIESANDINFLUENCEOFBORROWEDLANGUAGEANDFOREIGNLANGUAGECHAPTERFOURDEALSPRIMARILYWITHTHEMETHODSOFDEALINGWITHCULTURALDIFFERENCESFROMFIVETRANSLATIONMETHODSLITERALTRANSLATION,FREETRANSLATION,IMAGESHIFTTRANSLATION,LITERALTRANSLATIONPLUSANNOTATIONANDLITERALPLUSFREETRANSLATION【摘要】語言是文化的載體，作為文化載體的詞匯在語言中扮演重要的角色。不同的社會背景和不同的民族文化對詞匯的含義有很大的影響。動物是人類的朋友，包括英語和漢語在內(nèi)的所有語言中都有很多表示動物的詞匯。隨著人類社會的進(jìn)步，很多動物成人類的朋友，為人類服務(wù)，也有很多動物還成為人們的寵物?？梢妱游镆呀?jīng)成為人們生活的一部分。動物詞匯也逐漸形成特定的涵義，也就是說人們把他們的一些情感，甚至是發(fā)生的事件，自然現(xiàn)象都和動物聯(lián)系起來，認(rèn)為動物能夠表現(xiàn)不同人的個性，或者是表示某些象征。許多動物已經(jīng)在人們的思維中形成某種象征，并體現(xiàn)在語言當(dāng)中。然而，由于不同的歷史和文化，不同的人生觀，以及不同文化的審美觀，動物詞匯的內(nèi)涵意義會因?yàn)檎Z言的不同而不同。本文就中英動物習(xí)語的異同的論述，引起中西文化差異的成因和翻譯上如何處理文化差異的方法三點(diǎn)進(jìn)行比較，使我們能夠更加準(zhǔn)確、更加形象地使用動物習(xí)語，也能更好地了解中西文化，促進(jìn)跨文化交際，對習(xí)語的翻譯實(shí)踐也有一定的實(shí)際意義。第一部分是引言，主要處理語言與文化的關(guān)系；第二部分比較習(xí)語中動物詞匯的異同。由于不同的社會背景，風(fēng)俗習(xí)慣和宗教信仰，在中英語言中，不同點(diǎn)便自然而生。在談到不同點(diǎn)時，根據(jù)內(nèi)涵意義、情感意義和反映意義將習(xí)語中的動物詞匯進(jìn)行分析，同時也談到中西文化中動物詞匯的空缺；第三部分從地域性的影響、風(fēng)俗習(xí)慣的影響、宗教信仰的影響、歷史的影響、寓言神話的影響和借用語和外來語的影響來強(qiáng)調(diào)分析中西動物詞匯文化差異的成因；第四部分從翻譯方法上來處理中西文化差異，提出的翻譯方法主要有直譯、意譯、形象轉(zhuǎn)換法、直譯加注釋法和直譯加意譯法。1INTRODUCTION“LANGUAGEANDCULTURE,INTRINSICALLYDEPENDENTONEACHOTHER,HAVEEVOLVEDTOGETHERTHROUGHTHEHISTORY”1“ONTHEONEHAND,LANGUAGEASANINTEGRALPARTOFHUMANBEING,PERMEATESHISTHINKINGANDWAYOFVIEWINGTHEWORLD,LANGUAGEBOTHEXPRESSESANDEMBODIESCULTURALREALITYONTHEOTHER,LANGUAGE,ASAPRODUCTOFCULTURE,HELPSPERMEATETHECULTURE,ANDTHECHANGESINLANGUAGEUSESREFLECTTHECULTURALCHANGESINRETURN”2LANGUAGEISTHEBASEOFENTIRECULTURE,ANDITISONLYINLANGUAGETHATCULTURECANBEWELLPRESENTEDANDHANDEDDOWNFROMGENERATIONTOGENERATIONONTHEOTHERHAND,LANGUAGEISINFLUENCEDANDSHAPEDBYCULTUREITREFLECTSLANGUAGELANGUAGEREFLECTSCHARACTERISTICSOFCULTUREANDPREDICTSTHEDEVELOPINGORIENTATIONOFCULTUREINTHEBROADESTSENSE,LANGUAGEISTHESYMBOLICREPRESENTATIONOFAPEOPLETHEDEVELOPMENTOFLANGUAGEOFTENEMBODIESTHECHANGEOFCULTUREITCOMPRISESTHEIRHISTORICALANDCULTURALBACKGROUNDSASWELLASTHEIRAPPROACHTOLIFEANDTHEIRWAYSOFLIVINGANDTHINKINGTOUNDERSTANDALANGUAGE,ONEMUSTKNOWWELLABOUTITSCULTUREANDVISEVERSA2ACOMPARISONOFSIMILARITIESANDDIFFERENCESINMEANING21SIMILARITIESINMEANINGANIMALISMANSBESTFRIENDDIFFERENTANIMALSHAVEDIFFERENTNATURALINSTINCTSANDLIFESTYLESDURINGTHELONGTERMINTIMATECONTACTWITHTHEANIMALS,PEOPLEHAVETHEDEEPROOTEDUNDERSTANDINGSTOWARDSANIMALSANDBOTHTHECHINESEPEOPLEANDENGLISHPEOPLENEARLYHAVETHESAMEKNOWLEDGEOFANIMALSNATURALINSTINCTSANDWAYSOFLIFEFOREXAMPLE,ENGLISHPEOPLEWOULDSAY,“HEISASSLYASAFOXHESFOXY,ANDYOUREGOTTOWATCHHIM”ATTHESAMETIME,CHINESEPEOPLEWOULDUNDERSTANDTHEMEANINGOFTHESENTENCEASWELL,INCHINESE,“他像狐貍一樣狡猾，他很狡猾，你得注意點(diǎn)”THISEXAMPLEINDICATESTHAT“FOX”CANBEUSEDTODESCRIBESOMEONEWHOISCUNNINGANDDECEITFULTHISEXAMPLESTATESTHATDIFFERENTLANGUAGESANDCULTURESENDOW“FOX”THESAMECULTURALASSOCIATIVEMEANINGTHEFOLLOWINGANIMALVEHICLESHAVETHESAMEASSOCIATIVEMEANINGSBOTHINENGLISHANDINCHINESEDONKEYCANBEREGARDEDASAKINDOFANIMALWITHDOPEYANDSTUBBORNTEMPERSOTHE“DONKEY驢”ISUSEDTOSHOWTHECHARACTERWITHOBSTINATEANDSTUPIDTEMPERBOTHINENGLISHANDINCHINESE,EG“ASSTUBBORNASADONKEY像驢一樣固執(zhí)的”BIRDSCANFLYTOANYPLACETHEYLIKETONOWONDERTHEYARETHEEMBODIMENTOFFREEDOMINBOTHENGLISHANDCHINESEFOREXAMPLE“BRINGTHECHILDDOWNTOMEFORAFORTNIGHTIHAVEAHUGEOLDGARDENWHEREHECANBEASFREEASABIRDANDPERFECTLYSAFE”PARROTISAKINDOFBIRDTHATCANIMITATEPEOPLESSOUNDENGLISHPEOPLEANDCHINESEPEOPLEUSE“PARROT鸚鵡”TOREFERTOTHOSEPEOPLEREPEATSOMEONEELSESWORDANDIDEASWITHOUTREALLYUNDERSTANDINGWHATYOUARESAYING,EG“HEDOESNTHAVEANIDEAOFHISOWNHEJUSTPARROTSWHATOTHERPEOPLESAY他沒有自己的主張，常常鸚鵡學(xué)舌?！盤IGORSWINEHASSUCHCHARACTERISTICSDIRTY,GREEDY,LAZY,SELFISHANDUGLY,FOREXAMPLE,“MAKEAPIGOFONESELF貪婪地狼吞虎咽到吃喝”“LIVELIKEAPIGINCLOVER生活奢侈”“HEHASBEENAPIGABOUTMONEY他對錢貪得無厭”22DIFFERENCESINMEANINGBECAUSEOFDIFFERENTCULTURAL,HISTORICALANDTRADITIONALBACKGROUND,ACTUALLY,ENGLISHPEOPLEANDCHINESEPEOPLEWOULDHAVEDIFFERENTASSOCIATIVEMEANINGSTOWARDSTHESAMEANIMALVEHICLE221SAMEVEHICLEWITHDIFFERENTMEANINGS“EVERYBODYKNOWSTHATWORDSREPRESENTMEANINGTHEPROBLEMISTHATTHEYMAYREPRESENTSEVERALTYPESOFMEANINGSIMULTANEOUSLY”3“ACCORDINGTOGEOFFERYLEECH1981923,MEANINGINTHEWIDERSENSEMAYEMBRACE1CONCEPTUALMEANINGORSENSE2CONNOTATIVEMEANING3SOCIALMEANING4AFFECTIVEMEANING5REFLECTEDMEANING6COLLOCATIVEMEANINGAND7THEMATICMEANING”4AMONGTHEM,“CONNOTATIVEMEANING,SOCIALMEANING,AFFECTIVEMEANING,REFLECTEDMEANING,ANDCOLLOCATIVEMEANINGCANBEBROUGHTTOGETHERUNDERTHEHEADINGASSOCIATIVEMEANING”5ISAMEVEHICLEWITHDIFFERENTCONNOTATIVEMEANINGS“CONNOTATIVEMEANINGISTHECOMMUNICATIVEVALUEANEXPRESSIONHASINADDITIONTOTHEPURELYCONCEPTUALMEANING”6“CONNOTATIONSOFWORDSVARYFROMCULTURETOCULTUREIFTHEYAREIGNORED,SERIOUSMISUNDERSTANDINGSCANOCCURINCROSSCULTURALCOMMUNICATIONTHECONNOTATIONSOFAGREATMANYENGLISHWORDSAREDIFFERENTFROMTHOSEOFTHEIRTRANSLATIONEQUIVALENTSINCHINESE”7SOMEOFTHESEENGLISHANIMALWORDSWILLBEDISCUSSEDINTHEFOLLOWINGPARAGRAPHSDOGISADISTINCTIVEEXAMPLEINTHETWOCULTURES“狗”ISVERYPEJORATIVEINMEANINGINCHINESETHISCANBEREADILYILLUSTRATEDBYTHECHINESEWORDSANDIDIOMATICEXPRESSIONSINWHICHITISANELEMENT“走狗”,“喪家狗”,“狗頭軍師”,“狗急跳墻”,“狗腿子”MANYOTHERSCANBEADDEDTOTHISLIST,BUTTHEYAREENOUGHTOEXEMPLIFYTHENEGATIVEATTITUDESOFTHECHINESEPEOPLETOWARDSTHESECREATURESINENGLISHCULTURE,HOWEVER,ADOGISAPET,WHICHCANEVENBECONSIDEREDAFAMILYMEMBERFOREXAMPLE,“THEREARETHREEFAITHFULFRIENDSANOLDWIFE,ANOLDDOGANDREADYMONEY人有三個忠實(shí)的朋友老妻、老狗和現(xiàn)金。”8ITISHARDFORENGLISHSPEAKERSTOUNDERSTANDWHY“走狗”ISAPEJORATIVETERMINCHINESETOTHEMADOGISLOVELYANDA“RUNNINGDOG”ISDOUBLYLOVELY“DOGAND狗CONVEYTHESAMECONCEPTUALMEANING,BUTTHEIRCONNOTATIONSAREQUITEDIFFERENTINENGLISHANDCHINESECULTURES”9INENGLISHCULTURE,OWLISSYMBOLIZEDOFWISDOM“ASWISEASANOWL”INDICATESTHATTHENATIVEENGLISHPEOPLEASSOCIATEWISDOMWITHTHISBIRDINCHILDRENSBOOKSANDCARTOONS,THEOWLIMPLIESCALMNESSANDSOLEMNFOREXAMPLE,“HEPEERSOWLISHLYATUSTHROUGHHISGLASSES他透過他的眼鏡嚴(yán)肅而機(jī)智地打量著我們ATENANTOFFERINGFIVEBALESOFCOTTONWASTOLD,AFTERSOMEOWLEYEDFIGURING,THATTHISCOTTONEXACTLYBALANCEDHISDEBT一個佃農(nóng)交了5包棉花，老板精明地一盤算，告訴他說這些棉花剛好抵上他所欠的債務(wù)?！?0HOWEVER,THEREISASUPERSTITIOUSBELIEFTHATOWLISANUNLUCKYBIRDANDISTHESYMBOLOFTHEDISASTERANDDEATHAMONGTHECHINESEPEOPLESMINDS,ASTHECHINESESAYINGGOES,“貓頭鷹進(jìn)宅，好事不來（ANOWLVISITINGAHOMEPRETENDSMISFORTUNEINTHATHOUSE）”IISAMEVEHICLEWITHDIFFERENTAFFECTIVEMEANINGS“AFFECTIVEMEANINGISCOMMUNICATEDWHENTHEFEELINGORATTITUDESAREEXPRESSEDINLANGUAGEINOTHERCASES,AFFECTIVEMEANINGISCONVEYEDTHROUGHTHEMEDIATIONOFCONCEPTUAL,CONNOTATIVE,ORSTYLISTICMEANING”11LETSTAKETHEDRAGONFOREXAMPLEINCHINESE,ESPECIALLYINANCIENTTIME,PEOPLETHOUGHTDRAGONISAMYTHICALANIMALWITHGREATPOWERTOCHINESE,ADRAGONISSOMETHINGSACREDANDHASBEENREFERREDTOTHEANCESTOROFTHECHINESENATIONTHATSWHYTHECHINESEALLCALLTHEMSELVESDESCENDENTSOFTHEDRAGONANDCHINESEFEUDALEMPERORSWEREOFTENREFERREDTOSONSOFDRAGONS,WEARINGCLOTHESWITHDESIGNSOFDRAGONSCHINESEIDIOMSTHATINVOLVETHEWORD“龍”WITHGOODCONNOTATIONSAREASFOLLOWS“龍騰虎躍”,“龍生龍，風(fēng)生風(fēng)”,“龍風(fēng)呈祥”,“生龍活虎”MANYCHINESEWOULDSAY“望子成龍”,BUTITSLITERALCORRESPONDENCEOFFORM“TOEXPECTONESSONTOBECOMEADRAGON”WOULDSOUNDPUZZLEDANDRIDICULOUSTOTHENATIVEENGLISHPEOPLEINWESTERNPEOPLESMINDS,THEDRAGONISALARGEIMAGINARYANIMALTHATHASWINGSANDALONGTAILANDCANBREATHEOUTFIRETOTHEWESTERNERS,THEDRAGONISOFTENASYMBOLOFEVIL,AFIERCEMONSTERTHATDESTROYSANDTHEREFOREMUSTBEDESTROYEDITORIGINATESFROMTHEBIBLESTORY,INWHICHTHESATAN,WHOFOUGHTAGAINSTTHEGOD,WASCALLEDTHEGREATDRAGONDRAGONINTHEWESTERNWORLDISACRUELANDVICIOUSCREATURESEVERALSTORIESOFSAINTSORHEROESDEALWITHSTRUGGLESAGAINSTTHEMONSTERS,WHICHINMOSTCASESARESLAININTHEEND“THEREISANEXAMPLEFROMTHECOLLINSCONBUILDENGLISHLANGUAGEDICTIONARY,IFYOUCALLAWOMANADRAGON,YOUMEANTHATSHEISFIERCEANDUNPLEASANT（如果把一個女人叫做DRAGON，是說她很兇，很令人討厭。）”12INCHINESEPEOPLESEYE,“BAT”MEANS“AUSPICIOUS”FORTHELETTERS“蝠”AND“?！盇REPUNINSOUNDSTOENGLISHPEOPLE,THEYAREVERYFRIGHTENEDBECAUSETHEBATISANNOYINGANDUGLYANDCONNECTEDWITHEVILANDDARKNESSTHEREFORE,INENGLISH,EXPRESSIONSWITH“BAT”HAVEDEROGATORYMEANINGS,EG“ASBLINDASABAT像蝙蝠一樣瞎”“CRAZYASABAT像蝙蝠一樣瘋”THECHINESEPEOPLEGIVEPREFERENCETOTHEPETRELPETRELISABIRDTHATFLIESOVERTHEVASTOCEANWITHCOURAGETOBRAVETHESTORMSSOPETRELISASSOCIATEDINCHINAWITHBRAVINGHARDSHIPSANDORDEALANDCOURAGETHEPETRELEMERGESINMANYJUVENILEDIARIES,YOUTHFULFICTIONALWRITINGS,ANDAPPEARSASTHETRADEMARKFORANUMBEROFPRODUCTSHOWEVER,THEENGLISHPEOPLEDONOTLIKEPETREL,BECAUSETHEYTHINKPETRELISTHESYMBOLFORDISASTERS,FORWHENASTORMISARISING,PETRELWILLFLUSH,FLYINGLIKELIGHTENINGBETWEENBLACKCLOUDSANDTHESEASOTHEPETRELISCONSIDEREDASANOMENOFDISASTERINENGLISHFOREXAMPLE,“STORMPETREL”MEANSAPERSONREGARDEDASAHERALDOFTROUBLE,STRIFEORVIOLENCEORSOMEONEWHODELIGHTSINSUCHTROUBLE,ETC222DIFFERENTVEHICLESWITHSAMEREFLECTEDMEANING“REFLECTEDMEANINGARISESINWORDSOFMULTIPLECONCEPTUALMEANING,WHENONESENSEOFAWORDFORMSPARTOFOURRESPONSETOANOTHERSENSE”13“ITREVEALSTHEFACTTHATENGLISHANDCHINESESPEAKERSMAYVIEWTHESAMETHINGINDIFFERENTWAYS”14THISWILLBEILLUSTRATEDBYTHEFOLLOWINGEXAMPLESTOCHINESEPEOPLE,TIGERISABIGANDPOWERFULCARNIVOROUSANIMALTHATISCALLEDTHEKINGOFTHEBEASTS,SOTIGERISTHESYMBOLOFTHEBRAVERY,COURAGE,VIGOR,DECISIVENESSANDPOWER,EG“虎虎有生氣,虎頭虎腦，虎將”ETCINCONTRAST,ENGLISHPEOPLECONSIDERTHATTHEKINGOFTHEBEASTSISLION,ANDLIONISTHESYMBOLOFTHECOURAGE,FEROCITY,DIGNITYOFDOMINANCE,ASCANBESEENFROMSUCHEXPRESSIONS“REGALASALION獅子般莊嚴(yán)”“MAJESTICASALION像獅子一樣雄偉”THELIONINENGLISHCULTUREENJOYSHIGHPRESTIGE“RICHARDI,KINGOFENGLANDINTHELATTERPARTOFTHE12THCENTURY,WASKNOWNASLIONHEARTEDFORHISCOURAGEANDCHIVALRY”15THEREISANEXPRESSION“TOBEBRAVEASALION”WHENSOMEONEISCALLEDALION,HEISREFERREDTOACELEBRITYORAFAMOUSPERSONTHEREFORE,THEREISANOTHERIDIOMLIKE“ALIONHUNTER”,WHICHMEANS“HOSTSORHOSTESSESWHOSEEKOUTCELEBRITIESWITHWHOMTOIMPRESSTHEIRGUESTS”ITSNOWONDER,THEN,THATTHEENGLISHHAVECHOSENTHELIONASTHEIRSYMBOLASINTHEEXPRESSION“THEBRITISHLION”THEWORDHASBEENUSEDTOFORMMANYENGLISHIDIOMSWITHSUCHCONNOTATIONSFORINSTANCE,“LIONSSHARE”MEANSTHELARGESTPART“THELIONSDEN”MEANSAPLACEOFGREATDANGER“TOMEETALIONINONESPATH”MEANSTOENCOUNTERADAUNTINGOBSTACLEETCTOMEAN“BOAST”,INCHINESE,PEOPLEWOULDSAY“吹牛”BUTINENGLISH,PEOPLEWOULDLIKETOUSE“TALKHORSE”INWESTERNCOUNTRIES,HORSESAREBEASTSOFBURDEN,WHILEOXENARERAISEDFORMILKANDBEEFHORSESHAVEMOREOPPORTUNITIESTODEMONSTRATETHEIRSTRENGTHTHANOXENTHATARESTRONGDOMESTICANIMALS,TOOSOEVENTHOUGH“STRONGASANOX”CANBEHEARDINENGLISH,“STRONGASAHORSE”ISUSEDMOREFREQUENTLYINCHINA,HOWEVER,OXENARETHEMAJORBEASTSOFBURDENINRURALAREASNOWONDERTHEREARESUCHIDIOMATICEXPRESSIONSAS“力大如?！?“壯得如牛”INCHINESEBUTNOCHINESEWOULDSAY“力大如馬”,“壯得像頭馬”TOREFERTO“URGENT”,CHINESEPEOPLEWOULDSAY“熱鍋上的螞蟻”BUTTHEENGLISHPEOPLEWOULDPREFERTOSAY,“LIKEACATONHOTBRICKS熱鍋上的貓”TOMEANSOMEONEISWETTHROUGH,CHINESEPEOPLEWOULDSAY“像只落湯雞”INENGLISH,PEOPLEWOULDSAY“LIKEADROWNEDRAT”CHINESEPEOPLEUSUALLYLIKETOUSE“雞”ASAVEHICLE,SUCHAS“雞皮疙瘩”,ANDENGLISHPEOPLEWOULDSAY“GOOSEPIMPLE”CHINESEPEOPLESAY“殺雞取卵”,BUTENGLISHPEOPLEGIVESUCHIDIOM,“TOKILLTHEGOOSETHATLAYSTHEGOLDENEGG”223MEANINGGAPIGAPINCHINESEINENGLISHCULTURE,SOMEANIMALVEHICLESHAVERICHANDVARIEDCULTURALCONNOTATIONSITISKNOWNTHATBULLISJUSTANORDINARYANIMALINCHINAANDDOESNTHAVESPECIALCULTURALASSOCIATIVEMEANINGSTHECHINESEPEOPLEMAYGUESSTHELITERALMEANINGOFTHEIDIOM,“ABULLINACHINASHOP瓷器店里的公牛”BUTTHEYWOULDNOTHAVETHEIMAGETHATWOULDBEEVOKEDINTHEMINDSOFENGLISHSPEAKINGPEOPLEANANGRY,SNORTINGBULLCHARGINGINTOASHOPFILLEDWITHEXQUISITEFRAGILEPORCELAINCONSEQUENTLY,CHINESEWOULDBELESSAPPRECIATIVEOFTHEVIVIDNESSOFTHEEXPRESSION“ABULLINACHINASHOP”,WHICHMEANSAPERSONWHOISCLUMSYANDBUNGLINGANDCAUSESALOTOFTROUBLEINASITUATIONREQUIRINGTACTANDDELICACYBEAVERISAHARDWORKINGANIMALINNORTHAMERICA,BUTTHECHINESEPEOPLEKNOWLITTLEOFITABEAVERHASAUNIQUETECHNIQUEANDABILITYFORCREATIVITYITSCONSTANTACTIVITY,ITSHABITOFGNAWINGDOWNTREESANDBUILDINGCOMPLEX“HOMES”ANDITSSKILLANDINGENUITYINDOINGTHISHAVEEARNEDFORTHEANIMALTHENAMEEAGERBEAVERSOTHEIDIOM“EAGERBEAVER”INENGLISHMEANSSOMEONEWHOISTOOINDUSTRIOUSANDWORKSHARDERTHANTHEYSHOULDTHETERMSOMETIMESHASASLIGHTLYDEROGATORYCONNOTATIONHOWEVER,TOMOSTCHINESEPEOPLE,ABEAVERISONLYAKINDOFANIMALWITHOUTANYCULTURALCONNOTATIONSCATHASRICHCULTURALCONNOTATIONSINENGLISHCULTUREINTHEENGLISHMYTHOLOGY,CATCANEVENAFFECTTHECHANGEOFTHEWEATHER,ASTHESAYINGGOES,“TORAINCATSANDDOGS傾盆大雨”AND“THECATHASAGALEOFWINDINHERTAIL這貓尾巴里有一陣大風(fēng)”“THEREISNOTHINGFORITBUTTOWAITANDSEEHOWTHECATJUMPS眼前只有靜待，看看事情如何轉(zhuǎn)變，英語中“貓怎樣跳”指風(fēng)向怎樣變。INWESTERNCOUNTRIES,CATISAHOUSEHOLDPETUNDERTHEPARTICULARCULTURALBACKGROUND,THE“CAT”CANBEUSEDTOREFERTOMANYKINDSOFCHARACTER,FOREXAMPLE,1DONTLISTENTOHERGOSSIPSHEISACAT別聽她搬弄是非，她是個心地惡毒的女人。2HEWASDOWNWITHFEVERANDWASSICKASACAT他發(fā)燒病倒，病情嚴(yán)重。3ICANNOTSTANDTHATMANHESASSLEEKASACAT我對那個人簡直無法忍受，他花言巧語，油頭滑舌。ITISDIFFICULTFORCHINESEPEOPLETOUNDERSTANDTHEABOVEEXAMPLESHOWEVER,THECHINESEPEOPLEUSE“CAT”ASMETAPHORSTOREFERTOPERSONSINDIFFERENTSENSESSUCHAS“饞貓”“夜貓子”IIGAPINENGLISHALLTHECHINESEPEOPLEKNOWTHE“CRANE”INCHINESESTANDSFORLONGEVITYSOCHINESEPARENTSNAMETHEIRCHILDAS“鶴年”O(jiān)R“鶴齡”TOSHOWTHEIRHOPETHATTHECHILDWILLLIVETOARIPEOLDAGETHECRANEISOFTENPAIREDWITHTHEPINETREE,WHICHISASYMBOLFORSTURDINESSANDLONGLIFEBUTTOWESTERNMINDS,CRANEISTHOUGHTTOBEANUGLYBIRD,WHICHDOESNOTARISEANYSUCHASSOCIATION“TORTOISE”INCHINESEPEOPLESMINDSHASTWOMEANINGS,ONESYMBOLIZESLONGEVITYTHEOTHERMEANS“FOOLISHPEOPLE”HOWEVER,“TORTOISE”DOESNTHAVESUCHKINDASSOCIATIVECONNOTATIONSINENGLISHCULTURETHETORTOISEISJUSTASLOWMOVINGANDNOTVER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