英语毕业论文On-the-Cultural-Difference-of-Animal-Vocabulary-Existing-between-Chinese-and-English

PAGEPAGE中英语言中动物词汇存在的文化差异OntheCulturalDifferenceofAnimalVocabularyExistingbetweenChineseandEnglishContentsAbstract………….………….1KeyWords……….………….1I.Introduction…………………….………...21.Theimportanceoflanguage………………22.Vocabularyanditsmeaning………………33.Theconceptionofculture……...…………44.Therelationshipbetweenlanguageandculture……………5II.TheComparisonsofAnimalVocabularybetweenChineseandEnglish…………………...51.Sameanimalvocabularyandsameculturalconnotations………...………...62.Sameanimalvocabularyanddifferentculturalconnotations……………….71)SomeanimalvocabularywithcommendatorymeaninginChinese,butwithderogatorymeaninginEnglish………...……..…………72)SomeanimalvocabularywithcommendatorymeaninginEnglish,butwithderogatorymeaninginChinese………………..……..93.SameanimalvocabularywithoutcorrespondingvocabularyinChineseandinEnglish………….…….91)SomeanimalvocabularywithvariedculturalconnotationsinChinese,butwithnoculturalconceptionsinEnglish……………….………..……..102)SomeanimalvocabularywithvariedculturalconnotationsinEnglish,butwithnoculturalconceptionsinChinese……...…….….104.Differentanimalvocabularywithsimilarculturalconnotations…….…..11III.Conclusion………..…...12References……...…………...13OntheCulturalDifferenceofAnimalVocabularyExistingbetweenChineseandEnglish第14页共13页OntheCulturalDifferenceofAnimalVocabularyExistingbetweenChineseandEnglishAbstract:Languageisthecarrierofculture.Thankstodifferentlanguages,culturehasbeensocolorful.Words,astheunitoflanguage,playanimportantroleinculture.Differentlivingenvironmentsandculturalconventionshaveagreateffectontheculturalconnotationsofvocabulary.Animalsarefriendsofhuman-beings.Languagesofallnationscontainalotofwordsdenotinganimals,andsodoChineseandEnglish.AlthoughanimalvocabulariesexistinbothChineseandEnglish,sometimestheirmeaningsdifferfromeachother.InordertogetabetterunderstandingoftheEnglishcultureandamorevividandeasefulwayofcommunication,weoughttohavesomeideaofanimalvocabulary.Ifnot,wemayhavedifficultiesinunderstandingtheinsidemeaningortheintentionofthespeaker.Keywords:animalvocabulary;culture;language;connotation摘要：语言是文化的载体。由于语言的不同，文化变化多种多样。词作为语言的基本单位，在语言中起着重要的作用。不同的生活环境和文化传统对词汇的含义有很大的影响，动物是人类的朋友，包括英语和汉语在内的所有语言中都有很多表示动物的词汇。虽然动物词汇在汉语和英语中都存在，但是有时他们所包含的意义却不一样。为了更好的了解英国文化，更生动和更轻松的交流，我们应该对动物词汇有一些了解。如果不这样的话，我们将会在了解说话者的深层意思和意图的时候遇到困难。关键词：动物词汇；文化；语言；涵义I.Introduction1.Theimportanceoflanguage Whatislanguage?Thisquestionmayfirstlysoundslikeasimplequestion.Thoughthisextremelyfamiliar,commonphenomenon,itisdifficulttogiveasatisfactorydefinition.Somepeopleprobablywillsay“languageisatoolforhumancommunication”.Farfromadefinition,thisonlytellsuswhatlanguagedoes,orwhatitisusedfor,i.e.itsfunction.Modernlinguistshavehadvariousdefinitionoflanguage,butthemostgenerallyaccepteddefinitionis:“languageisasystemofarbitraryvocalsymbolsusedforhumancommunication”.Shortasitis,thisdefinitionhashatchedthemainfeaturesoflanguage.Firstofall,languageisasystem,elementsoflanguageiscombinedbyrules.Thisexplainswhy“iblk”isnotapossiblesoundcombinationinEnglish,andalsowhy“Beenhewoundedhas”isnotarightsentenceinEnglish.Secondly,languageisarbitraryinthesensethatthereisnointrinsicconnectionbetweenalinguisticsymbolsstandsfor,forinstance,betweentheword“pen”andthethingwewritewith.Thefactthatdifferentlanguageshavedifferentvocabulariesforthesameobjectisagoodillustrationofthearbitrarynatureoflanguage.Thisalsoexplainsthesymbolicnatureoflanguage:vocabulariesarejustsymbols;theyareassociatedwithobjects,actions,ideas,etc.byconvention.ThisconventionalnatureoflanguageiswellillustratedbyafamousquotationfromShakespeare’splay“RomeoandJuliet”:“Arosebyanyothernamewouldsmellassweet.”Thirdly,languageisvocalbecausetheprimarymediumforalllanguagesissound.Allevidencepointstothefactthatwritingsystemcameintobeingmuchlaterthanthespokenformsandthattheyareonlyattemptstocatchsoundsandmeaningonpaper.Thefactthatchildrenacquirespokenlanguagebeforetheycanreadorwritealsoindicatesthatlanguageisprimarilyvocal.ForthelinguistEdwardSapir,languageisnotonlyavehiclefortheexpressionofthoughts,perceptions,sentiments,andvaluescharacteristicofacommunity;italsorepresentsafundamentalexpressionofsocialidentity.Language,ofcourse,isknowledge,andinourworldtodayknowledgeisoneofthekeyfactorsincompetitiveness.Brainsandknowledgearewhatcreatetheprosperityandgrowthwetendtoassume.Inanadvancedindustrialsocietyinanincreasinglymutualityworld,theknowledgeofotherlanguagesbecomesindispensable.JustthinkofhowtheadventoftheInternethaschangedourlives.Forthelastfewyears,millionsofpeopleacrosstheworld,whosharecommoninterests,areabletocommunicatewitheachotherandexchangeideas.Notonlyaretheyabletodothisduetothevarioustechnologicaladvances,butalsobecausetheyshareacommonlanguage.So,languageismostimportanttohumanbeings.Weuselanguageeveryday.Theincreasingofourlivesdependsonfast,applicableandsuccessfuluseoflanguage.2.VocabularyanditsmeaningWhatexactlyisaVocabulary?Allthewordsinalanguagegetwhatisgenerallyknownasitsvocabulary.Theterm“vocabulary”isusedindifferentsenses.Notonlycanitrefertothetotalnumberofthevocabularyinalanguage,butitcanstandforallthevocabularyusedinaparticularhistoricalperiod,e.g.OldEnglishvocabulary,MiddleEnglishvocabularyandModernEnglishvocabulary.Wealsouseittorefertoallthevocabularyofagivendialect,agivenbook,agivendisciplineandthevocabularypossessedbyanindividualperson.Englishisoneoftheworld’shighlydevelopedlanguages.SoChineseis.Naturallythevocabularyisoneofthelargestandrichest.Thegeneralestimateofthevocabularyisoveronemillionwords.Aswemayknowthearbitrarinessoflanguage,thereisnologicalconnectionbetweenmeaningsandwords.Agoodexampleisthefactthatdifferentvocabulariesareusedtorefertothesameobjectindifferentlanguages.Astheconceptualistsagreed,vocabularyandthingsarerelatedthroughthemind.Forexample,thevocabulary“dog”isdirectlyassociatedwithacertainconceptinourmind,i.e.,whata“dog”islike,butitisnotdirectlylinkedtothatparticulardogmentionedinthesentence“Thedogovertherelooksunfriendly”,i.e.,thereferentinthisparticularcase.Thus,thesymboloravocabularysignifies“things”byvirtueoftheconceptassociatedwiththeformofthevocabularyinthemindsofthespeakerofthelanguage;andtheconceptlookedatfromthispointofviewisthemeaningofthevocabulary.Tostudythemeaningofvocabulary,wemust,firstofall,knowitsdefinition.Leech’sexplanationis:“Connotativemeaningisthecommunicativevalueandexpressionhasbyvirtueofwhatitrefersto,overandaboveit’spurelyconceptcontent.”ThedefinitionofconnotationintheLongmanDictionaryofContemporaryEnglish(1993)is“thefeelingsorideasthataresuggestedbyavocabulary,ratherthantheactualmeaningofthevocabulary”.Complicatedasitis,G.Leechinamoremoderatetonerecognizes7typesofmeaningare:Conceptualmeaning,Connotativemeaning,Socialmeaning,Affectivemeaning,Reflectedmeaning,ColocativemeaningandThematicmeaning.3.TheconceptionofcultureThereisconsensusthatcultureisacomplexentitywhichemprisesasetofsymbolicsystems,includingknowledge,norms,values,beliefs,language,artandcustoms,aswellashabits,skillsandbehaviorsofhumanityasmembersofagivensociety.Itistakenforgrantedandpeopleareunconsciousofit.Therefore,ithasastrongappreciationonman,anditdeterminestoagreatextentman’sattitudes,thoughts,feelings,expectationsandideas.Culture,inabroadsense,meansthetotalwayoflifeofapeople,includingthepatternsofbelief,customs,objects,institutions,techniques,andlanguagethatcharacterizesthelifeofthehumancommunity.Ascultureissoinclusive,itpervadesvirtuallyeveryaspectofhumanlifeandinfluencespredominantlypeople’sbehavior,includinglinguisticbehavior.Inanarrowsense,culturemayrefertolocalorspecificpractice,beliefsorcustoms,whichcanbemostlyfoundinfolkculture,enterprisecultureorfoodcultureetc.Generallyspeaking,therearetwotypesofculture:materialandspiritual.Whilematerialculture,asthetermitselfsuggests,isconcrete,substantialandobservable,mostofspiritualculture,theproductsofmind(ideologies,beliefs,valuesandconceptsoftimeandspace,forexample),isabstract,ambiguous,andhidden.Incontrastwithnatureinthesenseofwhatisbornandgrows,culturereferstowhathasbeengrownandbroughtupwith,inothervocabulary,whatcanbenurtured.Culture,especiallymaterialculture,isreproducedandpreservedthroughthemaintainingofbeliefs,traditions,educationandotherinstitutionmechanisms,meanwhile,itchangesslowlywiththedevelopmentofthesociety.Acommonviewofcultureisthatofsomethinglearned,transmitted,passeddownfromonegenerationtothenext,throughhumanactions,oftenintheformofface-to-faceinteraction,and,ofcourse,throughlinguisticcommunication.Thisviewofcultureismeanttoexplainwhyanyhumanchild,regardlessofhisgeneticheritagewillgrowuptofollowtheculturalpatternsofthepeoplewhoraisedhim.Achildseparatedfromhisbloodrelativesandbroughtupinsocietydifferentfromtheoneinwhichhewasbornwillgrowuptobeamemberoftheculturehisadoptiveparents.Largelythroughlanguagesocialization,hewillacquirethecultureofthepeopleheliveswith.Inanthropologyacultureisthelearnedandsharedbehaviorpatternscharacteristicofagroupofpeople.Yourcultureislearnedfromrelativesandothermembersofyourcommunityaswellasfromvariousmaterialformssuchasbooksandtelevisionprograms.Youarenotbornwithculture,butwiththeabilitytoacquireitbysuchmeansasobservation,imitation,andtrialanderror.So,cultureisnotamaterialphenomenon,itdoesnotconsistofthings,people,behavior,oremotions.Itisratheranorganizationofthesethings.Itistheformsofthingsthatpeoplehaveinmind,theirmodelsforperceiving,relating,andotherwiseinterpretingthem.Fromthis,wecansaythatcultureiscommunication.4.TherelationshipbetweenlanguageandcultureLanguagequalifiesasanelementorsubsystemofculture;itisaunitofculture.Itisanimportantexpressionofculture.Withitsampleconnotation,itconveysgreatdealofculturalinformation.Sothedevelopmentandthespreadofculturemusthavegotthesupportfromlanguage.Withoutlanguage,theymaintainthatculturewouldnotbepossible.Ontheotherhand,languageisinfluencedandshapedbyculture,itisalsotheoutcomeofculture,anditreflectsculture.Everylanguagecanbeconsideredassymbolicsystemtoreflectaspecificcultureandanexpressionofsubjectiveworldoftheculture.Culturecanonlybepreservedbymeansoflanguagehandeddownfromgenerationtogeneration,solanguageisthecornerstoneofculture.Languagedirectlyreflectstherealityofculture.Thechangesoflanguageareoftencausedbysomeculturalfactors.Theyinfluenceeachother.Thedevelopmentofculturemusthaveenrichedlanguage.Afterlanguagecameintobeing,thecontentofculturebecamemoreandmorecomplicated.Althoughlanguageplaysanimportantroleinculture,languageisnotaculturefreewithcode,distinctfromthewaypeoplethinkandact.Differentpeoplehavedifferentculturalpatterns.Suchdifferencescausedifferencesinlanguage.Languageisjustlikeaskyscraper,andvocabularyareitsbuildingmaterials.Ifthereisnobuildingmaterial,thisskyscraperisonlyadrawing.Sovocabulariesoccupyanimportantpositioninwholelanguage.Ontheotherhand,itssignificancealsoshowsitsvariousdifferences.Andculturalmeaningsofvocabularyareoneofthereasons.ItisalsoabarriertounderstandthemeaningsforEnglishlearners.Duetothedifferentcultureandsocialbackground,someoftheanimalvocabulariesdifferinChineseandEnglish.InordertogetafurtherknowledgeofEnglishvocabularyandabetterwayofcommunicationweoughttoknowwhatthedifferencereallyisinChineseandEnglish.Soit’sverynecessarytodiscusstheculturaldifferenceofanimalvocabularyexistingbetweenChineseandEnglish.II.TheComparisonsofAnimalVocabularybetweenChineseandEnglishAsthisarticlementionedbefore,someanimalvocabularieshavethesamemeaninginbothEnglishandChinese,whilesomedonot.AndsomeevendonothavecorrespondingvocabularyinChineseandinEnglish.However,somedifferentanimalvocabulariessharethesimilarculturalconceptionsinsomewayoranother.Inordertohaveacomprehensiveunderstandingofthisseeminglystrangephenomenon,thisthesiswillanalyzeeachofthem.1.SameanimalvocabularyandsameculturalconnotationsWolfisonekindofcruelanimalswhicheatsheepoftheshepherdspecially.So,peopleinChineseandEnglishcountriesdon’tlikewolfextremely.BothChineseandEnglishuse“wolf”(狼)tostandfor“cruel”or“greedy”.InChinese,ifwewanttodescribeapersonwhoisviciousandungrateful,weoftenuse“狼心狗肺”；ifwesaysomebodyis“有狼子野心”,wemeanheisasungratefulaswolf.WecaneasilyfindsimilarusesinEnglish.Forexample:A.He’smadthattrustsinthetamenessofawolf,aboy’slove.（人发了疯才相信豹狼的温顺，孩童的爱情。）B.Itismadnessforasheeptotreatofpeacewithawolf.（羊和狼讲和平，是羊发了疯。）C.Thewolfmaylosehisteeth,butneverhisnature.（豺狼老掉牙，本性改不了。）InChinese,wehave“如饿狼扑食”，“狼吞虎咽”andthingslikethattodescribehowfastandviolentapersoniswhenheiseating,justlikeawolf.SodoesEnglish.D.Yououghttoseehimwolfitdown.（你应该看着他狼吞虎咽地把它吃下去。）E.Pamelacutherselfapieceofsteakandateit,nottakingheeyesoffVictorHenryashewolfedthefood.（帕米拉切了一块牛排吃，在维克多.亨利狼吞虎咽的时候，眼睛一刻也没离开他。）InEnglish,sometimes,theword“wolf”meanshungry.Forexample,“keepthewolffromthedoor”itmeans“不再挨饿”.“IhopetheselittlebitsofgoldI’vebroughtdownfromtheskywillhelptokeepthewolffromthedoor.（我希望我从天上带回来的这些金币，能使咱们不再挨饿。）InChinese,“色狼”isstandforcrazysatyr.InEnglish,wolfmeansayoungmanormanwhohabituallypursueswomenoraseducer.“Hehasthefameofthewolfintown.”（他在城里有色狼之称。）Anotherwordis“fox”.InChinese“fox”isoftenusedasasynonymofcunning,soapersonwhoiscunningiscalledoldfox(老狐狸).“狐狸再狡猾，也要露出尾巴”,and“狐狸尾巴藏不了”meanthatcunningasfoxis,hecannothidethetruthandsomeday,thetruthwillbefoundout.Sotherecomesanotherphrase“狐狸再狡猾，也逃不过猎人的眼睛”。Themostfamousfable,aBullywithaCoward'sHeart(狐假虎威),tellsusastoryaboutfox:Oneday,atigercaughtafoxandwasgoingtoeatit,whilethecunningfoxliedtothetigerandtoldhimthatheissentbygodtobethekingoftheanimals,andaskedthetigertogowithhim.Astheywalkedintheforest,alltheanimalsrunawayimmediatelyfromthem,whichmadethetigerbelievewhatthefoxsaid.Thatisthestoryallabout.Althoughabullywithacoward’sheartmeanstobrowbeatbyusingother’spower,thisfableintendstoexposethenatureofthefox.Also,foxhasthemeaningoftreacherousinEnglish.Forexample:F.He’sasslyasafox.You’vegottowatchhim.（他狡猾如狐狸，你可要小心点。）F.Whenthefoxpreaches,andthentakecareofyourgeese.（狐狸说教，当心鹅只被盗。）G.Don’ttrustthatman.He’sanoldfox.（不要相信那个人。他是只狡猾的老狐狸。）H.Thefoxisknownbyhisbrush.（看尾巴就知道是狐狸。）“Cunning”and“Treacherous”arecloselyrelatedtoeachother,therefore,theword,fox,containsthemeaningof“因性诈而欺骗”.Forexample,“youcanneverfoxme（你决骗不了我）”Theadjective,foxy,doeshavethemeaningofcunning.SothesentenceHe’sfoxyequalstheoneHe’sassly,orcunningasafox.Morevocabularyherecanfurthersupportthemeaningofthispart.Beeisusedtosymbolize“industriousandhardworking”,e.g.:“asbusyasabee（像蜜蜂一样忙碌）”.Pigeon（鸽子）canbeusedtosymbolize“peace”.Ass（驴子）isemployedtorefertosuchapersonwhoisfoolishandsimple,forinstance,“makeanassofoneself（使自己出洋相，干蠢事）”.Pig（猪）hassuchcharacteristics:dirty,greedy,lazy,andugly,forexample,“eatlikeapig（像猪一样贪吃）”;“makeapigofoneself（大吃大喝）”.Forexample:I.“Hehasbeenapigaboutmoney（他对钱贪得无厌）”.So,wecanseethattherearemanyvocabularies,suchaswolf,fox,bee,pigeon,pigandsoon,sharethesamemeaningsbothinChineseandEnglish.2.SameanimalvocabularyanddifferentculturalconnotationsAlthoughtherearesomeanimalvocabulariessharethesamemeaning,therearealsomanyvocabularieswithdifferentmeaningsinChineseandEnglish.SomemayhavecommendatorymeaninginChinesebutderogatoryinEnglish,viceversa.1)SameanimalvocabularywithcommendatorymeaninginChinese,butwithderogatorymeaninginEnglishTheword,dragon,isaverytypicalexampleofthedifferenceofmeanings.InChina,dragonisconsideredtobethesymbolofking.Sincethekingisthedragon,everythingthatbelongstothekingiscalledthedragon’s,suchas“龙颜”，andeventheoffspringofthekingiscalled“龙种”or“龙子凤孙”.Dragoncanalsobeusedtosymbolizeagiftedpersonoraoutstandingone,whichwecanseefrom“望子成龙”，whichmeanstohopehissontobeagreatperson.Anotherexampleis“龙游浅水遭虾戏”，whichmeansonceapersonistrapped,nomatterhowmightyheis,hecandonothingbutbebeaten.Sincedragonissomuchabe-lovedwordinChinesewhichsymbolizeeitherkingsorgreatpersons,weChineseisproudofbeing“theoffspringofthedragon”.WhilethedragonwhichisaderogatoryterminEnglish.Itissaidthatthedragon,aratherstrongthree-headbeastwiththeabilityofshootingflame,isthewealth-keeperofSatan.IntheancientEnglishepic,Beowulf,theheroBeowulfiskilledbytheinfamousdragon.So,thedragoninEnglish,whichstandsfortheevils,doeshaveatotallydifferentmeaningfromthatinChinese.ThedragonortheolddragonisSatan.Forexample:A.Hermotherisarealdragon.（她母亲真是一条恶龙）（意为：她母亲、凶神恶煞地看管她。）B.Iwillstarvehimtodeath,thesonofadragon.（我要饿死他，这恶魔的儿子。）InEnglish-speakingcountries,thehatetosnakecomesfromtheBible.AccordingtotheBible,thesnakeisevilorintheothervocabularyisSatan.IntheGardenofEden,thegodcreatesthefirsthuman-beingAdamwithmud.AndthenHecreatesEvewithoneofAdam’sribs.Thegodwantedthemtoaccompanyhimandlivewithhimforever.However,theemergenceofthesnakechangesall.ThecunningsnakeslureEvetoeattheforbiddenfruitintheknowledgetree,whichwasobviouslyforbiddenbygod.EveeatsitandgivesonetoAdam.Afterthat,death,greedanddegenerationcomeintobeing.SothesnakewasheavilypunishedbythegodtowalkonitsbellybecauseofitsluringtoEve.Sincethen,peoplestartedrevilingit.Therefore,everythingthatrelatedtosnakeisofthederogatorysense.Forexample:C.Thatsnakeinthegrassreportedmetotheboss.（那个口蜜腹剑的家伙到老板那里告了我了一状。）AlthoughtheimageofsnakeisvariousinChineselegends,manyofthemarekindandhumane.ThemosttypicaloneisLadyWhiteSnakeorinChinese“白蛇传”.Thislegendintendstopraisethewhitesnake’sdesireforthefreedomoflovewhichhastouchedtheChinesefromgenerationtogeneration.TheChinesestartedtoworshipsnakesinceprimitivetimes.ItissaidthattheforefatherPanGuwhoseparatedtheearthandtheskyisofdragonheadandsnakebody.InChineseTwelveEarthly,thedragoniscloselyfollowedbythesnake,orsometimes,wecallsnakethelittledragon.Thesnakeisthesymbolofwisdomwhichinmystery.2)SameanimalvocabularywithcommendatorymeaninginEnglish,butwithderogatorymeaninginChineseInChinese,“owl（猫头鹰）”isconsideredtobeanunfortunatebirdwhosecryismiserable.Sothesuperstitiouspeoplealwaysrelatedittodeath,consideringthatwhomeettheowlwillbeunfortunate.AstheChineseoldsayinggoes“夜猫子进宅，好事不来”；“夜猫子抖搂翅，大小有点事”.Itissaidthatwhentheowlisgrownup,itwillbiteandleaveitsmum.Therefore,theChineseuseowltostandforthepeoplewhoisingratitudeandcruel.InEnglish,owlisthesymbolofwisdom.InGreekandRomanlegends,owlalwaysaccompaniesthegoddessofwisdom,PallasMinerva.Asthesayinggoes“Onetakesthebehaviorofone'scompany”,sotheowliswise.Andtherecomesthephrase“aswiseasanowl”.Ifwedescribesomeoneas“owlish”,wemeanheisclever.Theconflictsamongtheanimalsarejudgedbytheowl.Andowlisalwaystheonlytohandleemergencies.DeeplyintheChinesehearts,“dog”isconsideredtobeadegradinganimal,whichisoftenusedtosymbolizethedespicablepeople.Theword,dog,alwaysgivespeoplethebadimagesuchasdegrading.Forinstance,“狗眼看人低”isusedtodescribesnobwhoalwayslookdownuponothers;“狗嘴里吐不出象牙”meansthatabadmancan’tsayanythinggood;“狗腿子”,“走狗”isusedtostandfortheaccomplices.Sodotheotherphraseshavethesamederogatorysensesuchas“狗胆包天”，“狗仗人势”Butinthewest,peoplehavealongtraditionofkeepingpets.Ofthem,domesticanimalssuchasdogsandcatsaredearandvaluedcompanions.Thewesternersevenconsiderdogaspartofthefamilyandnameit.IntheGreeklegend,dog,thekeeperofthegateofafterlifeisalwaysloyalandalert.Therefore,inEnglish,thephrasethatcontainsdogisoftenagoodone,suchas:“loveme,lovemydog”（爱屋及乌）;“aluckydog（幸运儿）”;“gaydog（快乐的人）”;“topdog（胜利者）”;“asleepingdog（惹不起的人）”;“olddog（老手）”.Thedifferentculturegivesdifferentmeaningstoanimalvocabulary.Taketheword“cricket”forexample.TheancientChinesepoetsuse“cricket”toexpressthefeelingsofbeinglonelyanddesolate.Incontrast,inthewesternliteraryworks,theword“cricket”alwaysgivesthereaderthefeelingofjoysuchas“aslivelyasacricket”(快乐如蟋蟀).Fromtheabovedescription,itcanbeseenthatbecauseoftheculturaldifference,manyanimalvocabulariesaregivendifferentmeanings.3.SameanimalvocabularywithoutcorrespondingvocabularyinChineseandinEnglishNoteverysingleanimalvocabularymakessenseinbothChineseandEnglish.SomehavemeaningsinChinese,butsomehavenot,viceversa.1)SameanimalvocabularywithvariedculturalconnotationsinChinese,butwithnoculturalconnotationsinEnglish“鸳鸯”(mandarinduck)isakindofbirdthatlivesinwaterandisalwaysaccompaniedbyitsspouse.Happilyastheyare,theChinesealwaysuseittostandforcoupleswholoveeachotherdeeply，sotherecomesthephraseslike“鸳鸯配”and“鸳鸯戏水”.Sometimes,mandarinduckisusedtodescribethingsthatalwaysappearwithitscompanion.MandarinduckisusedtosymbolizefinelovewhileitdoesnotmakeanysenseinEnglish.“鹤”(crane)issaidtoberiddenbyimmortal,whichgainsthenameof“仙鹤”.Immortalcanliveforever,sodoesthecranes.Therefore,theChineseusecranetosymbolizelonglife.Inthebirthpartyofelderpeople,peoplealsopresentsomethingthatrelatestocraneasgift.Towesternpeople,craneisnomorethanawaterbirdthathaslongneck,longlegsandlongmouth.Weallknowthat蚕(silkworm)originatesinChina.TheproductswithsilkproducedbysilkwormsareverypopularinothercountriesespeciallyinEurope.“Thesilkroad”iswellknowntotheworld.AlltheseindicatethatChinahasalonghistorywithrichsilkwormculture.ThepoembyLiShangyininancientChina,“春蚕到死丝方尽，蜡炬成灰泪始干(Thesilkwormtillitsspinssilkfromlove-silkheart;thecandleonlywhenburnthasnotearstoshed)”impressestheChinesepeoplefromgenerationtogeneration.However,toEnglishpeople,silkwormisonlyawormwithoutanyculturalconnotations.“龟”(tortoise)isalsoasymboloflonglifeinChina.Therearesomestone-madetortoisesinfrontofthepalaceortemple.However,ontheothersideofthecoin,itcanbeusedtostandforthemanwhosewifehasadulterywithothers,therefore,itisastronglyderogatoryword,andalwaysusedtoinsultpeople.2)SameanimalvocabularywithvariedculturalconnotationsinEnglish,butwithnoculturalconnotationsinChinese“goat（山羊）”isconsideredtoberelatedwiththeideaofsinandassociatedwithdevil-lore.Thelegendthatthedevilcreatedthegoatmaybeduetoitsdestructiveness,andthedevilwasfrequentlydepictedasagoat.Andalso,goathasthemeaningof“sacrifice”and“色鬼”.Itisatypeoflustandlechery.Inaddition,thereisonesentenceintheBible:AllgatherinfrontofHim,andHedistinguishesthemonebyone,justliketheshepherddistinguishessheepandgoat,whichgivesitthemeaningof“inferiorpeople”and“inferiorthing”.Forinstance,“makehimthegoat”（拿什么当替罪羊）,“oldgoat”（好色之徒）,“separatethesheepfromthegoats”（把好人和坏人或好或坏区分开）.Incontrast,goatisnomorethanakindofanimaltotheChinese.Cat,inEnglish,hasrichandvariedculturalconnotations.Itcanbeusedtorefertopersonswithdifferentconnotationsandcolors:“acoolcat(性格内向的人)”;“afatcat(有财是势的人)”;“acopycat(抄袭别人的人)”.But,itisverydifficultforChinesepeopletounderstandtheseEnglishexpressions.InEnglish,manyidiomswithcat,suchas“bellthecat(做冒险事)”;“letthecatoutofthebag(泄密)”;“turncatinthepan(见利思迁，变节)”;“likeacatonhotbricks(像热锅上的蚂蚁)”.Forexample:A.Heisamanwhoturnscatinthepan.(他是个见利思迁的人).B.Iwaslikeacatonhotbricksbeforehisdrivingtest.(我面临驾驶考试，紧张得像热锅上的蚂蚁).C.Sheisaperfectcat.(她是个十足的长舌妇).InEnglishtherearemanyothervocabulariesinthisgroup.Forinstance,“whiteelephant(白象)”standsforthingthat’sclumsy,biganduseless.“Tobuffalo”meanstomakesomeonewoulddonothingorconfused,andthenextendtomaketraporthreaten.However,noneofthesemakessenseinChinese.4.DifferentanimalvocabularywithsimilarculturalconnotationsDespitetheculturaldifferent,someofthedifferenta