1、（20_届）本科毕业设计英语从文化视角看习语翻译ONTHEVIEWOFCULTUREINTRANSLATIONOFIDIOMSICONTENTSABSTRACTIII1INTRODUCTION111THESOURCESOFIDIOMS212IDIOMS,CULTUREANDTRANSLATION22DIFFERENCESINCULTUREBETWEENCHINESEANDENGLISHIDIOMS321DIFFERENCESINRELIGIONS422DIFFERENCESONVALUES523DIFFERENCESINTHINKINGPATTERNS624DIFFERENCESINSOCIA
2、LRELATIONSHIPS725DIFFERENCESINCULTURALCONNOTATIONOFVOCABULARY73TRANSLATIONMETHODSOFIDIOMS931LITERALTRANSLATION932LITERALTRANSLATIONPLUSANNOTATIONS1033LIBERALTRANSLATION1034COMBINATIONOFLITERALTRANSLATIONANDLIBERALTRANSLATION114CONCLUSION11BIBLIOGRAPHY12ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS13II内容摘要习语是一种特殊的语言形式，是某一语言在使用过程
3、中形成的独特的固定的表达方式，承载着不同的民族特色和文化信息，最能体现一个民族的文化。同一句话，不同的文化背景的人反应有时是不同的，甚至会截然相反。究其原因是说话双方没有真正了解对方的文化。英汉两种语言都有着大量习语，因此，加强对英汉习语文化内涵差异的了解和翻译有着重要意义。本文从最能体现中西文化差异的习语着手，简单分析了中英文习语的来源，习语和文化以及习语翻译的关系。通过重点讨论习语在文化上五个方面中所反映的中西文化差异，即宗教文化、价值观、思维方式、社会关系、词语文化内涵，归纳了英文习语翻译的技巧和策略。关键词习语；文化内涵；中西文化差异；习语翻译；翻译技巧IIIABSTRACTIDIOM
4、SARESPECIALLANGUAGEFORMSITISASPECIFICANDSTRUCTURALLYFIXEDEXPRESSIONINACERTAINLANGUAGEWHICHCARRIESALOTOFINFORMATIONANDCULTURALCONNOTATIONANDITISONEOFTHEMOSTIMPORTANTWAYSTOSHOWANATIONSCULTUREDIFFERENTPEOPLEFROMDIFFERENTCULTURESMAYHAVEDIFFERENTUNDERSTANDINGSORREACTIONSTOWARDSTHESAMESENTENCEBOTHENGLISHA
5、NDCHINESEARERICHINIDIOMSTHEREFORE,INORDERTOUNDERSTANDENGLISHIDIOMSANDTRANSLATETHEMPROPERLY,ITISNECESSARYTOKNOWTHECULTURALCONNOTATIONOFIDIOMSANDCULTURALDIFFERENCESBETWEENCHINESEANDENGLISHIDIOMSINTHISPAPER,THEAUTHORWILLSTARTSWITHANALYZINGTHESOURCESOFCHINESEANDENGLISHIDIOMS,THERELATIONSBETWEENIDIOMSAND
6、CULTURE,IDIOMSANDTRANSLATIONBYDISCUSSINGTHECULTURALDIFFERENCESBETWEENENGLISHANDCHINESEIDIOMSINRELIGIONS,VALUES,THINKINGPATTERNS,SOCIALRELATIONS,ANDCULTURALCONNOTATIONINVOCABULARY,THEAUTHORCONCLUDESTHETRANSLATIONMETHODSANDSKILLSFORTRANSLATINGIDIOMSKEYWORDSIDIOMSCULTURALCONNOTATIONCULTURALDIFFERENCEST
7、RANSLATIONOFIDIOMSTRANSLATIONMETHODS11INTRODUCTIONIDIOMSARETHEESSENCEOFALANGUAGE,WHICHAREALWAYSPHILOSOPHICALANDETERNALENGLISHIDIOMSANDCHINESEIDIOMSAREGEMSOFTHETWOLANGUAGESASWELLASTHECRYSTALLIZATIONOFTHETWONATIONALCULTURESACCORDINGTOTHELATESTWEBSTERSNEWWORLDCOLLEGEDICTIONARYSAPIR99100“IDIOMISAPHRASE,
8、CONSTRUCTIONOREXPRESSIONTHATISRECOGNIZEDASAUNITINTHEUSAGEOFAGIVENLANGUAGEANDEITHERDIFFERSFROMTHEUSUALSYNTACTICPATTERNSORHASAMEANINGTHATDIFFERSFROMTHELITERALMEANINGOFITSPARTSTAKENTOGETHER”THEDEFINITIONSHOWSTHATIDIOMSAREANUMBEROFWORDSFROMTHEAUTHORSPOINTOFVIEW,IDIOMSARENOTONLYTHEBRIDGETOLANGUAGEBUTALSO
9、THEMIRRORTOREFLECTTHECULTUREDIFFERENTCOUNTRIESCANSHARETHESAMELANGUAGE,HOWEVER,DIFFERENTPEOPLEHAVETHEIROWNDIALECTS,THELOCALSOCIALTRADITION,THENATIVECONCEPTSANDBELIEFSMANYIDIOMSAREJUSTDEVELOPEDFROMSUCHSPECIALCULTURALBACKGROUNDS11SOURCEOFIDIOMSITISWELLKNOWNTHATIDIOMSAREMAINLYFORMEDORCREATEDBYPEOPLEDURI
10、NGTHEIRDAILYPRACTICESTOMUCHADEGREE,THEYARETHENATURALOUTCOMEOFTHEWORKINGPEOPLELIFEANDEXPERIENCEFOREXAMPLE,“PLOUGHTHESANDS“ISACTUALLYABOUTAGRICULTURE“TOKNOWTHEROPES“ISFROMNAVIGATION“NECKANDNECK“ISOUTOFHORSERACING“ALIVEANDKICKING“ISRELATEDTOFISHINGINADDITION,CULTUREANDRELIGIONAREALSOTHEMAJORSOURCESOFEN
11、GLISHIDIOMSALARGERNUMBEROFENGLISHIDIOMSCOMEFROMTHEBIBLE,FOREXAMPLE“NOTKNOWINGSOMEBODYFROMADAM“MEANSTHEONEWHOISAPERFECTSTRANGERTHEIDIOMLIKE“OUTOFJOINT“ISFROMTHEWRITINGOFSHAKESPEAREFROMTHEGREEKMYTHSTHEREISANIDIOMTHEACHILLESHEEL“WHICHMEANSTHEONLYDEADLYWEAKPOINTTHUSFROMTHEABOVEEXAMPLES,ITISNOTDIFFICULTT
12、OFINDOUTTHATENGLISHIDIOMSARECLOSELYCONNECTEDWITHPEOPLESCOMMONLIFE,LITERATURE,RELIGION,ANCIENTLEGENDSANDFABLESINCHINESE,THESOURCESOFIDIOMSARECOMMONLYRELATEDTOENVIRONMENTSUCHASGEOGRAPHICALPOSITION,CLIMATE,ORECOLOGICALCONDITIONFOREXAMPLE二人同心，黄土变金WHENTWOPEOPLEAREOFTHESAMEMIND,EVENCLAYMAYBECHANGEDINTOGOL
13、D，上无片瓦，下无寸土ASPOORASACHURCHMOUSEINCHINESECULTURE,“EASTWIND“IS“THEWINDOFSPRING“SPRINGISWARMANDCOLORFUL,ANDITISREGARDEDASTHEBEGINNINGOFALLLIVESTHEREAREMANYIDIOMSINCHINA,WHICHREFERTOSPRING春暖花开INWARMSPRING,ALLTHEBLOSSOMSAREINFULLBLOOM,一年之计在于春THEWHOLEYEARSWORKCONSISTSINAGOODSTARTINSPRING12IDIOMS,CULTUREAN
14、DTRANSLATION2THERELATIONSBETWEENLANGUAGEANDCULTUREHAVELONGBEENCLEARLYOBSERVEDANDTHOROUGHLYUNDERSTOODTHEAMERICANLINGUISTICPROFESSORSAPPIERWHOHAVEKICKEDTHEBUCKETSAID“THEREARETHINGSBEHINDLANGUAGEANDLANGUAGECANNOTDEPARTFROMCULTURE“BAIMAALSOSAID“THEHISTORYOFLANGUAGEANDTHEHISTORYOFCULTUREAREINCOOPERATIONW
15、ITHEACHOTHERTHEYNOTONLYOFFERHELPTOEACHOTHER,BUTALSOENLIGHTENEACHOTHER“LANGUAGEISTHECARRIEROFCULTUREANYLANGUAGECANNOTSOLELYEXISTWITHOUTCULTUREVARYINGLEVELSOFLIFEEXPERIENCESOFPEOPLELEADTOVARIOUSSORTSOFUNDERSTANDINGSANDEVALUATIONSOFTHEPHYSICALREALITYCONFRONTINGTHEMTHOSEIDEASANDTHOUGHTSAREMANIFESTEDINFO
16、RMSOFTHEIRCUSTOMS,TRADITIONS,RELIGIOUSBELIEFS,ANDWORKSOFART,WHICHHELPTOGRADUALLYSHAPEDISTINCTIVECULTURALMODESORCULTURALORIENTATIONSMOSTIMPORTANTOFALL,SUCHCULTURALMESSAGESAREMOSTLIKELYTOBECODIFIEDIN,TRANSMITTEDTHROUGH,ANDFURTHERREINFORCEDBYLANGUAGE,ANDTHATCREATESIDIOMSIDIOMSAREAVERYIMPORTANTPARTOFALA
17、NGUAGEANIDIOMISAPHRASEORSENTENCEWHOSEMEANINGISNOTCLEARFROMTHEMEANINGOFITSINDIVIDUALWORDSANDWHICHMUSTBELEARNTASAWHOLEIDIOMSINCLUDESETPHRASES,PROVERBS,TRUNCATEDWITTICISM,COLLOQUIALISMANDSLANGEXPRESSIONSTHEREFORE,ITISRICHINCULTURALCONNOTATIONBOTHENGLISHANDCHINESEHAVEQUITEALONGHISTORY,SOBOTHOFTHEMHAVEAL
18、ARGENUMBEROFIDIOMSIDIOMSARETHECOREANDESSENCEOFLANGUAGESWITHOUTTHEMLANGUAGESMAYSOUNDDULLANDCOLORLESSTHEPERSONINACOMMUNITYNOTONLYHASONESOWNLANGUAGE,BUTALSOHASONESOWNHABIT,ONESOWNIDEOLOGY,ONESOWNVALUESYSTEM,ANDONESBEHAVIORRULESANDSOONTHISIS“CULTURE“IDIOMTRANSLATIONPLAYSANIMPORTANTROLEINTRANSLATIONITISR
19、EGARDEDASTHEMOSTIMPORTANTANDTOUGHTHINGINTRANSLATIONPRACTICEBECAUSEIDIOMSARESAIDTOBETHEMOSTSTRIKINGREFLECTIONOFCULTUREINTHATTHEMEANINGOFWORDSAREARBITRARYITDEPENDSONSOMESOCIALGROUPSWHOHAVETHESAMEVIEWPOINTSONTHEIRVALUESITCANEASILYBEAFFECTEDBYTHEPERMEATIONOFCULTURECONSEQUENTLY,SWARMSOFIDIOMSAREABUNDANTI
20、NCULTURALCONNOTATIONFORLACKOFAGOODKNOWLEDGEOFCULTUREOFTHELANGUAGETHEYARELEARNING,ORINFLUENCEDBYCULTURALCUSTOMSANDCULTURALMODESINTHEIROWNNATION,INTHEPROCESSOFREADING,MANYLANGUAGELEARNERSFAILTOHAVEACOMPLETELYCORRECTUNDERSTANDINGOFWORDSOFTHELANGUAGETHEYHAVELEARNED,WHICHAFFECTTHEEFFECTIVENESSOFTHEIRREAD
21、INGFROMTHISTOTHAT,LANGUAGELEARNERSWHOMAKETHEWRONGUSEOFWORDSINWRITINGANDDAILYCOMMUNICATION,CULTURALMISUNDERSTANDINGANDCULTURALCONFLICTSCANALSOBEINTERPRETEDBYTHISREASON2CULTURALDIFFERENCESINIDIOMSBETWEENCHINESEANDENGLISHIDIOMSCULTUREISANALLENCOMPASSINGCONCERTITHASATLEASTTWOSENSESINANARROWSENSE,CULTURE
22、MEANSINTELLECTUALANDCONCEPTUALCULTUREINABROADSENSE,CULTUREMEANSHUMANCULTUREIN3CONTRASTWITHNATURE,SUCHASTHESUMOFANATIONSCUSTOMS,MATERIALANDSPIRITUALPRODUCTS,WAYSOFTHINKINGANDSOONCULTUREISACOMPLEXSYSTEMASAPRODUCTWITHITSORIGINDEEPLYROOTEDINTHEDEVELOPMENTOFMANSCULTURE,LANGUAGECANREFLECTVARIOUSCULTURALPH
23、ENOMENATRANSLATIONISANINTERCULTURALACTIVITYTHEREFORE,CULTURALDIFFERENCESSHOULDBETAKENINTOCONSIDERATIONWHENPEOPLETRANSLATETHESAMETHINGHOLDSTRUEFORTRANSLATINGIDIOMSTHECULTURALDIFFERENCESBETWEENCHINESEANDENGLISHIDIOMSCANBECLASSIFIEDINTOSIXTYPES21DIFFERENCESINRELIGIONSRELIGION,THEMAINCOMPONENTOFHUMANCUL
24、TURE,REFLECTSDIFFERENTATTITUDESTOWARDSADMIRATIONANDTABOOSOFEACHNATIONIFPEOPLEDONOTUNDERSTANDRELIGIONANDCULTURALBACKGROUNDDURINGTHETRANSLATION,THETRANSLATIONMAYNOTBEACCURATEANDPROPERTHEREFORE,DIFFERENTRELIGIOUSBELIEFSCAUSEDBYCULTURALDIFFERENCESINTRANSLATIONCANNOTBEIGNOREDCHINESECULTUREISDEEPLYAFFECTE
25、DBYTAOISM,BUDDHISMANDCONFUCIANISM,AMONGWHICHTHEEFFECTOFBUDDHISMISTHEMOSTINVETERATE,WHILEENGLISHCULTUREISGREATLYINFLUENCEDBYCHRISTIANITYTHEREISNOQUESTIONTHATCHINESEIDIOMSREFLECTTHEINFLUENCEOFBUDDHISM,WHEREASENGLISHIDIOMSARECLOSELYRELATEDTOCHRISTIANITYFORINSTANCE,远看菩萨，近看泥巴AND平时不烧香，临时抱佛脚ARETAKENFROMBUD
26、DHISM,WHILE灵丹妙药AND回光返照AREFROMTAOISM“临时抱佛脚”ISAVERYCOMMONLYUSEDEXPRESSIONSFORSTUDENTSTOUSEESPECIALLYBEFORETHEEXAMSIDIOMSFROMTHEBIBLEANDCHRISTIANITYAREALSOABUNDANT,SUCHASATHORNINTHEFLESH眼中钉,THEFORBIDDENFRUIT禁果,THEAPPLEOFONESEYE掌上明珠,ACOVENANTOFSALT不可背弃的盟约,GIRDUPONESLOINS准备行动,ASPOORASJOB/THECHURCHMOUSE家徒
27、四壁,PRIDEGOESBEFOREAFALL骄兵必败,ETCTHECHINESEPROVERB“泥菩萨过江,自身难保”ISAPPARENTLYRELATEDTOBUDDHISMWHICHWASONCEVERYPOPULARINCHINACHRISTIANITYISTHEDOMINANTRELIGIONINTHEWEST,MAINLYENGLISHSPEAKINGCOUNTRIESHEREARESOMEMOREEXAMPLESRELEVANTTOCHRISTIANITY1WHOMGODWOULDRUIN,HEFIRSTDEPRIVESOFREASON上帝要毁灭谁，必先夺其理性。2GODSEND
28、SMEATANDTHEDEVILSENDSCOOKS上帝赐给食物，魔鬼派来厨师。3EACHCROSSHATHITSOWNINSCRIPTION每个十字架都有自己的铭文。4“GODHELPSTHOSEWHOHELPTHEMSELVES”上帝帮助自助的人。5“GOTOHELL”下地狱去。THEREISONESCENEINAMOVIEWHICHISABOUTAJOURNEYONASHIPDURINGTHETRIP,ITSUFFEREDASTORM,ANDAFTERTHEDISASTER,THEPASSENGERSFROMALLOVERTHEWORLDTHANKEDINVARIOUSWAYSTHECH
29、INESEREPEATTHEPHRASE“菩萨保佑”，“阿弥陀佛”WHILETHEWESTERNERS4SAY“THANKGODDESS”22DIFFERENCESONVALUESVALUESGENERALLYCONSIDEREDTOBETHECOREOFTHESPECIFICCULTUREANDWAYOFLIFEVALUESINTWOLANGUAGESWILLCAUSEALOTOFOBSTACLESFORUNDERSTANDINGANDTRANSLATIONTHEREFORE,TRANSLATORSSHOULDPAYATTENTIONTOVALUESINDIFFERENTCULTURESEX
30、AMPLE1EVILISTHEREPRESENTATIVEOFTHEFALSE，THEBADANDTHEUGLYSOIDIOMSRELATEDTOEVILINENGLISHALWAYSHAVENEGATIVEMEANINGSHOWEVER,INCHINESE,THEREISAWORD“GHOST”WHICHDOESMEANEVIL，BUTTHEINFLUENCEOFITISCOMPARATIVELYSMALLTHEINFLUENCEOFGHOSTSORSPIRITSAREMUCHMORELAGERTHANTHATOFTHEEVILGHOSTSARENOTALWAYSBADANDTHEYMAYB
31、EKIND,CUTEANDCLEVERINCHINESEPEOPLESMINDSEXAMPLE2CHINESEPEOPLEBELIEVEINMODESTY,ANDTHEYSELDOMSHOWOFFINFRONTOFOTHERSINTHEOLDTIMES,CONFUCIUSENLIGHTENEDHISSTUDENTSBYSAYING,“三人行必有吾师“BYASKING,WELEARNNOWADAYS,WESTICKTOTHELOGIONOFCHAIRMANMAO,“谦虚使人进步，骄傲使人落后“BEMODEST,YOUWILLMAKEPROGRESSBEHAUGHTY,YOUWILLDROPBEH
32、INDBUTINWESTERNCULTURE,SELFWORTHANDINDEPENDENCEARESTRESSEDTHEYCONSIDERTHEINDIVIDUALSMOREIMPORTANTTHANTHATOFSOCIETYBELOWARESOMEMOREEXAMPLES1AMERICANYOUDIDAGOODJOBCHINESEATHATSTHERESULTOFJOINTEFFORTSBTHERESSTILLMUCHROOMFORIMPROVEMENTCNO,NO,IDIDNTDOITQUITEWELL2HOSTDRINKSOMEWINE,PLEASECHINESENO,IDONOTWA
33、NTTODRINKWINEBRITISHALLRIGHTTHANKYOUEXAMPLE3MOSTWESTERNERSESPECIALLYAMERICANBELIEVETHATEACHPERSONHASHISOWNINDIVIDUALIDENTITYANDPERSONALITY,WHICHSHOULDBERECOGNIZEDANDREINFORCEDTHECOREOFINDIVIDUALISMISTHEPURSUITOFPERSONALHAPPINESSANDACHIEVEMENTSITISHIGHLYVALUED,DEEPLYBELIEVEDANDWELLAPPRECIATEDASAFUNDA
34、MENTALSOCIALVIRTUEINTHEIRCHRISTIANITYTRADITIONS,INDIVIDUALSAREIMPORTANTNOTONLYTOEACHOTHER,BUTALSOTOTHESOCIETYANDGODINDIVIDUALISMHASBEENHANDEDDOWNFROMTHEIRANCESTORSPIONEERSWHOMIGRATEDTOTHENEWWORLDANDINTENDEDTOOBTAINANEWLIFETHEYNEEDTOSURVIVEINTHENEWLANDWHICHMADETHEMBELIEVEININDIVIDUALISMONLYWHENTHEIND
35、IVIDUALCANLIVEUPTOHISPOTENTIALWILLTHESOCIETYMOVEFORWARD,ANDTHISISTHEBESTWAYTOSERVETHESOCIETYTHEREFORE,TOAMERICANS,INDIVIDUALISMISNOTSELFISHNESSBUTRATHERAVIRTUETHINKINGABOUTTHEPOWEROFTHECONCEPTINSOMEWORDSANDSAYINGSSELFCONTROL,SELFCONFIDENCE,SELFESTEEM,5SELFRELIANCE,SELFRESPECT“GODHELPSTHOSEWHOHELPTHE
36、MSELVES”,“HETRAVELSTHEFASTEST,WHOTRAVELSALONEALLTHESEEXPRESSIONSLIETHEMESSAGEINDIVIDUALACHIEVEMENTANDFREEDOMARETHEVIRTUESTHATAREMOSTGLORIFIEDHOWEVER,TOCHINESEPEOPLE,THEWORD“INDIVIDUALISM”ISRELATEDTOTHEDEROGATORYMEANINGASEGOISM,WHICHREPRESENTSSELFISHNESSINQUALITYANDLOOSENESSINDISCIPLINEINTRADITIONALC
37、HINESEBELIEFS,ESPECIALLYINCONFUCIANISM,COLLECTIVISMISAPPRECIATEDA“WE”CONSCIOUSNESSPREVAILSINSTEADOFAN“I”ORIENTATIONLOOKATTHEMESSAGEOFCOLLECTIVISMINTHEWORDSOFCONFUCIUS“IFONEWANTSTOESTABLISHHIMSELF,HESHOULDHELPOTHERSTOESTABLISHTHEMSELVESATFIRST”COLLECTIVECULTURESEMPHASIZECOOPERATIONAMONGGROUPMEMBERSAN
38、DINDIVIDUALSUCCESSISDUETOTHECOLLECTIVEEFFORTOFTHESTAFFINAUNIT,ANORGANIZATIONORACOMMUNITYTHESACRIFICEOFINDIVIDUALINTERESTFORTHATOFTHECOLLECTIVEISANOBLEQUALITYEULOGIZEDSOMUCHBYCHINESEPEOPLETHATBEINGMODESTANDTHOUGHTFULOFOTHERSAREHIGHLYPRAISEDWITHTHEKNOWLEDGEOFTHIS,ITWILLNOTBEHARDFORAMERICANSTOUNDERSTAN
39、DCHINESEMODESTY23DIFFERENCESINTHINKINGPATTERNSCULTURALISAREFLECTIONOFTRENDOFLANGUAGESANDMINDSTHROUGHCENTURIES,ANDITEMBODIESTHECHARACTERISTICOFTHINKINGPATTERNSINDIFFERENTCOUNTRIESTHEREISNODOUBTTHATCHINESEANDENGLISHHAVETHEIROWNWAYSOFTHINKINGENGLISHSPEAKERSPAYMUCHMOREATTENTIONTOLOGICWHETHERORALSPEAKING
40、ORWRITING,ANDTHEYDONOTEXCLUDEDIALECTICALWAYOFTHINKINGINORDERTOENSURETHATTHEIRWRITINGISCOMPACTANDWELLORGANIZEDHOWEVER,CHINESEWAYOFWRITINGISOPPOSITEANDTHEIRWRITINGISNOTWELLKNITENOUGH,SOSOMEFOREIGNERSMAYEASILYMISUNDERSTANDTHEREALMEANINGOFTHEWRITERTHEDIFFERENCEISTHATCHINESEPEOPLEPREFERTOSPEAKIN“INDIRECT
41、”WAYTHESTRUCTURECOULDBESKETCHEDOUTASBECAUSEA,ANDBECAUSEB,，ANDBECAUSEC,THEREFOREDTHEREAPPEARSTOBEAWESTERNPREFERENCEFORADIRECTPATTERNINCOMMUNICATIONFOREXAMPLE,INSPEAKINGORWRITING,THECHINESETENDTOFIRSTLYDISPERSETHEIRTHOUGHTS,ANDTHENGATHERTHEM,ANDFINALLYPUTTHEMTOTHESTARTINGPOINTWHILEENGLISHPEOPLEPREFERT
42、HEOPPOSITEWAYTHEYUSUALLYPRESENTTHEIROPTIONSFIRST24DIFFERENCESINSOCIALRELATIONSWECHINESEPAYMUCHATTENTIONTORELATIONSHIPSAMONGPEOPLETHEKINSHIPTERMSARETYPICALEXAMPLESASTHERESULTOFTHELONGHISTORYOFTHEPATRIARCHALSYSTEMCHINESEWORDSINDICATINGRELATIVERELATIONSHIPSARERICHERTHANTHOSEINENGLISHFROMTHEVIEWPOINTOFS
43、OCIOLINGUISTICS,FORMSOFADDRESSINGCANSERVEASANINDICATIONOFTHERELATIONSHIPOFPOWERANDSOLIDARITYINTHESOCIETYINCALLINGTHEIRSUPERIORSORELDERS,THE6CHINESEAREACCUSTOMEDTOTHENONRECIPROCALORASYMMETRICALADDRESSINGINOTHERWORDS,THEYUSE“TITLESURNAME”TOADDRESSTHEIRSUPERIORSORELDERSRATHERTHANCALLTHEMSURNAMES,WHILET
44、HESUPERIORORELDERSCALLTHEADDRESSERSTHEIRNAMESTHECHINESETENDTOABIDEBYTHEPOLITEPRINCIPLEOFDEPRECIATINGONESELFANDRESPECTINGOTHERSTOSHOWAPPROPRIATERESPECTSTOWARDSTHEPERSONSBEINGADDRESSED,OTHERWISE,THEADDRESSERMAYBECONSIDEREDASILLMANNERED,ILLEDUCATEDORRUDEBUTINENGLISHSPEAKINGCOUNTRIES,PEOPLEHAVEATENDENCY
45、TOFOLLOWTHERECIPROCALORSYMMETRICALADDRESSINGALTHOUGHTHEYAREDIFFERENTINAGEANDSTATUS,THEYCANCALLTHEOTHERDIRECTLY,NAMELY,THEIRNAMES,EVENFIRSTNAMESEXCEPTWHENTHEYCALLTHEDOCTORS,NOTAROUSINGOFFENCEBETWEENTHEM,BUTDEMONSTRATINGTHESENSEOFINTIMACYANDTHECONCEPTIONOF“EVERYONEISCREATEDEQUAL”FOEEXAMPLE,“SIXFEETOFE
46、ARTHMAKEALLMANEQUAL”（六尺之地，人人平等）；“WEAREALLADAMSCHILDREN”（人人都是亚当的孩子）；“ACATMAYLOOKATAKING”（猫儿亦能平视国王）；“ITSNONEOFYOURBUSINESS”（与你无关）；“MINDYOUROWNBUSINESS”（管好自己的事）；“AGOODFENCEMAKESAGOODNEIGHBORS”（好围墙造就好邻居）GENERALLYSPEAKING,THEREARETWOTYPESOFFAMILIESINFAMILYSTRUCTURE“EXTENDEDFAMILYISMEMBERSOFTHREEORMOREGEN
47、ERATIONS,RELATEDBYBLOODORMARRIAGE,WHICHLIVETOGETHERORNEARONEANOTHER”ZANDEN347“NUCLEARFAMILYISCONSISTINGOFAHUSBAND,WIFEANDTHEIRDEPENDENTCHILDRENLIVINGINAHOMEOFTHEIROWNTHEDEFININGCHARACTERISTICOFTHENUCLEARFAMILYISINDEPENDENCE”ZANDEN347TRADITIONALLY,AMERICANFAMILYHASBEENANUCLEARFAMILYCONSISTINGOFAHUSBA
48、ND,WIFE,ANDTHEIRCHILDREN,LIVINGINAHOUSEORANAPARTMENTGRANDPARENTSRARELYLIVEINTHESAMEPLACEWITHTHEIRMARRIEDSONSANDDAUGHTERS,ANDUNCLESANDAUNTSMOSTNEVERDOINCONTRACT,EXTENDEDFAMILYHASBEENTHENORMINCHINESESOCIETY25DIFFERENCESINCULTURALCONNOTATIONOFWORDSLANGUAGEIS,TOACERTAINDEGREE,JUSTLIKETHEAIRPEOPLEBREATHE
49、WITHOUTAIR,PEOPLECANTLIVEANYMOREBUT,ITSALWAYSDIFFICULTFORPEOPLETOPERCEIVETHEEXISTENCEOFAIRLIKEWISE,PEOPLESLIFEISBOUNDUPWITHLANGUAGEVERYOFTENPEOPLETAKEITFORGRANTEDANDAREHARDLYCONSCIOUSOFITSCULTURALIMPLICATIONSORVALUESWHICHCONSTITUTEAPOTENTIALSHAPINGFORCEFORTHEMINDSLANGUAGEISINTIMATELYASSOCIATEDWITHCULTUREANDTHETWOCANNOTBEDIVIDEDWORDSINLANGUAGEARETHEMOSTOUTSTANDINGREFLECTIONOFCULTUREANDEMBODYTHESOCIALCULTURALFEATURESOFANATIONTOTHEFULLTHEREFORE,ALARGENUMBEROFWORDSPOSSESSSPECIFICCULTURALMESSAGESASFARASLANGUAGELEARNERSARECONCERNED,IFTHEYDONTHAVEAGOODKNOWLEDGEOFTHESPECI
