英汉动物词汇内涵意义的对比研究_英语论文

A Cross-Cultural Study of Connotative Differences of Animal Words in Chinese and English 

摘要

本文从跨文化交际角度分析英汉动物词汇的内涵意义的异同，以概念意义和内涵意义为出发点，对比英汉动物词汇的文化内涵，主要分析了相同动物词汇的相同文化内涵、相同动物词汇的不同文化内涵、不同动物词汇的相似文化内涵以及动物词汇的内涵意义的缺失。研究发现，文化内涵差异的主要原因有：地理环境、宗教信仰、神话传说、思维方式、词汇发音等。本文的目的是通过对比分析帮助英语学习者更好地了解西方文化，理解中西方文化的差异，避免跨文化交际中的失误，进而促进跨文化交流的有效进行。

关键词：动物词汇  跨文化交际  文化内涵  文化差异

Abstract

This thesis analyzes the cultural connotations of animal words in Chinese and English from the perspective of cross-cultural communication. On the basis of the analysis of denotations and connotations, it makes comparisons of animal words of their cultural connotations between English and Chinese. The research shows that some animal words have both the same denotations and the same connotations, some have the same denotations but different connotations, some have different denotations but similar connotations and some have connotations in one language but lacking in the other. The study concludes that the reasons of the differences of connotations in English and Chinese animal words mainly include cultural factors as geographical conditions, religion and belief, myth and legend, modes of thinking and the pronunciations of animal words, etc. The purpose of the thesis is to help English learners have a better understanding of the differences and similarities between Chinese and English cultures, so as to make cross-cultural communication efficient.

Keywords: Animal Words  Cross-cultural Communication  Cultural Connotations  Cultural Differences 

Contents

Introduction 1

ChapterⅠ Literature Review 3

1.1 An Overview of Cross-Culture Communication 3

1.2 Researches on the Relation Between Language and Culture 4

1.3 An Introduction of Meaning 4

Chapter Ⅱ Comparison of the Connotations of Animal Words in Chinese and English 6

2.1 Same Animal Words With Same Connotations 6

2.2 Same Animal Words With Different Connotations 7

2.3 Different Animal Words With Similar Connotations 11

2.4 Animal Words With Connotations in One Language but Without in the Other 11

Chapter Ⅲ Main Causes of the Differences 14

3.1 Geography 14

3.2 Religion and Belief 14

3.3 Myth and Legend 15

3.4 Modes of Thinking 15

3.5 Aesthetic Orientation 16

3.6 Pronunciations of the Animal Words 16

Conclusion 17

References 19

Acknowledgments 20