第2期(总第27期) 2000年6月
黎明职业大学学报
Journal of Liming Vocational University
No.2
Jun.2000
试析“中国式英语”的语言特征与文化背景
林绿竹
摘要 本文根据系统功能语法理论的四个语义成分对“中国式英语”的语言特征及其文化背景进行分析,即从经验成分、人际成分、语篇成分、逻辑成分等方面分析产生这种语言现象的根源。
关键词 中国式英语 语言特征 系统功能语法理论 语义成分 文化背景
英语中有一个尚未被收入词典的合并词“Chinglish”(即Chinese+English),意为“中国式的英语”(原有“洋泾浜英语”pidgin English一词,则早已被收入英文词典中),这是对中国人使用英语时的一种语言现象的概括。由于跨文化交际中所存在的语言文化差异、不同的思维模式、不同的语言表达习惯等诸多原因,造成了中国学生所特有的Chinglish (pidgin English)现象。中国学生所用的英语,有的看来没有明显的语法错误,但是在搭配关系、文体和修辞等方面不地道,总令人一眼就看出不是原汁原味,往往或多或少地带有汉文化的痕迹。本文运用韩礼德(Halliday)(1967,1970a,1970b,1975)及泰勒(C.V. T aylor)(1979)的理论,从功能法的四个语义成分来分析“中国式英语”的一些语言特征及其产生的文化背景。
一、经验成分与“中国式英语”语言的特征
著名的英国语言学家韩礼德Halliday(1970a)说:“语言是为表达内容服务的。所谓内容即说话者对真实世界的体验,包括其自己意识的内在世界。”换句话说,语言体现的是人类对其周围世界及其内在世界的过程、人物、物质、抽象概念、质量、状态和关系等的体验。
有一次笔者模仿David K ellogg编著的English Matters一书,让学生作命题短文,陈述为什么会患感冒的理由(H ow might y ou,who had caught cold,explain to y our friend why y ou had caught cold?)。由于谈论的是同一话题,也就是说,该话题所限制的行为类型是相同的,因此大多数学生的语言功能中的经验成分的体现与英国学生大致相同。在他们的作文中,以Halliday的术语来说,的确可以发现某些“参与者”(participants)、“过程”(processes)和“环境”(circumstances)是相似的,如:weather,night,wind,illΠsick,caught cold等等
都是我们所熟悉的。但是令我注目的是在选词的多样化方面存在着较大的差异。我们大多数学生选用change Πchangeable ,cold ,wear clothes ,not take care ,not enough rest 等字眼。然而,英国学生却选用一些我们中国人比较想不到的字词,如wet hair ,virus ,vitamin pills ,neglect of self 等。
是什么造成这种差异的呢?从Halliday 的观点来看,这主要是因为各人的经验成分本身存在着差异,因为不同的群体社会背景或文化背景不同,因为人们对真实世界有着自己的体验。大多数中国学生将感冒的原因归咎于衣服穿不够:中国(尤其是南方)冬天室内没有暖气,所以大多数的人都得穿上更多的衣服以保暖。有一个学生写道:“I was watching the m ovie in the open ,when it started to rain …The next m orning I found I had a cold 。”可想而知,英国人根本不会把“在露天看电影”和“着凉”联系起来,因为一般情况下他们都是在室内看电影的。但是在中国某些地方,晚上在露天免费播映娱乐片或教育片,供人们消遣娱乐,这是较经常的事情。同样,英国学生的某些理由也无法为我们所理解。有一个说:“Because I didn ’t take enough vitamin pills.”依我们中国人的常识来看,维他命药片主要是为体弱者所用,而非用于预防感冒,而英国人认为服用维他命药片可以增强体质,抵抗病毒的入侵,从而达到预防感冒的效果。
从上所述,我们可以得出结论,即:参与者、过程和环境的选择既受语言环境的限制,也受到社会和文化环境的限制。正因为如此,中国学生所用的英语才会令中国人—听、一看就“倍感亲切”,而英语本族语者有时会感到莫名其妙,怪里怪气。有一个例子很能说明这个问题:70年代未的中国学生在写到学习与前途的关系时,典型的一句是:I f y ou don ’t w ork hard ,y ou w on ’t be able to enter a university and y ou will have to settle down in the countryside.口出此言主要是因为当时中国的高等教育范围很有限,只有通过高考的中学毕业生才有机会进大学深造,其余的由于城市里就业机会有限,政府都鼓励到农村或边疆插队落户。这对于发达国家中要上大学、改变学程、或者接受成人教育都很方便的学生来说,难免要感到困惑不解。
顺便值得一提的是,选词与对词汇系统的掌握有关。这可以通过研究词汇密度(lexi 2cal density )得以证实。确定一篇语篇中语法字词(grammatical w ords )和词汇字词(lexical w ords )之间的比例这一概念源于Ure (1969),主要是作为进行区别的一种手段。T aylor (1979)对词汇量(lexicality )和词汇密度作了进一步的区别。他说词汇量衡量的是一篇语篇中词汇字词的百分率,词汇密度体现的是词汇条项类型在所出现的全部词汇中所占的比例。词汇量或词汇密度小的语篇比词汇量或词汇密度大的语篇更易于理解。由于英语是中国学生的外语,因此在词汇网络中的选择相对很狭小。例如:“饭后散步,有益健康”一句,大多中国学生认为理所当然应译成:A walk after meal does g ood to y our health.这就是“中国式的英语”。多数的学生不会用stroll 或leisured walk ,而且一定会用health 来对应“健康”,殊不知也可以是benefits y ou a g ood deal 。再如,“风越来越大,最后竟变成一场暴风雨。”中国学生的翻译很可能会是:The wind grew heavier and heavier and finally turned into a storm.他们不会想到用tem pest ,更不会用这个句型:By and by the wind grew to a tem pest.
14第2期 林绿竹 试析“中国式英语”的语言特征与文化背景
24 黎明职业大学学报 2000年
二、人际成分与“中国式英语”语言的特征
语言不仅用于描述经验,而且也用于表现言语参与者之间的关系。语言功能的这一人际成分在系统功能中是以语气(m ood)和情态(m odality)来体现的(Halliday1970b)。
语气指说话者在言语情境中选择某一特定角色,并且对听话者的角色进行分配。这些选择通常是通过陈述、疑问和祈求的形式得以实现。陈述语气总是交谈中的主要类型,而中国学生却偏爱使用疑问句和祈使句。笔者再次仿照English Matters一书,设题Pretend that y ou have a y ounger brother who doesn’t w ork hard at school.What w ould y ou say that might per2 suade him to w ork hard?让学生作文讨论。笔者发现45名学生中,有41名即91%的学生使用了疑问句式和祈使句式,如:“Don’t y ou hnow it’s very im portant to study hard?”“Don’t y ou feel ashamed to be the one who is always lagging behing in y our class?”“Study hard at school.”“Don’t waste such g ood opportunity for study at school…”
从语言学的角度而言,这种现象归咎于角色的选择。这些中国学生作文回答这个问题,似乎他们的弟弟也在场,前者为说话者(addressers),后者为听者(addressees)。En2 glish Matters中的一些英国学生则不然,他们充当了对说话者做出反应的角色。此处的说话者即设置问题的人。那“弟弟”则扮演第三者的角色,作为话语的参与者。
从非语言学的角度而言,语气系统的选择受到个人的意旨(tenor)———即话语参与者之间的关系———的限制。在中国家庭里,通常是年长者负有照顾年幼者的责任,因此倾向于采用权威性的口吻,这就是学生在该命题作文中使用祈使语气的原因所在。同样还应注意的是:疑问语气从功能语用方面来讲是用于表达警告或劝诫的。在英国,虽然兄长也帮助弟弟妹妹,但那并未赋予他们权威来采取高人一等的姿态。他们的作答因此也更可能是采用劝说而非告诫或批评的语气。英国学生也谈及他们自己的成功或失败,即使是以调侃的语气来谈。例如:“Use myself as an exam ple and say to him that he doesn’t want to end up like his elder brother.”(“以我为例,跟他说他不要落个跟他哥哥相同的下场。”);“I f he w orks hard he may one day be as hrainy as his big brother…”(“他如果用功的话,将来他会跟他哥哥一样聪明的。”);“Y ou could relate y our own success or failure to y our own efforts at scholl…”(“你的成功或失败与你在校的努力程度有关……”)等等。在命题作文中,几乎没有哪个中国学生是这样通过个人比较来提出忠告的。英国学生倾向于以建议的口吻含蓄地讲话,而中国学生更直率点。这是他们所遵循的社会习俗的一种反映。学生书面作文中对情态(m odality)和意态(m odulation)的偏好的差异也可说明这点。
情态是说话人对可能性和可预测性的预见,是存在于内容之外的,是说话者对听话者的一种态度。相反,意态是一个小句(clause)的概念性内容,形成了参与者在能力、倾向、许可、职责和义务等方面与一个过程之间的关系的特征(Halliday,1970b)。《美国大学生英语作文点评》一书中所使用的情态有如:“That w ould probably scare the pants off him”,“He might explain that…”,“I’d try and find out way and…”,“A mental block or perhaps s ome em otional crisis within his family that has disrupted his studies”;“I don’t think they’d see him as lacking intelligence.”而中国学生在这方面却很大程度上局限于perhaps和maybe.
意态方面,中国学生喜好使用should 和will 之类的root m odals ,以及have to ,to be able to 之类的suppletive m odals.例如:“Y ou shouldn ’t neglect y our study …”,“Y ou must w ork hard now.Otherwise y ou can do nothing when y ou grow up.”“He had to spend m ost of his time studying.”“What ’s m ore y ou will not be able to pass the examination.”,以及“I f y ou dont w ork hard now ,y ou ’ll regret it when y ou grow up.”中国学生尤其喜欢最后一个句型“I f …not ,y ou ’ll
…”
(有16例)。这清楚地反应了一种限定性的思维方式,全然受到中国的思维方式的影响,未能较深入地进入英语本族人的思维模式,模仿、运用、甚至灵活发挥,从而实现交际中人际关系的得当安排和处理。
三、“中国式英语”语言特征在语篇成分上的体现
中国学生与英语为母语者之间在主位(theme )及衔接(cohesion )方面也存在着一些差异。主位及衔接是语篇成分中重要的元素。主位体现在句子本身,衔接则体现在句子之外。
主位是通往信息的出发点,总是位于句首(Halliday 1967)。鉴于此,陈述句的主语、WH 疑问句的WH 成分、以及选择疑问句的限定动词成分均属未标记的主位(unmarked theme )。因此,当句子的其他一些成分位于句首时,就是标记主位。
中国学生使用标记主位明显多于英语本族语者,部分原因也是受其母语的影响。下列两个例句中,第二例句的时间副词“yesterday ”的位置在英语中就表现了突出的主位效果:
1.A fter I had played basketball for an hour yesterday ,I didn ’t put on my coat.(告诉听者他打
完篮球后所发生的事情。
)2.Y esterday after I had played basketball for an hour ,I didn ’t put on my coat.(告诉听者昨天所发生的事情)。
第一例句表明该句关心的是说话者的活动,而第二例句则表明该句注重的是时间。但是第一例句却不为相应的汉语所接受:
1a.我打了一小时篮球后昨天,我没穿衣服。
2b.昨天我打了一小时篮球后,我没穿衣服。
由于汉语句子在结构上时间副词经常必定要占居首位,因此就会出现大量的主位副词。所以,大多数中国学生会使用类似第2例句的结构(即标记主位)以对应汉语的表达习惯,故而会令中国人感到亲切、自然,但却缺乏“洋味”。像不定式短语作为标记主位这类洋味十足的句式(如:“T o ever succeed y ou have to w ork hard ”
;“Nothing to explain ,I ’ve caught cold.”
)在中国学生中是极少见到的。语言反映说话人对客观世界的体验和认识,以及说话人在会话时与周围的参与者的关系,也反映说话人对语言本身规律的掌握。正因为如此,中国学生使用英语时,在结构的主位方面才存在着与操英语母语者的差别,留下了汉语痕迹。再看下列汉英两个句子:
十年来,中国旅游业达到了前所未有的蓬勃局面。
The past decade has seen an unprecedented boom in China ’s tourist industry.
由于译者较好地掌握了英语语言的规律,将主语推移到“十年”这个时间上,既突出了时间信
34第2期 林绿竹 试析“中国式英语”的语言特征与文化背景
44 黎明职业大学学报 2000年
息,也与英语的表现方式取得了一致,即:主位为时间,均符合两种语言的表达习惯。
每篇语篇都有自己的结构,结构就是通过句子之间的衔接关系得以体现的。根据Hal2 liday和Hasan的分类法,有五种衔接手段(cohesive ties),即:指代(reference),替换(substitution),省略(ellipsis),连接(conjunction)及词汇衔接(lexical cohesion)。
一般而言,中国学生和英语本族语者之间在衔接手段的类型方面的差异并不显著,因为汉英两种语言的衔接照应手段大致相同。差别较显著的是英语本族语者运用了一些汉语语篇中并不出现的省略结构。例如,他们有时候会省略句子中的主语以及限定动词或情态动词,以致乍一看象个祈使句,如:“(I w ould)Use myself as an exam ple…”大量此类的省略形式可以说是本族语学生语篇简洁的部分原因。
相反,中国学生偏爱使用连词。在一次作文中,45名学生有15例“s o”,17例“but”,4例“what is m ore”。笔者根据这45名学生的作文统计了一下,使用指代手段的占59.61%,使用替换手段的占0.33%,省略的10.44%,连接的5.86%,词汇衔接的23.78%。显然,尽管指代和替换是汉英语言中都有的衔接手段,但汉语词语重复出现的运用率明显高于英语。因此,中国学生在英语写作中也留下了这个特点,随着汉语的习惯一再重复某个单词或词组,而不会用英语常用的替换手段。例如:
大学是一种社会优势……要把这种优势化作我自己的优势,关键在于刻苦学习。
University is a s ocial privilege…T o turn this kind of privilege into my own privilege,the m ost im2 portant thing is hard study.
事实上,这种重复完全可以按照英语的表达习惯用指代替换掉:
University provides a s ocial privilege…T o make the best of it demands a painstaking effort.
此句无论从选词、句子结构还是修辞手段来看,都是“洋味十足”。再看下面的对话: Uh-oh!Did y ou remember to feed the dog?(你记得喂狗了吗?)
No,I didn’t.I thought y ou were g oing to feed him!(不记得,我以为你要喂的。)
Hmm.I guess I W AS…but I forg ot all about it.(我想我本来是要喂的……但是我把这事全忘了。)
Well,since the dog hasn’t been fed yet,I guess one of us should g o and do it.(那么,既然狗还没有喂,我想我们中得有一个去喂狗。)
Okay.I’ll do it.(好吧,我去喂吧。)
从这个对话我们可以看出,英语当中使用了指代、替换和省略,但与其相对应的中文却不然。如果反过来要按照中文译成英语,中国学生大都会遵循中文的表达习惯一再重复,不懂得使用像do it和I was之类的替代、省略等手法。这正是中国学生洋泾浜英语的表现。
四、
“中国式英语”的语言特征在逻辑成分上的体现
相对而言,操英语本族语者在句子中会用上较多的小句,从而产生更多的复合句,虽然一个含更多小句的句子未必比含较少小句的句子更复杂(T aylor1979)。用T aylor对句子的深层(depth)及断层(interruption)的衡量法可以部分地反应一个句子的复杂程度。
比较下列例句后,可以看出第二例句更有深度:
1.Anyhow father and m other can ’t take care of y ou all y our life ,and y our brothers and sisters have themselves to look after.(中国学生
)
2.I caught a cold because I didn ’t wear enough clothing to keep me warm.(本族语者
)
两个例句都有三个小句,但在第一例句,前两个小句均属同级,因而只能认为句子的深层只有两层。第二例句含有一个主句、一个状语分句以及一个内含的非限定小句(em 2bedded non -finite clause ),因此句子的深层有三层。
谈到句子断层,句子结构的复杂性的差异就更明显了。断层衡量的是一个句子中的“深层活动”(depth -level m ovement )(T aylor 1979)。深层活动越大,断层越多,因而句子结构也就越复杂、越难。例如,下列例句中各有四个小句:
1.It ’s not because he did not w ork hard but because he was very intense and had no
experience.
2.I f y ou g ot this over with ,then y ou will have time to think about y our life later on ,and will als o have easier access to m ore and different ways of
life.
例句1有一个断层,而例句2有三个断层。例句1选自笔者学生的作文,例句2选自English Matters ,出自操本族语者之手。在45名学生的一次作文中,笔者作了一下统计,在平均每人34个句子当中,总共用了78个小句,每句平均只有2.32个小句,平均句子的深层只有1.83,平均句子的断层只有1.03。中国学生普遍倾向于使用句子层次较少、结构较简单的句子,在逻辑结构上无疑不如操本族语者精通熟练。试比较:
A bottle of fresh flowers is standing and smiling on the desk.
此句只有一个层面,我建议学生将它改为:
A bottle of fresh flowers is standing on the desk ,smiling.
同样简洁,但是多了一个层次和断层,令人读起来更生动,更有洋味。再如:
5
4第2期 林绿竹 试析“中国式英语”的语言特征与文化背景
The bookshelves on the right of the window are decorated with s ome lovely little things ,and they make us forget
tiredness.
若将它改为:
The bookshelves on the right of the window are decorated with s ome lovely little things ,which make us forget
tiredness.
断层和层次都增加,结构更复杂,也就更地道,但却是中国学生较少使用的。
五、结 论
中国学生已在一定程度上掌握了英语,基本上能够运用该语言来意指事物、表达思想、与以英语为本族语者进行沟通。Malinowski 说:“语言是扎根于文化现实中的,扎根于一个民族的宗族生活及习俗中,不不断提及言语所表达的更为广泛的涵义就解释不了语言”(1923)。英语显然也是如此。TEF L (T eaching English as a F oreign Language )的初衷也就是培养学生用该语言进行交际的能力。我们作为中国英语教育者和工作者,一方面应该注意到操英语本族语者的内在因素,以便分辨其文化上认同的知识,另一面也不应忽视其间不同的社会文化内涵。这就要求我们深入探究英语本族语的惯用模式及其文化背景,对地道的英语表达手法、思维模式具有高度的敏感性,善于模仿、总结、吸取并运用,首先是使自己以地道的英语来表达自己的经验和知识,然后才能引导学生更好地学习。
参考文献
〔1〕胡壮麟.C ontem porary Linguistic Theories and Applications.北京大学出版社,1995
〔2〕胡壮麟,方 琰.功能语言学在中国的进展.北京大学出版社,1997
〔3〕陈小尉.语言?功能?翻译.福建教育出版社,1998
〔4〕David K ellogg.English M atters.西安交通大学出版社,1998
〔5〕蔡基刚.留美大学生英语作文点评.上海交通大学出版社,1998
(责任编辑 陈金聪)
64 黎明职业大学学报 2000年
常见中国传统文化名词英语翻译 风水：Fengshui; geomantic omen 阳历：solar calendar 阴历：lunar calendar 闰年：leap year 十二生肖：zodiac 春节：the Spring Festival 元宵节：the Lantern Festival 清明节：the Tomb-sweeping Day 端午节：the Dragon-boat Festival 中秋节：the Mid-autumn Day 重阳节：the Double-ninth Day 七夕节：the Double-seventh Day 春联：spring couplets 春运：the Spring Festival travel 把中国的汉字“福”字倒贴在门上(听起来像是福到)预示新年有好运：turn the Chinese character for luck (fu) upside down to make “dao”(which sounds like arrival) and put it on your door to bring in good fortune for the new year 庙会：temple fair 爆竹：firecracker 年画：(traditional) New Year pictures 压岁钱：New Year gift-money 舞龙：dragon dance 舞狮：lion dance 元宵：sweet sticky rice dumplings 花灯：festival lantern 灯谜：lantern riddle 食物对于中国佳节来说至关重要，但甜食对于农历新年特别重要，因为他们能让新的一年更加甜蜜。Food is central to all Chines festivals, but sugary snacks are especially important for Lunar New Year, since they sweetne up prospects for the coming year. 传统的佳节食物包括年糕、八宝饭、饺子、果脯和瓜子。Traditional holiday treats include nian gao (rice pudding), ba bao fan (eight treasure rice), jiao zi (crispy dumplings), candied fruits and seeds. 四合院：Siheyuan/ Quadrangle 亭/阁：pavilion/attic 刺绣：Embroidery 剪纸：Paper Cutting 书法：Calligraphy 针灸：Acupuncture 象形文字：Pictograms/Pictographic Characters 偏旁：radical 战国：Warring States 人才流动：Brain Drain/Flow 铁饭碗：Iron Bowl 黄土高原：Loess Plateau 红白喜事：Weddings and Funerals ——仅供参考
中国成语英语翻译大全 Where there is a will, there is a way。有志者。事竟成爱屋及乌Love me，love my dog. 百闻不如一见Seeing is believing。比上不足，比下有余"worse off than some, better off than many; to fall short of the best， but be better than the worst 笨鸟先飞 A slow sparrow should make an early start。不眠之夜white night 不以物喜,不以己悲not pleased by external gains，not saddened by personnal losses 不遗余力spare no effort; go all out； do one\'s best 不打不成交”No discord, no concord. 拆东墙补西墙rob Peter to pay Paul 辞旧迎新bid farewell to the old and usher in the new； ring out the old year and ring in the new 大事化小,小事化了try first to make their mistake sound less serious and then to reduce it to nothing at all 大开眼界open one\'s eyes; broaden one\'s horizon; be an eye-opener 国泰民安The country flourishes and people live in peace 过犹不及going too far is as bad as not going far enough; beyond is as wrong as falling short； too much is as bad as too little 功夫不负有心人Everything comes to him who waits。好了伤疤忘了疼once on shore， one prays no more 好事不出门，恶事传千里Good news never goes beyond the gate, while bad news spread far and wide. 和气生财Harmony brings wealth 活到老，学到老One is never too old to
Part I Wisdom and Beliefs Unit 1 Confucian thought on heaven and humanity Confucius (551-479 BC), known in China as Kongzi, given name Qiu and alias Zhongni, was a native of Zouyi (present-day Qufu in Shandong Province) of the State of Lu during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC). A great thinker, educator and founder of Confucianism, Confucius is an ancient sage to the Chinese people. His words and life story were recorded by his disciples and their students in The Analects (Lunyu). Confucius on Heaven: the source of Everything In the Shang (1600-1046 BC) and Zhou (1046-256 BC) dynasties, the prevalent concept of “Heaven”was that of a personified god, which influenced Confucius. Generally, however, Confucius regarded “Heaven”as nature. He said, “Heaven does not speak in words. It speaks through the rotation of the four seasons and the growth of all living things.” Obviously, heaven equaled nature, in the eyes of Confucius. Moreover, nature was not a lifeless mechanism separate from humans; instead, it was the great world of life and the process of creation of life. Human life was part and parcel of nature as a whole. Confucius on People: ren and li Ren and Li are the two core concepts of Confucius’s doctrine about people. When his students Fan Chi asked him about ren, Confucius replied, “love people”. This is Confucius’ most important interpretation of ren. Love for the people is universal love. Confucius further emphasized that this kind of love should “begin with the love for one’s parents”. He believed no one could love people in general if they did not even love their own parents. Confucius regarded “filial piety and fraternal duty”as the essence of ren. The Doctrine of the Mean (Zhongyong) quotes Confucius as saying, “ The greatest love for people is the love for one’s parents.” He also said, “Children should not travel far while their parents are alive. If they have no choice but to do so, they must retain some restraint.” He did not mean that children should not leave their parents at all. What he meant was that children should not make the parents anxious about them while away from home. Confucius said again, “Children should think often of the age of their parents. They should feel happy for the health and longevity of their parents. They should also feel concern for the aging of their parents.” By ren, Confucius meant universal love based on love for one’s parents. How should people love one another then? Confucius said, “One should be aware that other people may have similar desires as oneself. While fulfilling one’s desires, allow others to fulfill their desires as well.” He further said, “Do not do toward others anything you would not want to be done to you.” Thus from oneself to one’s family, from family to society, one should extend love to all people. Mencius (c. 372-289 BC), a great Confucian scholar, best summarized ren as, “loving one’s parents, loving the people, loving everything in the world.” Li refers to rituals, traditions and norms in social life. Of these, Confucius regarded burial rituals and ancestral worship rituals as the most important, because they rose from human feelings. He said, “A child should not leave his parents’ bosom until he is three years old.” He naturally love his parents. The ritual of wearing mourning for a deceased parent for three years was an expression of the child’s love and remembrance. Confucius on the State of life
Review Outline for "English Introduction to Chinese Culture Course" Overview & Introduction: See the picture on the right, and describe them in English. Video: This is China BBC: Wild China Full Name of China: PRC-People's Republic of China National Flag: the red five-star flag Party in power: CPC-Communist Party of China CPPCC-Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Emblem Key words: Forbidden City/ Imperial Palace; Temple of Heaven; Summer Palace; Ming Tombs; The world-renowned Badaling section of the Great Wall; to be added more... Enjoy videos: NBC北京奥运会片头 《北京欢迎你》 Geography Location Southeast Asia , the Pacific Ocean, the world‘s third largest country. 9.6 million square kilometers, 18,000 kilometers, a rooster. northern end: Mohe, Heilongjiang Province, south: Zengmu Ansha west: Pamirs east: the conjunction of the Heilongjiang (Amur) River and the Wusuli (Ussuri) River. Boundary East: Korea North: Mongalia Northeast: Russia Northwest: Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan West & Southwest: Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan South: Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam Marine-side neighbors include eight countries -- North Korea, Korea, Japan, Philippines, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam. Topography Terrain
1.香囊(scented sachet)，古代也称“香袋”，通常是用布缝制或彩色丝线编织的袋子，里面塞满香草(aromatic herbs)。香囊最初用来吸汗、驱虫和避邪。香囊不仅有用，而且可作装饰品。它们的形状和大小各异，有圆形、椭圆形和其他形状。它们通常配有精致的图案，每个图案都象征着特别的含义。例如，双鱼或成对蝴蝶图案象征男女之爱;莲花或牡丹花(peony flower)等图案象征女性;松树和仙鹤图案象征长寿;石榴(guava)图案象征很多孩子。漂亮的香囊不仅是装饰品，而且含有丰富的文化和历史内涵。 翻译：Scented sachets, also called “fragrant bags” in ancient times, are bags usually sewed with cloth or weaved with multicolor silk threads and stuffed with aromatic herbs. The fragrant bags were originally used for absorbing sweat, repelling insects and warding off evils. Scented sachets are not only useful, but also ornamental. They come in different shapes and sizes, such as round, oval and many others. And they are normally decorated with elaborate patterns, with each pattern symbolizing a special meaning.For instance,a double-fish or double-butterfly pattern smybolizes the love between a man and a woman;patterns like lotus or peony flowers symbolize women;pine and crane patterns symbolize longevity and a guava pattern is the symbol of lots of children.A nice scented sachet is not just an ornament,but more of something that contains cultural and historical richness. 2.中国民间艺术与中国哲学统一于“阴阳(yin-yang)生万物”这一理念。这一理念源于中国原始社会，是对人类的人生感悟的哲学注解。中国人祖先的哲学论断是“近看自己，远观他人”。要理解中华民族民间艺术的原始艺术，这一结论必不可少。人类的本能欲望是生存并通过繁衍(propagation)继续存在。人生来的首要本能是求生，然后是长寿。从原始社会到今天，阴阳和永生的观念始终贯穿中国的社会生活和民族文化。中国民间艺术反映了社会的所有基本哲学理念。 翻译：Chinese folk art and Chinese philosophy are unified in the belief that yin-yang produces all living things in the world. Originated in Chinese primitive society, this was the philosophical explanation of human's perception of life. Chinese ancestors philosophical conclusion was to “look at oneself up close and other creatures from afar”，which is essential to the understanding of the primitive art to the folk art of the nation. To live and to continue life through propagation are the two instinctive desires of human. From birth, a person's first instinct is to survive, and then to live a long life. From primitive society to the present day, the view of yin-yang and perpetual life has permeated in all aspects of social life and the national culture of Chinese society.Chinese folk art reflects all of the basic philosophical concepts. 3.象棋(Chinese chess)两人玩的棋盘游戏，源于春秋战国时期的军事战略。早期的象棋由三部分组成:棋子、骰(dice)和棋盘。现代象棋没有骰子,它在棋子和棋盘方面与古代不同。棋盘有9行宽、10行长，共90个交叉点，构成方形网格(grid)。棋子在交叉点上落子或移动。对弈者在棋盘进行象征性的军很战争，部署马匹、战车，根据自己对棋局和游戏规则的理解组织军队。目前，中国象棋已传至全世界，进一步传承、发扬中国传统文化。
英语中常见的123个中国成语翻译 1.爱屋及乌 Love me, love my dog. 2.百闻不如一见 Seeing is believing. 3.比上不足比下有余 worse off than some, better off than many; to fall short of the best, but be better than the worst. 个人收集整理勿做商业用途 4.笨鸟先飞 A slow sparrow should make an early start. 5.不眠之夜 white night 6.不以物喜不以己悲 not pleased by external gains, not saddened by personnal losses 个人收集整理勿做商业用途 7.不遗余力 spare no effort; go all out; do one's best 8.不打不成交 No discord, no concord. 9.拆东墙补西墙 rob Peter to pay Paul 10.辞旧迎新 bid farewell to the old and usher in the new; ring out the old year and ring in the new 个人收集整理勿做商业用途 11.大事化小小事化了 try first to make their mistake sound less serious and then to reduce it to nothing at all 个人收集整理勿做商业用途 12.大开眼界 open one's eyes; broaden one's horizon; be an eye-opener 个人收集整理勿做商业用途 13.国泰民安 The country flourishes and people live in peace 个人收集整理勿做商业用途 14.过犹不及 going too far is as bad as not going far enough; beyond is as wrong as falling short; too much is as bad as too little 个人收集整理勿做商业用途 15.功夫不负有心人 Everything comes to him who waits. 16.好了伤疤忘了疼 once on shore, one prays no more 17.好事不出门恶事传千里 Good news never goes beyond the gate, while bad news spread far and wide. 个人收集整理勿做商业用途
中国文化相关词汇英文翻译 元宵节：Lantern Festival 刺绣：embroidery 重阳节：Double-Ninth Festival 清明节：Tomb sweeping day 剪纸：Paper Cutting 书法：Calligraphy 对联：（Spring Festival）Couplets 象形文字：Pictograms/Pictographic Characters 人才流动：Brain Drain/Brain Flow 四合院：Siheyuan/Quadrangle 战国：Warring States 风水：Fengshui/Geomantic Omen 铁饭碗：Iron Bowl 函授部：The Correspondence Department 集体舞：Group Dance 黄土高原：Loess Plateau 红白喜事：Weedings and Funerals 中秋节：Mid-Autumn Day 结婚证：Marriage Certificate 儒家文化：Confucian Culture 附属学校：Affiliated school 古装片：Costume Drama 武打片：Chinese Swordplay Movie 元宵：Tangyuan/Sweet Rice Dumpling（Soup） 一国两制：One Country，Two Systems 火锅：Hot Pot 四人帮：Gang of Four 《诗经》：The Book of Songs 素质教育：Essential-qualities-Oriental Education 《史记》：Historical Records/Records of the Grand Historian 大跃进：Great Leap Forward（Movement） 《西游记》：The Journey to the West 除夕：Chinese New Year’s Eve/Eve of the Spring Festival 针灸：Acupuncture 唐三彩：Tri-color Pottery of the Tang Dynasty/The Tang Tri-colored pottery 中国特色的社会主义：Chinese-charactered Socialist/Socialist with Chinese characteristics 偏旁：radical 孟子：Mencius 亭/阁：Pavilion/Attic 大中型国有企业：Large and Medium-sized State-owned Enterprises 火药：gunpowder
１、香囊(sｃentedｓachet）,古代也称“香袋”，通常就是用布缝制或彩色丝线编织得袋子，里面塞满香草（aｒomatic herｂs）。香囊最初用来吸汗、驱虫与避邪。香囊不仅有用,而且可作装饰品。它们得形状与大小各异,有圆形、椭圆形与其她形状。它们通常配有精致得图案，每个图案都象征着特别得含义。例如，双鱼或成对蝴蝶图案象征男女之爱;莲花或牡丹花(pｅｏny flower)等图案象征女性；松树与仙鹤图案象征长寿;石榴(guava)图案象征很多孩子。漂亮得香囊不仅就是装饰品，而且含有丰富得文化与历史内涵。 翻译：Scenteｄsaｃhets, alｓo called “fragrant bagｓ"in ancient tiｍes，are b ａgs usｕally sｅwｅｄwitｈcloth ｏr weａvｅd with mulｔiｃoｌor sｉlk threａd ｓand ｓtuffeｄwith aromaｔicｈerbｓ、The fragrant ｂａｇs ｗere orｉｇinally used ｆor abｓorbing sweat,reｐeｌling insｅcts ａnｄwardingｏfｆeｖiｌs、Sceｎtｅd sacheｔs are ｎotｏnly uｓｅful, bｕt also ｏrｎaｍentａｌ、Thｅy e in diｆfｅrent ｓhapeｓand siｚes, such as rouｎｄ,ｏvaｌａnd ｍanｙothｅr ｓ、Ａnd thｅy arｅｎoｒｍally decｏrａted with elａborate pａtteｒns, with ｅａch patteｒn symbolizing a sｐecｉal meaｎiｎg、Fｏr ｉnｓｔaｎce，ａｄouble－fｉｓh oｒｄoｕbｌe-butterflyｐaｔtern sｍyboliｚes thｅlove ｂetweｅｎa man an ｄａｗoｍaｎ；paｔterｎs ｌｉke lotus or peony floweｒs symbｏlｉzｅwomen;piｎe aｎd crane pａtternｓsymｂoｌｉze longｅvity and a guａｖa paｔternｉs tｈe symbol of loｔs oｆchiｌdren、A nｉｃe scｅnｔed sacheｔｉs not ｊust an ornament,bｕt morｅｏf sometｈinｇｔｈat cｏnｔainｓcuｌtural and his ｔoriｃal rｉchneｓs、 2、中国民间艺术与中国哲学统一于“阴阳（yin－yaｎg）生万物”这一理念。这一理念源于中国原始社会，就是对人类得人生感悟得哲学注解.中国人祖先得哲学论断就是“近瞧自己,远观她人”。要理解中华民族民间艺术得原始艺术，这一结论必不可少。人类得本能欲望就是生存并通过繁衍（pｒopagatiｏｎ)继续存在。人生来得首要本能就是求生，然后就是长寿。从原始社会到今天,阴阳与永生得观念始终贯穿中国得社会生活与民族文化。中国民间艺术反映了社会得所有基本哲学理念. 翻译:Cｈinese ｆolｋarｔaｎdＣhinesｅphilosoｐhy aｒe ｕniｆｉed inｔhe ｂｅlief thatｙｉn—yaｎg produces aｌl lｉving things ｉn tｈe ｗorlｄ、OrｉginateｄiｎＣhinesｅprimitiveｓｏｃiety, tｈiｓwas thｅｐhilosophｉcal expｌaｎａtiｏn of humaｎ＇s pｅｒception of life、Cｈinｅse ancｅstorｓpｈilosｏphｉcaｌｃoｎcluｓiｏn ｗasｔｏ“ｌｏok atｏnｅself up cｌose aｎｄｏther creａtｕres from afａｒ"，whiｃh ｉs essentｉal to the uｎdeｒsｔａｎdingｏf the priｍｉｔi ｖe ａｒtｔｏthe folk art ｏｆｔｈe naｔiｏn、To lｉｖe and tｏｃonｔinｕe life through propagation ａｒe ｔｈeｔwo ｉｎstinctｉve ｄｅsires of huｍan、From birth,ａpｅrson'sｆirｓt iｎsｔinct is to sｕrvive, and tｈen to livｅａlｏng li ｆｅ、Ｆrom primｉtｉvｅｓociｅtyｔｏthe present day，ｔｈe ｖｉew of yiｎ-yanｇand perpetuａl lｉfe hａs peｒmeated ｉn all aspectｓoｆsociaｌlife and ｔhe natｉonａｌcｕlｔｕｒe of Chiｎesｅｓocｉeｔy、Ｃｈineｓe folk aｒt ｒe ｆｌects alｌof the basicｐhｉlosｏphicａｌｃoncｅpts、
中国成语的英语翻译 1.爱屋及乌 Love me, love my dog. 2.百闻不如一见 Seeing is believing. 3.比上不足比下有余 worse off than some, better off than many; to fall short of the best, but be better than the worst. 4.笨鸟先飞 A slow sparrow should make an early start. 5.不眠之夜 white night 6.不以物喜不以己悲 not pleased by external gains, not saddened by personnal losses 7.不遗余力 spare no effort; go all out; do one's best 8.不打不成交 No discord, no concord. 9.拆东墙补西墙 rob Peter to pay Paul 10.辞旧迎新 bid farewell to the old and usher in the new; ring out the old year and ring in the new 11.大事化小小事化了 try first to make their mistake sound less serious and then to reduce it to nothing at all 12.大开眼界 open one's eyes; broaden one's horizon; be an eye-opener 13.国泰民安 The country flourishes and people live in peace 14.过犹不及 going too far is as bad as not going far enough; beyond is as wrong as falling short; too much is as bad as too little 15.功夫不负有心人 Everything comes to him who waits. 16.好了伤疤忘了疼 once on shore, one prays no more 17.好事不出门恶事传千里 Good news never goes beyond the gate, while bad news spread far and wide. 18.和气生财 Harmony brings wealth. 19.活到老学到老 One is never too old to learn. 20.既往不咎 let bygones be bygones 21.金无足赤人无完人 Gold can't be pure and man can't be perfect. 22.金玉满堂 Treasures fill the home. 23.脚踏实地 be down-to-earth 24.脚踩两只船 sit on the fence 25.君子之交淡如水 the friendship between gentlemen is as pure as crystal; a hedge between keeps friendship green 26.老生常谈陈词滥调cut and dried, cliché 27.礼尚往来 Courtesy calls for reciprocity. 28.留得青山在不怕没柴烧 Where there is life, there is hope. 29.马到成功 achieve immediate victory; win instant success 30.名利双收 gain in both fame and wealth 31.茅塞顿开 be suddenly enlightened
英语六级翻译必备词汇——中国文化 来源：文都图书 自从四六级改革以后，翻译就由之前的部分句子汉译英变成了整段的汉译英，这对于考生来说难度确实加大不少。新翻译涉及到社会、经济、历史、文化等等，这就要求大家在这些方面多加注意并积累。文都在这里给大家总结了一些有关中国文化的必备词。 火药gunpowder 印刷术printing 造纸术paper-making 指南针the compass 《三字经》The Three-Word Chant 《三国演义》Three Kingdoms 《西游记》Journey to the West; 《红楼梦》Dream of the Red Mansions 中国画traditional Chinese painting 书法calligraphy 水墨画Chinese brush painting; 中国结Chinese knot 旗袍Cheongsam 京剧人物脸谱Peking Opera Mask 相声comic crosstalk
皮影戏shadow play; 说书story-telling 武术martial art 阳历solarcalendar 阴历lunarcalendar 剪纸：Paper Cutting 书法：Calligraphy 针灸：Acupuncture 太极拳：Tai Chi 儒家文化：Confucian Culture 孟子：Mencius 敦煌莫高窟：Mogao Caves 北京烤鸭：Beijing Roast Duck 火锅：Hot Pot 关于六级翻译，内容还是比较广泛的，对于日常生活中比较常见的词语最好都要弄清它的英文翻译。平时也要多注意进行练习，因为是新题型，所以真题比较少，大家可以配套文都出版的《大学英语六级考试真题精析与标准预测》，里面附赠20片短文翻译，让大家有题可做。
中国传统文化 一、“传统节日”单词预热vocabulary work 烹调cooking cuisine 鱼肉满架well stocked with fish and meat 象征意义symbolic significance 农历lunar calendar 阳历solar calendar 端午节Dragon Boat Festival 元宵节Lantern Festival 清明节Pure Brightness Day 重阳节Double Ninth Day 放逐be exiled 忠臣loyal minister 糯米粽子glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves 祭祀亡灵in memory of sb. 龙舟比赛dragon boat races 中秋节Mid Autumn Festival 满月full moon 月饼moon cake 蜜饯preserved fruits 豆沙bean paste 蛋黄egg yolk 海鲜seafood 家禽poultry 饺子dumplings 八宝饭eight treasure rice 米羹rice balls 油条fried sticks 麻花fried twisted stick 炒面Chaomian 叉烧包steamed bun with roast pork 粥porridge 芋头taro 葱油饼pan-fried cake with sesame seeds and green onion 有关春节的常用词 放鞭炮let off firecrackers 耍龙灯play the dragon lantern 耍狮子play the lion dance 拜年pay a new-year call 二、有关“介绍”的翻译 ?我很高兴向各位介绍中国的主要传统节日。 →I am very happy to have the opportunity to talk to you about major traditional Chinese holidays. 表示“介绍情况”时，我们可以这样翻译： 1.to share with you brief information ?在此，我愿意向朋友们介绍这些方面的情况。 →I'd like to share with you brief information in this respect. 2.to brief you on ?借此机会，我愿意向各位朋友介绍中国加入世贸组织和参与经济全球化的有关情况。 →I would like to avail myself of this opportunity to brief you on China's accession to WTO and participation in economic globalization. 3.to give a brief account of ?我简单介绍我厂的情况。 →Let me, first of all, give you a brief account of this factory. ?在来宾们参观我校之前，请允许我简要介绍一下我校的概况。 →Before you start to look around, I would like to give you a brief account of our
60个中国成语英文翻译 1.爱屋及乌 Love me, love my dog. 2.百闻不如一见（眼见为实） Seeing is believing. 3.比上不足比下有余 Worse off than some, better off than many; to fall short of the best, but be better than the worst. 4.笨鸟先飞 A slow sparrow should make an early start. 5.不眠之夜 White night 6.不以物喜不以己悲 Not pleased by external gains, not saddened by personnal losses 7.不遗余力 Spare no effort; go all out; do one's best 8.不打不成交 No discord, no concord. 9.拆东墙补西墙
Rob Peter to pay Paul 10.辞旧迎新 Bid farewell to the old and usher in the new; ring out the old year and ring in the new 11.大事化小小事化了 Try first to make their mistake sound less serious and then to reduce it to nothing at all 12.大开眼界 Open one's eyes; broaden one's horizon; be an eye-opener 13.国泰民安 The country flourishes and people live in peace 14.过犹不及 Going too far is as bad as not going far enough; beyond is as wrong as falling short; too much is as bad as too little 15.功夫不负有心人 Everything comes to him who waits. 16.好了伤疤忘了疼 Once on shore, one prays no more 17.好事不出门恶事传千里 Good news never goes beyond the gate, while bad news spread far and wide. 18.和气生财