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Abstract:color words may show different cultural connotation of each language in some degree. While translating, we should handle color words appropriately according to cultural differences in both the original and target language. This paper brings a discussion of cultural differences between English and Chinese color words.
Key words:color color words cultural difference
Ⅰ.Introduction
Color words is an essential part of the language and culture implications. Color words may show different cultural connotation of each language in some degree. There exist differences between each language in some degree. There exist differences between English and Chinese people in habits and customs, religious belief, geographical conditions, mode of thinking, etc; so Chinese and English color words have cultural differences in both the original and target language.
The paper attempts to make a brief study of some typical cultural lorded color words expressions in both English and Chinese, compare the perception of some cultural loaded words lacking in both languages, and analyze the differences in the associative meaning, cultural Images of color words as well as finer distinctions in semantic meaning and words connotations with the aim to direct translation.
Ⅱ.The Factors Causing Cultural Differences between English and Chinese Color Words
1.Natural Environments and Historical Backgrounds
We know the weather of England is always warm and the wool spinning industry has developed rapidly in England from early time. Thereby, English people often use sheep or wool as analogue. For example, there is wool so white but a dyer can make it black（羊毛虽白，染之则黑）.When westerners hold a wedding, the bride dresses white marriage ceremonial dress, which stands for chastity and pure, but Chinese bride dress red clothes, which stands for happiness and auspice from ancient times. In china, festival couplets must be written in red paper; lanterns hanging under eaves must be made of red paper.
In English, there exist many colors that are adopted from colors of some jewelry. That has its historical background. In medieval times, travels between Europe and eastern world developed rapidly. A large number of jewelry flowed into England from Arab and India, so there appeared some color words from jewelry such as ruby, sapphire, amethyst, etc.
2.Living Habbits
In English, white goods refer to some big and expensive electrical equipment such as fridges, washing machines, gas stoves and other kitchen facilities most of which at\\re in white paint. And televisions, stereos, recorders and some other electronic products are called brown goods is relevant to the living habits of English people. If say“白色家电”or“褐色家电”in Chinese, no one can understand.
3.Political Backgrounds and Religious Belief
Colors have been used to stand for political groups or social status from ancient times. The color yellow in china is symbol of emperor for its nobility. For instance, there is a Chinese saying“黄袍加身”.And in English spoken countries, purple is the color of religious authority, especially in the Christendom. The imperial robes, the robes bishops and ministers are in purple, so in English to be raised to the purple means to have one’s ambition fulfilled. However, yellow is a derogatory term sometimes in modern Chinese. See the following Chinese idioms:“扫黄打非”；“黄色报刊”“黄”means pornographic coming from English words yellow journalism and yellow covered literature. But in English yellow does not really mean pornographic. Yellow journalisms and yellow covered literatures are just some vulgar publications. This kind of usage began in 1895. New York world published picture story caricature yellow kids that was printed in yellow.
Ⅲ.The Differences between English and Chinese Color Words in Concept
Conceptual meaning is the basic meaning of words. Owing to different cultural backgrounds, there always exist cultural conflicts in the communication between Chinese and English. One reason is language itself. Generally, the meanings of both English and Chinese words are very flexible. They sometimes have two or more than teo meaning, so it is difficult to correspond them word for word. The other is mainly the customs and cultural differences. We can see it from the following three aspects.
1.The Same or Similar Concepts but Different Color Words
Chinese phraseu”红白喜事” means joyous occasions and funerals, while in English black is connected with funerals such as in the phrase be dressed in black. In Chinese,“红了眼”means envy, but in English people say green with envy or green eyed. In Chinese“红人”means a favorite with somebody in power, it can not be translated into a red person, but a fair haired girl in English and a white headed boy in Irish. When David Hawks translated the dream of the red chamber, he translated red which stands for happiness into green,“怡红院”and“怡红公子” into green delights and green boy, because the color red is often connected with blood or war in the minds of westerners, and green symbolizes life and hope in their eyes.
The main colors of English and Chinese are same or similar, but some color words in one language can refer to more one color in other language. So the English and Chinese color words are not always corresponding word. Chinese“碧”can correspond with blue and green .“碧空” is the blue sky, and“碧玉”is green jade.
English and Chinese reflect different cultures. Both languages express their own color concepts in thir own ways according to their conventional habits. Sometimes the color word is different from the color of the thing thy describe. For example, brown bread is a kind of bread baked in black, but not in brown. Chinese “红茶” is called black tea in English. We should pay special attention to these distinctive expressions while translating.
2.The Same Color Word with the Same Meaning.
English and Chinese use some same color words, and their meanings are the same. For example,蓝图blue print;蓝领blue collar;蓝带blue ribbon;白领white collar;红灯区red light distinct.
3.The Same Color Word but Different Meanings
English and Chinese use some color words, but with different meanings there is an expression re guard in English and“红卫兵”in Chinese, but their meanings are different. In Chinese, it is a derogatory term. In English red guard refers to imperial guard; it is a commendatory term.
4.The Color Words Used in English but not in Chinese
Some color words used in English cannot be translated color words in Chinese. For example, red letter day (重要的会或值得纪念的日子)；red ensigh（英国皇家商船旗）;yellow bellied（胆小懦弱的）;yellowalert（空袭预备警）；a bolt from the blue（晴天霹雳）; out the blue（爆出冷门）;a blue stocking（女才女）,etc.
English word green comes from grass. Its usage is wide and can not be translated into Chinese“绿”literally. The following are some examples: green or green born(新手，缺乏经验者)；green eyed（嫉妒）; and greenroom refers to“演员休息室”,not“绿色房间”.
Whole is also a complicated word word. We cannot simply translate it into Chinese literally. We will discuss it in the third chapter in length.
5.The Color Words Used in Chinese but not in English.
Similarly, some color words used in Chinese such as“白”and“黄”sometimes cannot be translated into English color words white or yellow. Here are some examples:白痴（idiot）；白开水(boiled water)；白天(day time)；黄道吉日(luck day)；黄历(almanac)；黄瓜(cucumber).
Ⅳ.Conclusion
On the basis of the above discussion, we know that under the influences of historical backgrounds and cultural customs of eastern and western word, English and Chinese color words have their cultural connotations respectively. Just as Wang Zuoliang said: “a word has not only literal meaning, but also associative meaning.” On many occasions, color words stand for the cultural connotation of a nation. So while translating, we cannot simply translate one color word into another literally. Handling color words appropriately according to cultural differences is of great importance.
References:
[1]Mary to meadow. Is God Purple in: Gary Goshgarian Exploring Language Scott, Foresman and Company…Glenview
[2]邓炎昌.语言与文化[M].北京:教学与研究出版社,1997.
[3]冯少芬.英汉颜色词的语用意义对比[J].洛阳师范学院学报,2002，(1).
[4]胡文仲.跨文化交际不概论[M].北京:外语教学与研究出版社,1999.
（作者单位：湖南常德市第五中学)
Key words:color color words cultural difference
Ⅰ.Introduction
Color words is an essential part of the language and culture implications. Color words may show different cultural connotation of each language in some degree. There exist differences between each language in some degree. There exist differences between English and Chinese people in habits and customs, religious belief, geographical conditions, mode of thinking, etc; so Chinese and English color words have cultural differences in both the original and target language.
The paper attempts to make a brief study of some typical cultural lorded color words expressions in both English and Chinese, compare the perception of some cultural loaded words lacking in both languages, and analyze the differences in the associative meaning, cultural Images of color words as well as finer distinctions in semantic meaning and words connotations with the aim to direct translation.
Ⅱ.The Factors Causing Cultural Differences between English and Chinese Color Words
1.Natural Environments and Historical Backgrounds
We know the weather of England is always warm and the wool spinning industry has developed rapidly in England from early time. Thereby, English people often use sheep or wool as analogue. For example, there is wool so white but a dyer can make it black（羊毛虽白，染之则黑）.When westerners hold a wedding, the bride dresses white marriage ceremonial dress, which stands for chastity and pure, but Chinese bride dress red clothes, which stands for happiness and auspice from ancient times. In china, festival couplets must be written in red paper; lanterns hanging under eaves must be made of red paper.
In English, there exist many colors that are adopted from colors of some jewelry. That has its historical background. In medieval times, travels between Europe and eastern world developed rapidly. A large number of jewelry flowed into England from Arab and India, so there appeared some color words from jewelry such as ruby, sapphire, amethyst, etc.
2.Living Habbits
In English, white goods refer to some big and expensive electrical equipment such as fridges, washing machines, gas stoves and other kitchen facilities most of which at\\re in white paint. And televisions, stereos, recorders and some other electronic products are called brown goods is relevant to the living habits of English people. If say“白色家电”or“褐色家电”in Chinese, no one can understand.
3.Political Backgrounds and Religious Belief
Colors have been used to stand for political groups or social status from ancient times. The color yellow in china is symbol of emperor for its nobility. For instance, there is a Chinese saying“黄袍加身”.And in English spoken countries, purple is the color of religious authority, especially in the Christendom. The imperial robes, the robes bishops and ministers are in purple, so in English to be raised to the purple means to have one’s ambition fulfilled. However, yellow is a derogatory term sometimes in modern Chinese. See the following Chinese idioms:“扫黄打非”；“黄色报刊”“黄”means pornographic coming from English words yellow journalism and yellow covered literature. But in English yellow does not really mean pornographic. Yellow journalisms and yellow covered literatures are just some vulgar publications. This kind of usage began in 1895. New York world published picture story caricature yellow kids that was printed in yellow.
Ⅲ.The Differences between English and Chinese Color Words in Concept
Conceptual meaning is the basic meaning of words. Owing to different cultural backgrounds, there always exist cultural conflicts in the communication between Chinese and English. One reason is language itself. Generally, the meanings of both English and Chinese words are very flexible. They sometimes have two or more than teo meaning, so it is difficult to correspond them word for word. The other is mainly the customs and cultural differences. We can see it from the following three aspects.
1.The Same or Similar Concepts but Different Color Words
Chinese phraseu”红白喜事” means joyous occasions and funerals, while in English black is connected with funerals such as in the phrase be dressed in black. In Chinese,“红了眼”means envy, but in English people say green with envy or green eyed. In Chinese“红人”means a favorite with somebody in power, it can not be translated into a red person, but a fair haired girl in English and a white headed boy in Irish. When David Hawks translated the dream of the red chamber, he translated red which stands for happiness into green,“怡红院”and“怡红公子” into green delights and green boy, because the color red is often connected with blood or war in the minds of westerners, and green symbolizes life and hope in their eyes.
The main colors of English and Chinese are same or similar, but some color words in one language can refer to more one color in other language. So the English and Chinese color words are not always corresponding word. Chinese“碧”can correspond with blue and green .“碧空” is the blue sky, and“碧玉”is green jade.
English and Chinese reflect different cultures. Both languages express their own color concepts in thir own ways according to their conventional habits. Sometimes the color word is different from the color of the thing thy describe. For example, brown bread is a kind of bread baked in black, but not in brown. Chinese “红茶” is called black tea in English. We should pay special attention to these distinctive expressions while translating.
2.The Same Color Word with the Same Meaning.
English and Chinese use some same color words, and their meanings are the same. For example,蓝图blue print;蓝领blue collar;蓝带blue ribbon;白领white collar;红灯区red light distinct.
3.The Same Color Word but Different Meanings
English and Chinese use some color words, but with different meanings there is an expression re guard in English and“红卫兵”in Chinese, but their meanings are different. In Chinese, it is a derogatory term. In English red guard refers to imperial guard; it is a commendatory term.
4.The Color Words Used in English but not in Chinese
Some color words used in English cannot be translated color words in Chinese. For example, red letter day (重要的会或值得纪念的日子)；red ensigh（英国皇家商船旗）;yellow bellied（胆小懦弱的）;yellowalert（空袭预备警）；a bolt from the blue（晴天霹雳）; out the blue（爆出冷门）;a blue stocking（女才女）,etc.
English word green comes from grass. Its usage is wide and can not be translated into Chinese“绿”literally. The following are some examples: green or green born(新手，缺乏经验者)；green eyed（嫉妒）; and greenroom refers to“演员休息室”,not“绿色房间”.
Whole is also a complicated word word. We cannot simply translate it into Chinese literally. We will discuss it in the third chapter in length.
5.The Color Words Used in Chinese but not in English.
Similarly, some color words used in Chinese such as“白”and“黄”sometimes cannot be translated into English color words white or yellow. Here are some examples:白痴（idiot）；白开水(boiled water)；白天(day time)；黄道吉日(luck day)；黄历(almanac)；黄瓜(cucumber).
Ⅳ.Conclusion
On the basis of the above discussion, we know that under the influences of historical backgrounds and cultural customs of eastern and western word, English and Chinese color words have their cultural connotations respectively. Just as Wang Zuoliang said: “a word has not only literal meaning, but also associative meaning.” On many occasions, color words stand for the cultural connotation of a nation. So while translating, we cannot simply translate one color word into another literally. Handling color words appropriately according to cultural differences is of great importance.
References:
[1]Mary to meadow. Is God Purple in: Gary Goshgarian Exploring Language Scott, Foresman and Company…Glenview
[2]邓炎昌.语言与文化[M].北京:教学与研究出版社,1997.
[3]冯少芬.英汉颜色词的语用意义对比[J].洛阳师范学院学报,2002，(1).
[4]胡文仲.跨文化交际不概论[M].北京:外语教学与研究出版社,1999.
（作者单位：湖南常德市第五中学)