Contents
Abstract: (1)
Key words: (1)
一、Color and color words (2)
（一）Color Words and their Historical Backgrounds (2)
二、The difference expresses of different Color Words between English and Chinese Culture (3)
(一)The similarities and differences expresses of Color Word “red” in English and Chinese Culture (3)
1、The sam e express of Color Word “red” in English and Chinese Culture (3)
2、The different express of Color Word “red” in English and Chinese Culture (3)
(二)The similarities and differences expresses of Color W ord “white” in English and Chinese Culture (5)
1、The same express of Color Word “white” in English and Chinese Culture (5)
2、The different express of Color Word “white” in English and Chinese Culture (5)
(三) The similarities and differences expresses of other Color Words (6)
1、Color Word “Green” (6)
2、Color Word“Blue” (6)
3、Color Word“Black” (6)
Conclusion: (7)
Reference: (7)
Acknowledgements (8)
Culture Difference of Color Words in Chinese and
Western Countries
班级:---- 学生:----
指导老师:----
Abstract: Language is the vehic le of culture, the difference of it’s connotation shows the difference culture characteristics. As Chinese and English language affected by their own culture background, the color words were given different culture connotation. Along with the development of human culture, the vocabulary that express Color are accordingly being enriched at the same time. The meaning of color also derived many other new significance than it’s original express of color, thereby, it made the human language become more lively and visual、rich and colorful. Color Words is the denotation of color language that used to talk or deliver information. As the human have the same physiology mechanism、vision nervous system and consolidated thought, for this reason, there is a lot of common points between color words and language culture. Take the culture、living environment and different cultural background into consideration, people always describe the color of objects in their own ways and scales, with the result that the association of different colors and utilize in language are existed similarities and differences. This thesis will do a number of contrasts and discusses for some common color vocabular y′s symbolized meaning being in West and Chinese language.
Key words: color words；cultural difference；color words difference between West and Chinese
Introduction:
There are a lot of color words in West and Chinese, then produced a specific word group, it’s a son system of their own vocabulary system. Both West and Chinese color words can be divide into two categories: basic color words、material object color words. Basic color words means the word specialized used to express the object, such as black、white、red、yellow、green、blue、purple in English and 黑、白、红、黄、绿、蓝、紫in Chinese; While material object color words were names of some material object at the beginning, but these material objects have certain prominent color, cause derived new meanings, their never only express those material objects, but also finger the special that they have. Like gold、silver、
violet、orange、coffee and so on in English and 金黄、银白、桃红、橙色、米色etc. in Chinese. Along with the development of human civilization, the vocabulary that remark color also corresponding get enrich, and their meaning derived many new significance from their pure significance that show one certain color, what is called“connotation significance”.
一、Color and color words
Our natural world is all the colors of the rainbow. Color has produced an given impression in person’s mind, and then lead to some specific associated, at last arouse peculiar reaction, this is called color’s society connotation. The conception of color can be found almost in any language, but the different culture endowed color for different culture connotation, the difference of West and Chinese culture will always given one certain color in two or more different symbolized significances. There are a lot of color words reflect different culture mentality and emotion hue in Chinese language and English language. Chinese language has rich and colorful color words since ancient times. There are many color word can reflect West culture as well. Since there exist many difference in nation nature environment、society system、local customs and practices、cultural background between West and Chinese, its connotation significance either have similarity or differentia. （一）Color Words and their Historical Backgrounds
From scientific definition, color is the vision phenomenon that caused by the object′s emission、reflection or through regular light wave , it is a basic characteristic of eye vision. This definition of color is easy to be accepting by western because their feudalism was shorter and the modern times education and the science’s popularize as well as the fast development. At the very start of culture, western paid a special attention to science rational education and discover of science method. Thus, it is often rather direct of color’s symbolize significance in western culture, they generally use impersonality object ’s definite color to symbolize some abstract culture meaning, so it is easier to get the language significance and logic evidence. After many years development, Chinese color connotation also have the same significance that like western, so, we could not only know the surface meaning of color, but also know the deeper connotation.
(二) The basic Color Words in our daily life
Color words are the vocabulary that full of expressive force. No matter what we see in our daily life, they are all have the special color. So while we studying English, if we need to
describe an article, we often explain its color, for instance, when describe the rising sun, we always said like this:" A red sun is slowly rising from the East". At this time we could imagine of the beautiful and red sun will how arouse your feeling. Moreover, when we describe the a utumn, we would rather use the sentence“everywhere is golden yellow”. After we learned how to use the color words, we could say and write them simon-pure and lively.
Humans' perception for color is basic similar to spectrum. It is the reflection of human's impersonality physiology. Basic color divide into following eleven kinds: white(白)、black （黑）、red（红）、yellow（黄）、green（绿）、blue（蓝）、brown（棕）、purple （紫）、pink（粉红）、orange（橙）、grey（灰）. These basic color words almost include multiply, either have noun or adjective, as well as verb. Though the number isn't large, but it has more variety、full of vitality、highly use rates and strong expressive force.
二、The difference expresses of different Color Words between English and Chinese Culture
(一)The similarities and differences expresses of Color Word “red” in English and Chinese Culture
1、The same express of Color Word “red” in English and Chinese Culture
No matter in English or in Chinese, red is relates to jubilant and propitious. In Chinese peoples’ mind, red is the emblem o f jubilant, propitious and prosperous. For instance, when Chinese people celebrate Spring Festival, they will stick red antithetical couplet and red “福” word, hang red lantern in order to express jubilant; The red “喜” word、red candle、red gauze in the wedding will not only bring joyous atmosphere, but also indicate the life will happier and happier after they get married; Chinese people like called the man who get credit as“红人”, and if everything is successfully, they called “走红”; while get bonus called“红包”.In western country, red can be also used for jubilant things. Such as “a red-letter day” means a happy day, “the red carpet” indicates a grand admit. Beyond that, the similarities exist in Chinese and Western also embodies on peoples’ emotion of their feel ing and the fluctuate of mood, red always have the meaning of exciting、happy、agitate、shame and shy. Such as “满面红光”“两颊潮红” in Chinese language shows the pleasant mood. While “面红耳赤”、“满面赤红”express the feeling of shame. The same as in English ,“turn red ”expres s the face was very red, “see red” shows somebody very angry and so on.
2、The different express of Color Word “red” in English and Chinese Culture
The translator Mr. Y angxianyi and his wife Dainaidie, when they translating 《红楼梦》, in order to reserve the cu lture connotation of “红” in Chinese, then translated the title as “A Dream of Red Mansions” in word-for-word translation. But leaded many western reader to bad associated for “red”. At last, Mr. Huokesi An English-Chinese translator, he translated the titl e as “The Story of the Stone”《石头记》. Thus it can be seen, Chinese people and western people have the different point of “red”. “Red” is the basic advocate color of Chinese culture, it can reflect the aspire both in Chinese people’s spirit and substance, red is the originate from sun in Chinese culture, the burning sun just like the fire, and its color is red, the sun bring warm and vitality for everything, so the meaning of joyous and auspicious has produced since that. For this reason, the associate meaning of red are almost as commend sence in Chinese culture. While in western culture, red always have a strong derogatory sence, with the meaning of “dangerous”、“radical”、“blooding” and “violence”, it maybe has the relate to Europeans’ ancestors were nomadism tribe, red can make them connect in the mind of massacre, so it is understandable to know there many words contain red have the negative meaning, such as red battle、red hot political campaign、red alert etc.
Beyond that, red also have a heavy politics color in China, it symbolized the revolution and improvement. For instance, in socialism China, form the People’s Republic of China’s national flag to Chinese Communist’s flag both are red,it symbolized the revolution and the cause off proletariat have a indomitable vitality. It also like the CPC’s initial political power called “红色政权”, the earliest military equipment called “红军”,the person who desire improve on polity、study intensively on business called “又红又专”.However, in western culture, red always have an closely relationship with economy, such as “get out of the red”“come out of the red”、“in the red”and so on.
In Chinese language, red also have symbolized as beautiful、handsome. If the girls made up, it called“红妆” the girls in heavy adorn, it called“红袖”or if the have a beautiful face ,then called“红颜”. But in western, red have many bad meanings, red always symbolized as dissolute, obscenity. For example, red waste of his youth, red light district etc.
Nay, red still have the meaning of “avoid evil spirits” and “good luck” in Chinese culture. Like in oneslfe’s animal year should tie red belt and wear red cloth. But, red also has a few derogatory sence in Chinese culture. It shows warn, dangerous etc. such as the red light exist in cross intersection, it is a dangerous sign.
(二) The similarities and differences expresses of Color Word “white” in English and Chinese Culture
1、The same express of Color Word “white” in English and Chinese Culture
“White”is the most popular word in western country, the preference of “white”embodied in the each aspect in their language. For western country, white has the meaning of pure, lovely, beautifully. Like purity, innocence. White symbolized pure in western culture custom. So the bride like wearing white bridal veil mostly on the western wedding, express the pure, sincere, eternal and dignity for their love. White as the color stand for pure and honorable is the invariably fashion cycle, many products that are the top-ranking in the world packed in white, delegates the elegance, top level, are the westerns love, and yearn for them. Compared with western country, Chinese also have the advocate for white, as white has the same color with cloud, snow and jade, people always use white symbolize as spotless, brightness, simple but elegant and luminosity since the ancients.
2、The different express of Color Word “white” in English and Chinese Culture
However, on the other hand, white also is the taboo in Chinese culture, white is opposite to red, it is a taboo word, shows the discard and detest on substance and spiritual of Chinese people. White imply disaster, it was related to the extinct of Shang and thrive of Zhou from the ancient. Shang is virtue for metals, white for their nation color, the Zhou dynasty which like white died while Shang dynasty which like red more followed suit,so white symbolizes death, bad omen.At the same time white had fierce bereave associations in Chinese culture. Since ancient times , family dependents should do“白事”, and set white place,a funeral will play "white when Pan", son had to wear white“孝服”，in a word ,white in Chinese culture more for derogatory sence, Such as Chinese using "白眼" ,"小白脸" means to others dislike, traditional drama used "小白脸" symbol vicious, sinister and use "white terror", "the white regime" used to refer to the forces of reaction, etc.
Be difference with Chinese culture, white is a nobility and lucky color in western culture, so the associative significance of white for more commendatory. The bride would wear white gown, wear white wedding veil at the wedding, so have a said of white wedding in western culture. They put white related to milk 、snow、milk and lilies color together, and they thought it is elegant, pure and innocent. In western culture, snow white is the incarnation of pure, beauty and kind-hearted. Angel is always have a long pairs of white
sings in Bible, in the classic ballet “swan lake”, the white swan represents of kindness, purity and glorious. White can be also expressed as “integrity and honesty”, such as white spirit, white man, white hand, white lie in western country. in addition, the British government department is white hall, the president of the united states , his house called white house, on generation refers top the British government and American governments, shows the white is associated with power.
(三) The similarities and differences expresses of other Color Words
1、Color Word “Green”
Green commonly sued to indicate as “jealousy” “envy”in western country, it maybe related with the paper is green in the United States, greenback translated as US dollars; greenpower translated as “money power”, it is not hard to understand, green also used to say “have no experience” meanwhile, Such as green hand/horn shows their novice、amateur、no experience. In addition, greenroom refers to the lounge room; greenhouse means boathouse, glasshouse. The jargons of green refers to “cuckold son”in Chinese culture, namely someone’s wife with others, but if translated into “to wear a green hat”, the Anglo-American will understand it by the face meaning, if need to express “戴绿帽子”in Chinese culture, should be translated as “to be a cuckold”.
2、Color Word“Blue”
Blue is a kind of sadness depression emotions expression in western culture, in a blue mood, blue Monday is all express “depressed”“sorrow”meaning of people. “B e blue about the prospect” refers to the pessimism for prospect by people. Blues is blue music, blue also to be used as have the represent social status is high, powerful or born noble or is a prince, such as “he is a real blue blood” , that’s to say he is a true nobility. However, blue have no symbolic significance in Chinese culture.
3、Color Word“Black”
In both Chinese and western culture, there are many words that shows black is always associated with bad and the evil things. Such as black list, black market, black hearted etc. in addition, a black day refers to the worst day. However, black also represent the solemn and dignified. On formal occasions, people usually wearing black suits. This point is common in Chinese and western culture. The people who draw “black face”tend to have a straight-arrow manner, loyal and honest character. Its typical representative is Zhangfei,
Likui. There also have the spread story of Baogong that defying power, fair strict in folk.
Conclusion:
The number of color words is limited in Chinese-English language, but it reaction of the two different nationality’s cultural psychology and aesthetic taste. Color words have not only directly surface meaning in dictionary but have more cultural pragmatic emotion meaning. Therefore, when we learning English, we should understand the different color words in proper of their language’s cultural background, customs and historical geography background of Chinese and English language. It will be better of us to conduct the stride communication and the vital significance of English-Chinese translation. Anyhow, society culture is lasting, fundamental to color words. This requires us understand the development of production and use the language national cultural tradition. Grasp and study the subtle significance, also, the culture information that the color words bearing. In order to better use it and use the language. With the expansion of the communication, Chinese and western culture influence each other, the meaning of color word will also be changing, the touch of color words in Chinese and western culture both showed their similarities and reflects the cultural differences. Finding out the Chinese-western culture accumulation, understand the culture connotation of them, and grasps the mutual influence and permeation, it will be helpful for us to study a language better, also be helpful for us to intercultural communication.
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Acknowledgements
I would like to take this opportunity to give my sincere acknowledgements to all the teachers w ho have taught me during the three year’s of my study. Their excellent teaching has illuminated me and helped me lay a solid foundation for this thesis and my future work.
My classmates and friends also deserve my grateful thanks for helping me in various respects and at various stages in my daily life in school and of the writing of this thesis. Especially, here, I would like to express my thanks to my instructor, Ms. Wu, who has been guiding me throughout all her classes and supported materials for this p aper. All my life, I will benefit from all of her instruction.