Similarities and Differences of Taboos in Chinese and English Cultures英語論文

1、 Similarities and Differences of Taboos in Chinese and English Cultures 班 級 11級漢英班 專 業(yè) 英 語 院 系 外國語學院 授 課 語 種 英 語 學 生 姓 名 學 號 20211101516 指導教師姓名 2021年 12月 18日Similarities and Differences of Taboos in Chinese and English CulturesAbstractTaboos are both exist in Chinese and English Cultures. Based on d

2、ifferent cultural origins, different fields and types of taboos are formed, however, there are also many similar identities because of the similarities of the pattern of human life, feelings and thought s and the way of thinking. Through the comparison between Chinese and English taboos on death, se

3、x, age, colors, numbers and so on, this paper reveals the cultural differences between Chinese and Western culture. Then it points out that under the background of cultural difference, English majors should be based on deep understanding and mastery of culture that taboos attach to.Key words: C

4、hinese and English Cultures; taboo; cultural; Differences and Similarities摘要禁忌在中西方文化中都存在。基于不同文化根源, 禁忌形成不同的領域和類型, 同時也因為人類生活模式、思想感情和思維方式的相似性, 禁忌也存在很多相似。本文通過比照中西方對死亡，性，年齡，顏色，數(shù)字等禁忌認識的同一性和差異性從而反映中西文化的異同。并由此指出英語專業(yè)學生應當立足對禁忌所依附的文化進行深層的了解和掌握。關鍵詞: 中西方文化; 禁忌; 文化; 異同I. Introduction “Anything which is prohibited

5、 by religion, tradition or social usage is a taboo (Wang 271). There are behavioral and verbal taboos: what one can not do or say without offending others. As a specific type of language, verbal taboos of a country reflect its specific cultural background. Failure to understand foreign cultures may

6、lead to misunderstandings in language communications. Taboos in China and English spoken countries have a long history. Although there are great differences between Chinese Culture and that of those two English spoken countries, their verbal taboos display not only differences but also similarities.

7、 So some of taboos are passive, superstitious and ignorant while the others are active, rational and scientific (Ma 83). Therefore it is very necessary for English majors to know something about taboos both in our communications with foreigners and in our target language study. II. Similarities of t

8、aboos between Chinese and English1. Taboos on ill omen words like death In both English and Chinese, death is viewed as taboo. In English we can find such euphemisms as “go, “depart, “pass away, etc. in Chinese, we can find similar euphemisms as “去了, “辭世, “上路, etc. in both English and Chinese, death

9、 is compared to “sleeping, “go to a better word(Wang 265).2. Taboos on excreta and acts of human excretionIn both English and Chinese excreta and acts of human excretion are to be avoided in polite conversations. In English, if they have to be mentioned, the terms of expressions should be euphemisti

10、c ones. In Chinese, they are also taboos, but the Chinese attitude is less strict, and sometimes one may hear people say “吃喝拉撒睡 in serious public talk or conversation(Wang 272).3. Taboos on certain parts of the body and sexual intercourse It is true that talking about sex and certain parts of body i

11、s a taboo in both cultures. Due to different cultural backgrounds, however, the degree of prohibition differs. Under the influence of sex revolution in the 1960s in America, more westerners hold a freer and more open attitude towards the topics about sex. Even so, the “four letter words such as, tit

12、s, dick, cunt, fuck are still considered vulgar or obscene, improper in most conversations (Wang 273). In accordance with the ethics and morality highlighted in Confucian thoughts, Chinese people traditionally regarded speaking about sex a private matter, not for public discussion, and should refrai

13、n from sexual desire (Liu 106). Even nowadays, topics about sex are intentionally ignored in the physiological class in some parts of China, though people have begun to hold a more open attitude towards the topic.III. Differences of terms of color between Chinese and English1. Taboos on ageNative sp

14、eaker of English, especially those who are no longer young, are very sensitive to their age and to the word “old. It is only natural they would like to use “elderly people or “senior citizens to replace “old people (Wang 268). However, Chinese people are quite explicit about their ages, and they thi

15、nk the elderly people have more knowledge and experiences to be respect. 2. Taboos on numbers or datesIn daily life, people prefer some numbers or dates. They believe these numbers or dates would bring about happiness or good fortune while they dislike other numbers or dates because those numbers or

16、 dates would bring about bad luck. For example, in Europe, people believe that thirteen is a frightening and annoying number. According to Holy Bible, when Jesus Christ and his disciples had supper together, the thirteenth disciple was Judas who betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, so Jesus w

17、as nailed death on Friday, 13th. Because Adam and Eve stole the apple from Eden and ate it, they were expelled from Eden on Friday 13th. Just because of these reasons, people dislike the number 13 and they call the day when 13th and Friday meet together a black Friday. While Chinese people dislike t

18、he number 4, just because it called the same pronunciation as “死 . 3. Taboos on colorsBecause of the differences of culture, Chinese and English people give one color different meanings, such as a positive and a passive meaning. The passive meaning is taboo. Such as, the color red is usually associa

19、ted with celebrations and joyful occasions. This is true in English-speaking countries as well as in China. So in English one finds, for example, red- letter days- holidays (Christmas and other special days)Zhang 86. Such days are printed in red on calendars rather than in black for ordinary days. B

20、ut in America, most people do not like the red color. They think red makes people annoyed, and red means stop. They also believe that to become red- faced or his face turned red shows embarrassed and unsightliness.IV. ConclusionIn short, Taboo exists in our daily life. If we understand the pragmatic

21、 differences of taboos between Chinese and English culture，language arts and the use of communication，we can resolve the misunderstanding and embarrassment and more easily communicate with each other. In fact，taboo is a cultural phenomenon of various nations in the world，but only the content and for

22、m are different. Taboo，as a part of language，plays a significant role in the actual communication. Meanwhile there is an enormous significance for the analysis of the Chinese and English verbal taboos. BibliographyLiu Li. “A Comparative Study of Cultural Difference Reflected Through Chinese and Engl

23、ish Taboos English Education 2021, 02, 106.Ma Yonghui. “Taboos in English Journal of Suihua Teachers college. 8.1 (2021): 83. Print. 馬永輝.英語中的禁忌. 綏化師專學院學報, 2021, 8, 1, 83.Wang Zhenya. Language and Culture. Beijing: Higher Education Press. 200, 232-243, Print.王振亞. 語言與文化. 北京: 高等教育出版社. 2000, 232-243. Zh

24、ang Yuanyuan. “Differences and Similarities of Taboos in Chinese and English Cultures Journal of North University of China. 8.1 (2021): 86. Print. 張元元. 淺談中西方文化中禁忌之異同. 中北大學學報, 2021, 8, 1, 86.英語諺語警句100句精選Proverbs are the daughters of daily experience.諺語是日常經(jīng)驗的結晶。1. Look before you leap./Second thoughts

25、 are best. 三思而后行。/再想而后行。2. Great minds think alike; (heroes have similar views.) 英雄所見略同。 3. We shall never have friends if we expect to find them without fault.欲求完美無缺的朋友必然成為孤家寡人。4. What you sow, you must mow. 種瓜得瓜，種豆得豆。5. A beggar can never be bankrupt.天無絕人之路。6.A friend in need is a friend indeed.患難

26、見真情。7. No news is good news. 沒有消息就是好消息。8. No cross, no crown. 不經(jīng)歷風雨,怎么見彩虹。9. The more haste, the less speed. /Haste makes waste.欲速那么不達。10. Victory belongs to the most persevering. 堅持就是勝利！11. A young idler, an old beggar. 少壯不努力，老大徒傷悲。12. Put ones foot in ones mouth. 說話不得體。13. It is no use crying over

27、 spilt milk.覆水難收/悔恨已晚/木已成舟,回天乏力。14. Content is better than riches. 知足常樂。15. No gains without pains. 沒有辛苦就沒有收獲。16. The more a man knows, the more he is inclined to be modest. 大智假設愚。17. All roads lead to Rome .條條大路通羅馬。18. A snow year, a rich year. 瑞雪兆豐年。19. Never say die! 永不言敗！20. The best mirror is a

28、 friends eye. 朋友的眼睛是最好的鏡子。 21. Faith will move mountain. 精誠所至，金石為開。 22. A life without a friend is a life without a sun. 人生沒有朋友，猶如生活沒有了太陽。 23. Great wits have short memories.貴人多忘事。 24. Do well and have well. 善有善報。25. A bad thing never dies. 壞事傳千年。26. Four eyes see more than two. 人多識廣/集思廣益。27. Dilige

29、nce is the parent of success. 勤勞是成功的根本。28. Water dropping day by day wears the hardest rock away.滴水穿石。29. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. 抱最好的愿望，做最壞的打算。 30. While there is life, there is hope. /Debt is better than death. 留得青山在，不怕沒柴燒。/有生命就有希望。31. Where there is a will, there is a way. 功

30、夫不負有心人。/有志者事竟成。32. Where there is great love, there are always miracles. 哪里有真愛存在，哪里就有奇跡。33. Where there is smoke, there is fire. 無風不起浪。34. One boy is a boy, two boys half a boy, three boys no boy.一個和尚挑水喝，兩個和尚抬水喝，三個和尚沒水喝。35. A stitch in time saves nine. 及時縫一針能省九針。/小洞不補，大洞吃苦。36. Never too old to learn

31、, never too late to turn. 亡羊補牢，為時不晚。37. Dont claim to know what you dont know. 不要不懂裝懂。38. Do in Rome as Roman do. 入鄉(xiāng)隨俗。39. Rome was not built in a day. 冰凍三尺，非一日之寒。40. Sharpening your axe will not delay your job of cutting wood. 磨刀不誤砍柴工。 41. Things of a kind come together, people a mind fall into a g

32、roup. 物以類聚,人以群分。 42. One mans meat is another mans poison. 蘿卜白菜,各有所愛。43. like author like book.文如其人。46. Like for like. 惺惺相惜。47. Like teacher like pupil. 有其師必有其徒。48. Gods that run many hares kill none.貪多必失。49. Practice makes perfect. 熟能生巧。50. Actions speak louder than words. 行勝于言。51. You cannot eat y

33、our cake and have it. 魚與熊掌，不可兼得。52. One loses by pride and gains by modesty. 滿招損,謙受益。53. Love me, love my dog. 愛屋及烏。54. An apple a day keeps the doctor away. 每日一蘋果遠離醫(yī)生。55. Time past cannot be called back again. 時光不倒流。56. A drop of water cannot make a sea, and a tree cannot make a wood. 滴水不成海，獨木不成林。5

34、7. If you venture nothing, you will have nothing. 不入虎穴,焉得虎子。58.The tree is known by its fruit. 觀其行知其人。59. All work no play makes Jack a dull boy. 只會用功不玩耍,聰明的孩子也變傻。60. The pot calls the kettle black. 五十步笑百步。61. Unkindness often reacts on the unkind person. 惡有惡報。62. Todays work should never be left ov

35、er till tomorrow. 今日事今日畢。63. Nothing so bad but might have been worse. 塞翁失馬,焉知非福。 64. God helps those who help themselves. 自助者天助。65. Complacency is the enemy of study. 學習的敵人是自己的滿足。66. A fox may grow gray, but never good.江山易改，本性難移。67. A friend without faults will never be found. 沒有十全十美的朋友。68. A good beginning is half done. 良好的開端是成功的一半。69. A good book is the best of friends, the same today and forever. 一本好書，相伴一生。70. A good medicine tastes bitter. 良藥苦口。71. A leopard cannot change its spots.積習難改。72. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. 一知半解，自欺欺人。73. All good things come to an end. 天下沒有不散的筵席