摘 要

习语是指某一语言在人们长期的使用过程中慢慢形成的一种特殊而又固定的表达方式，是一面反映一个国家文化精华与内涵的镜子。在人类漫长的历史长河中，动植物一直与人类有着密不可分的联系，且现如今越来越多的动植物被人们用到了习语中。因此，对动植物习语进行研究具有非常重要的意义。本论文从动植物习语的角度解读中西方的文化差异，从而帮助人们更好地学习语言，减少在跨文化交际中的文化冲突。首先，本论文介绍了习语的相关知识，包括习语的定义、分类以及功能；紧接着通过对所举例证在中西方习语中的应用进行对比研究，得出中西方文化的差异所在；最后，从四个不同角度分析了产生差异的原因。在研究过程中我们发现，中西方在宗教信仰、思维模式、风俗习惯及地理环境等方面的确存在许多差异，而正是这些方面的差异导致了中西方动植物习语的不同。本论文旨在引起人们对此中西方文化差异的关注，这对促进语言的学习，加深人们对英语国家的了解和跨文化的交流都可以起到积极作用。

关键词：习语    动植物    文化

ABSTRACT

Idiom refers to a special and fixed expression that a particular language is formed in a long-term usage of human beings. It is a kind of mirror, which reflects the essence and connotation of a country's culture. Human beings are always inseparably related to animal and plant in the long history, besides that many animal and plant images are applied in idiomatic expressions nowadays. Thus, it is of extremely importance to make research on animal and plant idioms. This paper is intended to dwell on cultural differences between East and West especially in the aspect of English animal and plant idioms. It also aims to assist people in having a better learning of language and decrease the occurrence of culture shock in cross-culture communications. Firstly, as the starting point and basis of this paper, general ideas of idioms including origin and definition, classification and function are discussed. Secondly, this paper compares the cultural differences between East and West between the usages of specific examples. At last, an analysis of the reasons that cause cultural differences are given in four distinct perspectives. It is found that Eastern and Western cultures do have many differences in the aspects of religion, history, customs, geographical environment and so on. And it is those differences that lead to the distinctions in Eastern and Western animal and plant idioms. This paper is intended to whip up people’s attention to cultural differences and make positive influences on language study, people’s understanding of English-speaking countries and cross-culture communications.

Key words: Idiom; animal and plant; culture differences