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1、英汉文化中关于动物词汇的翻译及其喻义 ENGLISH AND CHINESE CULTURE ON ANIMAL WORDS IN TRANSLATION AND FIGURATIVE MEANINGAbstractIn the long course of the development of human history, animals usually keep a close relation with human beings and influence human existence and development deeply. The close relation results
2、 in human complex feelings of fondness, sympathy or hatred. Also, people often use animals to express their feelings. So many words about animals come into human languages. There are a lot of vocabularies with relation to animals in both English and Chinese culture. Words of the language reflect dif
3、ferences of cultural development. Because of the influence of cultural components in history, custom, pricing view, religion, and belief and so on, the two languages, Chinese and English, give their own connotations to animal words. This article is to compare the cultural similarities and difference
4、s in terms of animal words cultural backgrounds and their fundaments, and cultural connotations of animal words in English and Chinese. It also analyzes how to translate animal words between English and Chinese to help people do well in the cross-cultural communication smoothly and properly. Key Wor
5、ds: animal words; culture; translation; connotations; figurative meaning摘 要在人类历史发展的漫长过程中，动物常与人类保持着密切的关系，并且深刻地影响着人类的生存与发展。这种密切的关系导致人类对动物有复杂的感情，如：喜爱、同情和厌恶。同样，人们也经常用动物来表达他们的感情。因此许多动物词汇进入了人类的语言中。在英汉文化中，有许多关于动物的词汇。语言反映了不同的文化发展。由于历史、习惯、价值观、宗教和信仰等等对文化成分的影响，使英汉两种语言赋予了他们自己的动物词汇内涵。本文就动物的文化背景中相似及不同之处，基本理论和英汉中动
6、物词汇的文化内涵进行比较。同时，分析了怎样在英汉中翻译动物词汇，以帮助人们在跨文化交际时，能够顺利准确地表达。关键词：动物词汇；文化；翻译；内涵；比喻意义 CONTENTSIntroduction11. Close Relationships between Animals and Human Beings21.1 Influence of Animal Words in both Chinese and English Culture21.2 Culture is Also Historical Phenomenon21.3 English and Chinese are Rich in A
7、nimal Words22. Same Animal Words as Association Vehicles42.1 Animal Association Vehicles and Similar Figurative Meanings42.2 Animal Association Vehicles and Different Figurative Meanings52.2.1 Animal Words with Commendatory Figurative Meaning in Chinese and Derogatory Figurative Meaning in English.5
8、2.2.2 Animal Words with Commendatory Figurative Meaning in English and Derogatory Figurative Meaning in Chinese62.3 Teaching Method with Mother Tongue82.4 Semantic Gaps92.4.1 Same Animal Words with Rich Figurative Meanings in English and with No Figurative Meanings in Chinese92.4.2 Same Animal Words
9、 with Rich Figurative Meanings in Chinese and with No Figurative Meanings in English103. Influences of Figurative Meanings of Animal Words on Intercultural Communication124. Translation of Animal Metaphors134.1 Importance of Translation134.2 Methods of Translation134.2.1 Keeping Image of Animal Asso
10、ciation Vehicles134.2.2 Changing Image of Animal Association Vehicles144.2.3 Discarding Image of Animal Association Vehicles155. Conclusion17Bibliography18Introduction Human beings and animals are both the products of natural world, and in fact man had evolved between animals. But since human beings
11、 used language, there have existed some great differences between man and animals. Language, the result of human labor and social activities, is human specific, which is the major factor that distinguishes human beings from animals. In the long progress of human society, animals, which provide food
12、and labor force for human, have been closely bound up with human existence and development. Their furs were also good dress materials for ancient human to keep out wind and cold. In a certain stage of primitive society, man once considered animals as Gods to worship. So far animals are still close f
13、riends of human beings. Now that animals play an important role in human lives, the animal words in human languages will bear the deep socio-cultural imprints in the course of being used long by the human beings.1. Close Relationships between Animals and Human Beings 1.1 Influence of Animal Words in
14、 both Chinese and English Culture Language is the container of cultural information. Human beings have been interacting with the world and accumulated their experience and knowledge about the world, which are represented in language. As a result, we can find in language all human knowledge and exper
15、ience which are interpreted as cultural information (王振亚 2002).So in human language there exists a plenty of animal words that is often used as kinds of association vehicles. Human beings often associate their feelings and emotions with various animals according to animals features such as their app
16、earances, habits and characteristics so that the names or images of animals possess specific cultural connotations. Culture is the soil of language. Sir Edward Taylor was one of those who first defined culture，in Primitive Culture (1871). His definition was that “Culture is complex whole, which incl
17、udes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, customs and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.” Taylors definition has continually been the basis of most anthropological conception of culture (伍卓 2001).1.2 Culture is Also Historical PhenomenonEach generation inherits
18、 the culture established by its forefathers and makes its own contributions to the development of culture; so different nations have different cultures. Universality between Chinese and English cultures and similarity in the thinking modes make people associate the same animal words with the same or
19、 similar figurative meanings. But differences between these two cultures always lead to different association, i.e. Chinese and English people have different figurative meanings to same animal words or use different animal association vehicles to express same or similar figurative meanings.1.3 Engli
20、sh and Chinese are Rich in Animal WordsEnglish and Chinese are rich in animal words as association vehicles, so in this paper mainly compare figurative meanings of animal words in English and Chinese culture and indicate translation techniques.2. Same Animal Words as Association Vehicles It is well
21、known that there are many figurative expressions in English and Chinese, especially animal metaphors. However, because of different histories, social backgrounds and cultures, the connotations of animal words are different. If Chinese people and English people want to use the figurative way to expre
22、ss the same tenor, they would use the same or different association vehicles, so the corresponding relationships between association vehicles and figurative meanings are also different.2.1 Animal Association Vehicles and Similar Figurative MeaningsWhen all human beings live in the similar environmen
23、t, the Chinese people and English people nearly have the same knowledge of animals. Therefore, they have the same or similar figurative meanings to animal words. For example, English people would say, “He is a fox.” Similarly, Chinese people can understand the meaning of the sentence “He is a fox.”
24、This example shows that in English “fox” can be used to describe somebody who is cunning and dishonest. This example indicates that different languages and cultures endow “fox the same figurative meanings. The following animal words have the similar figurative meanings both in English and Chinese. “
25、Sheep or lamb” can be considered as a kind of animal with a sweet and tame temper. As a result, the “sheep or lamb” is used to show the character with a sweet and tame temper both in English and Chinese, for example: “as lovely as a little sheep ”,and “ to make sheeps eyes at somebody.” ; “as meek a
26、s a lamb”. Wolf is a kind of greedy, savage and cruel beast, so in Chinese there exist many idioms such as expressions: “狼心狗肺”, “豺狼当道”, “如狼似虎”, “狼吞虎咽”, “狼狈为奸”. Similarly, the greedy, sinister, dishonest character of wolf also displays vividly and incisively in western culture, e.g.: “a wolf in a she
27、eps clothing or a wolf in lambs skin ”; “wake a sleeping wolf ”; “hold a wolf by the ears”; “ keep the wolf from the door” ; “set the wolf to keep the sheep” (金惠康 2004). “Ass” in English and Chinese has the same connotation and figurative meaning “foolish, stupid”. In Chinese the expression “somebod
28、y doesnt smart” is used to indicate a fool or an idiot. In English, most of the set phrases, idioms and proverbs including the word “ass all imply the meaning of “foolish”, e.g. “ass in grain ”; “an ass in a lions skin”; “all asses wag their ears”; “asses bridge”; “honey is not for the asss mouth”;
29、“make an ass of oneself ”; “sell you ass” (李秀萍 1999). The word “dove” in Chinese and English shares the same meaning, and symbolizes for peace. We regard the dove as “peace dove”; “As mild as a dove.”; “People swear that the dove”; “Dove - Loving constancy and peace.” In some grand celebrations, we
30、often see the scene of taking the doves away, standing for cherished desire for peace world of all of us. This kind of terms with same or similar figurative meanings show that in different cultures there does exist something in common, which reflects the commonness of different national cultures.2.2
31、 Animal Association Vehicles and Different Figurative MeaningsDifferent living conditions have caused varied states of mind and ways of thinking, so Chinese and English people have different ideas and attitudes to some animals such as dogs, cats. And their figurative meanings in both languages and c
32、ultures differ greatly.2.2.1 Animal Words with Commendatory Figurative Meaning in Chinese and Derogatory Figurative Meaning in English.We must be very familiar the word “cat”, which is completely opposite in Chinese and English. “Cat” is a lovely animal in Chinese thinking, in many families, cat as
33、pet is feed by people. Cat can also help human beings to catch mouse. Sometimes, cat is gentle and soft, but sometimes it is very lively and plays with host. But in western culture “cat” has derogatory figurative meaning; The western are scared of black cats，especially the British，they combine black
34、 cats with witches。If somebody come across a black cat at a dark Friday night, it foreshows the one will suffer doom. At ancient of Great Britain, people often consider that the evil spirit will become black animal, especially black cat, some people think black cat is witchs incarnation, black cat h
35、as nine lives, witch has black art for nine times. Killing a black cat, she can also change eight times. In English, cat usually described a woman who with ill temper or whose is a big mouth. For example: “And I suppose he will tell all the people, the old cat.”; “She is a cat”; “The man and his wif
36、e lead a cat and dog life, and both are miserable”; “The cat would eat fish and would not wet her feet”. And lots of idioms are about cat, for instance: “A cat has nine lives”; “Cats hide their claws”; “All cats are grey in the dark”; “The cat shuts its eyes when stealing cream”; “Care killed the ca
37、t”; “When the cat is away, the mice will play”; “let the cat out of bag”; “not a cat in hells chance”.“Monkey” has different figurative meaning in Chinese and English languages. In Chinese, “monkey” is often likened to a smart and clever person, with commendatory sense. The Chinese people often joki
38、ngly call clever and cute children “little monkey”. But, if you praise a western child “You are like a little monkey”, he will be angry, thinking that you curse him, because in English, “little monkey,” means “a troublesome playful child”. And “monkey” is often likened to a person with a whole bag o
39、f tricks, e.g. “The man is as tricky as a monkey.” Therefore, in English, expressions with “monkey” have derogatory meanings, e.g. “monkey business”; “monkey around”; “monkey meat”; “suck the monkey”.In south of China, bat is always carved on the old-fashioned door, because bat means good luck, luck
40、y, wealth, happiness, in Chinese, bat is pronounced “bian fu”, it is the same pronunciation of “fu”(福), at the countrys market, people often see many drawings about bat and deer on holidays, these drawings are very popular, bat and deer pronounced like “fu”, “lu” in Chinese, implied meaning of wealt
41、h, status and health, But in west, people dont like bat any more, in western opinion bat is a evil and ugly vampire, they not only fear but also dislike it. People usually mix it up with evil and dark forces. In English, there are so many phrases about bat have derogatory figurative meanings, such a
42、s: “Hes a bit batty”; “as blind as a bat”; “crazy as a bat”; “have bats in the belfry”. Because bat sleeps at day and flies out to looking for food at night, so become specific vocabulary, for example: “like a bat out of hell”; “as a good bat”.2.2.2 Animal Words with Commendatory Figurative Meaning
43、in English and Derogatory Figurative Meaning in ChineseLet us take our familiar animal word “dog” for example. In our daily life, dog is always with people, especially in the West. Western consider that dog is the faithful friend of human being, not only in western movies but also in novels, dog is
44、with the owner all the time, even at the moment of truth, it is always to help or save its owner. The American writer Jack London, whose famous work is The Call of the Wild, is a good example. In the novel, Jack London described his favorite dog which has the blood of St Bernard and Scotland shepher
45、d-Buick vividly. Dog has become the part of human life, some people enjoys having dog around, and others likes playing with dog, even seeing eye dog can help the blind, and so on, in the Western culture, the description of the dog is positive. Also in English vocabulary many descriptions about “dog”
46、 are complimentary sense. like：“Love me, love my dog”; “ Every dog has his day ”; “ Barking dogs seldom bite ”; “ A good dog deserves a good bone” ; “ He worked like a dog”; “Let sleeping dogs lie ”; “A son never thinks his mother ugly, and a dog never shuns its owners home however shabby it is”; “A
47、 living dog is better than a dead lion”; “An old dog barks not in vain”; “top dog”; “a lucky dog”; “big dog”; “dog days” and so on. However, in some cases the word “dog” may have derogatory sense in English, as is shown in the following examples: “yellow dog”, “dirty dog”, “sly dog”, “dead dog”, and
48、 some vulgar languages: “son of bitch”, “you dog”, Such usage does not contain derogatory meaning. But figures of speech like these are not proper in Chinese as the word “狗” in most Chinese phrases is associated with some derogatory meanings, as is reflected in sayings like “狗胆包天、狗急跳墙、狗腿子、狗血喷头、狼心狗肺、狗眼看人低、狗嘴吐不出象牙”, etc., Even though most Chinese now think the dog is mans faithful friend and helps people to keep the door, if it done for nothing, people will kill it for eating.
