动物在汉英文化中的喻义及其翻2

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动物在汉英文化中的喻义及其翻译(2)

“Snake” is referred to a person requiting kindness with enmity, which is

originated from Aesop’s Fables, that is, a snake was frozen stiff at the verge of

death. A pedestrian saw it and warmed it in his bosom. After a while, the

snake came round and bit its benefactor to death. So it causes the figurative

meaning. [15]

Different animal association vehicles with similar figurative meanings can be

also seen from such expressions: “as timid as a rabbit, chicken-hearted or

pigeon-hearted (胆小如鼠)”; “like a cat on hot bricks (热锅上的蚂蚁)”; “as

stubborn as a mule (犟得像头牛)”; “wet as a drowned rat (落汤鸡)”; “goose

flesh (鸡皮疙瘩)”; etc.

2.4 Semantic gaps

Specific cultures and regional discrepancies exert a strong influence on

language. And animal words as association vehicles are the products under the

specific cultural backgrounds. Then these animal association vehicles have

their respective cultural connotations which are known to different nations or

which are completely strange to people.

2.4.1 The same animal words with rich figurative meanings in English, but

with no figurative meanings in Chinese

“Ostrich (鸵鸟)” is a kind of large bird living in the area of African deserts,

with a long neck and long legs and that cannot fly but can run very fast. In

English and American cultures, “ostrich” has such figurative meanings, e.g.

“stupid, evading and having a good appetite”. Its figurative meaning would be

well reflected in the following expressions: “Ostrich belief (鸵鸟信念)” is

referred to deceptive idea. “To bury one’s head ostrich-like in the sand” is

likened to a person who prefers to ignore problems rather than try and deal

with them. In addition, there exists such figurative expression “have the

digestion of an ostrich (胃口好如鸵鸟)”. However, to most Chinese people, an

ostrich is only a kind of animal without any figurative meanings. The Chinese

are only familiar with “ostrich policy (鸵鸟政策)”borrowed from English. [16]

In Western culture, what impresses people most may be goat, for “goat (山羊)”

is generally thought to be related with evils and the devil. The legend has that

the devil created the goat, which is described as the phantom of the devil and

the goat typically stands for those who are fond of women and loose in morals.

And what’s about the English idiom “separate the sheep from the goats”? The

Bible, Matthew tells us that “sheep” refers to “people”. We can see the original

passage from the Bible, Matthew (25:31-33): “When the son of Man comes in

his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.

All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one

from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will

put the sheep at his right hand the goats at the left.” [17] And thus the English - 2 -第 2 页 共 6 页

idiom can be translated into “分清好人与坏人”. But to Chinese people, the

goat is only a common animal.

Let us see more animal words only having figurative meanings in English:

“nightingale (夜莺：告密者，坐探) ”,“albatross (信天翁：沉重的负担，无法摆脱的烦恼障碍)”, “cock (公鸡：头头)”, “beaver (河狸：卖力工作的人)”, “cat (猫：心地恶毒的女人，胆小鬼)”, etc. [18]

2.4.2 The same animal words with rich figurative meanings in Chinese, but

with no figurative meanings in English

For Chinese people, we must be very familiar with the word “crane (鹤)”, a

symbol for longevity in Chinese culture. Therefore, some Chinese parents like

to name their children as “鹤年”, “鹤龄” with the hope that their children live a

long life. The crane is often linked with the pine tree, which is a symbol for

sturdiness and long life. The two often appear together with the meaning “松鹤延年”. In China, it is a good way for people to send gifts with such designs of

crane and pine tree to the older generations, especially on their birthday

celebrating occasions. But in English culture, the crane is only an ordinary

animal with no figurative meanings.

“龟(tortoise)” contains two figurative meanings in Chinese. One is longevity

because of its physical features. Stone tortoises symbolic of venerable old ages

can be seen in front of ancient halls, temples and palaces. The other is the

symbol for the cuckold. To call a person a tortoise “王八” is highly insulting.

However, to the English, the tortoise is just a slow-moving creature with no

such figurative meanings. [19]

Other animal words indicate that only Chinese language has the figurative

meanings. For example, “蚕(silkworm) ：奉献精神”, “鹗(osprey) ：有才能的人”,

“鸿雁(Chinese wild goose) ：喻指信使”, “鸳鸯(mandarin duck) ：夫妻”, “黄雀(sis kin) ：得志小人”. [20]

3. Influences of figurative meanings of animal words on intercultural