The Cultural Differences Between English and Chinese Proverbs 中西谚语文化差异 15页

毕业论文题目：TheCulturalDifferencesBetweenEnglishandChineseProverbs学生姓名:系别:外语系专业:英语学号:班级:06英本（1）班指导老师:二0一0年五月10 AcknowledgementsItwasreallyalaborioustasktoaccomplishaB.Athesis.Manypeoplegivemesupportandhelpintheprocessofwritingthepaper.Iwouldlikefirstgivemygratetomydearteacher,whogenerouslygaveherhelpandinstructionsduringthewholeprocessofwritingthepaper-writing.ThenIwouldlikegivemymanythankstomyclassmateswhohelpedmealotwithmyformationcollectingandpaper-polishing.Mostimportantofall,IwanttogivemythankstomymotheruniversityandalltheteachersintheEnglishDepartment,whoeducatedandcultivatedmetobeaqualifiedteacher.10 AbstractLanguageisthemeansbywhichpeoplecommunicatewitheachother.Everylanguagehasitsownculture.Ifwewanttocommunicatewithforeignpeoplewithoutanymisunderstanding,wemustunderstandnotonlytheirlanguages,butalsotheircultures.Proverbisoneimportantbranchofculture.Proverbisoneoftheoldestandmostvaluableformsofexpressionsandisaculturalproductofhumanexpression,thoughtsandfeelingsexpressedbywords.Proverbs,thesummaryoflifeexperiencesofthepeopleinaparticulararea,usuallyshortbutreflectthespecialfeaturesofacertainarea.ChineseandEnglishproverbsbeingtwotreasuresofdifferentlanguagesshowdifferencesfromculturalexistence.TheessayillustratesanddiscussesthedifferencesbetweenEnglishandChineseproverbsfromthepointoflivingenvironment,custom,religious,moralityviewsandhistoryorigin.KeyWords:proverbs；culture；culturalcharacteristics;culturaldifferences10 摘要语言是人们用来交流的工具，每种语言都由自己的文化。如果我们要跟外国人很好的交流，不久要懂得他们的语言，还要懂他们的文化。谚语是英汉文化的一个重要分支。谚语是人类文化中最古老和最有价值的表达语言形式之一，是人民群众用来表达他们生产生活中的经验启发和感想的各民族文化的结晶。谚语作为习语的一种是语言和文化的结晶。英汉谚语作为两种不同的语言瑰宝，由于谚语独特的文而表现出明显的差异和特色。本文借助一些典型的谚语例子从生存环境、风俗习惯、宗教思想方面、道德观念、孝道方面、子女问题、妇女问题、历史起源之间的差异来体现中西方文化之间的不同。关键词：谚语;文化;文化特点；文化差异10 CONTENTSAcknowledgementsiAbstractii摘要iii1.Introduction12.ThecharacteristicsofEnglishandChineseproverbs22.1Theaspectofethnics22.2Theaspectofrhetoric33.CulturevacancyanditscausesinEnglishandChineseproverbs33.1.Livingenvironment43.2Religiousbeliefs53.3Customs63.4Moralviews73.4.1Ontheaspectoffilialduty73.4.2Ontheaspectoffriendshipandlove83.4.3Ontheoriginofhistory84.Conclusion9Workscited1010 TheCulturalDifferencesBetweenChineseandEnglishProverbs1.IntroductionLanguageisinseparablefromculture.Foronething,languageispartofcultureandplaysanimportantroleinit.Foranother,asamirrorofculture,languageisstronglyinfluencedandshapedbyculture,meanwhileitreflectsculture.Proverbs,anessentialpartofthelanguageandpartoftheculture,arecharacterizedbytheirconciseexpressions,richandvivid,involvinglivingenvironments,religiousbeliefs,customs,moraleviewsandsoon.Theyareusuallyhighlyspecializedinmeaningandcloselytiedtotheculturefeaturesandculturalattitudes.Undoubtedlytheyarehardtounderstandandhardertousecorrectly.Websterdefinesthewordproverbasashortsayingincommonusethatstrikinglyexpressessomeobvioustruthorfamiliarexperienceaswellasasayinginwhichaprofoundtruthiscloakedorhidden.Lookingcloselyatthedefinition,itshouldbeclearastowhywisdomisfoundinaproverbsimplybecauseithasitsrootsintruth.Itistruththatproduceswisdom.Onecanstudyandreasonasfarastheymightdesirebutwithouttruthwisdomwillbelacking.Itistruththatensuresproperunderstandingandjudgmentandsowisdomrevealsitself.Becauseproverbshavetheirrootintruth,muchwisdomisfoundinproverbs.Studyproverbsandthink.Itwillincreaseyourwisdom!Whatismore,theirproperuseofthelanguageisoftenisaperson’scommandofthelanguage.Speechorwritingwithoutthemlackscolorandinteresting,butoveruseandimproperwillmakethelanguageunnatural.EnglishandChineseproverbs,closelyrelatedtotheirculture,conveydifferentculturalfeaturesandmessagesoftheirownnation,reflectingtheirownculture.ThereareanabundanceofproverbswithrichassociationsinbothEnglishandChinese.Ifoneisnotfamiliarwiththeculturalheritageofproverbs,heorshemaybepuzzledbytheassociations,andsurelycannotunderstandandtranslateitproperly.Therefore,anadequateknowledgeoftheculturalbackgroundofproverbsisfundamentalinthecomparisonofEnglishandChineseproverbsandintheexplorationofproperstrategiesofproverbs.Henceitisnecessaryforustostudythe10 culturaldifferencesbetweenChineseandEnglishproverbs,basedonotherresearches.Thisessaytendstoexplorethedifferencesbyanalyzingdifferentaspects.2.ThecharacteristicsofEnglishandChineseproverbsProverbs,mostoutstandingpartofalanguage,representtheuniquecharacteristicsandculturalfeaturesofanation.Incontent,proverbsarecloselyconnectedwithhistory,everydaylifeandlivingconditionsofanation.Inform,theyaremostlypresentedbysentencesandcannotbesubmittedeasily.Inusage,theyaremainlyemployedbythegrassrootsintheirdailyoralcommunication.ChineseandEnglishproverbshavemoredifferencesthansimilarities,becausetheybelongtothedifferentlanguagesystems.Sincecultureplaysanimportantroleintheformationofproverbs.Itisnaturalandnecessarytobringforththeculturalissue.Cultureisthebehaviorpeculiartoallhumanbeingstogetherwithmaterialobjectsarepartofthisbehavior.Cultureconsistsoflanguage,ideas,beliefs,customs,codes,worksofartceremoniesandsoon.Wemaysafelydrawthefollowingconclusions:culturereferstothesumtotalofmaterialwealthandspiritualvaluecreatedbypeopleinthecourseofsocialpracticeandhistoricaldevelopment.Culturecanbedividedintohighcultureandlowculture.Highculturereferstoman-madeproductsoftechnologyandallproductsofthemind,whilelowculturereferstothetotalwayoflife.JustbecauseChineseandEnglishlanguageshavetheirabundantproverbsrespectively,thetreasureofbothEnglishandChinesecultureshavebeenlavishlyenriched.Proverbshavethecharacteristicsofconcisestructure,shortform,precisewords,deepmeaning,vividcomparison,andbrightethnicandgeographicalcharacteristics.2.1TheaspectofethnicsProverbscomefromourlivinglife,itislikeamirrortoreflecttheculturalidentity.Ithasadistinctivenationalcharacter.Allnationshavetheirownproverbs,ChineseandEnglishproverbsoriginatefromspecifichistorical,geographical,economic,environmental,religiousbeliefsandsoon.Suchas:inChinese,wehave“三个臭皮匠，顶过诸葛亮。情人眼里出西施。说曹操，曹操到”.WhileinEnglish,theyalsohavesomeexamples.Suchas:whenGreeksmeetGreeks,there10 comesthewar.(两熊相争，其斗必烈)。Romeisnotbuiltinoneday.(冰冻三尺非一日之寒)。Thedangerpastandgodforgotten(过河拆桥).WecanfindasimilarproverbinEnglishwiththesamemeaning,but“wise,beauty,andCaocao”thesewordsarethecolorofChineseculture.IftheforeignersknowlittleofChineseculturemayhavedifficultiesinunderstandingthem.Similarly,thelatterthreearealsodistinctiveexampleswhichhaveastrongethic,ifweChineseknowlittleculturalbackgroundofthem,wemayalsohavethesameproblems.2.2TheaspectofrhetoricTheancientssaid“言之无文，行而不远”.Textmeansliterarygrace,textdecoration,thatis,emphasisonthelanguageofart.BritishandChineseproverbsuseavarietyofrhetoricaltoexpressthefeelings,suchas:metaphor,antithesis,hyperbole,contrast,andmetonymy,etc.Wejuststudythreeofthem.Metaphor:inChinesewehave“陈酒味醇，老友情深”.InEnglish:Livingwithoutanaimislikesailingwithoutacompass.（生活没有目的就像航海没有罗盘。）Intheaboveexamples,thefirstcomparesfriendshiptooldwine.Inthesecondexample,"Livingwithoutanaim"(lifehasnopurpose)metaphorof"sailingwithoutacompass"(sailingwithoutacompass)asaloss,nopurpose.Dual:inChinesewehave“人要衣装，佛要金装”.InEnglish,theyhaveGodsendsmeatandthedevilsendscook.(上帝送来肉，魔鬼送来厨子。)InthefirstexampleisthedualityofmanandBuddha,clothesandGolddual;thesecondexample,the"God"and"devil"dual,"meat"and"cook"duality.Rhyme:inChinesewehave“差之毫厘，失之千里”.ButinEnglishcallaspadeaspade.(实事求是。)Inthefirstcaseof"PCT"and"Li"rhymes;secondexample,the"spade"and"spade"rhyme.3.CulturevacancyanditscausesinEnglishandChineseproverbsCulturalvacancy:consideratedifferencesbetweenecologicalenvironments,waysoflivelihood,andwayofthinkingdefinethedifferencesbetweencultures,wheretherefore,metaphorsandimagesfinddifferentexamples.(CharlesF.Hockett,1950)Eachlanguagehasitsprofoundculturalconnotationsrelativeownphysiology,10 conventions,religiousbeliefandsoon.EugenA.Nidahascategorizedcultureintofivekinds:ecologicalculture,linguisticculture,religiousculture,materialcultureandsocialculture.EnglishandChineseproverbscloselyrelatedtoeachculture,conveydifferentculturalfeaturesandmessagesoftheirownnation,reflectingtheirownrichculture.Wehavesuchsayings:“difficultiesarisingoutofdifferencesofculturalconstitutethemostseriousproblemsfortranslatorsandhaveproducedthemostfar-reachingmisunderstanding.(EugenA.Nida,1962)Proverbsoriginatefromtheprocessofpeople’sworkingandrecognizingtheworld.Itisabrieffamiliarmaximoffolkwisdom,usuallycompressedinformofteninvolvingaboldimageandfrequentlyajinglethatcatchesthememory.Likeamirror,proverbscanreflecttheculturalfeaturesofapeople.Forthisreason,proverbsareculturespecific.Asfarasoriginisconcerned,therearemuchmoredifferencesthansimilaritiesbetweendifferentculturalfeaturesconveyedinEnglishandChineseproverbs.3.1.LivingenvironmentCulturealwaysexistsinacertaindistrict,inevitablyreflectingthenaturecharacteristicsoftheregion.EnglishandChineseproverbs,originatingindifferentenvironmentandunderspecificenvironmentcontexts,respectivelyreflectdifferentenvironmentofthetwonations.Chinahasalwaysbeenanagriculturecountry.Peopleandlandarecloselyrelatedwitheachother.Chinaisexpensiveinterritoryandrichinmountainsandrivers.Sotheproverbsarefulloflocalfavorandlocalcolor.What’smore,therearemanyproverbsrelatedtotherivers,mountainsandland.Suchas:种瓜得瓜，种豆得豆（youmustreapwhatyouhavesown,不到黄河心不死（nottogiveuphopeuntilonecomestoone’stether’send）.长江后浪推前浪，一代新人换旧人（asintheChangJiangriverthewavesbehinddriveonthoseahead,soeachnewgenerationexcelsthelastone.）Asweallknow，Britainisanislandnationsurroundedbythesea,whichhasalonghistoryofnavigation,thereforeagreatnumberofEnglishproverbsarederivedfromthesea.Englishpeoplelivebyseasideandtheirlifecannotdowithoutsailingandfishing.Suchas“thereisasgoodfishintheseaasevercome10 outofit”(有了大海，还怕没鱼),“nofishinglikefishinginthesea”（捕鱼要到大海.Whowillnotbytheruledbytheruddermustberuledbythemock(船离陀，要闯祸).Specialclimatehasalsobroughtsomerelatedproverbs.Weknowinchina,eastwindisthesymbolofthespring.ButinEngland,itisopposite,westwindisthesymbolofspring.Weareallfamiliarwiththepoem“OdetotheWestWind”whichisapraiseofwestwind.Itisobviousthatthedifferencesofnaturalenvironmentareallreflectedinthecorrespondingproverbs.3.2ReligiousbeliefsThereligiousthoughtsandconceptsareakindofsocialideology,whichaffectthehumansocietydeeply.Nowreligionstillplaysaveryimportantroleinmanynations.Religionstillplaysaveryimportantpartinmanynations.Religionisrelatedtothedevelopmentoflanguage.Manyproverbscreatedbydifferentnationsarealsorelatedtothereligiousthoughtsandconceptsofthenation.MostofthepeoplebelieveinChristianity.MostEnglishproverbsoriginatedfromthebibleandreflectedtheirreligiousthoughts.What’smore,someproverbsoriginatedfromtheGreekandRomanmythologywhichareoftenmarkedwiththethemeofGod"sghost.Forinstance,theappearanceofchurchisalsofrequent.Christmascomesbutonceayear,butwhenitcomes,itbringsgoodcheer(圣诞一年一度，带来欢乐无数).Godiswherehewas(上帝无处不在),truthisthedaughterofgod（真理是上帝的女儿）.Godhelpthosewhohelpthemselves（上帝帮助那些自助的人）.Whentheevilisdeadheneverlacksachiefmourner（魔鬼死了也有人哀悼）.Conquerthedesire,ortheywilldesireyou(人若征服不了欲念，欲念就要征服你).ButinChina,mostChinesebelieveinBuddhism,TaoismandConfucianismwithanacademicflavor.ManyoftheteachingsorthebooksofproverbsarefromtheBuddhistcompassionwhichpromotinggoodorevil.TheConfuciandoctrineofkindheartednessandjusticetheTaoistdoctrineofimmortal,methodandmoralareallreflectedintheproverbs.Suchas:跑了和尚，跑不了庙；放下屠刀，立地成佛.Fromabove,wecantotallygetthedifferencesbetweentwonations.10 3.3CustomsCustomisawayoflifeinaparticularregion,involvingallaspectsofsociallife.Itinfluencesanation’spolitical,economical,religiousandartandwhichinturnaffectstheseareas.Anation’slanguage,asaspecialpartofthenation’sculture,itinevitablyreflectsthecustomofthecountry.Theproverbsarecloselyrelatedtothecustoms.SomefruitsandvegetablesposedbyChineseandforeignproverbssuchas:早吃生姜晚吃萝卜，it’savividproverbwhichdescribesChineseuniquevegetables.BecauseinChina,gingerandradisharetwoverycommonvegetables,theyarehealthyforourbody.ButinEnglish’seyes,thesetwovegetablesdon’thavesamemeaning.Whentheywanttoexpressthismeaning,theyuseadifferentobjectappletodescribeit.Weareallfamiliarwiththeproverb:anappleadaysothatyoucanstayawayfromillness.Appleistheircommonestfood,andapplewillmakeyouforeverhealthy.ChinaandBritainarefarfromeachother,thetraditionalcustomsandactsarealsodifferent,weoftenuseadifferentimagetoconveythesameidea,whereasthesameimagemayconveydifferentideas.Forexample,theEnglishalwaysusetheproverb“thebreadneverfallsbutonitsbutteredside”(oncethebreadfalls,thebutteredsideisinthebottom)todescribebadluck.ButweChinesedon’tliveonthebread,wehaveanotherimagetoexpressthesamemeaning,suchas:人若倒霉，喝水也塞牙.ThedifferencesarealsoreflectedintheattitudetowardsdogsinChineseandEnglishculture.InChinese,dogisahumbleanimal,it’ssocommonthatweoftenusedogstorepresentbadthingsandpeople,suchas:狗眼看人低（lookdownuponeverybodyelse）狗急跳墙（acorneredbeastwilldosomethingdesperate）狗拿耗子多管闲事（pokeone’snoseintootherpeoplebusiness）andsoon.Inthecountryside,dogsarekeptmainlyforthesakeofguardingdoorentrance.ButinBritain,intheireyes,dogsarehuman"scompaniesandclosefriends.Andtheyaresymbolofgoodqualities.Tothem,dogsarefaithful,reliable,braveandsmart.Manyproverbsareconcernedwiththeimagesofdogsandtheyshowhuman’slifeandbehaviors.Forexample:everydoghashisday(每人一生中皆有得意之日);loveme,10 lovemydog;hewhowouldhanghisdoggivesoutfirstthatitismad;aluckydog,giveadogbadnameandhanghim.3.4MoralviewsFromancienttimes,moralareveryimportant,itiswidespreadinallaspectsofourlife,thepoliticalsystem,nationaldevelopmentandculturaltraditioninthesetwocountriesaretotallydifferent.Whichresultintheethicdifferencesbetweenthetwocountries,andthesedifferencesalsoexistsintheproverbs.3.4.1OntheaspectoffilialdutyFilialdutyisthewaychildrenbehavetowardstheirparents.Andchildren’sobligationistorespectchildren.Thefilialobligationincludeslisteningtotheparents,lookingafterparentsattheirside,respectingparents,inheritingtheirincenseandsoon.therearemanyproverbsshowingfilialcontent:父母在，不远游；养儿防老，积谷防饥,父母责，须训承.Fromtheseproverbs,wecaneasilyfindthatparentsarefirst.Andalltheparentshopetheirchildrenlivewiththem.Butinwesterncapitalistmorality,thoughtheyrequirechildrentorespecttheirchildren,itdoesn’tmeantheyshouldtotallyagreewiththeirparents.Childrenhavetheirownpersonality.Letalonethechildrentoagreethetraditionalregulations.Someproverbsexpresstheoppositeidea.Suchas:childrensuckmotherwhentheyareyoung,andfatherwhentheyareold.Childrenarenottobeblamedbythefaultsoftheirchildren.Childrenwhentheyarelittlemakeparentsfools,whentheyaregreatmakethemmad.TheseproverbsarecontrarytotheChinesefilialduty.InChinesefeudalsociety,womensufferedalotofpressurenotonlyfromtheirfather,husbandandtheirson.Theirstatusisveryhumble.Theydon’thavethesamechancetoreceiveeducationasmendo,letalonetoaccesstothesocialactivities.Wifehadtochastetotheirhusbandeveniftheirhusbanddied.manyproverbsreflectdiscriminationagainstwomen.suchas:唯女子与小人难养也，一女不吃二家茶,好男不跟女斗。Inwesterncapitalistsociety,althoughmenhavedominantinsociallife,women’sstatusisnotsolowasChinesewomen’sstatusinfeudalsociety.Insomeaspects,someEnglishproverbsevenstresstheimportancethatthewivesinfluenceon10 theirhusband.Forexample:hethatwouldthrive,mustaskhiswife.hewhodoesnothonorhiswife,dishonorhimself.Avirtuouswomanisacrowntoherhusband.Theseproverbspraisedthepositiverolethewifetowardsherhusband,whichmakesasharpcontrastcomparedtoChinesewomen.3.4.2OntheaspectoffriendshipandloveInChinesetraditionalculture,weChinesecansacrificeintereststogainfriendship.Friendshiphasmoreweightthaninterests,sowehavesuchproverbsas:岁寒知松柏，患难见真情；与其有十两黄金，不如有个朋友真心。ButinEnglishculture,theprivatepropertyissacred,theyhighlightthepersonalinterests,forexample:loveyourfriends,butlookafteryourself.Friendsarethievesoftime.Hethathasafullpurseneverwantsafriend.Whatismoreinterestingisthat:inEnglishproverbs,thereisasaying:nevercatchafallingknifeorafallingfriend.Inthisproverb,theEnglishcompareknifetothedanger.Theypersuadepeoplenottothefriendswhoareindanger.TheyaretotallydifferentfromourChineseviews.ThedifferencesontheconceptoflovebetweenChinaandEnglisharealsoreflectedintheproverbs.Chinaaredeeplyaffectedbythetraditionalfeudalethicalrites.especiallyforwomen,theethicalritessuppressedtherightthatwomenactaswives.suchas:父母之命，媒妁之言。嫁出去的女儿泼出去的水。ButinBritain,peoplepursefreedom,equalityandtheliberationsofindividuals.Loveisfree,loveiswithoutreason.Allstrategiesarerightinlove.3.4.3OntheoriginofhistoryDifferentcountriespossessdifferenthistoryculturewhichmainlycomprisesmyths，poems,ancientbooks,proverbsandrecords.Amongthem,proverbsarethemostimportant,whichreflectthenationalcharacteristics.proverbsarefromthehistory,theyaretheheritageofhumankinds.InChinese,weusethephrase“破釜沉舟’’,whichmeanstomakeupone’sminds,itoriginatesfrom史记项羽本纪.ItrecordedthatXiangyusenttroopstosaveZhao.Heorderedhismentocrosstheriverwithouthesitation,encouraginghissoldierstounitetogetherneverretreat.ButinEnglish,theyuseanotherphrase“tocrosstheRubicon.Ithasitsownhistory,in49BC,10 atthattimeromanruledthepower,PompeiiattackedCancur,Cancurledthetroopsresistedthemresolutely.ontheprocessofcrossingtheRubicon,heorderedtofiretheboatstoshowthedetermination.Atlast,CrasserdefeatedtheenemiesandbecamethemonarchofRoman.InChinese,wehaveastudyofseveralexamples,wewillillustratethis妙手回春and对症下药，whichcomefromtheChinesetraditionalmedicineand拔苗助长,杞人忧天arefromclassicworks.刻舟求剑and叶公好龙arefromhistoryallusion.Someotherexamples,此一时，彼一时(Thatwasonesituation,thisisanother,timehavechanged.)Itoriginatesfrom“三国演义”.Anotherparticularexampleis万事俱备，只欠东风(allisreadyexceptfortheeastwind,allisreadyexceptforthedecisivething).Italsocomesfrom“三国演义”.Theimplicationoftheseishardforforeignerstounderstand.Similarly,someEnglishproverbsarefromtheGreekmyths,legends(ourgrapes,thelion’sshare),fromtheShakespeare’splays(muchadoaboutnothing,bay/barkatthemoon),fromtheBible(aJudas’skisstoturntheothercheek)andetc.4.ConclusionInconclusion,culturalvacancyinproverbsexistsasanobjectivereality,whichisdeterminedbythecharacteristicsofnationculture.EnglishandChineseproverbs,imprintedbythetwonations’culturalgeneralitiesanddifferences,acomparativestudyofthemcanhelpustolearnalanguageefficientlyandproficiently.ThemorewelearnabouttheculturaldifferencesinChineseandEnglishproverbs,thebetterweunderstandandutilizethem.Solanguagelearningmaybecomeamucheasierjob.Proverbslearningcanbeofgreathelptolanguageandculturalacquisition,whichcanstrengthenourcommunication.Sotheappropriateuseandinterpretationoftheproverbscantellushowproficientalanguagelearnerinlearninglanguage.SoitisnecessaryforustolearntheculturaldifferencesbetweenChineseandEnglishproverbs.10 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