1、I（20_届）本科毕业设计英语从文化内涵角度看英汉习语的对比ACOMPARATIVESTUDYOFCHINESEANDENGLISHIDIOMSFROMACULTURALPERSPECTIVEII摘要本文旨在从文化视角，对比研究英汉习语的表达方式。文章不仅综述了习语、语言与文化的关系，而且通过大量范例分析表明，英汉习语表达在文化起源上存在相同点，皆源自于古代神话、传奇故事、寓言、历史人物或历史故事、宗教信仰、或文学著作。另一方面，英汉习语表达的差异主要体现在对社会体制、动物的意义联想上。文章最后强调理解英汉习语异同对成功实现跨文化交际的重要性。关键词英汉习语；文化起源；意义联想IIIABSTR
2、ACTTHISPAPERINTENDSTOEXPLOREBOTHSIMILARITIESANDDIFFERENCESBETWEENENGLISHANDCHINESEIDIOMSBYANALYZINGTHEMFROMCULTURALPERSPECTIVESBASEDONABRIEFDESCRIPTIONOFTHERELATIONOFIDIOMS,LANGUAGEANDCULTURE,ITISFOUNDTHATTHEIDIOMSINTWOLANGUAGESHAVEBOTHSIMILARITIESINCULTURALORIGINANDDIFFERENCESINASSOCIATIONINTERMSOF
3、CULTURALORIGIN,THEYAREBOTHDERIVEDFROMMYTHS,LEGENDSANDFABLES,HISTORICALFIGURESANDEVENTS,RELIGION,ANDLITERARYWORKS,BUTTHEYDOHAVEDIFFERENTASSOCIATIONSWITHSOCIALSYSTEMSANDANIMALSFINALLY,ITISEXPECTEDTHATWECANDEVELOPAWARENESS,UNDERSTANDING,ANDAPPRECIATIONOFIDIOMSINENGLISHANDCHINESEFORABETTERUSEINCROSSCULT
4、URALCOMMUNICATIONKEYWORDSENGLISHANDCHINESEIDIOMSCULTURALORIGINASSOCIATIONCONTENTSABSTRACT1INTRODUCTION111RESEARCHBACKGROUND112THEPURPOSEOFTHETHESIS12IDIOMS,LANGUAGEANDCULTURE23COMPARISONBETWEENENGLISHANDCHINESEIDIOMS431SIMILARITIESINCULTURALORIGIN4311MYTHS,LEGENDSANDFABLES5312HISTORICALFIGURESOREVEN
5、TS7313RELIGION8314LITERARYWORKS932DIFFERENCESINASSOCIATION10321SOCIALSYSTEMS10322ANIMALS114SUGGESTIONSFORAPPLICATION125CONCLUSION13BIBLIOGRAPHY14ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS1511INTRODUCTION11RESEARCHBACKGROUNDTHEHISTORYOFINVESTIGATIONOFIDIOMSANDIDIOMATICITYINGENERALSEEMSTOBERELATIVELYSHORTIN1925LOGANPSMITHPUBLI
6、SHEDABOOKENTITLEDWORDSANDIDIOMS,WHICHWASACOLLECTIONOFHISESSAYSTHELONGESTONE,CALLEDENGLISHIDIOMS,CONTAINSTHEGREATESTNUMBEROFEXAMPLESTHATSMITHWASABLETOGATHER,FILEANDCLASSIFYHEWORKEDWITHINTHEFAVORITETRADITIONOFETYMOLOGY,APPARENTLYUSINGLISTSOFIDIOMSTHATHADBEENCOMPILEDMOSTLYBYOTHERSIGORMEUK1960ISANOTHERS
7、CHOLAROFLATERYEARSWORTHMENTIONINGINTHEIDIOMATOLOGYHISTORYHECONTRIBUTEDTOPHRASEOLOGICALANDLEXICOLOGICALSTUDIESBYMAKINGADISTINCTIONBETWEENIDIOMATICITYANDSTABILITYOFCOLLOCATIONBRIEFLY,HETRIEDTOFINDCRITERIAFORKEEPINGGENUINEIDIOMSANDHABITUALCOLLOCATIONSAPARTCHARLESFHOCKETTWASPERHAPSTHEFIRSTTOOFFERAVERYFO
8、RMALDEFINITIONOFTHECONCEPTOFIDIOMINHISACOURSEINMODERNLINGUISTICS1958HEWROTEANYYINANYOCCURRENCEINWHICHITISNOTACONSTITUENTOFALARGERY,WHEREYISANYGRAMMATICALFORMWHOSEMEANINGISNOTDEDUCIBLEFROMITSSTRUCTURE1958172ANDREWPAWLEY1983,THESCHOLARWHOHASPROBABLYDONETHEMOSTTOSYSTEMATIZETHEFIELDOFGRACESIDIOMATOLOGY,
9、OFTENWROTETOGETHERWITHFRANCISSYDER1983INONEOFTHEIRARTICLESTHEYWROTETOSAYTHATFLUENTANDIDIOMATICCONTROLOFPERFORMANCEINALANGUAGERESULT,TOAGREATEXTENT,FROMTHEKNOWLEDGEOFASETOFSENTENCESTEMSWHICHAREINSTITUTIONALIZEDORLEXICALIZEDTHEREWASNOTRUEINTERESTINIDIOMSUNTILTHEBEGINNINGOFTHE20THCENTURYTHEFIRSTTONOTET
10、HATLANGUAGEEMPLOYSAFINITENUMBEROFPHENOMENATOPRODUCEANINFINITENUMBEROFSENTENCESWASPROBABLYHUMBOLDT198312THEPURPOSEOFTHETHESISIDIOMS,WITHTHEIRUNIVERSALAPPEAL,AREWIDELYRECOGNIZEDASANIMPORTANTPARTOFLANGUAGETHEYAREOFTENHARDTOUNDERSTANDANDTOUSECORRECTLYHOWEVER,THEIRPROPERUSEINALANGUAGEISOFAMARKOFAPERSONSC
11、OMMANDOFTHELANGUAGEWITHOUTIDIOMSLANGUAGEWOULDBECOMEDULLANDDRYIDIOMSINCLUDEMETAPHORICALPHRASES,SLANG,COLLOQUIALISM,ANDPROVERBANDSOONABRAHAMS,197238ASANESSENTIALPARTOFTHELANGUAGEANDCULTUREOFASOCIETY,IDIOMSARECHARACTERIZEDBYTHEIRCONCISEEXPRESSIONS,RICHANDVIVID,INVOLVINGGEOGRAPHY,HISTORY,RELIGIOUSBELIEF
12、,LIVINGCONVENTIONSANDSOONTHEYAREUSUALLYHIGHLYSPECIALIZEDINMEANINGANDCLOSELYTIEDTODISTINCTIVECULTURALFEATURESANDCULTURALATTITUDESITISBELIEVEDTHATIDIOMSARETHEMOST2CULTURALLYLOADEDELEMENTINANYLANGUAGESVOCABULARYUNDOUBTEDLYTHEYAREOFTENHARDTOUNDERSTANDANDHARDERTOUSECORRECTLYENGLISHANDCHINESEIDIOMS,CLOSEL
13、YRELATEDTOTHEIROWNCULTURE,CONVEYDIFFERENTCULTURALFEATURESANDMESSAGESOFTHEIROWNNATION,REFLECTINGTHEIROWNCULTURETHEREEXISTSVASTDIFFERENCEBETWEENENGLISHANDCHINESECULTUREANDTHISDIFFERENCEOCCURSINENGLISHANDCHINESEIDIOMS,TOOABRAHAMS,1972281282BASEDONOTHERSRESEARCH,THISPAPERINTENDSTOEXPLOREIDIOMSBYFULLYANA
14、LYZINGTHEMAINCULTURALREASONSCAUSINGIDIOMATICEXPRESSIONSDIFFERENCESINBOTHCHINESEANDENGLISH2IDIOMS,LANGUAGEANDCULTURELANGUAGEISAPARTOFCULTUREANDPLAYSAVERYIMPORTANTROLEINITSOMESOCIALSCIENTISTSCONSIDERLANGUAGEASTHEKEYSTONEOFCULTUREWITHOUTLANGUAGE,THEYMAINTAIN,CULTUREWOULDNOTBEPOSSIBLEONTHEOTHERHAND,LANG
15、UAGEISINFLUENCEDANDSHAPEDBYCULTUREITREFLECTSCULTUREINTHEBROADESTSENSE,LANGUAGEISTHESYMBOLICREPRESENTATIONOFAPEOPLE,ANDITCOMPRISESTHEIRHISTORICALANDCULTURALBACKGROUNDSASWELLASTHEIRAPPROACHTOLIFEANDTHEIRWAYSOFLIVINGANDTHINKINGWHENPEOPLEOFDIFFERENTLANGUAGESANDCULTURESCOMMUNICATE,THEYMAYCAUSEMISUNDERSTA
16、NDINGSALTHOUGHTHELANGUAGEUSEDINCOMMUNICATIONMAYBEFAULTLESSTHESAMEWORDSOREXPRESSIONSMAYNOTMEANTHESAMETHINGTODIFFERENTPEOPLESBECAUSEOFCULTURALDIFFERENCES,ASERIOUSQUESTIONMAYCAUSEAMUSEMENTORLAUGHTERAHARMLESSSTATEMENTMAYCAUSEDISPLEASUREORANGERTHEREFORE,LANGUAGECANNEVERBEDIVORCEDFROMTHECULTURETHATPRODUCE
17、SITINTHEFOLLOWING,WEARETOEXPLORETHEVARIOUSDEFINITIONSOFCULTURE,ANDTHENMOVEONTOTHEDISCUSSIONOFTHERELATIONSHIPBETWEENLANGUAGEANDCULTUREINTHEBROADESTSENSE,LANGUAGEISTHESYMBOLICREPRESENTATIONOFAPEOPLE,ANDITCOMPRISESTHEIRHISTORICALANDCULTURALBACKGROUNDASWELLASTHEIRAPPROACHTOLIFEANDTHEIRWAYSOFLIVINGANDTHI
18、NKINGDENG,199312CULTUREISNOTEASILYTOBEDEFINED,NORISTHEREACONSENSUSAMONGSCHOLARS,PHILOSOPHERS,POLITICIANSANDEVENCOMMONPEOPLEASTOWHATEXACTLYTHECONCEPTSHOULDINCLUDETHETOTALSETOFBELIEFS,ATTITUDES,CUSTOMS,BEHAVIOR,SOCIALHABITS,ETCISGENERALLYCONSIDEREDCONTENTOFCULTUREIDIOMS,WHICHCONSTITUTEALARGEPARTOFOURK
19、NOWLEDGEOFLANGUAGE,AREAPERSISTENTFEATUREOFLANGUAGEINORDERTOMAKEACOMPREHENSIVESTUDYONIDIOMSINENGLISHANDCHINESE,WEWILLBEGINOURRESEARCHWITHTHEDEFINITIONSOFIDIOMSINTHETWOLANGUAGESTHEDEFINITIONSOFTHEWORDIDIOMINENGLISHAREMANYANDVARIEDINWEBSTERSNEWWORLDDICTIONARYOFTHEAMERICANLANGUAGESECONDCOLLEGEEDITION,ID
20、IOMISDEFINEDASAN3ACCEPTEDPHRASE,CONSTRUCTIONOREXPRESSIONCONTRARYTOTHEUSUALPATTERNSOFTHELANGUAGEORHAVINGAMEANINGDIFFERENTFROMTHELITERALINOXFORDENGLISHDICTIONARY,THEDEFINITIONOFIDIOMISAGROUPOFWORDSWHOSEMEANINGCANNOTBEDEDUCEDFROMTHOSEOFTHEINDIVIDUALWORDSINENGLISHCHINESEDICTIONARIES,THEINTERPRETATIONSOF
21、THEWORDIDIOMARESLIGHTLYDIFFERENTOXFORDADVANCEDENGLISHCHINESEDICTIONARYTRANSLATESIDIOMAS习语成语惯用语THETRANSLATIONOFIDIOM,ASSTATEDINANEWENGLISHCHINESEDICTIONARYCOMPILEDBYPROFESSORLUGUSUNETAL1995,IS习语,OR成语THEREFORE,WECANGENERATETHAT习语AND成语INCHINESEARETHEMOSTCOMMONTERMSOFIDIOMINENGLISHTHEDEFINITIONSOF成语AND习
22、语,ASSTATEDINCHINESEENGLISHDICTIONARIES,ALSODIFFERSLIGHTLYFROMTHEDEFINITIONSOFIDIOMSINENGLISHDICTIONARIESINCHINESEENGLISHDICTIONARYNEWCENTURYEDITIONISSUEDBYSHANGHAIJIAOTONGUNIVERSITYPRESS,成语ISDEFINEDASSETPHRASEIDIOMSANDALLUSIONS,AND习语ISEQUIVALENTTOIDIOMAMODERNCHINESEENGLISHDICTIONARYPUBLISHEDBYFOREIG
23、NLANGUAGETEACHINGANDRESEARCHPRES,WHICHDOESNOTCOVERANEXPLANATIONOFTHEWORD习语,DEFINES成语ASSETPHRASEIDIOMITHASBEENOBSERVEDBYLINGUISTSTHATIDIOMSINENGLISHLAYMUCHEMPHASISONTHESPECIALUSAGEOFLANGUAGE,WHILE成语INCHINESEATTACHESGREATIMPORTANCETOTHEPRECISEUSEOFLANGUAGEIDIOMISOFTENREGARDEDASTHEENGLISHEQUIVALENTFOR成
24、语INCHINESEINTHISTHESIS,IDIOMISUTILIZEDTOREFERTOIDIOMINENGLISHASWELLAS成语INCHINESEALLINALL,IDIOMSASAWAYOFEXPRESSIONARESURETOBEFRAMEDBYANINEVITABLERELATIONSHIPWITHTHECULTUREANDTHESOCIETYTOWHICHTHEYBELONGIDIOMSREFLECTCULTURECULTURECONSISTSINIDIOMSANYIDIOMATICEXPRESSIONEMERGEDFROMTHESPECIFICCULTUREINWHIC
25、HITISIMMERSEDOTHERWISEITWOULDNOTHAVEBEENACCEPTEDANDAPPLIEDBYTHESPEAKERSOFTHELANGUAGEANDPARTICIPANTSOFTHECULTURETHESTUDYOFLANGUAGE,WHICHISAWAYTOEXPRESSCULTURE,ISFUNDAMENTALLYAPERSPECTIVETOTHESTUDYOFCULTUREIDIOMS,ASANINDISPENSABLEPARTOFLANGUAGE,OFFERANIMPORTANTPERSPECTIVETOTHESTUDYOFLANGUAGEANDCULTURE
26、3COMPARISONSBETWEENENGLISHANDCHINESEIDIOMS31SIMILARITIESINCULTURALORIGINWITHOUTPROPERKNOWLEDGEOFTHEORIGINSOFIDIOMS,WECANNOTEASILYUNDERSTANDIDIOMS,WHICHCANHARDLYBEINTERPRETEDBYTHEIRLITERALMEANINGKNOWLEDGEOFTHESOURCESOFIDIOMSANDTHEIRCULTURALASSOCIATIONSCANHELPTOBETTERUNDERSTANDTHEIDIOMSINENGLISHANDCHI
27、NESE4THEORIGINSOFIDIOMSINENGLISHANDCHINESEAREMANYANDVARIED,BUTTHEMAINSOURCESAREFROMTHESPEECHOFCOMMONPEOPLE,ANCIENTLEGENDSANDFABLES,HISTORICALEVENTS,CLASSICALLITERATUREWORKS,RELIGION,ANDLOANWORD,ETCTOSUMUP,EACHASPECTOFSOCIALLIFEISANINEXHAUSTIBLESOURCEOFIDIOMSAGOODKNOWLEDGEOFTHESESOURCESWILLCONTRIBUTE
28、TOOURCOMPREHENSIONOFIDIOMSINBOTHLANGUAGESSINCELONGPAST,CHRISTIANITYHASEXERCISEDGREATINFLUENCEONTHEWESTERNWORLDITSLANGUAGEBEARSDEEPIMPACTFROMTHEMONUMENTALWORKOFCHRISTIANITYTHEBIBLECHRISTIANPEOPLEBELIEVETHATJESUSISTHEREPRESENTATIVEOFGODINTHEHUMANWORLD,WHOINSISTSTHATPEOPLEALLOVERTHEWORLDSHOULDGETONWITH
29、ONEANOTHERHARMONIOUSLYWITHLOVEANDCAREANDBERESPONSIBLEFORTHECOUNTRYANDOTHERPEOPLEPEOPLESHOULDABSOLUTELYOBEYGODGODISOMNIPOTENTANDOMNIPRESENT,ANDHEISTHEONLYONETHATPEOPLESHOULDWORSHIPSOTHEWESTERNERSFIRMLYBELIEVETHATGODPROVIDESFORHIMTHATTRUSTS,THATNEVERENDSILLWHICHBEGINSINGODSNAME,TRUTHISTHEDAUGHTEROFGOD
30、THOUGHGODISABOVEALL,CHRISTIANITYBELIEVESTHATINTHEHUMANWORLD,EVERYMANISEQUAL,SOENGLISHHASSAYINGSLIKEEVERYMANISAKINGINHISOWNHOUSEACATMAYLOOKATAKINGTHATTHEWESTERNWORLD,ESPECIALLYGREATBRITAIN,WASCONQUEREDBYOTHERNATIONSSEVERALTIMESHASALSOHELPEDENRICHTHEIRCULTUREWHILEWREAKINGHAVOCONTHEMWITHWARSTHEROMANCON
31、QUESTSPREADEDLATINLANGUAGEINTHEBRITISHISLESANDBROUGHTALOTOFROMANCULTURE,FORINSTANCETOBEARTHEPALMMEANSTOWINTHETEUTONICCONQUESTBROUGHTTHEANCESTOROFENGLISH,ANGLOSAXONTHENORMANCONQUESTCARRIEDFRENCHWORDSANDCULTURE,FOREXAMPLETORETURNTOONESMUTTONSIMPLYINGTOGETDOWNTOONESBUSINESSTHEORIGINSOFCHINESEIDIOMSCANB
32、ETRACEDTOAVARIETYOFSOURCESACCORDINGTORESEARCHDONEBYSCHOLARSBOTHFROMCHINAANDABROAD,THEREISSURPRISINGSIMILARITYINTHEORIGINSOFENGLISHANDCHINESEIDIOMSHOWEVER,STUDIESALSOSHOWEDTHATGREATDIFFERENCESAREEXISTENTINTHESETWOLANGUAGES,OWINGTOTHEDIFFERENTSOCIALBACKGROUND,ENVIRONMENT,CUSTOMS,ANDRELIGIONSANEXPLORAT
33、IONINTOTHEORIGINSOFCHINESEANDENGLISHIDIOMSWILLBECONDUCTEDINTHEFOLLOWINGSECTIONS311MYTHS,LEGENDSANDFABLESENGLISHIDIOMSFROMFAIRYTALES,MYTHS,LEGENDSANDFABLESAREPROLIFICTHEFABLESESPECIALLYAESOPSFABLES,WEREKNOWNWORLDWIDE,FARAWAYFROMWHERETHEFABLESWEREBORNFIRSTOFALL,FAIRYSTORIESFROMGRIMMSFAIRYTALES,ANDERSE
34、NFAIRYTALES,ARABIANNIGHTSENTERTAINMENTETC,HAVEBEENINFLUENCINGPEOPLEFROMGENERATIONTOGENERATIONIDIOMSFROMTHISSOURCEAREABUNDANTBELOWARESOMEINSTANCESFROMTHISSOURCE1OPENSESAMETHISWASTHECODEWORDTOTHETREASURECAVEINTHESTORYOFALIBABAANDTHETHIEVESITTELLSUSASTORYTHATATHIEFWANTEDTOHIDETHETREASUREINSOME5PLACEHEU
35、SEDASPELLOPENSESAMEASTHESECRETSIGNALTOPROTECTTHETREASURENOWITOFTENREFERSTOANYSUCCESSFULSOMETHINGOFACHIEVINGARESULT,ESPECIALLYMEANSTHATISMAGICALORTECHNICAL,OROTHERWISEBEYONDTHEUNDERSTANDINGOFMOSTPEOPLE2THEEMPERORSNEWCLOTHESITISADANISHFAIRYTALEWRITTENBYHANSCHRISTIANANDERSENINTHISSTORYTHEEMPERORSOFFICI
36、ALSPRAISEDHISNEWCLOTHES,THOUGHHEWORENOTHINGFINALLYACHILDSNAVEREMARKENDEDTHEFARCEATTHESAMETIMEITTELLSUSTHATSELFDECEPTIONWILLKILLYOUSOMETIMESDONTGIVEUPTHEPRINCIPLESINORDERTOACQUIRETHETEMPORARYVANITY3THEUGLYDUCKLINGITCOMESFROMTHEANDERSENFAIRYTALESITSASTORYABOUTANUGLYDUCKLINGGROWSINTOABEAUTIFULSWANAPLAI
37、NUNPROMISINGCHILDMAYGROWUPINTOABEAUTIFUL,HANDSOMEPERSONASLONGASYOUCANINSISTONEVERYTHINGYOUWANT,ANDDOYOURBEST,YOUWILLREALIZEYOURDREAMINTHEENDSECOND,INTERMSOFLEGENDSANDMYTHS,LEGENDSHAVEEXERTEDCONSIDERABLEINFLUENCEONTHEPRODUCTIONOFIDIOMSMYTHOLOGY,ASTHEOFFSPRINGOFANCIENTPEOPLESFEARTOTHENATURE,HASALSOGEN
38、ERATEDAGREATNUMBEROFIDIOMSINTHEENGLISHLANGUAGEAFEWEXAMPLESARELISTEDBELOWFORTHEPURPOSEOFILLUSTRATION1ROUNDTABLECONFERENCEITTELLSASTORYTHATTHEBRITISHNATIONALHEROARTHURCALLEDHISKNIGHTSTOHAVEAMEETINGNOMATTERHOWHIGHTHEIRSTATUS,THEYMUSTSITSURROUNDEDTHETABLE,SOTHEYHADTHISMEETINGSYSTEMSROUNDTABLECONFERENCEF
39、ROMTHELEGENDARYROUNDTABLEOFKINGARTHURBASEDONROUNDTABLEWHICHREPRESENTSEQUALITY,ITBECOMESTHEBASICPATTERNOFMODERNINTERNATIONALCONFERENCETHEREFORE,THEIDIOMNOWMEANSPOLITICALOROTHERCONFERENCEATTENDEDBYREPRESENTATIVESOFVARIOUSINTERESTSTODISCUSSMATTERSANDREACHAGREEMENT2PANDORASBOXITTELLSASTORYTHATPANDORAWAS
40、THEFIRSTWOMANWHOBESTOWEDUPONHUMANKINDASAPUNISHMENTFORPROMETHEUSSTHEFTOFFIREENTRUSTEDWITHABOXCONTAININGALLTHEILLSTHATCOULDPLAGUEPEOPLE,SHEOPENEDITOUTOFCURIOSITYANDTHEREBYRELEASEDALLTHEEVILSOFHUMANLIFEFROMTHEGREEKMYTHOLOGYITMEANSTHATSOMETHINGMAYSEEMVALUABLE,BUTTHEYBRINGTROUBLEANDMISFORTUNECHINESEIDIOM
41、SDEVELOPINGFROMFAIRYTALES,MYTHS,LEGENDSANDFABLESAREALSOLARGEINNUMBERALTHOUGHCHINESEFAIRYTALES,LEGENDS,ANDMYTHSARENOMATCHOFGREECEINACHIEVEMENT,THEREHAVEREALLYBEENALOTOFMOVINGSTORIES,WHICHHAVEBEENWELLKNOWNTOCHINESEPEOPLEANDCANAROUSECOLORFULPICTURESINTHEIRMINDCONSEQUENTLY,THEREAREMANYCHINESEIDIOMSPRODU
42、CEDBYCHINESEFAIRYTALES,LEGENDS,ANDMYTHOLOGYFOREXAMPLE,THEFOLKTALEOFTHECOWHERDANDGIRLWEAVERISALMOSTKNOWNTOEVERYCHINESE,INWHICHLOVINGHUSBANDANDWIFESEPARATEDBYINVINCIBLEFORCECANHARDLYMEETEACHOTHERMOREIDIOMSOF6THISCLASSARETAKENFORINSTANCEBELOW1一人得道,鸡犬升天LITERALLYITMEANSWHENAMANATTAINSTHETAO,EVENHISPETSAS
43、CENDTOHEAVENITCOMESFROMACHINESELEGEND,INDICATINGWHENAMANMADEOFFICIAL,ALLHISRELATIVESANDFRIENDSWILLBENEFITFROMIT2八仙过海,各显神通LITERALLYITMEANSLIKETHEEIGHTIMMORTALSCROSSINGTHESEA,EACHSHOWSHISORHERSPECIALPROWESSNOWITREFERSTOPEOPLEDOINGTHESAMEJOB,BUTEACHDOESITWELLINHISOWNWAYFABLESTORIESAREANOTHERIMPORTANTSO
44、URCEOFCHINESEIDIOMSINSPEECHANDINWRITING,THEFOLLOWINGIDIOMSCANBEFREQUENTLYFOUND1跛鳖千里ALAMETURTLECANGOATHOUSANDMILESBYPERSEVERANCEITMEANSTHATIFYOUCANPERSEVERETODOEVERYTHING,YOUWILLSUCCEEDEVENUNDERTHEBADCONDITIONS2黔驴技穷QIANISSHORTFORGUIZHOUPROVINCE,WHERETHEFABLEDDONKEY,AFTERHAVINGEXHAUSTEDITSTRICKS,WASEA
45、TENUPBYATIGERTHEIDIOMMEANSTOBEATONESWITSEND,OFTENDESCRIBINGSOMETHINGTHATISNOTASPOWERFULASITSEEMS3守株待兔ITLITERALLYMEANSSTANDINGBYASTUMPHOPINGTOCATCHAHAREJUSTBECAUSEONCEAHAREACCIDENTALLYDIESTHERETHISIDIOMISOFTENUSEDTOREFERTOPEOPLEWHODEPENDONCHANCEANDWINDFALLS,WAITINGFORGAINSWITHOUTPAINS312HISTORICALFIG
46、URESOREVENTSMANYEVENTSHAPPENEDDURINGTHELONGHISTORYOFHUMANBEINGS,ANDEVENTHEFIGURESORTHEPLACESOFTHEEVENTSHAVEBEENORIGINSOFIDIOMSIDIOMSFROMHISTORICALEVENTSABOUNDINENGLISHSPEAKINGCOURTIERSTHEFOLLOWINGAREEXAMPLESOFIDIOMSDERIVEDORFROMHISTORICALFIGURESINENGLISH1EVERYCAESARHASHISBRUTUSONESHOULDBEAWAREOFONES
47、FALSEFRIEND,ASCAESARWASFINALLYBETRAYEDBYHISFRIENDBRUTUSINHISTORY防人之心不可无2DAMONANDPYTHIASACCORDINGTOAGREEKLEGENDWHENPYTHIASWASSENTENCEDTOBEEXECUTED,DAMONTOOKHISPLACETOALLOWPYTHIASTOGETHISAFFAIRSINORDERWHENPYTHIASRETURNEDINTIMETOSAVEDAMONTHEKINGWASSOIMPRESSEDTHATHELETTHEMBOTHLIVENOWADAYS,THISIDIOMREFER
48、STOAPAIROFDEVOTEDFRIENDSFROMROMANLEGEND3ONESJOHNHANCOCKTHESIGNATUREOFJOHNHANCOCKONTHEDECLARATIONOFINDEPENDENCEISTHEMOSTFLAMBOYANTANDEASILYRECOGNIZABLEOFALLITISPERHAPSNOSURPRISETHATTHESTORYOFHISPARTINTHEREVOLUTIONISEQUALLYENGAGINGFEWFIGURESWEREMOREPOPULARTHANJOHNHANCOCKNOWADAYS，PEOPLEUSETHISWORDTOEXP
49、RESSONESAUTOGRAPHORSIGNATURETHEREAREQUITEAFEWENGLISHIDIOMSSUMMARIZINGHISTORICALEVENTS,FOREXAMPLE71TOCROSSTHERUBICONTOTAKEADECISIVEANDIRREVOCABLESTEPIN49BCJULIUSCAESARANDHISARMYUNCONSTITUTIONALLYCROSSEDTHERIVERRUBICON,WHICHSEPARATEDHISPROVINCEOFCISALPINEGAULFROMITALY,ANDSOBROUGHTTHECIVILWAR2TOMEETONESWATERLOOTOBECOMPLETELYDEFEATED,CRUSHINGLYBEATENNAPOLEONWASCOMPLETELYDEFEATEDATWATERLOOIN1815INTHEWARWITHENGLAND,RESULTINGINTHEPRODUCTIONOFTHISIDIOMIDIOMSINCHINESEMAYTAKETHEIMAGESOFHISTORICALFIGURESORSUMMARIZEHISTORICALEVENT
