1、 Language and Culturehapter1Deslanguageshapeulturerdesultureshapelanguage?Inyvie,languageisairrr,infrntfhihultureisrefleted.Asastudentajringinhineseasafreignlanguage,IdlikettakethisadvantagetdisusstheulturaldifferenesbeteenhineseandEnglish.Inthefllingpassage,Iagingtelabratentheulturaldifferenesrefle
2、tinginlrs.Thereareanylrrdsinurlanguage,suhasred,hite,blak,yell,purpleandsfrth,hihareusedfrequently.Inthefirstplae,Idliketintrduethenusagesfthelrrds.1.adj.+lrrd(1)“deep/dark+lrrds“:indiatingthestrnglre.g.,deepblue;deepgreen;darkbrn;darkred.(2)“light/pale+lrrds“:indiatingthelightlre.g.,lightyell;light
3、blue;palegrey;palehite.(3)“bright/rih/vivid+lrrds“:indiatingthebrightlre.g.,bright/rih/vividred;bright/rih/vividyell.(4)“dull/dirty+lrrds“:indiatingthedarklre.g.,dullyell;dullgld;dirtygrey;dirtyhite.2.“lrrds+-ish“Thisgrupindiatesthedifferentshadesfthelr.Anadjetiveflledby-isheans“slightly“e.g.,hitish
4、sky,yellishbkleaves;reddishfae3.“lrrds+lrrds“Thispatternindiatestheixturefthelr.Thefrerstandsfrtheainlr,hilethelatterfuntinsasdifiatin.e.g.,redgreen;greenyell;greyblue4.“lrrds+and+lrrds“Tlrsexistinginsethingithutbeingixedfradesignandlr.e.g.,Thedgisblakandhite.Shehasayellandblakar.hapter2Englishabund
5、sithphrasesntaininglrrds.lrsaynveydifferentessagestpeplefdifferentultures.Duettherespetiveulturalbakgrundandtraditin,sephrasesntaininglrrdshavefarsurpassedtheirriginaleanings,fringdifferentnntatins.hatdesseeredean?Ifheisinablued,hatkindfdishein?Ishehappy,sad,rhat?bviusly,redandbluednteanjustthelr.Ea
6、hhasadditinaleanings-ertainulturalassiatins-thatarehiddenbehindtherd.Thefllingpartillbedevtedtthedisussinfulturaldifferenesfertainlrrds.2.1RedInbthhineseandEnglish,redisusuallyassiatedithhappyasins.nalendar,eanfindthathlidayssuhasSpringFestivalareprintedinred,hihisalled“red-letterdays”,hilerdinaryda
7、ysareinblak.Besides,“tpaintthetnred”istelebrateildly,tenjyneselftnesheartsntent.Antherexapleist“rlluttheredarpetfrsene”,eaningtgiveahspitableandfralreeptin.Siilarly,hinesepepletraditinallyutredupletsandappliquetelebrateasinslikeeddingandNeYear.Besides,ehaveaveryfaustradeark“dubleredhappiness”(红双喜)hi
8、hissyblifgdfrtune.Redisalsassiatedithertainetins.Letusseeafeexaples.Helenhedhisfistandentveryred.Herfaeturnedredhenbbardedithsuhanebarrassingquestin.Ianseethatheisredithanger.henheritiizedyrk,Ireallysared.Theereentinfhiseneysnaeislikeavingaredflagthi.Inthesentenesabve,eanguesstheeaningfse,frthereisa
9、nhineseequivalent，hilethethersarentseasytunderstandbyhinese.Frinstane,inEnglish,herfaeturnedredrtbeered-faedshsnesebarrassent,asitdesinhinese 脸红.Buthatistheeaningfseeredandavingaredflag?Bthsuggestanger.Thefrereanstbeeveryangryhilethelattereanstausequikangerinsebdybydingsethingffensive.“Gvernentpliyi
10、ninterestrates,andnfinanegenerally,hasbeenarkedbyvaillatin,ishfulthinking,eletralexpedienyfthestshaefultypetardstheendflastyear,ntrtinsandntraditins,alltadatetherednekenisftheNatinaluntryParty.(HarsardAug.271981)”Intheexapleabve,“rednek”isusedasanadjetive,eaning“reatinary”.“rednekery”derivingfr“redn
11、ek”referst“reatinaryattitudes”.Frinstane,“therednekeryftheQueenlandgvernent(GarthNettheiABBksandritingApr.21.1982)”Theliteraleaningf“rednek”isred-nek.Hisitrelatedt“reatinary”?“rednek”riginallyeant(AE)SuthernfarersfU.S.A.,usuallyarryingadergatryeaning.N“reatinary”,theextendedeaningf“rednek”,hassethin
12、gtdithitsspeialhistrialandgegraphialbakgrund.Antherexaple.“Irnially,itasRedNseDay,thedayhenillinsfAustraliansdnnedrednsestsupprtresearhintsuddeninfantdeathsyndre.(NeIdea.t.71989)”RedNseDayreferstadaynhihanappealisadefrdnatinsfrresearhintsuddeninfantdeathsyndre,arkedbythedistributinfplastirednsestdnr
13、s.Inhinese,hever,thereisnsuhnntatin.Seesternerstake“red”asanevilenrredfrdanger,steingfrthespiritsfbullfighters.Stheredrag(rredflag)thatbullfightersusetprvatebullsisnsideredannying.ArdingttheRandHuseDitinary,redfurtherdevelpstbethesynnyfrplitialradial.Furtherre,redhasseextendedeanings,suhasruelty,dis
14、aster,trivialfralities,et.redalert alaringineergenyaredbattle aruelbattleinhihaltfliveshavebeenlstbeaughtred-handed beaughtnsitehaveredhands itaurderredideas revlutinaryneptsredruin fire(asadisaster)redtape bureauratiritingsinthered indebtdntarearedent dntareatall2.2hiteTsthineseandesterners,hitehas
15、seeaningsinn.hitesuggestspurity,inneneandhnesty.e.g.,aryisahitegirl.(pureandinnent)Tisaveryhiteby.Henevertellslies.(hnest)Butinthissense,hatdestheterahitelieean?analiebepureandinnent?Atually,ahitelieisaharlessne,intendedntthurtsene.Frexaple,yurtherbughtadressfryuthatsheasverysatisfiedith,andantedtkn
16、ifyulikedit.aybeinyurind,itasutfthefashinrthelrasnttyurtaste.Butyusaid,“h,Ireallylikeit”inrdernttletherdn.Itasalie,butagd-intentinedlie.Thenntatinfhiteinhinesealsinludessethingunhappy.Atfunerals,hinesepayrespettthedeadandexpresstheirsrrbyearinghiteandritingelegiaupletsinhitepaper.Intheest,hever,hite
17、isthetraditinallrfrthebridesateddings,andtearhiteatfuneralsuldbeffensive.Sareshuldbetakenintranslatingthephrase 红白喜事.Tavidisunderstanding,eanputitsiplyaseddingsandfunerals.Talkingabutredandhite,thereisaninterestinginideneinhineseandEnglish.Inhinese,thsehareppularandfindfavriththeirbssesarealled 红人(r
18、edguyliterally).ButIrishpepleallthethehite-headedby.Inthissense,redequalshiteinthetultures.ehaveafausdraaalled白毛女.IfetranslateitliterallyasAhite-hairedGirl,thseesternersillbenfusedanditillbeveryhardtseetheprfundeaningbehindit Inldhina,flksingeneralereadeghsts,hilethingshavehangedaltinnehina.Inadditi
19、n,hereisalletinfexpressinsntainingtherdhite.thehitearea ananti-revlutinaryareaahiteday alukydayhitelightdistrit ever-brightareaahiteelephant sethingburdenseandvalueless;hugeburdenshthehitefeather shfearahiteslave senehisfredtbeaslavedaysarkedithahitestne happydaysahitear aarithutbldshed;anenipetitin
20、bleedhite extrteveryentfrsene2.3BlakInbthhineseandEnglish,therearevariustersindiatingthatblakftenarriesanegativeeaning:blakail(勒索),blaklist（黑名单),blak-hearted(黑心的)，blakarket(黑市),et.Butinthefllingsentene,anyuguesstheeaning?Sinehetkverthebusiness,thepanyhasbeenintheblak.Intheexapleabve,blakhasagdeaning
21、 runningthebusinessprfitably.Theterintheblakreindsefthephraseintheredhihisjustppsitetthefrerne.Bthtersefrthelrftheinkusedinkeepingaunts.Interestingly,ehaveanapprpriateequivalentinhinese-赤字,prbablybughtfrEnglish.Besides,blakipliesgl,disgrae,isfrtune,extreeanger,et,asanbeseeninthefllingexaples.theblak
22、art enhantentblakandblue fullfbruisesblakday unlukydayblakdg unhappyablaklk anangrylk;glareatsebdyinablakd inlspiritsblaksheep evileberftheherdablakstranger astrangerutandutturnblakhite nfuserightandrng2.4BlueItseesthatblueisafavrablerdthinese thebluesky,asftenasnt,anaruseustyearnfrabetterfuture;the
23、blueseafullfunertaintyinduesbundlessiaginatin.Naturally,etakeitfrgrantedthatthefaussngLveisBlueequalsarantilvestry.Inesternulture,hever,bluedesntassiateithhappinessandiaginatin,butglanddepressin.Hehasbeeninablued(rhavingtheblues)sineheknethathisfailureintheentraneexainatin.Inthisexaple,thsetterseana
24、sadrglyd.Siilarly,abluendayarriesthesaefeeling.Usuallyafterthehappyeekends,earelikelytfeelrelutanttattendshlrgbaktrk,thusingtheexpressin-abluendaythatanbeaeptedandunderstdbybthultures.Blueisalsftenassiatedithhighsialstatusrbeingaristrati.Heisarealbluebldeansheisfranaristratifaily.Inadditin,inU.S.,ab
25、kiththenaesffausfigures,espeiallytpgvernentffiials,isalledbluebk.Hereisretpleenttherdlistfblue.blueabutthegills indepressinbluedevils depressinandglbluefil ertifilInhinese,eallit 黄色电影(ayellfilliterally).neinabluen urringnlyneinathusandyearsblueinthefae lkpastyblueurder hrriblesreaingandshutssingtheb
26、lues inlspirits;verydepressedutftheblue athunderfrthelearsky;thesuddeningfsethingunexpeted2.5GreenEnglishhasthetergreen-eyedrgreenithenvy,btheaningjealusandenvius.Hever,inhinese,theexpressinusedtdesribethesaefeelingis 眼红 r 红眼病(literallyred-eyed) attallydifferentlrfrthesaefeeling!InEnglish,greenalsin
27、diateslakinginexperiene,asseeninthephrasegreenhandandgreenhrn.Thefrersuggestssenehisinexperienedandiature.Thelattersuggestsaniigranthisntfailiarithlalustsruntravelled.Bytheay,thehineseexpressin 戴绿帽子（literallytearagreenhat）eanstbeaukld.Ifetranslateitrdbyrd,isunderstandingrnfusinillarise.henpairedithd
28、ifferentrds,itseaningisdifferent.Thefllingexaplesellillustrateitsvariususages.greenapple unripeapplegreenbak USdllarsgreenfrtheshl freshfrtheshlgreenhuse aaringhusegivethegreenlighttsebdy allsenetdsethingagreenldage bearnesageellgreenper ightypergreenrevlutin agriulture-relatedrefrgreenr thedraingrf
29、ratrsandatressesgtthegreend tbetheherinthed2.6YellYellappearsinsuhhineseexpressinsas 黄色书刊，黄色电影，黄色音乐.Shuldtheybetranslatedasyellbks,yellvies,yellusi?fursent.eanreplae 黄色ithfilthy,bsene,rvulgar.InEnglish,ehavethephraseyelljurnalishihlaystuhephasisnsandalsrexaggeratestherdinarynestasensatinaldegree,set
30、iesevenithdistrtin.Siilarly,ehaveYellPages(黄页)bthinhineseandEnglish. Thisisabkiththetelephnenubersfdifferentshps,businesses,rganizatins,et.,arrangedintherderfdifferentategries.YellPagesisaveryusefulhandbkhsepagesareyell,butthententisntyellinthehinesesense.Generallyspeaking,yellistseextentdergatrytha
31、tarriesthenntatinsfardie,jealusy,suspiinandnteptibility.Hereistheprf.yellalert alertinadvaneyellby gldinayelldg anteptiblepersnayelldgntrat antratsignedintheprenditinthattheeplyeeillntjininthelabruninthesearandyellleaf anldageyelllks suspiiuslksyellstreak tendingtbeardandhiken-hearted2.7PurpleInEngl
32、ish,purplesharesthesaenntatinasthatinhineselanguage.Intheeyefesterners,purpleisthesyblfeperrandper.Inpartiular,thepurplereferstthethrneftheeperrrtheppe.“tbebrninthepurple”eans“tbebrninaryalfaily”;“tberaisedtthepurple”eans“tbeprtedtthepsitinasappe”;“purplepassages”eans“tflridrds”,et.Inhinese,ehave 红得
33、发紫,eaningppularttheextree.Here,purpleindiatesthedegreefppularity(红).Hereisre:arryintthepurple arryintafailyfhighsialpsitinpurplepathes ppuspassagesturnpurpleithrage flyintafuryPurpleHeart (US)aninsigniaaardedtthseundedinthebattle2.8GreyGreyisftenusedtsuggestdarkness,sulleneather,bluedrglyutlk.Frinst
34、anes,Helksgreyandtired.Theprspetfthearketisgrey.Heisagrey-hairedann.Greyalssuggestsisdandtat,asinthefllingexpressins:greyisd,greyatter,andgraybeard.therlrshavesenntatinsasell,butillntbedisussedhere.hapter3Ardingttheabveparisnandanalysis,eanseethattherearedistintdifferenesbeteenthelrrdsinhineseandEng
35、lish.Seties,hineseayntusethelrrdshentheyareusedinEnglishexpressinsandvieversa.Letusseeafeexaplesntainingthehineseharater红.红人 afavriteithsebdyinper 红榜 hnrrll 红利 bnus;extradividend 红运 gdluk 红光满面 nesfaeglingithhealth 脸红 blush 红茶 blaktea 红绿灯 traffilightIbelievetheabve-entinedexaplesaplyillustratethepint
36、.nanyasins,itisntthebasieaningfthelrthatfuntins,buttheprfundulturalassiatinsrelatedtthelrthatfuntins.Thatistsay,thedifferenesinusinglrrdsbeteenhineseandEnglishstanduthenthelrrdstheselvesdntplayaniprtantpart.Tfatrsayhelptillustrate.Firstisthelanguageitself.Thereareanydifferenesintheharateristisfbthla
37、nguages.Englishrdsareharaterizedbyflexibility.nerdislikelythavedifferenteaningsindifferentntexts.parativelyspeaking,theeaningfhineserdsreainsfixed.hineseisfeaturedbystandard,rigrandpreisenessinhsingtherds.Letstaketherdgreenfrexaple.Greengainsertainneeaninghenassiatediththephrasegreenrevlutinandhenit
38、isusedalne,itstillarriesthateaning.Hever,greeninhineseilllsetheeaningunlessitisbinedithrevlutinrtherrdsinsiilar.Sendisthefatrbeyndthelanguage,hihinludestheulturalfatrssuhasdifferentusts,traditinsandulturalbakgrund.herevertheabve-entineddifferenesexist,theusingfthelrrdsanntbethesae.Therefre,speialattentinshuldbepaidinusingthelrrds.Referenes: 英汉语言文化对比研究 李瑞华主编上海外语教育出版社 1997.3 语言与文化 英汉语言文化对比邓炎昌、刘润清著 语言与文化 顾嘉祖、陆昇上海外语教育出版社1990.6 英语翻译规律 碧青、周丽蕊主编
