英汉颜色词的文化内涵极与对比的意义

英汉颜色词的文化内涵极与对比的意义

英汉颜色词的文化内涵极其对比

Key words : Chinese、 English、basic colour terms、 pragmatics/ semantic meaning、comparison

摘要：丰富多彩的颜色词的中文及英文的内涵有很大不同。本文讨论了不同的含义和应用颜色词英汉之间在政治，宗教，经济，军事活动和社会生活的手段的对比；汉语和英语颜色词的不同语义导致不同其比喻的含义。由于思维方式、社会制度、传统习俗、地理环境，民族心理和其他因素的不同，对颜色词在理解的语言习惯和掌握运用方面不同，因此，有必要了解和研究这些差异，使我们能够改善我们的语言能力，从而让跨文化传播收获更大的成功。

Abstract:There are plenty of color words in both Chinese and English, but their connotations are quite different. This thesis discusses the different implications and applications of color words between English and Chinese in politics, religion, economy, military events and social life by means of contrast. Different semantic meanings of Chinese and English color words lead to the different comprehensions to their metaphoric meanings. There are many differences in the use of colors and color words as well as in the understanding and mastering the same color for reasons of different language habits, thinking styles, social systems, traditional customs, geographical surroundings, national psychology and other factors. Therefore, it is necessary to know and study these differences so that we can improve our language ability and make the intercultural communications successful.

一：英汉颜色词的文化内涵极其对比的意义、 1、英汉颜色词的文化内涵：

语言是文化的镜子，随着人类文明的不断发展，人们不断赋予颜色词新的生命和活力，从原来表示某种单纯颜色而派生出许多转义，使语言更加生动形象、富有魅力、因而显得愈加重

要。语言是文化的载体，是文化的组成部分，而不同民族的文化又各不相同。某些颜色词在字面上看似对应，但其文化含义却不尽相同，甚至可能大相径庭，由于文化因素的原因,表示颜色的词在不同的语境中被赋予不同的含义。

因而不同的民族语言的颜色词具有不同的文化内涵,不同的民族语言在颜色词,尤其是在基本颜色词的使用上始终存在着差异,它反映了不同民族的习惯传统,透视出不同民族的文化心态。分清其在中西文化中不同的象征意义有利于我们进行跨文化的交际；而颜色词作为一种符号系统在英汉两种语言里具有不同的用途及文化价值、文化意蕴，对英汉颜色词的文化涵义进行分析，了解其所承载的文化信息，能有效地进行跨文化的言语交际，不断促进和加强英、汉之间文化的交流与融合；最重要的是：人们在日常的生活当中时时刻刻都使用各种各样的颜色词,因而在人类语言中,颜色词有其特有的魅力。通过对汉英两种语言中基本颜色词文化涵义的对比分析,可以了解到颜色词在汉英民族语言中的文化差异,以避免在跨文化交际中产生语用失误。

Language is the mirror of culture, with the continuous development of human civilization, people have been given new life to the word color and vitality, from the original color and express some kind of simple derived much escaped, so that language more vivid, attractive, and thus appears to increasingly important. Language is the carrier of culture, are an integral part of culture, and culture of different ethnic groups varies. Certain colors appear to correspond to the word literally, but its cultural meaning is not the same, or even likely to vary because of cultural factors of the reasons that the color of the word in different context have been given different meanings.

Different national languages and therefore the color of the word has a different culture, different national languages in the color of the word, especially in the basic use of color words there is always differences, and it reflects the habits of different ethnic traditions, different ethnic groups Perspective cultural mentality. To distinguish between Chinese and Western cultures in its different symbolic significance in favor of our cross-cultural communication; and color words as a symbol system in English and Chinese languages have different uses and cultural values, and cultural implication of the English and Chinese co

lor words analysis of the meaning of culture, understanding their culture bearer information, and can effectively carry out cross-cultural verbal communication, and continuously promote and strengthen English and Chinese between the cultural exchange and integration; the most important thing is: people in their daily life always use a wide range of color words, which in human language, the color of the word has its unique charm. Through the Chinese and English languages in the cultural meaning of basic color terms of comparative analysis can be seen that the color words in Chinese and English the national language of the cultural differences in order to avoid cross-cultural communication generated Pragmatic Failure. 2、英汉颜色词的对比：

词汇是语言三大系统中最为积极、活跃的部分，社会制度的变化和文化的发展可以在词汇上直接反映出来。从某种意义上讲，词汇是社会文化的镜象反射。词汇中的颜色词尤其如此。基于国内外许多学者对颜色词作出的深入研究，依据对比语言学的理论，两种不同语言的语言现象既可以从形式和结构方面进行对比研究，又可以从内容和功能方面进行对比研究。 Vocabulary is the most active part of language .It can directly reflect the social changes and cultural developments .In a sense, vocabulary is the mirror of the society and culture , so is colour terms .Based on the results of many researches and the theory of the contrastive linguistics ,this paper mainly compares and analysizes the basic colour terms in Chinese and English in the connotation and function aspects . 汉语的颜色词蕴涵着深厚的文化意义和民族感情色彩。不同的颜色在人们的心中产生的心里效应是不一样的。很多颜色具有二重性。同一颜色词语具有“双重语义”特征，而不同颜色词语之间则存在语义对立关系；例如,红色,在很多人的眼中是热情的象征,在另一些人的眼中则象征着暴力。所以“ Red”--红色从颜色上看，红色似火，热情奔放，因而与革命或喜庆相连不足为奇了，红色也就成为了革命之色。

3、现代汉语颜色词的运用范围：

现代汉语颜色词的运用属词语修辞的范围。读者在文学鉴赏中首先接触的就是作品中的语言。其中颜色词进行的表达、象征、暗示等起到的作用不可忽视。只有充分了解现代汉语颜色词的意义、其运用规律和修辞手法等,才能理解文学作品中颜色词的真实意义和作家的意图。

The application of rhetoric of modern Chinese color words belongs to the concept of word rhetoric. Word rhetoric, which has a profound history in China, can be well presented in the domain of the rhetoric of modern Chinese color words. As a certain collection in the modern Chinese, color word has its own characteristics on both expression and application.

4、英汉颜色词语的词义有时对应，有时相佐:

因为大自然的色彩是丰富斑斓的，英汉颜色词语的词义有时对应，有时相佐。所以，我们在翻译时应该仔细推敲，谨慎处理。对于颜色词的翻译涉及到两种文化,特别是颜色词的翻译正确与否对许多涉及颜色的各行各业有着很重要的影响.Because the nature color is rich variegated, sometimes the English to Chinese color words and expressions' word meaning corresponds, sometimes assists. Therefore, we in translation time should deliberate carefully, discrete processing. Involves regarding the color word's translation to two cultures, color word's translator is specially correct or not to many involves the color the various trades and occupations to have the very important influence . 如:Red alert 空袭紧急警报

Red blooded 精力充沛的 Red handed 现行犯的 Red hunter 迫害共产主义者的人 Black beetle 蟑螂 Black browed 愁眉苦脸的 Black tea 红茶 White alert 解除空袭警报 White room 绝尘室

White smith 银匠，锡匠 Green line 轰炸线，敌我分界线 Green room 演员休息室 Blue alert 空袭警报 Blue jacket 水兵，水手 Blue water 大海 Brown bread 黑面包 Brown gugar 红糖 Brown paper 牛皮纸 Pink elephants 幻觉 Pink tea 午后茶会 Pinkeye 火眼 Purple medic 苜蓿 Grey cloth 本色布 Grey mare 比丈夫强的妻子，雌老虎

二：英汉语中的颜色词的分类、

1、英汉语中的颜色词的基本分类：

英汉语中的颜色词的数量都极为丰富。“而英汉两种语言把颜色词大致分为三类： basic color words (基本颜色词。如：赤，橙，黄，绿，青，蓝，紫。英语--red，white， black，green， yellow， blue， purple， gray， brown。)，color words with colors of objects (实物颜色词。如：“实物颜色词就是把用自然界物体的本色来表示颜色的词。例如:silver(银白)，gold (金色)，chestnut-brown(栗色)，lead-gray(铅灰)。这类颜色词广泛用于日常生活和文学作品中。”)和color words in shades（色差颜色词）。” 2、颜色词的内涵与外延：

颜色词除表示其具体实际的色彩外，还会由于不同国家的不同文化而具有不同的涵义。例如a white day可 译为“白色的日子”，但在英国，白色往往表 示“纯真”、“崇高”、“吉祥”、“幸福”之意。a white day意为“吉日” 或“喜庆的日字”。

世界各民族语言表达颜色的词语多寡不一，分类各异。英语和汉语对基本颜色词的分类差别不大。汉语中有赤、橙、黄、绿、青、蓝、紫，英语中有red（红）， white（白），black（黑），green（绿），yellow（黄），blue（蓝），purple（紫），gray（灰），brown（棕）。这些基本颜色之间有相同的方面，也有不同的区别。

另外，受地理环境、民情风俗、思维方式、宗教信仰、民族心理等因素的影响，各种颜色对于不同民族的人而言，在视觉和心理上所引发的联想和象征意义也不尽相同，翻译时应该特别注意其中的差异。

此外，英语中与颜色词在一起组成的复合词或带有颜色词的词组往往有其特殊意义或习惯用法，这些都是在翻译颜色词时不可忽略之处。下面列举几个主要颜色词在英语和汉语中的对比。

In addition, by the geographical environment, people and customs, way of thinking, religion, national psychology and other factors, a variety of colors for different ethnic groups in terms of people, in the visual and psychological triggered by symbolic association and may differ from each other Translation should pay special attention to one of the difference.

In addition, the English word together with the color of the composition of compound words or phrases with color words often have a special meaning or customary usage, these are the words in the translation of color can not be ignored at

the time. Here are several major color words in English and Chinese in comparison.

三、英汉颜色词的象征意义对比 1. RED--红色

红色是我国文化中的基本崇尚色，它体现了中国人在精神和物质上的追求。它象征着吉祥、喜庆，Red is in our country culture basic advocation color, it has manifested the Chinese on the spiritual and the material pursue. It is symbolizing, the jubilation propitiously.

如\红娘\，大红\喜\字， \红火\； \红尘\； “红色政权”，最早的武装叫“红军”， “又红又专”等； \走红\、\红极一时\，得到上司宠信的叫\红人\， \分红\， \送红包\等； \红妆\或\红装\，\红袖\， \红颜\等。

西方文化中的红色（red）则是一个贬意相当强的词，是\火\、\血\的联想，它象征着残暴、流血，如（1） The red rules of tooth and claw残杀和暴力统治，（2）red revenge血腥复仇，（3）a red battle血战 ；它又象征激进、暴力革命，如（1）red hotpolitical campaign激烈的 政治运动，（2）a red revolution 赤色革命，（3）red activities左派激进活动；它也象征危险、紧张，如（1）red alert空袭报警，（2）a red adventure story一个令人紧张的冒险故事，（3）a red flag危险信号旗；它还象征着放荡、淫秽，如（ 1）a red waste of his youth他那因放荡而浪费的青春，（2）a red light district花街柳巷（红灯区），（ 3）Is she really so red as she is painted？难到她真的象人们所描绘的那样放荡吗？至于红色的褒义，如：red—letter day喜庆的日子，the red carpet隆重的接待等，则得益于不同文化之间的交流和融合。 在英语和汉语中，红色有时可以完全对应，有时却大相径庭：

In English and Chinese, the red sometimes can be completely correspond, sometimesthey are quiet different:.

eg:红旗red flag 红糖 brown sugar 红茶 black tea 红榜 honour roll 红豆 love pea 红运 good luck 红利 dividen 红事wedding red wine 红酒 red ruin 火灾 red battle 血战 red sky 彩霞

此外，红色对中国人和英美人而言，会产生不同的理解和联想。在翻译古典小说《红楼梦》时，英国翻译家David Hawkes认为书中的“红色”对汉语文化的人而言，表示喜庆、幸福、吉祥，但在英语国家的人眼中，绿色和金黄色具有类似的联想意义，而红色则意味着流血、危险或暴力。因此，他在翻译时涉及红色的词语时作了一定的变通处理：

贾宝玉神游太虚境，警幻仙曲演红楼梦。 Jiao Baoyu visits the Land of Illusion;

And the fairy Disenchantment performs the Dream of Golden Days. 贾宝玉品茶栊翠庵，刘姥姥醉窝怡红院。

Jia Baoyu tastes some superior tea at Green Bower Hermitage;And Grannie Liu samples the sleeping accommodation at Green Delights.

The red colour is usually associated with celebrations and joyful occasions .This is true in both English speaking countries and China.In English ，we find such expressions as red letter day ,paint the town red and the red carpet .“A red letter day”refers to “a day specially looked forward to ,or remembered,when something remarkable and usually pleasuable will happen,or happened:,as in My father said the day I was born was a red letter day .This expressiong is from calendars that have holidays printed in red and other days printed in black.”To paint the town red”means “to enjoy alively,boisterous time in public places ,often attracting the notice of ,or causing some disturbance to ,others”,as in they spent too much money ,painting the gown red ,and one or two of them got themselves locked up and had to be bailed out next morning .”The red carpet”is a symbol of respectrul receptiong or attenting ,as in They needn't expect to be given the red carpet treatment,this is a factory ,not a country club. In China“双喜”is either written in red or written on a piece of red paper to symbolize en event of special joy ,such as a wedding or opening a business.“红喜事”specifically refers to a wedding “披红挂彩”is traidtional way to celebr

ate an event of happiness.Similarly ,in 开门红，the red colour is symbolic of good fortune.

The red colour is not always associated with something joyful.In English the red light district refers to a district within a town or city where there are brothels,as in She spent the past 30 years heling the prostiutes in the red light district-and the elderly.Running a business in the red means running it at a loss .This expression came from the colour of the ink used in keeping accounts:figures indicating loss are custmarly written in red Red tape means the rigid application and observationg of rules and regulations in all their minute details without reagard for the end they were designed to achieve,as in Beavebrook simply wanted to get things done .He hated red tape .This expression came from lawyers and government officials former pracice of keeping their papers and records in bundles tierd with red tape.

Red is also associated with certain emotions in both English and Chinese .In English to become red faced or her face turned red shows embarrassment or shyness,as“脸红”does in Chineses.But some English ezpressions involving the colour red may not be so redily understood by Chinese . See red ,wave a red flag 、red rag 、etc. are associated with anger or excitement.“See red” means“to get extremely angry”, as in It is just that I see red when Ithink anyone is trying to muscle in on my property.Waving a red flag means “doing something that could cause quick anger in other people”, as in The mere mention of his hated cousin is name was like waving a red flag in front of him.And”red rag”conveys roughly the same meaning as“waving a red flag”,as in The mere mention of that incident is a red rag to him. LL these three ezpressions may have some bearing on bullfingting in which the bullfighter constantly waves a piece of red rag or something to tease the bull. Red meat is simply beef and mutton,in contrast with white meat which refers to chicken and other rowls,while“red caps”refer to porters in American Enlish or military pplicemen in British English.

In both English and Chinese red is associated with revolution and commuism .In English the word“Red”with a capital“R”,is often used as a synonym for a communist ,usually in a deroagtory sense.FOR example,the English expression Reds under the bed refers to comm

unists or leftwing activists.In contrast,red is the colour that che Chinsese people like.It is,perhaps,the most widely used Chinese character in Chinese personal names in China. eg:

(1)The president was treated to the red carpet in Rome. 总统在罗马受到了隆重的接待。 (2)It was a red-letter day in the history of Chinese revolution. 这是中国历史上值得纪念的日子。

(3)A thief was caught red-handed in the act of breaking open alock. 一个窃贼在砸开锁时被当场抓获。

(4)You said that l am very good. ls my face red? 你说我很好，真使我难为情了。 (5)When he started criticizing my work,l really saw red. 当他批评我的工作时，我就冒火、发脾气。

(6)There is too much red-tape in obtaining an identity card. 领身份证的手续实在太繁琐了。

(7)They had to sell the firm because for years they had operated it in the red. 因为经营这家公司几年来一直亏损，所以他们只好把它卖掉。 (8)We'll soon be out of the red. 我们很快就会扭亏为盈。

(9)Every time he comes to New York,he wants to paint the town red. 每次来纽约，他都要痛饮一番。

2.WHITE--白色

To native speaker of English or Chinese white connotes purity,innocence.This is why the brides are dressed in white in Western countrise and a whit lie is “a lie that does no harm and is merely more conveient or polite than telling the truth”,as in I said there was no more drink in the house-a white lie amply justified by the need to get him sobered up .The Chinsese ezpressions”清白无辜“and“清清白白做人”are explicitly associated with purity and innocence.

In some English expressions white has other associations.A white Christmas refers to snow at Christmas time ,as in The wooman rubbed her hands and observed that it was cold enough to have a white Christmas.

This expression is in contrast with a green Christmas that refers to a Chrristmas without s

now. A white-collar job is “a professional,business or clerical employment”,as in The expansion of higher education led an increasing number of people to expect white-collar jobs.A white hope refers to “a talented person who is thought likely to bring success or victory”,as in Our white hope wrecked his knee on the eve of the match--so we were doomd from the start.

The colour white is not necessarily associated with something good.In a white elephant,the white feather and a white night it has bad or unpleasnt connotations.”A white elephant”is “something useless,seldom used,or too costly to be worth maintaining”,as in The recent budget has offered hundreds millions of pounds to shore up private enterprises and to fiance such white elephants as Concorde and the Channel Tunnel.”The white feather”,derived from Cock-fighting,where a game cock displaying the white rim of feather under his hackle acknowledgs defeat,wants to give up,is a symbol of fear ,cowardice or timidity ,as in The early attacks were noticeable enough for a naval officer to be heard saying,”What!Going to sea ,are you ? So you are showing the white feather!””Awhitenight”is simply a sleepless night,as in I was not particularly tired or sleepy after my white night.And a white slave refers to a white skinned prostitutue,especially one inveigled into a foreign country by the promise of other employment,as in People say that Earl is Court is centre of the white slave traed. I woudn’t doubt it .There is a continual sexual electricity in the air.

在中国文化中，白色与红色相反，是一个基本禁忌词，体现了中国人在物质和精神上的摈弃和厌恶。白色是枯竭而无血色、无生命的表现，象征死亡、凶兆。如（穿白色孝服）办 \白事\、 \白专道路\、 \白痴\， \白费力\、\唱白脸\、\白脸\奸雄； \白衣 \、\白面书生\等。

西方人认为白色高雅纯洁，所以它是西方文化中的崇尚色。它象征纯真无邪，如（1）a white soul纯洁的心灵，（2）white wedding新娘 穿白礼服的婚礼；它又象征正直、诚实，如（1）a white spirit正直的精神， （2）white men高尚、有教养的人，（3）white hand廉洁、诚实；它也象征幸 运、吉利，如（1）one of the white days o f sb's life 某人生活中的吉日之 一，（2）whitemagic有天使相助的法术；它还有合法、无恶意的意思，如（ 1） white market合法市场，（2）white list经过批准的合法明单，（3）a white lie 无害的谎言。

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