中英顏色詞的文化內(nèi)涵對(duì)比研究

1、中英顏色詞的文化內(nèi)涵對(duì)比研究摘要：顏色詞作為詞匯中的一部分，有著豐富多彩的文化內(nèi)涵。不同民族的歷史背景、文化差異、思維方式以及心理狀態(tài)等造就了他們對(duì)于顏色詞的不同理解。本文主要對(duì)比研究英漢顏色詞，首先介紹了研究意義、論文結(jié)構(gòu)以及研究目的，其次，概述國(guó)內(nèi)外有關(guān)顏色詞的研究情況，再確定基礎(chǔ)顏色詞，運(yùn)用大量的實(shí)例對(duì)它們的文化內(nèi)涵進(jìn)行對(duì)比研究，然后探究產(chǎn)生這些顏色詞文化內(nèi)涵不同的原因，如認(rèn)知角度、宗教信仰、自然環(huán)境等，最后總結(jié)本文如何選詞，通過什么形式分析這類詞，然后歸納出結(jié)論：雖然中英顏色詞文化內(nèi)涵有很大的差別，但總體來說還是有相似的，比如，他們的文化內(nèi)涵都是多樣化的，都有褒貶義等。本論文有助于理解

2、中英顏色詞文化內(nèi)涵的差異，其研究成果可以運(yùn)用于跨文化交際和外國(guó)語言學(xué)習(xí)當(dāng)中。關(guān)鍵字：顏色詞，對(duì)比研究，文化內(nèi)涵TheContrastiveStudyonCulturalConnotationsofEnglishandChineseColorTermsAbstract:Asapartofthevocabulary,colortermshaveabundantculturalconnotation.Differentethnicpeopleholddifferentcomprehensionofcolortermsbecauseofdifferenthistoricbackground,cultu

3、re,thinkingpatternsandpsychologicalconditions.ThispapermainlystudiestheEnglishandChinesecolorterms.Firstly,itintroducesthesignificance,researchstructureandaimsofthestudy.Secondly,itsummarizestheforeignanddomesticstudiesofthecolorterms.Thirdly,itconfirmstheresearchobjectsandthenstudiestheirculturalco

4、nnotationsbyapplyingalargenumberofexamples.Fourthly,itdiscussesthecausesofthedifferencesofculturalconnotationsofthesecolorterms,suchascognition,religionsandnaturalenvironments.Finally,itconcludeshowtoselectthecolorterms,howtoanalyzethem,anddeducesthatalthoughtheirconnotationshavebigdifferences,gener

5、allyspeaking,theystillhavesomethingincommon,suchastheirdiversification,commendatoryandderogatorymeaningsandect.ThispaperisbeneficialtotheunderstandingofthedifferentculturalconnotationofEnglishandChinesecolorterms,anditsfindingscanbeappliedtocross-culturalcommunicationandforeignlanguagelearning.Keywo

6、rds:colorterms,contrastivestudy,culturalconnotation1.IntroductionInthispart,itintroducesthesignificance,researchstructuresandaimsofthestudy.Itwilltelleachofthemonebyone.SignificanceofthestudyVocabularyisthemostdynamicandactiveportion,andoccupiestheextremelyimportantposition.Colorterms,asapartofvocab

7、ulary,possessabundantculturalconnotations.Peoplefromdifferentnationsholddifferentcomprehensionofcolortermsfortheirnaturalenvironments,regions,cognitionandpsychologicalconditiondiffers.Withthedevelopmentofeconomyinrecentyears,Chinaexpandsthepatternofopeningtotheoutsideandpromotesitsinternationalposit

8、ion,sothecollisionandblendingofwesternandChineseculturebecomefrequent.InEnglishaswellasChinese,colortermsarewidelyputintousenotonlyinorallanguagebutalsoinliterallanguage.Therefore,itsofgreatimportancetounderstandcolorterms.Thisthesisenhancestheunderstandingofcolortermsconnotationthroughanalyzingthei

9、rnaturalenvironments,religionsandcognition,forthepurposeofdevelopingcross-culturalcommunicationwithease.ResearchStructureThisthesisiswritteninthefollowingfiveparts:introduction,reviewsofforeignanddomesticresearch,contrastivestudyonculturalconnotationsofcolorterms,causesofdifferencesandconclusion.Man

10、yexamplesofthesesevencolortermswillbeanalyzed.Therearethreecauses,cognition,religionsandnaturalenvironment.ResearchAimsFirstly,wecanhaveabettercomprehensiontoourChineseculturaloriginanddevelopmentthroughthecontrastivestudyonculturalconnotationofcolortermsbetweenEnglishandChinese.Furthermore,wecanfee

11、lthepeculiarityofourChineseculture.Secondly,thisstudyisbeneficialtounderstandtheactualmeaningofliteraturesindifferentlanguagesexactly.Inliterature,colortermsaregenerallyappliedtoenvironmentaldescriptionsoastoreinforceitstheme.Onlywhentheconnotationsofcolortermsarewellunderstoodcanwerealizetheliterat

12、ure.Thirdly,itwillanalyzethemfromcognition,religionsandenvironmentaspectssoastoreachabetterunderstandingoftheirculturalconnotations.Lastly,payingattentiontothedifferenceofwesternandChinesecolortermscanavoidculturalconflictwhencommunication.Recently,peoplefromdifferentcountrieshavemoreaccesstoencount

13、er;thereforecross-culturalcommunicationwillgetsuccessbyavoidingoffence.2.TheContrastiveStudyonCulturalConnotationsofEnglishandChineseBasicColorTermsVocabulary,consistingofcolorterms,istheportionoflanguage.Asthemostactiveelement,colortermsareusedinvariouskindsofcontexts.Inthispart,sevenbasiccolorterm

14、s,namely,white,black,red,green,yellow,blueandpurple,willbeanalyzedandstudiedbycomparingthesimilaritiesanddifferences.2.1White/白White/白hasaconnotationofpurity,kindnessandloyaltyinbothEnglishandinChinese.Forexample,peoplewilluse“白衣天使”inChinesetorepresentnursesfortheyaredressedinwhite.Idiomssuchas“清清白白

15、”and“潔白無瑕”areusedtodescribesomeonewhoispurebothinmindandbody.Andinwesterncountries,peopleprefertowearwhitedressintheirwedding.AlthoughwhiteisunluckyinChinesetraditionalculture,itbecomesChinesebridesfavoriteasaresultofthewesternandChineseculturalblending.However,therearealsodifferentconnotationsbetwe

16、enEnglishandChinese.InChinese,“白”usuallyhasderogatoryconnotations.Peoplealwayscombine“白”withdeath.Forinstance,“白事”means“funeralaffairs”,and“白車”referstothevehiclesusedinthefuneral.Inaddition,intheChineseculture,thechildrenofthedeadwouldwearinwhite.Andthereisaterm“白無?！眞hichreferstoaghostinwhitewhocant

17、akepeoplessoultothehell.“白”alsohastheconnotationsoffoolishness,failure,andnoavailableprofits.Forexample,peoplewithoutintelligencearecalled“白癡”.Attheendofawar,thefailedpartyalwaysholdsawhiteflagtogiveinorsurrender.Effortswithnobenefitsarecalled”白忙”,”白費(fèi)力”or“白干”.Itsymbolizescraftyorcunningaswell.Forins

18、tance,inChinesetraditionaldrama,“唱白臉”meansthatoneoffendssomeoneelsebydoingsomething.Whatsmore,“白丁”,“白衣”meanspeoplewithshallowknowledgeandwithoutanysocialrank.Andwhenoneisunacceptablebyhiscompanions,wewillsay“遭白眼”.Moreover,whiteisappliedtotheChineseidioms.Forinstances,“不白之冤”meansunrepressedinjusticea

19、nd“一窮二白”meanspoorandblank.However,inthewest,especiallyinEuropeandAmerica,oneconnotationofwhiteispureandkind.Thereforeitisalwaysusedasthefeaturedcolorofweddingdress,whichimpliesthatthewifewillbeloyalaswellasfaithfultoherhusbandthroughthickandthin.Italsoembodiesuprightaswellasfaithful,suchasawhitespir

20、it,whitemenandwhitehand.Furthermore,whiteimplieslucky,suchasoneofthewhitedaysofsomebodyslife.Itmeanslegalandinnocentaswell,suchaswhitemarket,whitelistandwhitelies.2.2Black/黑Black/黑usuallyhasderogatoryconnotations.Itisreflectedinthefollowingtwoaspects:Inthefirstplace,itreferstodisaster,deathandsorrow

21、.SinceinChristianity,thehellisadarkplacethatisthehomeofthewickedsouls.Asaresult,westernpeopleusuallywearinblacktoattendthefuneraltomournthedead.ThereisacolloquialexpressioninEnglish,thatis,towearblackforhisfather（為他父親戴孝）.AndduringthehundredwarbetweenFranceandEngland,anepidemicdiseasespreadbyratfleas

22、sweptthroughEnglandwithoutwarningoranycure,andasaresult,nearlyonehalfofthepopulationofEnglanddiedofitandgreateconomicdamagewascaused,whichlaterwascalledtheBlackDeath.Hereblackmeansthedisasteraswellasdeath.Theresaphrase“黑無?！眎nChinesewhichreferstoaghostinblackwhocantakepeoplessoultothedevil.Inthesecon

23、dplace,blackalsohasaconnotationofdarkness,evilnessandcrafty.Forexample,blackdeedsmeanthedeedswithsomebadpurposes;blackliehasthemeaningofinsidiouslie;blackmailmeansforcingsomeonetohandhismoneyoverbythreateninghim.Moretermsareavailable,suchasblacklistandsoforth.AndtherearemuchmoresimilarexpressionsinC

24、hinese,like“黑社會(huì)”(secretcriminalorganization),“黑幕”(theinternaldarksecretthatisunabletobeexposed),“腹黑”(somebodywithanevilheart).Apartfromsimilaritiesofblack/黑，theyalsohassomedifferentconnotations.BlackinEnglishisusedinderogatorysense.Firstly,blackalsohasaconnotationofunluckiness，hopelessness，suchasbla

25、ckfuture，whichreferstoahopelessfuture.BlackFridaymeansanunluckydayonwhichChristiansufferedCrucifixion.Secondly，itmeansangry，too，likegivesomebodyablacklook.Thirdly，blackhasaconnotationofsadness.Forinstance，blackhumorisusuallyusedintoartandfilms，notjustinliterature，whichmeansthatwecoulddonothingatallb

26、utlaughatthetragedyofhumansdestiny.WhileinChinese,“黑”isalwaysusedasderogatoryword.Firstofall,inChinese,“給某人抹黑”meanstobringshametosomebody,where“黑”referstodirtiness.Inaddition,“黑”meanssecretorillegalityaswell,forexample,“黑市”meansthemarketwherepeopledoillegalbusinesssecretly，justcorrespondingtoblackma

27、rketinEnglish.“黑戶”meansunregisteredresidents.“黑人”notonlyreferstoblackpeoplebutalsothepeoplewhodonothavepermanentresidentrights.“黑貨”referstothesmuggledgoodsthatavoidpayingtariff.“黑”isalsousedinscientistwiththedevelopmentofscience.Forinstance,“黑客”istranslatedfromhacker,whichreferstopeoplewhoattempttob

28、reakcomputerprograms，systemsandnetworksecuritywithabadpurpose.Whatsmore,“黑”alsoisappliedintothefieldoffinanceandeconomics,forinstance,“黑字”referstowithoutdebt.Frommostpeoplespointsofview,though,“黑”onlyhasderogatoryconnotations,itstillhasacommendatorysense.InBeijingOpera,“黑臉”isusedtodescribeZhangFei，a

29、Chinesehero，whichhasaconnotationofhisuprightness.Intheterm“黑豬肉”,“黑”referstofirst-class.InChinese,“烏”hasthesamemeaningas“黑”,suchas“烏骨雞”,whichreferstonutritiouschicken.“黑”alsoreferstosomeonewhoisveryexcellentbutnotwell-knownbyothers,suchas“黑馬”(theunexpectedwinner).Red/紅Red/“紅”hassomethingincommonaswel

30、l.Initspositivemeaning,redindicatesimportantfestivalsoractivities.Forinstance,theredletterdayreferstoanimportantdaywhensomeluckythingswillhappen.Howeverinitsnegativemeaning,redimpliesanger,forinstance,sheturnedredwithangerforherboyfriendwaslatefordate.Red-facedmeansthatsomebodyfeelssoembarrassedoran

31、grythathis/herfaceturnsred.InChinese,“氣得漲紅了臉”alsomeansthatsomebodyisveryangry.“尷尬到臉紅”meansthatsomeonefeelsembarrassed.Redalsohasaconnotationoferoticismorsex,suchasredlightdistrictinEnglish,whichreferstotheplaceswherepeopledosexualbusiness,whichiscorrespondingto“紅燈區(qū)”inChinese.Exceptsimilaritiesofthes

32、etwowords,theyalsohavedistinctions.RedleavesChineseanimpressionofwarmth,prosperity,happiness,celebrationandsoon.Manysamplesareavailable.Forexample,thenewcoupleswearredapparelinweddingtoexpresshappinessinancientChina.“紅雙喜”(doublehappiness)iswrittenonaredpaperanditisoftenposteduponthedoorsorwindowstoc

33、elebratethewedding.DuringtheSpringFestivalinChina,theolderwillgiveawayredenvelopswithmoneytotheirchildrensoastocelebratetheapproachingofNewYearandtohopetheirchildrenluckyinthewholeyear.Andpeopleuse“開門紅”toimplygoodfortuneinbusinessand“紅紅火火”tosymbolizeathrivingbusiness.Apartfromtheaboveconnotations,it

34、alsoreferstoenvy,suchas“眼紅”(greenwitheye).Italsoindicatesinhibitionorprohibition,suchas“亮紅牌”(showsomebodyredcards).RedhassomepoliticalsenseinChinesewhichmeansrevolutionaswell,suchas“紅色革命根據(jù)地”(redrevolutionarybase),“紅色政權(quán)”(redpoliticalpower),“紅軍”(theredarmy)andthelike.WhileinEnglish,redisalwaysusedasde

35、rogatoryword.Firstly,ithasaconnotationofdisaster.Forexample,intheredreferstobusinessataloss;red-handedmeansthatsomeoneiscaughtatthespot,forinstance,thethiefstoleanecklaceinthejewelrystorebutwascaughtred-handed.Secondly,redindicatespotentialdanger,suchastheredbuildingatthegateofinsurancecompany,which

36、isacautionforconsumers.Itisregardedasthesymboliccolorofterror,death.Green/綠Green/綠hasmanysameconnotations.Greenreferstoyouthandenergy,suchasagreenoldage（老當(dāng)益壯）,inthegreen（青春期）.Greenalsomeanshopeandpeace.OldBiblerecordedthatafterancientflood,NoahreleasedadovefromtheArktolookwhetherthefloodisreceded.Th

37、eGodaskedthedovetobringagreenolivebranchtoshowthatthefloodissubsided.Noahknewthenewsandrealizedpeacewouldcome.Sincethenon,peopleusedoveandgreenbranchtosymbolizepeaceaswellashope.Whatsmore,recentlyyears,topursueahealthy,environmental-friendlylivingsurroundings,peoplebegintopaymoreattentiontotheharmon

38、ydevelopmentbetweenhumanandnatureandtheenvironmentalprotection.Inconsequence,greenfood,greenconsumptionandgreenpackagecometoourdailylife,inChinese“綠色食品”,“綠色消費(fèi)”,“綠色包裝”relatively.Inaddition,greenisasymbolofpassingorstarting.Forinstance,greenlightmeanssomeoneorsomethingisallowedtopass.Forinstance,green

39、intrafficlightistoshowcarsandpedestrianstopass;greenchannelreferstoeasyaccesswithoutanyblocks;greencardmeansofficialpermissiontostartdoingsomething.AndinSouthAmericanstockmarket,greenrepresentsrisingofshares,butinpartofEastAsiancountries,itisopposite.Abovearecommendatoryconnotationsofgreen/綠withsame

40、connotations,butithasderogatorymeaningswithdifferentmeaningsaswell.Firstly,itimpliesinnocentyoungpeople.Forinstance,thenewshopassistantisverygreen.AndDavidHawkestranslated“怡紅院”and“怡紅公子”intogreendelightandgreenboy.Secondly,greenhasaconnotationofjealousy,suchasgreenwithenvy,whichhastheequivalentmeanin

41、gwith“眼紅”.Manysimilarphrasesareavailable,suchasgreen-eyed.Thirdly,therearesomemoreconnotations.Forexample,greenroomreferstoalobbyforactorstohavearest,andgreenSundaymeansthesecondSundayaftertheEaster.ComparedwithgreeninEnglish,“綠”inChinesehaslessconnotations.Firstly,“綠臉”inChinesetraditionalBeijingOpe

42、raimpliesacharacteristicwithimpetuoustemper.Secondly,“綠”alsoimpliesdisrepute.Forexample,weoftensay“戴綠帽子”toindicatethatsomeoneswifehasloveaffairswithothersratherthanmeanhereallywearsagreenhat.And“青”hasthesamemeaningwith“綠”inChinese,so“青樓”referstoabrothelratherthanagreenbuilding.Yellow/黃Firstly,yellow

43、hasaconnotationofwealthandprosperity.Thenoblealwaysusevariousgoldenutensilstouncovertheirhighsocialranksandgreatwealth,likelyinChinese,“黃金時(shí)代”(prosperousperiod),“黃金屋”(gloriouslife)“黃金地段”(economiccenterofanarea).Secondly,Yellowhastheconnotationofsorrow.Forexample,hiswayoflifeisfallenintothewitheredyel

44、lowleaf,whichindicatesheisnowinthesunsetofhisday.JustlikeinChineseviewpoint,itleavesasorrowfulanddepressedimpressionwhenthepetalsfallandtheleavesturnyellow;“人老珠黃”meanswomengetold,asifpearlsturnyellowwithtimeflyingby.Thirdly,yellowmeanswarning.Forinstance,yellowcardisawarningsignaltotheathleteswhobre

45、aktherules;yellowintrafficlightistowarnpassers-byandvehiclestopayattention.Apartfromsimilaritiesofyellowintwolanguages,ithasdifferentconnotations,too.Tobeginwith,yellowreferstoatelephonebook.InBritain,YellowPagesareusedtorecordalistoftelephonenumbers.Yellowhasthederogatoryconnotationofjealousyandcow

46、ardice.ItcanbedatedbacktotheBible.Judas,whobetrayedJesus,wasdressedinyellow.Inconsequence,yellowwithenvyinEnglishreferstobetrayalandjealousy.AndinAmericanslangyellowbellymeansacoward.ComparedwithyellowinEnglish,“黃”hasmorecommendatoryconnotations.“黃”meansimperialpower.Inancienttimes,“黃”isthecolorfore

47、mperorsexclusiveuse,theearliestemperor“黃帝”,whosenamecomesfromhisyellowclothesandyellowhat.Infeudaldynasty,“黃袍加身”meanssomebodyhasascendthethroneandacquiredtheimperialauthority.“黃”hastheconnotationofluckiness,suchas“黃道吉日”,whichisthedaypeoplechosetoholdimportantevents,suchaswedding.InChinesetraditional

48、BeijingOpera,“黃臉”referstofierceness,suchasthetypicalcharacterDianWei.Inaddition,“黃”symbolizestheoldoryoung,suchas,“黃眉”(oldman),“黃毛丫頭”(littlegirl).Therearethreederogatorymeaningsof“黃”.Thefirstnegativemeaningissex,orerotic,like“黃色書刊”(indecentbook),“黃色電影”(bluefilm).Thesecondmeaningisfailure.InChinese,w

49、henpeoplesay“這件事黃了”,itmeanssomethingfails.Thethirdonereferstodeath.“黃泉”meanstheplacewherethediedwillgo.Blue/藍(lán)Inwest,peopleusebluetodepictdepression,suchasthetermbeinabluemood.TherearefurtherexamplessuchasblueMonday,whichmeanspeoplehavereactedwithdismaytoMonday,becausetheyhavetobegintheboringjobs.Inf

50、luencedbywesternculture,Chinesealsouse“藍(lán)色的心情”toexpresstheirdepressed,sorrowfulfeeling.Whileblueisdifferentfrom“藍(lán)”infollowingaspects.Firstly,itmeanspurityandloyalty.IntheHolyBible,VirginMarywasdressedinblue,soblueindicatespurityinwesternpeopleseyes.AndinBritain,thecustomofweddingrequiresbridesdowryto

51、besomethingold,somethingnew,somethingborrowed,andsomethingblue,whichmeansshewillbefaithfultoherhusband.Secondly,bluealsoreferstothenoble,suchasbebornwithblueblood.Moreover,blue-brickuniversitiesrefertothetopuniversitieslikeOxfordUniversityandetc.toseparatethemfromsecond-classuniversities.Thirdly,ita

52、lsorepresentsthosewithlowsocialstatus.Forexample,blue-collarreferstothemanualworkers.Fourthly,bluehasaculturalconnotationofdiscriminationtowomen,suchasblue-stockingclubs,whichisprivatemeetingforwomentostudysincetheycouldnotentertheuniversitiesforfurtherstudy.Fifthly,italsomeansrelax.Forinstance,blue

53、hourisverypopularinUSandUK,whichreferstoafter-workrelaxingtime.Thephraseonceinabluemoonwhichisnotobvioustouse,whichmeanssomethingwillneverhappens,asifitisimpossibletoseeabluemoon.“藍(lán)”hasmuchlessculturalconnotationsthanblue.Thefirstconnotationisupright.“青出于藍(lán)而勝于藍(lán)”,forinstance,meansthatthestudenthassurp

54、assedhistutor.Thesecondisasplendidplan,suchas“藍(lán)圖”and“藍(lán)本”.Thethirdisbravenessandcalculating.IntraditionalBeijingOpera,“藍(lán)臉”isthebravebutcalculatingcharacteristics.Purple/紫Tobeginwith,purple/“紫”arebothrefertodignity.Forexample,purpleairwaymeanstheairwayjustforroyals;intheeraoftheByzantine,thekingwillad

55、dborntothepurple（紫生）intheendofhisnametodeclarehisorthodoxborn.AndinChinese,peopleuse“紫禁城”torefertothepalacewheretheemperorandhisfamilylived.Secondly,purplealsorefertosuccess.Forinstance,inEnglish,purplepatchmeansaperiodofsuccess.InChinese,weoftendescribeapersonwhohasobtainedgreatachievementsby“大紅大紫”

56、.Thirdly,purplemeansanger,too.Forinstance,hisfacewaspurplewithrage.Similarly,“紫”hasthesameconnotation,like“他氣得臉發(fā)紫”.However，differencesalsoexist.InEnglish,itreferstogorgeouslanguage,suchaspurplepassage,whichmeansthelanguageinthewritingistoogorgeous.Asfor“紫”,itsymbolizeswealthaswellasauspicioussign,su

57、chas“紫竹”,“紫氣東來”.3.CausesofDifferencesofCulturalConnotationsbetweenEnglishandChineseBasicColorTermsTherearealotofcausesofdifferencesofculturalconnotationsbetweenEnglishandChinesecolorterms.Thispartwillanalyzefromtwoaspects,namely,religionsaswellasnaturalenvironment.CognitionCognitionistheprocesstoget

58、knowledgethroughmentalactivitieswhich-4Tcompriseformationofconcept,consciousness,judgment,imaginationandetc,thatis,individualthinkingofinformationprocessing.Cognitiveprocesscanbenaturalorartificial,consciousorunconscious,socognitivestylesarevaried.AccordingtotheresearchofBerlinandKay,wecouldconclude

59、thatpeoplescognitionofcolorsdependsonopticnerveandbraincognitiveability,anditconsistsofsubjectiveexperiencewhichformsintermsofcognitivepsychology.Inthisresearch,itanalyzesculturalconnotationofcolortermsfromEnglishandChineseangle.Wecanfindthatpeoplehavesamecognitioninsomefield,butundermostsituations,

60、theyhavedifferentcognitions.Taketheredforexample.InChinese,redisendowedwithluckiness,happiness,prosperityandcelebration,butinwesternpeopleseyes,redisconnectedwithbloodanddisaster.Theyarecompletelydifferent.Thisisbecausetheirdifferentcognition.ReligionsReligionisanimportantpartofhumanstraditionalcult