不同的地理特征对汉英习语影响

不同的地理特征对汉英习语影响

【Abstract】Thegeographyenvironmentisconnectedtothehuman‘slivesclosely.Fromtheancienttimes,thehumantriedtheirbesttoconquerthenature,torebuildit.Atthattime,themostimportantfunctionwastoimprovetheproduction.Sointhisperiod,thehuman‘scivilizationswereinfluencedbythegeography.ChinaislocatedintheeastoftheEurasiaandonthewestbankofthePacificOcean--whichcouldnotbecrossedatthattime.InthesouthwestofChina,thereistheHimalayas,andthesouthwestisalargedesert,becauseofthese,wecansaythatChinawasrelativelyisolatedfromtheoutsideworld.Meanwhile,Chinahasalargeoffieldfortillageandtheclimatesuitstoit.SotheChinesecivilizationisthegeographycivilization.ButinEnglandandthewesterncountries,theylackoftheinlandbutneartheMediterraneanandtheAtlanticOcean,theseweresuitedtodeveloptheseacivilization.

TheidiomsaretheflowersoftheChineseandEnglishculture.SothispaperwilllisttheidiomsaboutthegeographyinChineseandEnglishlanguages.LeteveryoneknowmorethegeographyChineseandEnglishidioms

【KeyWords】geography;idioms;Chinese;English

【摘要】地理环境与人类的生存密切相关，远古的人类就是在不断地征服自然，改造自然中，发展、壮大起来。可以说，古代人类最重要的活动就是征服自然，发展生产。当时的人类的文化受到地理环境的影响。中国位于欧亚大陆的东部，东边是难以逾越的太平洋，西南是有世界屋脊之称的喜马拉雅山，西北是一片大沙漠，可以说中国是相对地与外界隔离。并且中国有大片土地供耕耘，气候也适合农耕，因此中国的文化是农耕文化，其文化偏向土地。而英国，乃至整个西方，适合耕耘的土地少，而且面向地中海，大西洋，适合发展海洋文化。而西方文化的发源地古希腊，更可以被称为是典型的海洋文化，因此，英国的文化更偏向海洋。习语是中西文化中的精华，本篇将列出中西习语中受地理影响的部分。旨在弄清地理环境与文化之间的关系。

【关键词】地理；习语；汉语；英语

Introduction

Theenvironmentinfluencestheculture.Humanandthenaturearerelatedclosely.Foronething,humandependsonthenature,andisboundbythenature.Foranther,humanalwaystrytomasterthenatureandrebuildit.[1]

Asweallknow,theChinesecultureandtheEnglishculturehavedifferentnatureenvironments.Chinahasalargeplainfortillage.Butinthewesterncountries,especiallyintheGreece,themotherofthewesterncivilization,hassmalllandfortillage,thelandisforthestockbreeding.WhiletheGreekhavelesslandtodeveloptheagriculture,theylivenearthesea,theMediterranean,sotheycansailintheseaforcommerce.Becauseofthedifferences,theChinesecultureandtheEnglishculturearedifferent.TheChinesecultureistheagriculturecivilizationandtheEnglishcultureisfromtheGreekcivilization,sotheEnglishcultureistheseacivilization.

2、ThesimilaritiesbetweenEnglishidiomsandChineseidiomsaboutthegeography

TheidiomsarethefossilsoftheChineseandEnglishcultures.IntheChineseandEnglishidioms,therearemanyidiomsaboutthegeography.SomeoftheChineseandEnglishidiomshavethesimilarmeanings,butothersareindifferentmeanings.

Inthegroupofidioms,whichhavesimilarmeaning,manyofthemusethesameimages,whileothersusethedifferentimagestoexplainthesamething.

similaritiesbetweenEnglishidiomsandChineseidiomsaboutthegeography

InmanyoftheChineseandEnglishidioms,theyhavethesamemeanings.Coincidently,manyofthemusethesameimages.ItshowsthattheChinesepeopleandEnglishpeopleexperiencethesimilarconceptions.Meanwhile,someofthemhavethesamemeanings,buttheyusethedifferentimagestoexplain.Fromthat,wecouldknowthatalthoughtheChineseandEnglishpeoplehavethesameexperience,theyhavethedifferentcultures.Sotheidiomsalwaysusethedifferentimages.

TheChinese-Englishgeographyidiomsthatusethesimilarimages

IntheancientChinaandEngland,thepeoplemayhavethesameexperience,andcoincidentlyusethesameimagetodescribethesamething.Itisverycoincidental.

(1)Fishintroublewatersand"浑水摸鱼"

Meaning:toprofitinaconfusedenvironment

Don’tfishintroublewaters;thatdoesyounogood.

(2)Pour/throwcoldwateronand"泼冷水"

Meaning:todiscourage

Theboardofdirectorpouredcoldwateronhisnewinvestmentproposalsinthatregion.

(3)Makewavesand"兴风作浪"

Meaning:tomaketrouble

Theyliftitwasnotthetimetomakewavesbystagingasit-in.

(4)Gowiththestreamand"随波逐流"[10]

Meaning:doasothersdo

Helistenedtothesamemusicanddressedthesamewayashisfriends.Hewentwiththestream,forhelackedconfidenceinmakinghisowndecision.

(5)Burnone’sboat/bridges[11]and"破釜沉舟"[12]

Meaning:todosomethingthatmakeitimpossibletogoback

Startingyourownbusinesshasalotofrisk,sothinktwicebeforeyouburnyourboat.

TheidiomsinthisgroupreflectthattheEnglishidiomsandChineseidiomsarenearlycoincidental.Peopleindifferentculturesexperiencethesimilarconceptions.Theexamples(1)to(4)areusingthesameimages.Theexample(5),inChineseweuse“釜”and“舟”but,inEnglishtheyjustuse“boat”or“bridge”.InbothChineseandEnglishtheboat,thecookingpotandthebridgeareallveryimportanttopeoplelives.

Chinese-Englishgeographyidiomsthatusedifferentimages

WhiletheancientChinesepeopleandEnglishpeoplecoincidentlyusethesameimagetoexplainthesamething.Mostofthetime,theChineseandEnglishpeopleusethedifferentimagestoexplainthesamething.

(1)Bein/getinhotwater[13]orIndeepwater[14]and"泥菩萨过江"

Meaning:tobeinorgetintotrouble

Shehasgotintohotwateragainforherinquisitivenaturerecently.

(2)Adropinthebucket/ocean[15]and"九牛一毛"

Meaning:anegligibleortinyquantity;somethingthatmakelittledifference

Tencentsmeansalotofmoneytothebeggaronthestreet,butisadropintheoceanformostpeople.

(3)Paddleone’sowncanoe[16]and"自力更生"

Meaning:todependononeself

Don’tworrytoomuchaboutyourson;heisbigenoughtopaddlehisowncanoe.

(4)Abigfish(inalittlepond)[17]and"顶天立地"[18]

Meaning:animportantperson(inasmallcommunity)

ItoldyouwhenGeorgecametoourdepartmenttwoyearsagothathe’dsoonjob-hop.Heisabigfish.

TheidiomsinthisgroupreflectthattheEnglishidiomsandChineseidiomshavethesamemeaning,butusethedifferentimages.Intheexample(2)inEnglishtheyuse“ocean”,whileinChineseweuse“牛”.Theexample(4),inEnglishtheyuse“fish”,butinChineseweuse“地”.Theexample(5),inEnglishtheyuse“fish”,butinChineseweuse“牛”.TheseshowthattheEnglishculturebelongstotheseacivilization,andtheChineseculturebelongstotheagriculturecivilization.Becausefishisthenormalthinginseacivilization,andtheoxisaveryimportantanimalfortheagriculture.

3ThedifferencesbetweenEnglishidiomsandChineseidiomsaboutthegeography

Theenvironmentinfluencedtheidiomsverymuch.Forexample,inChina,therealargelandfortillage,soinChineseidioms,therearemanyidiomsabout“tu”(土)、“di”、and“niu”--theseareallconnectedcloselytotheagriculture.

Butthewesterncultureisdifferent.Inthewesterncountries,especiallyintheGreek–themotherofthewesterncivilizations,therearemanymountainsandsmalllandfortillage.Theyhadtodevelopthebusinessatsea.SointheEnglishidioms,therearemanyidiomsaboutthesea,theboatandthefish.

Thereisatypicalexample,whichcouldexplainthis.InChina,wesay“huijinrutu”，butinEnglish,theysay“spendmoneylikewater”.Thesetwoarealldescribingthatsomeonespendmoneyverymuch,butinChineseweuse“tu”,whileinEnglishtheyuse“water”.

ThedifferentimagesaboutthegeographicalwordsinChineseandEnglishidioms

Nomatterwhethertheidiomshavethesamemeaning,orhavethedifferentmeanings,theirimagesareallaboutthegeographicalwords.InChineseidioms,manyoftheimagesareconnectedtotheland.InEnglish,manyoftheimagesareconnectedtothesea.

TheChinesegeographyidioms

Thelandisveryimportanttothepeople’slive.Alsotheagricultureisthemostimportantactivityinthepeople’scommonlive.Therearesomanyidiomsusethegeographicalwordstoexplainsomething.Therearesomeexamplecouldshowit.

(1)Juantuchonglai(卷土重来)[19]

Stageacomeback

(2)Mianrutuse(面如土色)[20]

Lookashen;lookpale

turnpalewithfright

(3)Yibaitudi(一败涂地)[21]

Failcompletely;sufferacrushingdefeat;berouted.

Wejustcan’tpossiblyfailcompletely,afterallthepreparationwe’vemade.

(4)Hutianqiangdi(呼天抢地)[22]

Lamenttoheavenandknockone’sheadonearth—uttercriesofanguish.

Fromthisgroupofidioms,wecouldseethatthelandisveryimportanttotheChinese.SointheChineseidioms,therearemanyidiomsabouttheland.TheChineseculturebelongstotheagriculturecivilization.

TheEnglishgeographyidioms

InEngland,theseaisconnectedtothepeople’slifeclosely.Englandisanislandcountry.InEngland,thefieldisless,thelandisforstockbreeding.TheEnglishpeoplealwaysmaketheirlivingonthesea.Sotherearemanyidiomsabouttheseaandtheship.

(1)Atsea[23]

①Onaship,etconthesea

spendthreemonthsatsea

②Notknowwhattodo;confused

I’mallatsea;Ihavenoideahowtorepaircars.

(2)Misstheboat[24]

Missanopportunity;betoolatetoparticipateinsomething

Sheputherapplicationinforherinterviewonedaylate.Unfortunatelyforhertheuniversityauthoritiescoulddonothingandshehadmissedtheboat

(3)Atbottom[25]

Inreality;reallybasically

Heseemsaggressivebutatbottomheiskindandgood-natural

(4)Anotherkettleoffish(adifferentkettleoffish)[26]

Acompletelydifferentpersonorthingfromtheonepreviouslymentioned

Heisgoodatplayingtennisinprivate,butplayinginpublicisadifferentkettleoffish.

Thisgroupofidiomsreflectthatthesea、theboat、thefishareveryimportanttothepeople’slives.TheEnglishculturebelongstotheseacivilization.

Peopleliveinthedifferentgeographyenvironmentswillcreatedifferentcultures.Alltheculturescouldnotbeseparatedfromtheirenvironments.Becauseofitsregion,climateandenvironment,everyculturehasitsowncharacter.[27]

Theenvironmentinfluencestheculturedeeply.TheChineseagriculturecivilizationmakestheChineseidiomsusethegeographicalwordsastheimages.AndtheEnglishseacivilizationmakestheEnglishidiomsusetheimageaboutthesea.

causesoftheChineseandEnglishidiomsusingthedifferentimages

Theidiomsareacceptedthroughcommonpractice.Theyhavecomeintobeingforalongtime.Todaymostoftheidiomswereformedintheancienttimes.

WhydoestheChineseculturebelongtotheagriculturecivilization?WhydoestheEnglishculturebelongtotheseacivilization.Ifwewanttoknowtheseclearly,wehadbetterlookintotheoriginsoftheChineseandEnglishcivilizations.

differenceoftheoriginsoftheChineseandwesterncivilizations

(i)TheoriginsoftheChinesecivilization

Peopleindifferentenvironmentswillcreatedifferentcultures.IntheoriginsoftheChinesecivilization,thetillageisthemostimportantthinginpeople’live.SotheChinesecultureisconnectedtothefieldclosely.

TheChinesecivilizationisverylong.Itcanderivefrom7000~~5000yearsago.[28]Fromthe“YangShaoCivilization”theChinesecivilizationhadbegun.Foritwassolongago,thatmanydataaboutthiscivilizationwerelost.

TheChinesecivilizationisoneoftheoldestcivilizationsinthehumanhistory.TheorigincouldderivefromtheOldStoneAge.AndintheNewStoneAge,theChinesecivilizationdevelopedveryfast.In21sttheXiaDynastywasfounded,whichwasthefirstmostgloriouscivilizationintheancientChina.

Astheother’screationoftheculture,intheearliestcreationoftheChineseculture,thestonewasthetoolsoftheagriculture.Thearchaeologistidentifiedthisperiod:theOldStoneAge.Withtheusingofthecoarsestonetools,ourancestoralsomasteredtheskillofgettingfirebythemselves.

Before10,000to4000yearsago,theChineseancestorenteredtheNewStoneAge.Inthisperiod,theChineseenteredthedoorofthecivilization,beginningtheearlystageoftheChinesecivilization.

Between1963and1964,thearchaeologistdiscoveredthe“LanTianSimian”inShanxi.The“LanTianSimian”livedinabout800,000yearsago.In1927,thearchaeologistdiscoveredthe“BeijingSimian”inBeijing,wholivedabout600,000yearsago.TheseareallprovedthatalltheChinesecivilizationwasalltheChinesepeoplecreatedinourownland.[29]

Forexample,theChinesecharacter“社”，the“示”demonstratesthe“God”,andthe“土”demonstratestheland.Fromthiswecanseethelandisveryimportanttotheancientpeople.

Thefollowingidiomswillreflectit.

“土崩瓦解”(crumble;fallapart;collapse)[30]“人杰地灵”(Thegreatnessofamanlendsglorytoaplace)[31]“谈天说地”(Talkofeverythingunderthesun)[32]“铺天盖地”(Blotouttheskyandcoveruptheearth)[33]…….

Fromtheseidioms,wecouldseethatthelandisthemostimportantthingtotheancientpeople.Sointheidiomstherearesomanyidiomsaboutthegeography.

(ii)TheoriginsoftheEnglishcivilization

TheEnglishcultureisfromtheGreececivilization.

TheoldGreececivilizationinfluencedthecreationanddevelopmentofthewestern’scivilization.It’ssaidthattheoldGreececivilizationwasthemotheroftheEuropeanculture.[34]

WiththeRomanConquest,theRomanbroughttheircultureandcustomsintoBritain.TheRomancostume,ornament,potteryandglassesvesselsspreadinBritain.OfcoursethesociallivebecameRoman.WiththesethingsbroughtintoBritain,theLatinwasspreadinBritain.Atthattime,inBritain,theofficiallanguage,thelawandthecommercewereallusedtheLatin.LatinbecamethesecondlanguageoftheupperCelts.[35]

“LatinwasoriginallythelanguageofLatium,butcametobethedialectofRome.TheuseofLatinspreadwiththegrowthoftheRomanEmpire,whichincludedmodernItaly,SpainandPortugal,mostofBritain,FranceandGermany,SouthoftheRhineandtheDanube.BeyondEuropeitincludedNorthAfricaandPalestine.EvenwhereLatindidnotsurviveasaspokenlanguage,itremainedastheinternationallanguageofscholarship.ThisisaroleitwastoretainthroughoutEuropeforwelloverathousandyears.Asaresult,allthemajorlanguagesoftheEuropehavebeenprofoundlyinfluencedbyLatin,notonlyintheirvocabulary,butalsointheirgrammar”.[36]

Intheliteralrecord,theoldGreececivilizationhadbegunin800,itwas2000yearslaterthantheoldBabyloncivilizationandtheEgyptcivilization.Butatthetimeitappeared,itshownitslivelycharacter,itsactivityandsprite.Itinfluencedthedevelopmentofthewesterncivilizationdeeply.[37]

Thefollowingidiomswillreflectit.

“Muddythewater”(Tomakeasituationconfusedandnotclear)[38],“beinthesameboat”(Tobeinthesamedifficultcircumstance)[39],“Acrosstheboard”(involvingallstaff)[40].Fromtheseidioms,wecanseethattheseaisveryimportanttothewesternpeople’slives.TherearesomanygeographyidiomsintheEnglishidioms.

Fromthese,wecouldknowclearlythat,theChinesecivilizationisverydifferentfromthewesterncivilization.IntheoriginsoftheChinesecivilization,thelandswereveryimportanttothepeople,soourcultureisdependingonthelandandagriculture.InEnglish,thelandisnotveryimportanttopeople,thepeoplemadetheirlivingfromthesea,theirculturedependonthesea.

ThedifferencesofthegeographyoftheChinaandEngland

(i)TheChinesegeography

IntheeastofChina,itisthePacificOcean,whichisn’tliketheMediterraneansea,theancientpeoplecannotcrossit.Inthenorthwest,thereisalargedesert,andinthesouthwest,thereistheQingzanghighlandandtheHengduanMountain.Sointhisenvironment,theChinesepeoplearerelativelyisolatedfromtheoutsidewould.

MostoftheChineseareaslocateinthemiddlelatitude,sotheweatherismild.Chinalocatesintheeastofthebiggestmainland—theEurasia,andinthewestofthebiggestocean—thePacificOcean,theSouthwestoftheChinaisneartheIndianOcean,andisinfluencedbythemonsoon.SoinmostoftheChineseareasaresuitableforthedevelopingoftheagriculture.[41]

Therearemanygeographyidiomscanreflectthatthegeographyinfluencedtheculturemuch.

“沧海桑田”(Fromseasintomulberryfieldandfrommulberryfieldintoseas—timebringsgreatchangestotheworld)[42].“土生土长”[43].“别有天地”(Aplaceofuniquebeautysceneryofexceptionalcharm;analtogetherdifferentworld)[44].“解甲归田”(Takeoffone’sarmortotheland;)[45]

(ii)TheEnglishgeography

TheEnglandlocatedintheeastoftheAtlanticOcean.TheEnglandisanislandcountry.Itconsistsofthreebigislands.InthewestoftheEngland,thereistheAtlanticOcean,whichisnarrowandsuitstosailing.IntheeastoftheEngland,thereistheEnglandChannel,whichispeaceandcouldbepassedsafely.

Inthethreeislands,thelandissmall,andthelandisforstockbreeding.AlsothefarmerinEnglandisfew.Becauseofthesereasons,theEnglishpeoplemaketheirlivinginthesea.

Therearemanyidiomscouldreflectit.

“Setsail”(Beginavoyage)[46].“Acoldfish”(Aseemingunfriendlyperson)[76].“Belikeafishoutofwater”(Tofeelinguncomfortableorawkwardbecauseoneisinsurroundingsthatarenotfamiliar)[48].“Havebigger/otherfishtofry”(Tohavemoreimportantormoreinterestingthingstodo)[49].

differencesoftheChineseandEnglishcivilizations

(i)TheChineseagriculturecivilization

From7000yearsto5000yearsago,theChinesepeoplehadbeguntodealinthetillage.IntheremainsinBanpovillageinXi’an;WangQuancountyinShanxi,wediscoveredtheearliesttools,suchas:stoneaxe,stoneshovel,boneuproot,potteryknife.Fromthese,wecouldsee,thatatthattime,theygrewthevalleyandvegetablesinthemiddleareasoftheYellowRiver.

From5000yearsago,the“LongShanCivilization”,theagricultureandstockbreedingbecamethemostimportantwaytomakealiving.Intheearliestliteralrecords,wecanseethatbefore1600,inShangDynasty,theagriculturewasthemostessentialwaytolive.[50]

AftertheZhouDynastywasfounded,theagriculturebecamethecentermatteroftheeconomiccreationinChinaatthattime.Astheagriculturebecamemoreandmoreimportantinthepubliceconomiccreation,theagriculturetoolsandskillsdevelopedveryfast.Theplough,uproot,sickleandsoon,aremadeofiron,andtheanimalslikethehorsesandthecattleareusedinthetillage.

(ii)TheEnglishseacivilization

Becauseofthelackingofinland,theagricultureproductionintheEnglandcouldn’tmeettheneedsofthepopulation,thepeoplehadtomakealivinginthesea.Forthesereasons,todevelopthestockraising,fishingandsailing,toconquerthetransmarinelandisthemainwaytokeepthepotboiling.

FromtheNewStoneAge,thepeoplewholivedintheislandintheAegeanseahadsetuptherelationshipwiththeEgypt,Anatolianandsoon.

WiththedevelopmentoftheskillsofthehandworkandsailingintheBronzeAge,theirbusinesseswiththecountrieswhicharoundthemweremoreandmoreclosely.TheysetthecommercialbaseinthecoastalareaoftheEgypt,Asia,Phoenicia,andCyprus.

TheCreteIslandbecameacommercecountry,becauseofthedevelopingofthehandworkandthemorebroadenofthescopeofthebusiness.[51]

Becauseofsmallinlandarea,iftheEnglishpeoplewanttoimprovetheirliving,theonlywayistodobusinesswithothercountries.ThismakestheEnglishdeveloptheseacivilization.

TheChinesecivilizationandtheEnglishcivilizationarecompletelydifferent.TheChinesepeopledependontheland,anddeveloptheagriculturecivilization.TheChinesepeopledothetillagegenerationbygeneration.Becauseofthese,theChinesecultureisrelatedtotheland,especiallyintheidioms,therearesomanyidiomsaboutthelandandthecattle.

InEnglish,becauseofsmallinlandarea,andtheyfacetheAtlanticOcean,thisseaispeaceandrich,theycanmaketheirlivinginthesea,sotheEnglishpeopledependonthesea.IntheEnglishidioms,therearemanyidiomsaboutthesea,theboatandthefish.

Sobecauseofthedifferentgeography,theidiomsinChineseandinEnglisharequirtdifferent