论英汉词语的文化底蕴制约——从White Elephant的释义谈起

white elephant的表层意义明白易懂,而隐含其中的文化涵义却难以从词的表象中揣摩出来;“white elephant＝白象”这种“对等”而有时却大相径庭的语言现象在英汉交际中非常普遍,极易造成交际障碍与失误。词语的文化涵义渗透在语言的各个层面,具有很大的隐蔽性,是一种十分复杂的语言现象。语言学习不能独立于文化之外,文化学习也不能脱离语言实际。据此,本文拟从词语、习语、修辞、句子等四个层面对英汉词语的文化涵义予以比较与分析,以揭示英汉词语的文化差异、追溯其渊源。

On Constraints of Cultural Spirits of E-C Words: From the Angle of "White Elephant"

The implied cultural information always permeates all respects of language expression and of certain covert complexity. This paper , with the English translation of a Chinese trade mark "白象"(white elephant) as a introductory topic, deals with how to make deeper and comparative analysis of English and Chinese words or phrases in certain communicating context from the four levels of word choice, idiomatic usage, rhetoric means and syntax , and then comes to a conclusion that language undoubtedly takes deep root into the rich soil of its own traditional culture and that a wise interpretation is closely associated with accurate complication of the unique culture and language context, which is a topic for our long and continuous efforts of pursuit.