中西时间观念的对比分析

ReflectionsofTimeConceptLinearextensionandcircularrotation线伸环旋Western:extension,senseoftimeshortage,futurevaluedChinese:rotation,senseoftimeabundance,pastcherishedTimeisariver,atorrent,awaterfall.Timeismarching,flyingandflowing.TimeiscomparedtowaterTimeandtidewaitfornomanTimelostisneverfoundagain“Timeisthedevourerofeverything.”—OvidRomanPoet43B.C.EnglishPoet(1608–1674)EnglishPlaywright(1564–1616)时间是一切事物的吞食者。—奥维特“Timeisthesubtlethiefofyouth.”--Milton“Timeismostbriskandgiddy-paced.”--Shakespeare时间是窃走青春的神秘盗贼。—弥尔顿时间步伐如此迅疾，令人眼花缭乱。—莎士比亚QuotationsfromPoetsTime’sPacesWhenIwasababeandweptandslept,Timecrept;WhenIwasaboyandlaughedandtalked,Timewalked.Thenwhentheyearssawmeaman,Timeran.ButasIoldergrew,Timeflew.Soon,asIjourneyon,I'llfindtimegone.MayChristhavesavedmysoul,bythen,Amen.GuyPentreath(1902-1985)春与秋其代序。（屈原：《离骚》）Springalternateswithautumn.日月光华，旦复旦兮。(《尚书大传》上卷）Thesunalternateswiththemoon;Dayscomeoneafteranothersoon.Timeislikeacircle失之东隅，收之桑榆。Whatislostatsunrisecanberegainedatsunset.—冯异Idiom:时来运转Thefavorofthetimecyclebringsgoodluck.Afterextremebadluck,comesgoodluck枯木逢春犹再发AwitheredtreecomestolifeagainAmericansbelievetimeisalimitedresource,theytrytoconserveandmanageit.Peopledoalltheycantosqueezemorelifeoutoftheirtime.Doyoulovelife?Thendonotwastetime,forthatisthestufflifeismadeof.SubjectivetimeandobjectivetimeAmericansseetimeasavaluableresource.Maybethat'swhytheyarefondoftheexpression,Timeismoney.AmericansenseoftimeshortagedeadlinesplansappointmentspocketplannerscalendarsaccountingsontimeintimetimemanagementstimetablesagendasschedulesAmericansseemtiedtotheclock.TheBlockbuster•Americanlifestylesshowhowmuchpeoplerespectthetimeofothers.Whenpeopleplananevent,theyoftensetthetimedaysorweeksinadvance.Oncethetimeisfixed,ittakesalmostanemergencytochangeit.Ifpeoplewanttocometoyourhouseforafriendlyvisit,theywillusuallycallfirsttomakesureitisconvenient.Tooutsiders,Americansseemtiedtotheclock.Peopleinotherculturesvaluerelationshipsmorethanschedules.Inthesesocieties,peopledon'ttrytocontroltime,buttoexperienceit.Chinese,forexample,viewtimeasacycle.TheyfinditeasiertogowiththeflowthanAmericans,wholikeplanstobefixedandunchangeable.•Lineartimeconcept•Timeismarchingforward•Losttimeisneverfoundagain•Timeisalimitedresource•Timeismoney,valueit•Punctuality•Respect•LifestyleCauseandEffectChinesesenseoftimeabundanceTheChinesenation’sconceptoftimeisrootedinthecultureoffarmingtime;timehasacloserelationwiththenature.Timeisreallyfleeting,butitalsocircleliketheconstantlychangingoffourseasons,andthesunandthemooncyclealternately,itwillcomebacksoon;sopeopleusuallythinkthatthelosttimecouldbeback.Thiskindofviewoftimeshapedpeopleasensethattimeisrich,andalsonurturedahabitofleisureandslowlivinghabit.CasesTimeforChineseismoreflexibleandmorehuman-centered.A.TheyusuallyscheduleseveralactivitiesatthesametimeB.TheyusuallyputinterpersonalrelationsabovethescheduleC.Thebigshotusuallyislate慢走慢用慢慢看慢慢做慢慢商量慢慢欣赏慢慢来Americanfutureorientation•thewesterners(especiallytheAmericans)wereinfluencedbytheChristian“originalsin”,tendingtobelieve“menattheirbirth,arenaturallyevil.Somostofthemchoosethefuturistictimeorientation.•Suchas:•A.“跟上时代”(keepingupwiththetime)•B.“关注未来”(keepinganeyeonthefuture)astheactionguidance.•C.Itwaswidelybelievedthatequalityinopportunitiesforeverybody,insignificanceinhistory.Iftheyworkhard,itwillbesuccessful;Changemeansprogress,andnewthingsarealwaysbetterthantheoldthings.Chinesepastorientation•ChinaastherepresentativeofAsianschoosetolookbackinthetimeorientation•Culturalfactors:Asians(especiallytheChinese)wasinfluencedbytraditionalConfucianculture,sotendingtobelieve“Menattheirbirtharenaturallygood”.Andsocialguidanceinclinetotradition.•Expressions:•A.consideringwhetherthismatterhasbeendoneoverthepastandwhatthesuccessfulexperienceandlessonsfromfailuresis.•B.worshippingofancestors,respectingtheelderlyandteachers,attachingimportancetoexperience,age,whichhasrelationwiththepast.Theword“Lao”inChinausedtoshowrespecttothosewhoaremoreexperiencedandusuallyolder,like“LaoLi”,“LaoWang”.Inthiswayweshowrespectandamitytotheoldpeople,whichindicatesapasttimeorientation.Chinesebelongtothe“pasttimeorientation”,andtheChinesenationhavealonghistoryforfivethousandyears,sopeopleinChinaattachgreatimportancetohistoryandtradition.AlthoughcontemporaryChinesepeoplealsopayattentiontolookforward,“past”alsotakeanimportantroleinpeople’sdeepheart.Ontheotherhand,peopleholdadifferentattitudeonthepredecessors.Thisisbecausethecleardifferenceintheattitudetotheword“old”.Soyoumustusesomeeuphemism,suchas“senior”,“aged”,“veteran”，“citizen”,”goldenager”,“elder”,etc.AllthesereflecttheAmerican’s“future-oriented”conceptionoftimeindirectly.Theythinkthatpastthingarejustthepast,theynevertreatpastthingasagoodthing.Oldmeansmaturity,fullofwisdomandexperience“old”means“useless”,“hopeless”,Oldmeansuseless,hopeless,fragile,approachingtodeathInTheSilentLanguage,Halllaysemphasisonthevoicesoftime.“Timetalks.Itspeaksmoreplainlythanwords.Themessageitconveyscomesthroughloudandclear.Becauseitismanipulatedlessconsciously,i