颜色词的内涵及其翻译
The Connotation and Translation of
Color Words
Abstract:O wing to the cultural difference between Chinese and English, words are embedded with different national feeling, which would result in
misunderstanding even wrong translation in the course of communication.
Color word is an essential part of culture and language for all peoples,
having a unique language function and cultural connotation. There are many
kinds of words about color in Chinese and English cultures，we should not
only know their basic meanings，but also their different symbolic
meanings．A study on the cultural connotations and cultural differences is
useful to cultivate trans-cultural consciousness in language study and
teaching. The differences are caused by different cultural backgrounds，
esthetics and by usage．This article takes some colors for instance to analyze
cultural connotations and hidden national feelings of vocabulary in different
countries so as to improve communication and avoid cultural conflicts.
Key words: color words; cultural difference; cultural connotation
摘要：由于汉语和英语两种语言的文化差异，许多词汇蕴涵了不同的民族感情色彩，在翻译和交际过程中可能产生偏差和误解。颜色词是每一个民族文化和语言中不可缺少
的重要部分，它有独特的语言功能和文化内涵。中西方文化中表示各种不同颜色的
词语都很丰富，因此我们不仅要注意观察它们本身的基本意义，更要留心它们含义
深广的象征意义。但由于各自民族的文化历史背景、审美心理的不同造成了他们在
不同民族语言中往往有不同的特点，有些特点甚至恰恰相反。研究英汉语言中颜色
词语的文化内涵及其文化差异有利于在语言学习和教学中跨文化意识的培养。本文
以颜色词汇为例分析解读了颜色词汇的不同文化内涵和感情色彩，以此达到增强语
言交际能力、避免文化冲突的目的。
关键词：颜色词；文化差异；文化内涵
Contents
I.Introduction (1)
II.A general introduction of color words (1)
A. Basic color words (1)
B.Color words of concrete objects (2)
III. Cultural connotation of color words (2)
A. Literal meaning (2)
B.Political and economic meaning (2)
1. Political meaning (2)
2. Economic meaning (3)
C. Symbolic meaning (3)
D. Cultural factors and color words (4)
1. Red (4)
2. White (5)
3. Black (6)
4. Blue (7)
5. Green (7)
6. Grey (8)
7. Yellow (9)
IV.Translation methods of color words (9)
A. Literal translation (9)
B. Replacement, ellipsis and supplement (9)
C. Free translation (10)
V. Conclusion (11)
Works Cited (12)
I. Introduction
As is known to all, color words take up a prominent portion in our daily life. We, human beings, like using plenty of color words in order to express all varieties of feelings, for example, in China, red represents happiness. In recent years, with the increase of international communications, the traditional customs are transmitted to all over the world, so are the color words. Color words embody different regions, different historical backgrounds, cultural customs and ways of thinking. Thus, it is very essential for us all to learn about the identical and different symbolic meanings of color words in both western and Chinese cultures and to have a mastery of more translation means. In this way, we can use it easily and freely.
Perception of color is one of the most fundamental human cognitive domains. Although the number of all kinds of languages to express the color is various from one another, however, the basic vocabularies, such as black, white, red, yellow, green, blue, etc., in many languages are interlinked. However, because customs and cultural backgrounds, geographical locations, historical traditions, religious beliefs, national psychology, ways of thinking are so different, color words sometimes show a unique "personality" of all ethnic groups, with significant cultural imprinting. For example, Brazilians never use ―green‖, the Japanese ―yellow‖, Thai ―red‖, Belgians―blue‖, and in the United States and European countries ―black‖ is hardly uttered (Dai 145). Color in different national cultures carries different connotations. Some words contain a number of cultural contents, one of which may be perfectly matched with the target language, a certain part possibly counterpart, while another may be in conflict. For example, in Chinese, saying that a man is jealous of the others(眼红), while English said "green-eyed". We often take color words for example, looking at the cultural diversities of content conversions between English vocabulary and Chinese.
II. A general introduction of color words
Color words can be classified into two groups: basic color words and concrete object words.
A. Basic color words
In Chinese and English, the classification of color words is almost the same, that is, seven groups. This classification can be seen from Chairman Mao’s poetry《菩萨蛮·大柏地》and its translation version.
赤橙黄绿青蓝紫，谁持彩练当空舞?
Translation version：
Red，orange，yellow，green，blue，indigo，and violet.
Who is dancing and waving this colored ribbon against the sky?
From this comparison, we can see that there are seven basic colors--- Red，orange，yellow，green，blue，indigo，and violet in Chinese, which are also true of English(张332).
B. Color words of concrete objects
Color words of concrete objects are referred to the colors really existing in the world. such as, gold(金) —金黄色; orange(桔) —桔色;grass(草) —草色;silver(银) —银白色;chestnut(栗) —褐色; rosy(玫瑰) —淡红色;flax(亚麻) —淡黄色; violet(紫罗兰) —紫色(黄215).Comprised with basic color words，they are more concrete and real. For example, concrete color word ―lily‖ can give people a connection with whit e flower and its pure beauty. ―A lily maid‖ refers to a young and beautiful girl.
III.Cultural connotation of color words.
A. Literal meaning
In western countries, the using of color words sometimes is different from us Chinese, and even sometimes absolutely adverse(金86). For example, blue-mood (sadness/unhappiness); a blue Monday (unlucky Monday); in the red (deficit); A white lie (a lie that is kind); ―green‖is a basic color word; while ―green-eyed‖means ―jealous‖, and they are totally different.
B. Political and economic meaning
1．Political meaning
In China, Color words are of strong political meaning. For example, ―red‖ is the symbol of revolution and socialism, while ―black‖ and ―white‖ symbolizes death and failure. Therefore, such political terms as ―red power, the Red Flag, white terrorism,
white area‖ turn up. It is easy to see that we Chinese like to use color words to express love and hatred related to specific political background and social systems, and also to show their political standing and thought tendency(汪289). At the same time, the westerners also impose color words certain political meaning, but it is not as obvious as in China. For example, Red Army refers to a terror company. The meaning of ―red‖ (blooding terrorist) is totally opposite to Chinese. Besides, a few Political Parties, Army, Organizations name in color, but without a special political meaning. For example, ―Black Hand‖ means ―a party‖; ―Green Beret‖ means ―green hat‖, a nickname of the USA Special Sheet (Bernard 98). Under different backgrounds, color words have different meaning. So we have to pay special attention to the usage of the color words with political meaning.
2．Economic meaning
Color words show their unique charm and usage in western economic area. ―Green‖ has a close relationship with the US dollar for being printed green. For example, ―green-back‖ refers to the US dollar. And ―blue‖ is usually connected with s tock and business. For example, ―blue Chip‖ means ―favored stock‖; ―blue laws‖ refers to the American law banning business transaction on Sunday（Dai 278）. ―Red‖ is not so popular in economy because it often associates to ―loss and debt‖. For example, ―red-figure‖ means ―financial deficit‖. ―Black‖ means ―making a profit‖. For example, ―black figure/in the black‖ both mean making money/profits. But it also has a negative meaning in economy. For example, ―black Friday‖ is the time when economic scare is comin g. On occasion, ―white‖ is used in economic area. For example, ―white war‖ is economic war; ―white Sale‖ is referring to ―on a big sale‖.
C. Symbolic meaning
Western countries and China have different development origins, so the symbolic meaning of color words is different naturally. In China, first, ―red‖ symbolizes getting rid of evil. Red is the basic color that we Chinese have special liking because it can represent the pursuit of matters and spirits of human, and it also stand for happiness, success, luck, loyalty and prosperity. For example, at the time of wedding, the bride and groom are both in red (red flowers, red clothes etc.). However, in western countries, ―red‖ is the symbol of blood(贾125). As is known to all, once the blood is shedding, it means fading or death. Therefore, the westerners regard ―red‖ as ―violence,
danger and blood‖. For example, a red battle means a battle related to violence. Secondly, ―white‖ is the symbol of death or unluckiness in China. For example, when the old died, his issues wear white to show their sorrow. It also symbolizes failure, foolishness and impotence, while it symbolizes purity and chastity in western countries. For example, ―a white soul‖ means tha t the heart is pure or someone is kind. In the next, ―yellow‖ is the only color that the noble can use in ancient times and it means power in China. For example, the King wears yellow to show his supreme power. But now ―yellow‖ always replaces something about ―sex‖. In western countries, ―yellow‖ is given a meaning that is not good, mainly referring to cowardice or damning, such as, yellow dog(卑鄙小人);yellow look(怀疑的目光).
D．Cultural factors and color words
As is known to all, there are so many color words. I decide to choose seven of them to analyze in detail, and they are red, white, black, blue, green, grey and yellow. These color words are of abundant cultural connotations both in Chinese and English, and they can also represent the typical of the color words.
1. Red
a. The same cultural connotations in English and Chinese
Both in the English-speaking countries and in China, red is often a day that is relevant with jubilation and celebration activities. For in the calendar these days are often marked using a red font.
In English, red letter day refers to the "Day" or "day of celebration"(彭76). ―Roll out the red carpet for sb‖ means roll out the red carpet, with a grand ceremony to welcome a person.
In Chinese, good start(开门红), popular transportation（走红运）, full house（满堂红）, popular（走红）; and these are all used to indicate happy event, success or something worth celebration (Bao 121). In English, ―see red‖: means ―furious‖ (probably because cow see the red bar and will go crazy.).
b. Different cultural connotations in English and Chinese
In English, ―red-blooded males‖ often refers to people who are energetic and active.
Red means "debt" or "loss", because people register in red pen and are always negative. So these phrases turn up: red figure (赤字); red ink(赤字); in the red (loss);
red-ink entry(deficit record); red balance(deficit balance). Red is a derogatory term. Capitalism in the West treats communism as a plague, which means "left-wing political views" or "communists".
In Chinese, the Red army or red devil (commendatory term, red is a symbol of ―revolution‖ or―communist‖). Red flag fluttering; born in New China, growing under the red flag (red flag symbolizing the party's care and warmth, and the red flag is also
a symbol of the Chinese Communist Party)(Wang 146).
2. White
a. The same cultural connotations in English and Chinese
―White‖ can make people think of something that is without any achievement or there is no value. For examp le, ―white elephant‖ refers to―encumbrance‖; wh ite hope means those who are given high hopes.
In Chinese, ―白费‖ (all in vain ); ―白费蜡‖ (a metaphor referring to wasted time or energy); ―白搭‖ (not working); In fact , these words translated into English, have nothing to do with the "white".
b. Different cultural connotations in English and Chinese
In English, Westerners treat ―white‖ as the color of purity and chastity. Infant baptism and at the wedding ceremony, the bride is always dressed in white. White wedding: in the western countries could be held at home or in his own garden, or in the Marriage Registration Agency, the bride wears white clothes especially for marriage in a religious ceremony at the wedding in the church called the "white wedding." ―White lie‖ is a lie that is not unkind.
In Chinese, White Terror, White power, white area (―white‖ in China, was once a symbol of "reactionary forces").
English compound words that are formed by ―white‖ means something familiar to the westerners and a conclusive saying of a king of thing (Bao 122). For example, ―white goods‖, for one thing, refers to something that is made of white cloth and necessary in daily life. Such as, white sheets, white towels, and white tablecloths; for another thing it refers to large--sized, high-priced appliances, often used at home, and such objects often painted white, hence is the name. Such as, stoves, refrigerators, washing machines and so on. Now the "white goods" is no longer strange in China.
―White collar‖ first appeared in the early 1920s, the metaphor of ―white-collar‖ is originated from the traditional working clothes with white collar, so that it can distinct from the blue-collar. Because "white collar‖ is very easy to be dirty, therefore, the
white-collar workers are those who will not be easily make their collar dirty, mainly referring to a class of persons engaged in mental work, and working places mostly in an office. White-collar crime, also known as a crime committed by gentleman.
Other phrases about ―white‖, such as, white bread (bread that is made from delicately-processed flour); white coffee (coffee with milk); white horse (sea waves); white trash (In American English, a derogatory term, referring to the white who are not well-educated and impoverished. they are of the lowest social status of the whites); white war (war without gun and smoke, often refers to "economic competition"); the white way (referring to the business district with the bright lights in downtown); white feather (cowardice ); white paper (an official report on a certain question).
3. Black
a. The same cultural connotations in English and Chinese
First, People often connect b lack with "evil" and "bad‖, for example, in English, black money means dirty money (referring to the money from an improper source and paying no tax to the government); black market (meaning the foreign exchange transactions in that the commodities on selling are what government banned, or markets that engage in illegal and speculative transactions); thus, the phrase ―the black market p rice‖ is derived.
In Chinese, black store (referring to the hotel where the murder and robbery could happen); black den (a place where someone did something illegal to hide).
Second, ―black‖ is used to refer to events that are catastrophic, or charact ers that are unpopular. For example, in English, ―black Friday‖ refers to September 24, 1869 and an economic crisis that began on September 19, 1873. And in China, people now often use "Black Monday" or "Black July" to describe a bad or an unlucky day.
b. In different social environments of China and western countries, and under the specific historical conditions, ―black‖ refers to a particular thing, people, or concept (Bao 122). In this case, "black" in general is relevant with the "black people‖ in English, while in Chinese "black" is usually linked with politically reactionary actions or gangs. For example, ―black power‖ refers to human rights movement of the black. ―Black Panthers‖, a Party, which was founded in the 1860s and obtained the support o f the legal authority and gained the black community’s superior treatment.
c. H aving an opposite meaning to the ―red ink‖ when accounting, ―black‖ can also indicate a profit. For example, ―black figure / in the black‖ means profit or
surplus; ―black figure nation‖ refers to the countries whose international balance of payments is surplus; ―interest in the black‖ indicates that the interest is still receivable.
4. Blue
a.Different cultural connotations in English and Chinese
In English, to begin with, ―blue‖ means "sadness, depression or in a bad mood" and has a closer meaning to ―depressed‖. For example, if someone is in a blue mood, it means he/she is depressed; and ―the blues‖ means ―frustration‖.
In the following, ―blue‖ indicates a high social stat us and a symbol of power, or having a noble or royal birth. For example, if we say, ―he's a real blue blood, which means that he was born in a noble family.‖―Blue-eyed boys‖, workers who are loved and often obtain special care of the management staff. ―Blue button‖ means the brokers who have the right to enter the stock transaction market.
Third, ―blue‖ refers to a unique cultural phenomenon in Western society. ―The Blues‖ refers to the Blues music, which is a sad song by the black and already very famili ar to the Chinese. ―Blue stocking‖ is another word with special cultural significance, originally refers to the knowledgeable and well-educated women in 18th century in Britain, who loved to wear the blue socks. Although they are renowned in the West, after all, they can not reverse the demands of modern society where the female must lose themselves and attach to the male matching the trend of the times. Therefore, it is now a derogatory term, used ironically to criticize the women who think highly of themselves.
In the next, ―blue‖ was seen as a male tone, being the toy dolls, boys are generally blue, girls are mostly pink.
In the end, ―blue‖ means something that is ―sex‖ relevant. For example, ―the blue film‖ is the pornographic movies; ―blue law‖ is the law which is used to strengthen the sexual morality and control alcoholism and other social issues (Bao 123). In Chinese, on one side, ―blue‖ is ocean-related phenomena and the study of Chinese culture, such as, Blue culture. On the other side, ―blue‖ is a symbol of nature (the sea, sky). For example, in the Chinese literature, "blue sky, white clouds and blue sea‖ is often used to describe nature as a microcosm of nature.
5. Green
a. Unique cultural connotation related to gardening.
Firstly, ―green‖ is on behalf of vegetables, fruits and plants. Green bean is Kidney bean (not beans that are green); greengrocer (fruit vendor); greens (green food);
greenery (green leaves or trees); green fingers, a green thumb (gardening experts); green house (flower house).
Secondly, ―green‖ means ―jealousy‖. For example, green-eyed monster refers to those who love to be jealous of others.
Thirdly, ―green‖ means "fresh" or ―lack of experience/ lack of training). For example, green meat means that the meat is fresh; a green hand refers to a new beginner and being inexperienced.
At last, to mention ―Green‖, "green card" can not be left out. The term (green card) is originated in the United States, and the formal title is called the "Permanent Resident Card ", also known as I-551, above which are the records of the cardholder's photograph, fingerprints, name, etc. The earliest certification for permanent residence permission in the United States is a green card(张132). With the design changes, 19 versions have been updated. Now it is already a white plastic card with yellow-green patterns, but the name (green card) has been retained down. Other countries follow the United States’ saying; they also call their permanent residence p permission ―green card‖.
Besides, ―green‖ has the following meanings in the financial area. ―Green back‖ means the ―American dollar‖ (because the back of the U.S. dollar is green, used in oral English). ―Green power‖ means "the power of money" or "consortium". ―Green stamp‖ refers to the relief subsidies in the United States, because it is printed in green, thus the name. ―Green sheet‖ is a comparison table of the Government's detailed budget. ―Green pound‖ is referring to a high exchange rate pound that is used for the calculation of prices of agricultural products within the Community.
6. Grey
a. The same cultural connotations in English and Chinese
In English, ―grey‖ is a metaphor of ―dim/unclear‖. For example, ―the grey market‖ means ―a half black market‖; ―grey area‖(灰色地区) is referring to the serious unemployment area; ―Life seems grey and joyless to him‖ means his life is dim and unhappy.
In Chinese, ―grey‖ has a pejorative connotation, meaning ―bleak‖. For example, ―a gray future‖ means ―a bleak future‖.
b. Unique cultural connotations in Chinese
In Chinese, ―grey‖ is used to describe depression(消沉，灰溜溜的). It always links with something that is of depression, despair, such as, discouraged(心灰意冷),