西南大学本科生课程论文
论文题目：An Understanding of “Language-and-Culture, Two Sides of the Same Coin in the Perspective of Intercultural Communication”
课程名称： 跨文化交际
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专 业： 英语（师范）
班 级： 200级11班
学 号： ***************
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2011 年 12 月 23 日
西南大学外国语学院制
An Understanding of “Language-and-Culture, Two Sides of the Same Coin in the Perspective of Intercultural Communication”
WANG Xiaoqing
Abstract: As we all know, we express our thoughts by means of language. However, while we using language, we convey culture at the same time. As for color, it’s a part of language, so it including culture, too. There are differences in the u of colors and color words between Chine and English cultures. The different cultures bring different attitudes toward the same color becau of different culture background, they reveal wide
connotation of cultures. We should pay attention to obrving not only their basic meanings, but also the deep and broad symbolic meanings. The symbolic meanings of color words often have different features in different language cultures. And some of them even have become taboos and adornments since the meanings of the color words are extended and transferred. Meanwhile, the cultural exchanges and the color views have similar phenomenon and coincidence in the languages.
Key Words: Color words; cultural differences; symbolic meanings; comparison
I. Introduction
Color is an important part of our life. Color words help us to understand the world around, like our n of taste and smell. The basic color words in English such as red, yellow, white, black, not only express the colors of objective things, but also the obstruct things. The color words have specified mantic meanings in different cultures. Without understanding of them, we will probably run into obstacles or make a fun of ourlves in communication. Therefore learning and grasping the symbolic meanings of color words a
re important. Good understanding of the symbolic meanings of color words can help us communicate effectively among people from different countries. This paper tries to illustrate the different symbolic meanings of color words in Chine and English cultures by comparison and analysis of them.
II. Color and Culture
Color words, in whatever languages, are ud for describing different things. The statistics show that there are more than 7 million kinds of colors can be recognized in the nature. However, the color names are very limited in the languages becau there are only dozens of colors expresd in single-morpheme word. A number of color words are expresd by adding modifiers, for instance, crimson, pale red, apple green, azure, coffee color etc. Color words reflect the different cultural connotations in different languages. People regard color words with special esteem in different countries. We should not only understand their basic meanings, but also pay attention to their deeply symbolic meanings. The symbolic meanings of color words have different features in different cultures.
III. Different Meanings of Same Color in Different Cultures
A. Red
In Chine culture, the color of red is popular for special events, holidays and ceremonials. In ancient times, when people got married, the bride always dresd in red, and wore “Hongtouga(红头盖)”. The bridegroom always tied a red ribbon and wore a red flower in the front. And almost everything in the wedding had something to do with red color. Neolithic hunter considered red to be the most important color endowed with life—giving powers and placed red ochre into graves of their decead. Neolithic cave painters ascribed magic power to the red color. It can be stipulated that they painted animals in red ochre or iron oxide to conjure their fertility. It is usually believed in China that red can against evil influence.
Nevertheless, to Westerners, “red” is usually related to danger, war, blood, terror and nsuality. When the traffic lights turn red, it means danger and pau. Red card is widely ud to punish players who act badly in sports and games. Scarlet is the color of bright r
ed, yet its connotation meaning is libidinous or flagrant. Up to now, “red light district” in a few Western nations still implies whorehou.
B. White
White and red are opposite in Chine culture. White is a basic taboo word that reflects Chine people abandon and disgust in both material and spiritual aspects. White symbolizes the death and ill omen in Chine culture. The relative must wear mourning for the death of parents and relatives since ancient times. They worn the white mourning dress, and it is called the funeral. The relatives t up the white mourning hall. And they should hit the white long narrow flag while carrying a coffin to the cemetery.
In English culture, the symbolic meanings of white color focus on color itlf, such as snow, fresh milk and the color of lily. Westerners think white stands for grace and purity. When a woman wears a white wedding dress, she is a virgin. Sometimes a woman who is getting married for the cond time she may not wear pure white. She may wear off-white or even some other color. On Christmas Day white-colored ornaments are en ev
erywhere in decorating Christmas trees and hous in most Western countries.
