Cultural Differences between English and Chinese Proverbs 论中西方谚语的文化差异 10页

CulturalDifferencesbetweenEnglishandChineseProverbs论中西方谚语的文化差异1TheDefinition,functionsofProverb1.1ThedefinitionofproverbProverbisakindofsayings.Itprevailsinthecommunitywithconcisewords.Mostproverbsreflectthepracticalexperienceofworkingpeople"slifeandaregenerallypasseddownorally.Itismostlyspokeninthecolloquialformofphrasesorrhymeseasytounderstand.Andproverbsaretosomeextentsimilartoidioms,twisters,commonsayings,andaphorism.1.2ThefunctionsofproverbThefunctionsofproverbsarethattheyexpresssomerulesofconductandquiteoftenconveysomeadviceorcounsel.Inotherwords,mostproverbspossessphilosophicdepthorinstructivefunction.Forthousandsofyearstheyhavebeeninstructingandinspiringpeople,sotheyhavebeenregardedastheguidelineofpeople’sthoughtsanddeeds,whichmeanspeoplearethinkingordoingthingsbyfollowingthedirectionoftheirproverbseitherconsciouslyorunconsciously.Proverbshavebecomeimportantsourcesofinspirationjustbecausetheycontaintruth,wisdom,counsel,ruleofconduct,etc.Followingwillmentiontwofunctionsofproverbs.1.2.1ThephaticcommunicationThephaticfunctionofproverbisthemostbasicfunctionoflanguage.Peopleusethephaticproverbstocreateanatmosphereofgreetingormaintainsocial10 contactratherthanexchangeofinformation.Itistoeasetheatmosphereoftheconversation,atthesametimegetthetalkerssatisfiedpsychologically.1.2.2CultivationofmindandformationofbehaviorSomeproverbsareintendedtopersuadeandteachpeople.Topersuadeistopraisejustice,tofightagainstthebully.Toteachistoguidepeopletoadoptacorrectattitudetowardslife,totakeaproperwaytogetalongwellwithothers.Forexample,betterdiewithhonorthanlivewithshame;don’thavecloaktomakewhenitbeginstorain.1.2.3PerceptionoftheweatherTheproverbsconcerningweatherrefertoalonghistory,vastregions,andrichcontent.Manyofthemcanbeusedtomakelong,mediumandshort-termweatherforecasts.Ourancestorshaveaccumulatedrichexperienceinthestrugglewiththenatureoftheobservedchangesintheweather.1.2.4SummaryofthelifeexperienceManyproverbssummarizeknowledgeofpeople’sdailylifesuchasthebestwinecomesoutofanoldvessel;Softfiremakessweetmalt.Aspeople’sdailylifeiscomplicatedandextremelytrifling,suchproverbsarenumerous.Theysummarizepeople’sknowledgeintheirlifeandtheytellpeoplewhattodoandhowtodoit.Theyarejustlikeanencyclopediatoguidepeople’sdailylife.Peasantsofdifferentageshavesomeofthemasguideintheirfarming.Andmeteorologicalproverbs,whichsummarizethefundamentalmeteorologicalknowledgeofgenerations,arealsoabighelpinpeoplelife.Forexample,April10 showersbringforthMayflowers;AcoldMayandawindymakesafullbarnandafinny;DryAugustandwarmdoesharvestnoharm;Afairdayinwinteristhemotherofastorm;Amistymorningmayhaveafineday;Cloudymorningsturntoclearevenings.2CulturalDifferencesbetweenEnglishandChineseProverbsProverbsareoriginatedfromlifeexperienceandcultureandtheyaresummarizedinseveraltypes.Proverbsandcultureareinseparable.Languageisinfluencedbyourcultureandreflectstheculture.Proverbsaretheessenceoflanguage;itscontentsarebrilliant,deepinmeaning,andhaveabroadappealtothemasses.AsBaconsaid"Proverbsaregeniusandtheembodimentsofwitandspirit.”Proverbisthesummaryofthedailylifethroughoutthewholenation,aswellasthesummaryofworkexperience.Italsoreflectsacountryanditsrichculturalconnotations.Asalanguage,theuniquecharmofproverbliesinitsmysteriousessenceofthenationalculture,whichnotonlyreflectsacommonnationalculturebutalsoreflectstheirpersonality.Moreoverproverbsreflecttheculturaldifferencesthroughthelivingenvironment,customs,religiousbeliefsandmoralvaluesandotherfactors,whichgiveusatotalprospectofthedifferentcultureinthewestandChina.2.1DifferentwaysoflifeGeographydeterminesthewayoflife.Chinesepeopleliveinsemi-enclosedcontinentalgeography,wheretheclimatemild.Itsownself-sufficientpeasanteconomycanmeettheneedsofpeople"slife,sopeoplebelievethattheharvest10 cannotdowithoutthenaturalgifts,andpayattentiontotheunityofheavenandhumanity.WhileGreeceisthebirthplaceofWesternculture,wherethegeographicalenvironmentisOpenOcean,peopleneedtodolong-termstrugglewiththeharshnature.SopeopleintheWestdevelopascientifictraditionofconqueringthenatureandexploringthenature.Theopengeographicalenvironmentenablesmorecontactswiththeoutsideworld,resultinginthedevelopedindustryandcommerce.3.2DifferentreligiousbeliefsReligiousbeliefisanimportantaspectofpeople"smentalactivity,whichhasamajorimpactonthenationalculture.Asnationsinhistory,geography,politics,economicaspectshavetheirowncharacteristics,resultinginauniquenationalculture.ThesimilaritiesanddifferencesinEthnicalcultureareoftenreflectedinthenationallanguage,especiallyreflectedintheculturalsignificanceoftheproverbs.SostudyingthedifferentChineseandEnglishreligiousthoughtandideasinproverbscanhelpusgainadeeperunderstandingthediversityofwesternandChineselanguageculture.3.2.1BeliefofChristianinthewesterncountriesChristianityisthemonotheisticreligion,withtheBibleoftheOldandNewTestaments,whichisinthebeliefoftheoriginalsinofhumanandbelieveJesusistheSonofGodcrucifiedtocleansethehumanoriginalsinandthesavethehumanity.ChristianityoriginatesinJudaism,andiscalledtheworld’sthreemajorreligionstogetherwiththeBuddhismandIslam.Thereisonlyone10 Christianchurchintheearliest,butinthehistoricalprocessofChristianity,itdifferentiatesintomanyfactions,mainlythreefactionsCatholic,Orthodox,andProtestant,andsomeothersmallerfactions.Everyoneisequalandtheobsessionofhierarchyisstrict.Christianviewsthatonlythepeoplehavefaithingodenjoyingtheequalrightsandobligations.Faithmakesallpeopleequal.ThisequalityunderthecoverofEmmanueltheologyhastwomeanings.SomanyEnglishproverbsreflecttheequalrelationship.Forexample,weareallAdam’sChildren;humanbloodisallofacolor.Undertheconceptofequality,thepeopleinEnglish-speakingcountriessurlywilldefytheimperialpower.Forexample,akingwithoutteamingisbutacrownedass;acatmaylookataking（.http://www.21gwy.com/lunwen/xfwh/a/5904/785904.html，2011）3.2.2BeliefsofBuddhism,Taoism,ConfucianisminChinaBuddhismoriginatedinIndiaandwasintroducedintoChinaduringtheHanandTangDynasties.Buddhistsbelievethatallthingsarebornforfateintheworld.ThereisnoessentialdifferencebetweenlivingbeingsandtheBuddha.HumanhastheBuddhanature,butthepersistentlydelusionalbarrierpreventsitappear.OnlypeopleabandontheevilfromthegoodcantheyhavethefruitionofBuddhahoodandbeimmortal.Forexample,theChineseproverb放下屠刀，立地成佛。Buddhistsalsobelievethatinhumanlife,wealthandfameareworldlypossessions.Confucianism,BuddhismandTaoisminChinaarenotthesupremegod;however,theinterpersonalrelationshipishierarchical.Eachplaystheir10 Socialroleandcannotbeoffside.WhileunderthisHierarchicallevel,itprovidesthepossibilitytocreateidolsandidolatry.Forexample,小鬼斗不过阎王，胳膊扭不过大腿；官大一级压死人，宰相家人七品官；官向官，民向民，和尚向的是出家人（陈文伯，2005：105）。3.3DifferentmoralconceptsMoralityexistsineveryculture,isaforceofnationalcohesionandthecoreofdevelopment.inWesterncountriestheChristianmoralityisthebasicmoralcore,whileinChinatheConfucianmoralsystemworks.However,theChinesehavelowrequirementsofcredit,cheatinghasbecomealmostagenerallyacceptedmeansforsurvival,whilethewesternpeoplevaluethecreditmorethananythingelse3.3.1DifferentvaluesofthepublicreputationChinesepeopleattachgreatimportancetofaceandhonor.Thereputationisoftenlinkedwiththeethical.Amoralpersonwillhaveagoodreputation.Butthemoralpeoplewilllosefacetoo.Chinesepeopleareinfluencedbythetraditionalconcepts;theynotonlyvaluereputationbutalsotheface.Forexample,人有脸，树有皮，没脸没皮没出息。Becausecareaboutthefaceproblems,whatChinesepeoplearemostafraidofisrumorspernicioustotheirown.ManyChineseproverbsexpressthementalityoffearofgossip,suchas谣言可以杀人，防人之口甚于防川；水浮不起石子，人担不起闲话（陈文伯，2005：87）。Thewesterntraditionalmoralconceptconsidersthereputationtobevery10 importantandpeopleshouldbehavetheirownbehaviors.Butaslongastheydonotharmsocietyandotherpeople,itisnotagainstthelaw.Whatothers"judgmentsarenotimportant?Therefore,whentheEnglishproverbsarerelatedwiththegossip,itisnotafraidtomentionaboutit.Forexample,Sticksandstonesmaybreakmybones,butwordswillneverhurtme;hardwordsbreaknobones.3.3.2DifferentconceptoffilialpietyChinesetraditionalconceptisthatsupportingtheparentsisthechildren’smostbasicobligationwhichisbasedontheconceptofpeople"sgratitude.Everyoneisbornbytheparents,andgrowsupunderthemeticulouscareoftheirparents.Theobjectivefactisthatthecreationandmaintenanceoflifegeneratesthesenseofgratitude.Thatistosayoneshouldmakeeveryefforttosupporthisparentsashisparentsgrowold.Itincludeslisteningtotheirparents,bewiththeparents,respectforparents,fosterparentsandold,inheritingtheparentsandsoon.TherearemanyproverbsinChineseshowingthecontentsoffilialpiety.Forexample,父母在，不远游;千里烧香，不如在家敬爹娘；不孝有三，无后为；养儿防老，积谷防饥。Inthewesternmoralityofcapitalism,althoughitalsorequiresthechildrentorespecttheirparents,theemphasisonfollowingtheadviceoftheparentsisnotreinforced.Meanwhileitneverconsidersthecouplewithoutchildrenasanunfilialoffense.SomeproverbsinEnglishexpresstheoppositeidea.Forexample,childrensuckmotherwhentheyareyoung,andfatherwhentheyare10 old.Itisoppositetotheconceptoffosteringtomakeguaranteeforthelife;Childrenwhentheyarelittlemakeparentsfools,whentheyaregreatmakethemmad.ItgoesagainsttheChinesefilialpiety(http://vip.du8.com/books/sep4ubr.shtml,2011).3.3.3DifferentstatusofwomenInChinesefeudalsociety,thewomensuffermoreoppression.Awomanwasnotonlysubjecttoherfather,butalsotothehusband.Evenshehadtobeobedienttothechildwhenherhusbanddied.Theyarenotabletotakethesameeducationasmen.Thelowstatus,whichdidn’tallowedthemaccessingsocialnetworkingsites.Wifemustkeepchastity,faithfulness,evenifherhusbandisdeadandshecannotremarry.Thereisnorighttolove,andfeelingsarecompletelyignored.Manyproverbsreflectdiscriminationagainstwomen.Forexample,唯女子与小人难养也；女人头发长，见识短；好马不吃回头草，好女不嫁二夫君。Inwesterncapitalistsociety,althoughmenaredominant,thestatusofwomenishigherthanthatinthefeudalsocietyofChina.SomeProverbsinEnglishevenemphasizetheimportanceofthewifetoherhusband.Forexample,Hethatwouldthrivemustaskhiswife;Hewhodoesnothonorhiswife,dishonorhimself;agoodwifeisagoodprize;avirtuouswomanisacrowntoherhusband.Theseproverbspraisethegoodroleofwifetoherhusbandandrevealthewife"shighstatusinthefamily.MeanwhiletheymakeasharpcontrastwiththelowstatusofwomenintheChinesefeudalsociety.10 ConclusionTheproverbisaproductofsociety,whichisthecrystallizationofhumanhistoryandculture.Itembodiesthesocialconsciousnessofanationfromgenerationtogeneration,aswellwithhistory,culture,customsandotherareasallfeaturesofhumansociety.Indifferentculturesandculturaltraditions,thewayofthinking,values,codesofconductandwayoflifeareconsiderablydifferent.Theproverb,thecarrierofculture,vocabularyandculturalinformationisconcentratedandanimportantpartoflanguage,whichreflectstheculturaldevelopmentandchange,butalsoadirectreflectionoftheculturaldifferences.Wecanseethatproverbhasalonghistory;themajorityofthemarefromthefolk.ButtheproverbisjustachanneltounderstandtheculturaldifferencesbetweenChineseandwesternculture.Tostrengthenthecomparisonofculturaldifferences,wecanmakefulluseofavarietyofmeanstoabsorbandexperiencetheexoticculturebycollectingsomeitemsandpicturesofEnglish-speakingcountries.Onlyinthiswaycanweunderstandtheforeignart,historyandcustoms.Bibliography[1]陈文伯.英文谚语习语词典[D].北京：世界知识出版社，2005[2]邓炎昌，刘润清.语言与文化[M].北京：外语教学与研究出版社，199110 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