英汉颜色词的语用功能分析

Pragmatic Functions of Chinese and English Color Words


摘  要:在当今社会,颜色词在汉语和英语中的地位越来越受到人们的关注。许多学者从不同的视角、不同的层面对颜色词进行了有意义的探讨。由于中英文化的不同,颜色词在汉语和英语中的语用功能也不尽相同。分析英汉颜色词的语用功能,有利于我们避免跨文化交际中的语用失误。本文主要研究了颜色词的语用功能在英汉表达中的异同,具体包括敷彩功能的异同、表情功能的异同、文化功能的异同。本研究不但可以加强人们对英汉颜色词的理解,还有利于促进中英跨文化交流的顺利进行。

关键词:颜色词;中英文化;语用功能

Abstract:In today’s society, the status of color words in Chinese and English is attracting more and more attention. Many scholars carry out meaningful discussions on color words from different perspectives and on different levels. Due to the cultural differences between Chinese and English, pragmatic functions of Chinese and English color words are not exactly the same. Analyzing Chinese and English color words’ pragmatic functions helps us to avoid pragmatic failures in intercultural communication. This paper mainly studies the similarities and differences of pragmatic functions of Chinese and English color words, including: the similarities and differences of the function of color painting, the similarities and differences of expressive function, the similarities and differences of the cultural function. This research can not only enhance people’s understanding of Chinese and English color words, but also help promote the smooth procedure of the Sino-British cross-cultural communication.

Key words: color words; Chinese and English culture; pragmatic functions

摘  要 i

Abstract ii

I. Introduction 1

II. Pragmatics 2

2.1 Definition of Pragmatics 2

2.2 Research Objects of Pragmatics 2

III. Composition and Pragmatic Functions of Chinese and English Color Words 3

3.1 Composition of Chinese and English Color Words 3

3.2 Pragmatic Functions of Chinese and English Color Words 4

IV. Contrastive Analysis of Pragmatic Functions of Chinese and English Color Words 4

4.1 Function of Color Painting 4

4.2 Function of Expression 5

4.3 Function of Culture 5

V. Conclusion 13

Bibliography 14

Acknowledgements 15

Pragmatic Functions of Chinese and English Color Words

I. Introduction

Language is the mirror of culture. We live in a colorful world, and the color words are the words used to describe the color of world. Because of the different living environment and the different physiological factors, the feelings different nationalities have of color are often not the same. With the continuous development of human civilization, people give color words new vitality and energy. From expressing some single color to later derived meaning, color words make language more vivid and charming. Language is both a carrier of culture and a part of culture, and different ethnic groups have different cultures. Some color words literally are corresponding to each other, but the national-cultures they carry are not identical, and may even be widely pergent. Because of cultural differences, the phrases of color have different meanings in different contexts. Because color words in different national languages have different cultural connotations, there are apparent differences between different ethnics in the use of color words, especially in the use of basic color words. Color words reflect not only the traditional habits of different ethnic groups, but also the cultural psychology of different nationalities. Color words as a symbolic systems have different purposes and cultural values in Chinese and English languages. Analyzing the cultural meaning of Chinese and English color words not only helps to understand the cultural information they carry, but also promotes and strengthens the exchange and fusion of Chinese and English culture. Understanding the different symbolic meanings of Chinese and English color words not only helps us to understand each other’s culture, but also to improve our ability in cross-cultural communication. Analyzing the cultural connotation of Chinese and English color words enables us to understand the cultural differences of color words in Chinese and English languages. Understanding and flexibly using color words can effectively avoid the pragmatic failures caused in the intercultural communication.