How-Is-Language-Related-to-Culture

HowIsLanguageRelatedtoCultureJokes:1.两人吵架。一个人气急骂起来：“你有什么了不起，能把我吃了！”“不能，我是回民！”2.某人刻苦学习英语，终有小成。一日上街不慎与一老外相撞，忙说：“Iamsorry.”老外应道：“Iamsorrytoo.”某人听后又道：“Iamsorrythree.”老外不解，问：“Whatareyousorryfor(four)?”某人无奈，道:“Iamsorryfive.”contents1.Cultureandlanguageareintertwinedandshapeeachother,andculturalliteracyisnecessarytounderstandthelanguagebeingused.(paragraph1)contents2.Inourenvironmentweareawareoftheimplicationsofthesechoices.Alllanguageshavesocialquestionsandinformationquestions.Wordsinthemselvesdonotcarrythemeaning.Themeaningcomesoutofthecontext,theculturalusage.(paragraph2-4)contents3.Languagereflectstheenvironmentinwhichweliveandculturalvalues.(paragraph5-6)examplesTheuseofcolourtermsvariesfromlanguagetolanguage,andculturetoculture.ColourtermsChineseCultureEnglishCultureRed①festive，jubilant；例：红娘，红火。②successful，smooth；例：红人，走红。③beautiful，nice；例：红颜，红装④envious，jealous例：眼红①violent，cruel；e.g.aredbattle②danger,tension;e.g.redalertexamplesColourtermsChineseCultureEnglishCultureWhite①funeral,sadness；例：红白喜事②failure，unvalued，foolish；例：白费力气，白旗，白痴③tricky，crafty；例：白脸①pure，bright，happy；e.g.awhitewedding②faithful，honest;e.g.whitehand③goodlucke.g.awhitedaycontents4.Wetranslateconceptsfromaforeignlanguageandculturewithwordsthatfitourpriorities.Sometimesdifferentculturesuseidenticalwordsthathaveratherdifferentmeanings.(paragraph7-11)AdministrationEnglish:n1)managementoftheaffairsofanorganization,suchasabusinessorinstitution2)thebodyofpeoplewhoadministeranorganization3)theconductoftheaffairsofgovernmentFrench:Actiondegérerunbien,unensembledebiens.Administrateur,trice:Personnechargéedel’administrationd’unbien.contents5.Languagelives,anditchangesovertime.Wordsandphrasesthatareusedcommonlyatonetimemaybediscontinuedortheirmeaningmaychangeovertime.Semanticchange①Semanticbroadeningholiday：holydayanyrestday②Semanticnarrowingdeer：anyanimalaparticularkind③SemanticshiftsillyusedtomeanhappyinOldEnglishexample:togosouth在80年代之前，其用法只限于字面意思，即“去南方”。而到了80年代中后期，意思变化层出不穷。当我们使用“togo/headsouth”的比喻义时，其表达的意思通常是指“下降，变坏；数量、质量或价值的减少”，亦指“情况越来越糟糕”。如果是某些人“gosouth”，这意味着他们某种程度上让你失望了；如果是股票市场“gosouth”，你将很可能会被套牢；如果运动员“gosouth”，这意味着他或她已经过了巅峰时期；如果是电脑的软硬件“gosouth”，那意味着这些软硬件坏了。例句：Ice-creamsalesgosouthsinceitisnearwinter.冰淇淋的销量自入冬以来就开始下滑。contents6.Alanguage,ifspokenindifferentpartsoftheglobe,ultimatelywilldevelopdifferently.[pidgin]QuestionsTrytotranslatethefollowingwords:asstupidasagooseoldgraymare落汤鸡一丘之貉蠢猪河东狮birdsofthesamefeatheradrownedrat