Influence-of-Cultural-Differences-on-the-Translation-of-Color-Words论文.doc

武汉科技大学本科毕业论文Influence of Cultural Differences on the Translation of Color Words1introductionWhen passing through prism sunshine are analyzed into seven different colors: red, orange, yellow, green, verdant, blue, and purple. In fact, objects themselves in nature do not have fixed colors as we see in our daily life. We mankind distinguish their colors by seeing the reflected light beams on the surface of the objects. The specific color is decided by the reflection of the light and absorption of the objects. However,we human beings added “color” to emotions and make “colors” have emotional values and conceiving wondrous cultural meanings.In social anthropology,”culture”is a catch word for all those patterns of thinking, feeling,and acting .lt is always a collective phenomenon,because it is at least partly shared with people who live or lived with in the same social environment. Culture can be classifid into several layers of which historioal,regonal,religious,and social cultures .Languages and culture are closely related. Certain language reflects certain culture in which the language is used.As two different languages,Chinese and English have their own cultural characteristics and connotations.We compares the cultural connotations of Chinese and English color words to see how important the cultural background of a language is in cross cultural communication.Color words are frequently used both in Chinese and English. Among English words terms of color make up a group of words that are particularly rich in cultural associations. This means that they can be used either literally to refer to different colors or metaphorically to convey their associative meanings in different languages and cultures. The conceptual meanings conveyed by the terms of color are roughly the same in English and their equivalents in Chinese. But the same terms of color in these two languages may have different cultural association. It is natural that English terms of color may have cultural association that is not transparent to Chinese learners of English as a foreign language. A lot of color words are produced under special historical and geographical background. If we do not understand these color words, their social custom and cultural background, it would be hard for us to communicate with each other. It is very important for us to grasp the difference between the literal meaning and associative meaning. Further, it is practically useful to know and study the differences, thus promoting the cultural communication and translation practice. This article focuses on discussing the similarities and differences of color words in different cultural fields to help people to have a better understanding of different cultures.2color wordsThe color is a kind of human being's aesthesia in the objective world. Various colors exist in the nature or in social life. The so-called "beautiful world" or "colorful life " proves that people's actual life is closely related to color. “Scientific research indicates that seven million kinds of colors can be found in the world. However, color expressions are only limited to several hundreds in classification. The number of words for expressing color in languages of various nationalities differs and its classification varies as well.” 1 2.1classificationEnglish and Chinese Expressions on Colors can be categorized into two kinds: one is the basic color words, such as red(红)、yellow（黄）、blue（蓝）、green（绿）、white（白）、purple（紫）、gray（灰）、brown（棕）、black（黑） and so on; another is color words indicating colors of objects ,such as gold（金黄）、silver（银白）、orange（橘黄）、lead-gray（铅灰）、fish-belly-gray（鱼肚白）、waxy-yellow（蜡黄）、orange-red（橘红）、chestnut-brown（栗色）、blue（天青）and other colors. 2 2.2Diverse Expressions of Color WordsThousands of colors exist in the nature,they also have quite a lot ways of changes.so sometimes the basic color words and color words indicating colors of objects are insufficient to express the color world numerous.Therefore we may use the following ways to reflect t the color slight change:1 dark(deep)+ color words; Eg: 我们的船向前走，两岸的青山在黄昏后，都成了深黛颜色，连着退向船后梢去。 （鲁迅：故乡）As we set off , the green mountains on the two banks became deep blue in the dusk ,receding toward the stern of the boat. ( 杨宪益、戴乃迭 译 ) 2 light(pale)+color words, or color words +ish;Eg: 粉红色的吴少奶奶，苹果绿色的一位女郎，浅黄色的又一女郎，都在那里疯狂的跳、跳！ （茅盾：子夜）Mrs.Wu sunfu in pink ,a girl in apple-green,another in light yellow,all were frantically leaping and whirling aroud him. （ 许孟雄 译 ）橱窗里的那件浅黄色的外衣吸引了她。She was attacted by the yellowish coat in the shopwindow. 3 pale(dull,darkling) + color words;Eg：惨黄的太阳在窗前弄影，远远的微风吹来了浑浊的市声。 （茅盾：子夜）A pale yellow sunlinght threw shadows on the curtain and a faint breeze brought the hum of traffic from the distant street. （ 许孟雄 译 ）4 vivid(lushi,bright)+ color words.Eg: 屋后是一块翠绿的菜园。There was a vegetable garden of a vivid green behind the house. 32.3 Rich Meanings of Color Words Shakespeare once said, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet”. Colors do exist in the nature even without mankinds influences. On the contrary the life of mankind are closely interweaved with colors. We see colors everywhere; we wear clothes in different colors; we eat vegetables of various colors. In one word, we human beings live in a “colorful”. There are myriads of words and phrases for different colors in human languages; however, they are varying from race to race, from culture to culture, from social group to social group, mostly owing to their different realizations and recognitions towards colors. All these reasons make humans imagination of colors immensely rich.2.3.1 Basic Meaning of Color Words According to its scientific definition, color is a visual phenomenon caused by certain light waves being radiated from, reflected by, or penetrated through, a certain object. It is a fundamental feature of human eyes. 4In Chinese and English dictionaries,most of color words are definited by describing their hue,consistency and luminosity.people use the objects which they have known best to describe the color.In Oxford modern English dictionary we can find some color words and their basic meanings.Blue:having a color like that of a clear sky Brown:having the color produced by mixing red，yellow,and black,as of dark wood or rich soil .Green:of the color between blue and yellow in the spectrum ;colored like grass ,emeralds,etc.Grey:of a color intermediate between black and white ,as of ashes or lead .Red:of or near color seen at the least-refracted end of the visible spectrum.Yellow:of the color between green and orange in the spectrum.Chinese people also use the things seen frequently in their life to definite the basic meanings of color words.we can see some examples in现代汉语词典.绿：像草和树叶茂盛时的颜色。蓝颜料和红颜料混合即呈现这种颜色。灰：像木柴灰的颜色,介于黑色和白色之间。白：是物体被日光或与日光相似的光线照时,各种波长的光都被反射时呈现的颜色（与“黑”相对）。黑：是物体完全吸收日光或与日光相似的光线时所呈现的颜色（跟“白”相对）。2.3.2 Symbolic Meaning of Color Words The symbolic connotations of colors in the western culture are fairly direct by emblematizing some abstract cultural connotations with the specific colors of an object, making it easier to trace back their semasiological and logical foundation. Fro instance, Red mainly indicates blood in western cultures, which, in westerners minds, is the “liquid of life” running in human bodies. Once blood runs up, the blossom of life dies. Consequently, the red color brings about a taboo which is associated with “violence” and “danger”.Similarly ,Chinese people traditionally cut red couplets and appllique to celebrate occasions like wedding and New Year. Besides,We have a very famous trademark “double red happiness”(红双喜) which is symbolic of good fortune.From that we can see the symbolic meanings of colors has been established in the long historical development and reflects a certain mental function. Mary Jo Meadow, director of Religion Researching Center of Ivory University and physiatrist, once made a metaphor: At the very beginning of Chaotic, God created two types of people: purple and green. The two had very similar appearance. Only the green people could regenerate, yet the purple are much more taller and stronger than the green. In the world of Natural Competition, the purple had the priority and mastered the green. If the God one day wants to become a human being, he chooses purple with no hesitation. This tells why people in the west have the custom of cherishing “purple”. 5In western world, purple is the color of nobility, elegance and the symbol of power. In English we have “be born in the purple”, meaning “born in the family of an emperor or a noble”, “raise somebody to the purple” meaning “set somebody the emperor or the bishop”, “marry into the purple” meaning “to marry to the noble”.2.3.3 Pragmatic Meaning of Color Words“Affective meaning is communicated when the feeling or attitudes are expressed in language. In interpersonal communication it is important to understand the emotional and attitudinal meaning the speaker is conveying. In each language there are a small number of words primarily used to express the speakers emotions or attitudes.” 6 Various colors express different feelings. Generally speaking, red is used when a person is angry while green is used when someone is jealous. White means frightening, blue means a person is in a sulk and yellow means cowardice. Although both two languages use color words to figure other people or things, the same color means differently between two languages. We all know that blue is the color of sea. It indicates peace and serenity. But when it turns to the emotion, it has the meaning of depression and melancholy. Eg:It was blue (boring) Monday and john nodded sleepily over his books. You get a chance like this in a blue moon (vary rare). He is a person who is always a blue nose (put on air). Color words can produce various associations of ideas, which make a great affection on persons mood. That is why people use color to explain a persons moral character, mood and his opinion to things. We can see many metaphors when we use color words to describe a persons moods and behaviors. Eg:He was looking rather green (feel not good) the other day. He has been feeling blue (gloomy) today.I hope hell soon be in the pink (pull himself together) again. When I saw him, he was in a brown mood (worried). Mr. White is a very white (loyal) man. He was looking rather green (feel not good) the other day. He has been feeling blue (gloomy) today. When I saw him, he was in a brown mood (worried). I hope hell soon be in the pink (pull himself together) again. 73 Influence of Cultural Differences on the Meaning of Color WordsEvery nation has its own way of living and thinking, cultural environment and traditional culture. Because of this, the cultural information reflected by different languages is quite different. Color words are very abundant in both Chinese and English, and substantial differences exist in English and Chinese in terms of cultural meaning of the color words due to the different cultural and historical background. Their symbolic meanings often have different characteristics in the two nations, and some of them even become the diversified factors or dislikes for different people. And after careful study of color words, it is easy to find that color words can produce various associations, which have a great effect on a persons moods and behaviors. To summarize ,there are four main different methods which influence the meanings of color words:different living conditions，different customs，different religions believes and different history allusions.Then ,I will analizy them one by one. 3.1 Influence of Different Living Conditions The culture of english is also the culture of ocean.The color of sea has very important significance to english people.So they call the sky and the sea”The Blue”.But in Chinese sentance”拨开云雾见青天”,”青天”indicates the white sky. The American dollar is green,so green in the U.S.A. can replace money,forturn and rich. In English green also means lacking in experience ,not being trained and illiterated.we can see some examples : In American political elections the candidates that win are usually the ones who have green power backing them. 在美国政治竞选中获胜的候选人通常都是些有财团支持的人物。The new typist is green at her job. 刚来的打字员是个生手。 You cannot expect Mary to do business with such people. She is only eighteen and as green as grass. 你不能指望玛丽同这样的人做生意，她只有十八岁，还毫无经验。English has the term green-eyed or green with envy,both meaned jealous and envious.however ,in chinese,the expression used to describe the same feeling is “眼红” and”红眼病”，which totally different from the English.By the way,the chinese expression “戴绿帽子”means to be a cuckold,so if we translate it word by word,english people cannot understand it. 3.2 Influence of Differenct Customs Talking about red and white, there is an interesting coincidence in Chinese and English，and that dissimilarrity couses by the influence of their different customs. In Chinese, those who are popular and find favor with their bosses are called红人（red guy literally）.But Irish people call them the white-headed boy. In this sense,red equals white in the two cultures. In English, white is usually related to spotlessness and purity. For example, “white war” means economic competition. Some objects get their names from their colors. For instance “white goods” are the huge and expensive domestic electric equipments (painted in white). And we also have “white money” refers to the silver coin, “white coal” is the hydraulic power, “white elephant”（昂贵却派不上用场的物体或物主不需要但又无法处置之物）, “white sale”（大减价）, “the white way”（白光大街,指城里灯光灿烂的商业区）. The connotation of white in Chinese also includes something unhappy. At funerals, Chinese pay respect to the dead and express their sorrow by wearing white and writing elegiac couplets in white paper. In the West ,however ,white is the traditional color for the brides at weddings, and to wear white at funerals would be offensive. So care should be taken in translating the phrase红白喜事. To avoid misunderstanding, we can put it simply as weddings and funerals. 3.3 Influence of Different Religious Beliefs Religious culture is an important component in the lives of many human beings.In the system of enfeoffment, Christianity, Catholicism and Roman Catholicism played a very important role and exert great influence on the western world. The western people including the British are still believed that the God, Heaven and Hell really exist. 8White and black are the