浅析颜色词在汉英文化中的差异
毕业论文关键词: 颜色词；象征意义；运用；文化差异；原因
Abstract Chinese and English are both the languages that full of plentiful color words. However, because of the influence of different geographical conditions, historical development, ways of thinking and cultural customs etc. people in both cultures have different understandings to some color words. This paper will expound the differences of color words between Chinese and English culture in the aspects of symbolic meanings and their relationship, application and translation, at the same time, analyze the causation of the differences according to a large of comparison and a series of examples, so that people can know that color words have rich cultural heritage in two different cultures. What’s more, this paper aims to enhance the perception and understanding of color words, so as to promote better communication of the people in both countries.
Key words: color words; symbolic meaning; application; cultural difference; causation
Contents
摘 要 i
Abstract ii
I. Introduction 1
II. Differences in Symbolic Meanings and Their Interrelationship 2
2.1 Differences in Symbolic Meanings 2
2.2 Interrelationship of Symbolic Meanings 4
III. Differences in Application and Translation 5
3.1 Differences in Their Application 5
3.2 Differences in Translation 7
IV. Causation of the Differences 8
4.1 Different Origins 8
4.2 Different Literary Allusions and Legends 9
4.3 Different Religions 10
4.4 Different Politics 10
4.5 Different National Cognitive Style 10
4.6 Different Geographical Environment 11
V. Conclusion 12
Bibliography 13
Acknowledgments 14
Differences of Color Words Between Chinese and English Culture
I. Introduction
Color word, as its name implies, is the vocabulary to represent the color in our language. In Chinese and English language, there are rich words to express a variety of different colors and tints and to exhibit their unique charm(Zhao 47-49). Color words are also widely used in Chinese and English cultures, sometimes we would like to use some color words to show our feelings, conditions and views. Generally, warm colors make us in high spirits, while cold colors make us feel depressed. So Wassily Kandinsky, the founder of modern abstract artist, once pointed out that “color directly affects the spirit”(93).
As a matter of fact, from the view of the definition of science, color is a visual phenomenon caused by the object that launch, reflect or through a certain light wave. It is also one of the basic characteristics of human visual system. Color is a perception of us of the object world. Because of the same physiological mechanisms and visual nervous system, people have same perception of color fundamentally.
However, due to the influence of different geographical conditions, historic development, ways of thinking and cultural customs etc. Chinese and English cultures have formed their own unique color concepts in the long history of the precipitate. Thereby the evolution of the meaning of color words has been restricted. So people in two different cultures have different interpretations of color words, some even diametrically opposed. We give the colors of various different meanings, positive or negative. Hence, for a better understanding of the different culture heritage of color words, this paper will discuss the differences of color words between Chinese and western culture in the aspects of symbolic meanings and application and analyze the causation in details. So that people in both cultures can remove misunderstandings, reduce frictions and understand each other’s true intentions correctly.
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