论文一稿完整版

1.Introduction

Language is a carrier of culture. Color terms are a part of cultural words; it is a part of language. Therefore, color terms are the carrier of culture. It cords human beings?history, traditional custom and social change, Thus, color term plays an indispensable role in people?s life. Human beings have the same things at the beginning of human beings?history. Chinese people and English people?s ancestors have the same experiences. The word surrounded by blue sky, green trees, white clouds gives people the same scene. Through a long period, Chinese and English has different history and culture. It is decided upon the color terms? implication, which are different. In other words, the studies the symbol meaning of the same color term in different culture are different. The symbol meanings of the same color term are different in different periods in one country. China is a part of the world, globalization promotes China?s development. It shows on several aspects. One aspect is cultural communication, Chinese people aspect is to accept western culture, and transform the Chinese culture. It includes the development of tricolor terms. It is important for people to understand and use color terms in cross-culture communication. Color terms have some culturally bound features to show people?s feelings, attitudes, opinions and thoughts. Color terms also have some practical communicative implication.

1.1 The present study of the color terms

The step in the study of color terms displays the human civilization. In the 17th century, people had begin studying the color and the color term in natural science. In the 18th century, it gave rise to the aesthetic study of color terms. In 19th century, it is foundation for contrasting and comparing color terms from a cross-cultural perspective. From last century until now, the study of color terms develops in many subjects, for examples neurology, biogenetics, cognitive science and cognitive psychology. People found the complicated relationship in the color terms? system.

In ancient China, Chinese people who studied colors produced many color terms. In theory of “yin yang” and “five Elements” introduced the five main color terms in society. From the May 4th Movement of 1919.more and more Chinese scholars have studied on color terms.In1964, Zhang Peiji published the book -English Words and Sound and Their Translation, making detailed description of the usage of English

color terms and their translation. In 1970s,in this period, many scholars compared the color terms between Chinese and English, aiming at finding the differences in language and culture, and contributing to the cross-cultural communication. Bi Jiwan in his book, Unmovable Communication Cross-cultural(1999) introduced the classification of unmovable Communication, in which color terms as a phenomenon of unmoral communication drew attention of many scholars. The study on color terms went further in 1980s, reached peak in1990s.In this period, many works published. These works mainly studied from lexical cultural differences, semantic function, contrastive, cross-cultural communication, historical and so on .Each decade had many works and achievement, but cannot list all of the fruits, because of the length of thesis.

1.2 The significance of the present study

In recent decades, people are more interested in color terms from cross-cultural communication perspective, there are mainly two reasons.

First, the world people live in a word of color, people?s eyes can perceive everything, Everything has its own color, even human beings are marked by the appearance of color. Colors play an important role in the world and people?s life. Color terms are product of culture; different color terms have different implication meanings. Chinese and English have their own color term system and function. It influenced the development of technology, industry, economic, and reflected the social changes, custom and culture. Globalization promotes the development of cultures, whereas, color terms are used by people in cross-cultural association.

Second, people live in the society which changes in technology, economic and travel. It created a word which makes people connected with others from different cultures frequently. These interactions will make the world like a village. “Huston Smith said the same thing”When historians look back on our society, they may remember it most, not for space travel or the release of nuclear energy, but as the time when the people of the world first come to take one another serious (Smith, Huston1991:7).In these background, people from different cultures have different understandings about the color terms. So it is necessary to study color terms. This result of this thesis will tell people how to understand the color terms from the perspective of cross-culture and contrastive study of Chinese and English color terms.

2. The classification and functions of the color terms

V ocabulary come from human beings? real life, Chinese and English color terms are also from people?s life and reflect people?s life, Not only Chinese color terms have its own system, but also English color terms have it. Different color terms have different.

2.1 The classification of the color terms

Human beings had the same experiences. For the same experiences, Chinese and English people?s ancestors had the same cognitive on colors. The classifications are very similar in Chinese and English. “It besides basic color terms, color terms with colors of objects,and color terms in shades.”Whereas, Chinese and English have different histories and life styles. The same color has different color terms and in Chinese and English. In this thesis, some Chinese and English basic color terms will be mainly description.

2.1.1 The basic color terms in Chinese

Chinese scholar Yao Xiaoping(1988:19-28)has conducted profound research about Chinese color terms according to the standards set by Berlin and Kay, and he comes to conclude that, along the evolution from the Qin dynasty to contemporary times, there are ten basic color terms in contemporary Chinese as 黑,白,红,黄,绿,蓝,紫,灰,棕,橙. These basic color terms be researched by different scholars, their results are similar to that of most other scholars. All of these products beside seven same basic color terms, they are黑,白,红,黄,绿,蓝,紫. These color terms are used widely in Chinese.

2.1.2 The basic color terms in English

In western, Plato thought there were ten single colors while Ariston gave seven. The famous painter Davinic figured six to eight single colors. Today the two well-known color systems as Munsell System and Ostwald System, which are international standard color test methods, regulate 10 and 8 basic colors. Those single or basic colors reflect the tendency and custom of defining the basic color terms. Berlin and Kay gave some definition of basic color terms which accepted by other

scholars. According to these definitions, these are eleven basic color terms in English. They are white, black, red, green, yellow, blue, brown, purple, pink, orange, and grey. These basic color terms are similar to Chinese.

2.2 The expression function of the color terms

Language has a context, and language cannot go without culture. Many famous writers use the color terms as a powerful weapon to describe people?s inner world. The color terms can show user?s feelings, attitudes, opinions, and thoughts.

2.2.1 Yellow

Chinese黄in English is yellow. This color term express that people feel anger, scare and bloom in Chinese. For example:

1)金荣气黄了脸，说：“反了！奴才小子都干如此，我只和你主子说。（曹雪芹

《红楼梦》第九回）

Livid with anger Jin Rong bawled, “The rebel! How dare a slave run wild like this? I?ll have a word with your master.(杨宪益，戴乃迭译)

Western counties? people hate yellow, because the one who betrayed Jessie was in yellow. For this yellow gave people a sense of despicable.

2.2.2 Red

Chinese红in English is red. Red show different feelings in Chinese and English. From these two sentences, red describe that people feel happy, exciting and shine in Chinese.

1)“你怎么动手动脚……”尼姑满脸通红。

“Why are you pawning?”demanded the nun, flushing all over her face as the quickened her pace.(杨宪益，戴乃迭译)

2）大家似乎全动心了，那个拿着酒碗的中年人，已经把酒喝净，眼珠子通红，而且此刻带着些酒。（骆驼祥子）

Everyone was moved. The middle-aged man who had been drinking had finished his bowl. His bloodshot eyes fined with tears. (施晓菁）

In English, red is the word, which implies bad temple. For instance, see red refers to someone is in anger. Redheaded means someone has a bad temper.

2.2.3 White

Chinese白in English is white. White is often associated with unhappy thing. White is used to describe user?s anxious, sad and indifferenc e in Chinese.

1)白蜡色的脸，一对灰溜溜的眼睛，只管盯住周铁汉看，两腿索命似地狠命筛

着糠。

His face the color of white wax, he stared at Tiehan with dead years, his legs shaking like a chaff shifter. (《中国翻议》5：13)

2）树木微动，月色更显得微茫；白塔却高耸到云间，傻白傻白的把一切都带得冷寂萧索，整个的三海在人工的雕琢中显出北地的荒凉。（骆驼祥子）

Trees stirred gently, the moonlight seemed hazier than ever. Above towered the white dagoba, its chalky paleness casting a chilly gloom on all around so that the three lakes, despite their manufactured adornments, revealed their fall northern bleakness. (施晓菁译)

3）公平地说，妈妈算是对我最好的，尽管因为生了我这个女孩儿她遭尽了全家的白眼。（王扶《我不愿意做女孩儿》）

To be fair, mother has been very good to me, thought she had been treated with the utmost contempt because of giving birth to me.

Whereas, in England people used white to represented happy occasions. For example, white day is a lucky day. A white lie is a harmless one, intended not to hurt someone. For example, your mother bought a dress for you that she was very satisfied with, and wanted to know if you like it. Maybe in your mind, it was out of the fashion or the color was not to you test. But you said, “Oh, I like it” in order not to let her down. It was a lie, but a good-intentioned lie. There is another example. Chinese and English person have different understanding about white. White man is not the man who in white. It means a person who is a kindhearted man.

2.2.4 Blue

蓝in Chinese has another color term called 青. It is often to express people?s dejected feelings.

1)曾家驹下意识地拾取那只手枪来，再对准那妇人和孩子；他的脸铁青，他的

心卜卜地跳而且涨大。

More out of instinct than anything, Zeng Jiaju picked up the pistol and aimed it at the mother and her child, his face as black as thunder and his heart thumping wildly.

蓝in English is blue. However, blue is not associated with happiness and imagination, but gloom and depression. In a blue mood or having the blues refers to a sad, gloomy and depression mood. Similarly, a blue Monday carries the same feeling. Usually after the happy weekends, people likely to feel reluctant to attend

school or go back to work. …They felt rather blue after the failure in the football match.? In this sentence, blue refers to people in depression.

In sum, the world is a world of colors. A Chinese and English person has different understandings about same color terms. The same color terms show different feelings of people?s inner world. Above all the examples, they told people color terms are products of culture. Chinese and English has their own color terms, these color terms have different functions and meaning.s

3. The social implication of the color terms

When cultural backgrounds are different, the conflict between people may take place by misunderstanding. Understanding is not always easy, It has difficulties in communicating with each other for people who comes from different languages and cultures. If people ignore the cultural factors in cross-culture occasion, misunderstanding is inevitable. Color terms are products of culture, and parts of culture. A different person who comes from different backgrounds, have different understandings about the color terms. If users ignore the social implication of the color terms in cross-culture occasion, misunderstanding is inevitable.

3.1. The symbols meaning of the color terms in Chinese and

English

Sometimes one color term symbolizes the origin and history of one country?s culture. The same color term has different symbol meanings in different languages and cultures. In English and Chinese some color terms have special meaning. The usages of these color terms are unique. Following this part will contrast the symbol meaning of the color terms in Chinese and English.

3.1.1 Red

Red is a traditional color in Chinese culture. It is symbolizing jubilation and propitiously. It shows Chinese pursuit on material and spiritual life. For example, in Chinese, those who are popular and find favor with their bosses are called red guy. 红榜means a honor board, because in China, people used to write those honorable people?s names on a red paper in various occasions. 红运means good luck.. In English, red implies blood and dangerous. It is often associated with violence or bad thing. Such as …red in tooth and claw?, …red hands?. red in tooth

and claw refers to cold and cruel. A red hand means a person who is a killer.

3.1.2 White

To Chinese white symbolize unhappy, terrified, death. It is associated with funerals and bad guy. Chinese 白is not equal to English white completely. To native English speakers white symbolizes purity, innocence. Wedding is a happy day, it is important for people to begin his new life. This is why the brides are dressed in white in western countries. White also symbolizes brave and loyal. For instance, …a white spirit? is a spirit of brave or uprightly. …A white man? refers to a person who has good education. White implies lucky, …white day? means a lucky day. …One of the white days of somebody?s life? this expression means the lucky day of one?s life.

3.1.3 Green

Green used to represent life, energy, healthy and convenience in Chinese. On one hand, green is associated with spring, because in spring all of the plants turn green, and animals are full of energy. For these reasons, green symbolizes life and energy. On the other hand, green food refers to the food is not harmful for people to eat. Green implies jealous or lack of experience and knowledge. For instance, …green with envy?, …green as jealousy?, …green eyed monster? these phrase means very jealousy. …The typist is green at her job.?In this sentence, …green?refers to new. It means the typist lack of experience.

3.2 The changes of symbol meaning of the color terms

The symbol meanings of the color terms are influence by technology, economic and many other aspects. It will change in different periods; even it in same culture has different symbol meanings in different periods. On account of this, there are two examples.

The first one, the symbol meaning of yellow. In ancient China, yellow stands for royalty and power. Yellow belongs to the imperial, only royalties can use yellow. Absolutely yellow had a high position. On contemporary, the symbol meaning of the yellow changed. It did not stand for power any more, it is associated with pornographic, ashy and obscene.

The second one, the symbol meaning of purple. Both in English and Chinese, purple are often associated with high rank or station. It is symbolizing nobility and spirituality. In ancient times, purple robes were worn by royalty or high rank, ordinary people could not wear in purple. Nowadays ordinary people can wear in purple. It is a

mysterious color, but it is not special. Not only its symbol meaning changed, but also its position changed.

3.3 The social traditional culture of color terms

In English and Chinese cultures, there are some color terms which people use to express the different concepts. These color terms truly have differences in social traditions. In this case, people should not understand these color terms literally, thus cannot keep the social traditional sense of these color terms. To understand the meaning of the color terms is important, and to know the traditional culture is also important.

In China, red and yellow were noble colors in Zhou dynasty, royalties and official were worn red and yellow. A person who worn black had a lower position. In Tang dynasty, the level of officials distinguished by the color of the robes. Yellow belongs to imperial. The third grade officials were in purple. The fifth grade officials were in red. These people in dark green were sixth grade officials. The seventh grade were in light green ordinary people only wear white.

In western countries, the brides wear in …white wedding? is important for people. White is a beautiful color in English tradition culture. Brides wear in white dress refers to purity and faithful. Whereas Chinese wedding the brides were red clothes, red shoes, everything is red in wedding. It means lucky and happy. It is traditional costume. The brides did not allow wearing white. It is associated with unhappy thing.

A good case in point is a Englishman whose wife is a Chinese lady, he hoped she put on the white dress in their wedding. When the lady?s father saw the white dress, he really saw red. In his mind, wedding is red-letter day in people?s life. Everything should be red, conversely, white symbolize funerals. This is why the father is angry.

4. Further discussion

The modern society is characterized by rapid pace; it created a world which makes people connected with others from different cultures. Color terms show and reflect these interactions. It besides many aspects, they are political, economic and education, and so on. People are adapted to foreign cultures and promote their own culture?s development. Education is a way to transfer cultures. The interests are to education, what is the language to culture. The color terms are a part of language, part

of culture, and also a part of education.

4.1 The usage of the color terms

Color terms has a big family, they are used for many aspects. Among these aspects, political and economic are more often. It reflected the interactions with political and economic.

4.1.1 The usage of the color terms in political

It is not surprising that Chinese people used to show their opinions by color terms. The color terms have political backgrounds. It is because the social style and history. For instance, Chinese 白is the symbols of being reactionary as in the expressions: 白区,白色政权,白色恐怖.红refers to revolution, movement, powerful and communism: 红色政权,红卫兵,红旗手,红军. In western countries, color terms also have political meaning. For example, there is a terrorist organization; it is called …red army?. It refers to blood violence and terror, but Chinese 红军. Black Hand means illegal and evil organization. Blackball means to prevent somebody from joining club or a group by voting against them. Green Beret refers to an American special army.

4.1.2 The usage of the color terms in economic

In comparison, western countries? people are more interested in using color terms in economic. There are many color terms using in economic. For examples, a white war is a war without bloodshed, it is an economic competition. Bleed white means to extort every cent from someone. White sale means the price cutting. Black in both Chinese and English often arise a negative meaning. However, in the black has a good meaning in English, running a business profitably. This term comes from the color of the ink used in keeping accounts. For example, lack figured action(国际顺差). If the color of the ink is red, that is not a good thing. Out of red means out of debt and be caught. Black market implies the market is illegal. Black money means the money come from illegal way. Greenback is an American Banknote. Green power refers to the power of the money, because the color of the American banknote is green. There many other color terms used in business English, this thesis cannot list all of them.

4.1.3The usage of the color terms in education

People use the color terms to show their inner world and feelings. In fact, as part

of environment that people?s feeling influenced by colors. For these influences, a part of them are good for people to develop education. The first and most important reason is that in west countries, teachers encourage students to have their own dream, imagination. Teachers encourage them to create new things and discover mysterious ttings in nature. On the other hand, people?s mood is aroused by colors. Red makes students feel more excited than orange and purple. Blue makes students keep silent. Therefore, the color of the classroom is yellow or pink in primary school classroom in western countries. In college the cold color: blue and light blue often be used. Pink is a warm color that is for hope. Students feel comfortable and soft in a pink classroom. Children have a good condition to learn something and keep a good mood, no pressures.

In China, people prefer using cold color in classroom to using warm color in classroom. Not only primary school classroom are white. Teachers think that white is a bright color. White wall attracts students? attention. They will pay more attention to the class and teachers?denotation.Then they will get a higher score in final examinations. The social style, education system and thought caused it.

4.2 The duality of cross-culture adaptation in color terms

New concepts as …duality of cross-culture adaptation?and …adverse adaptation?were put forward by Huang Yongiang in 2009. …Duality of cross-culture adaptation? is sojourners have adaptation towards native people, and native people also have adaptation towards sojourners. During this time, native people also have adaptation towards sojourners called …adverse adaptation?. As the products of culture, color terms shown the duality of cross-culture adaptation. A particular example for this is a wedding of the author?s friend. During the wedding, the white wedding instead of the red robe, the western-style clothes instead of Chinese traditional clothes. The native people had adapted to the western culture. Chinese begin to comprehend English people?s life style and thought style. White is purity and faithful, but death and unhappy. Chinese accept western custom and festival. English people accept Chinese traditional custom and festival. On spring festival, English people will wear red clothes to celebrate the festival. If culture is a product, people can import it and export it. Then Chinese import it more than export it. As native people have adaptation towards foreign cultures. Nevertheless, people should choose it, which is good for them. Native people and foreigners to adapt to each other that is a good thing in cross-culture occasions. Adaptation declines misunderstandings in color terms in

Chinese and English. Whereas, people need the differences in color terms, because differences are traditional culture in their countries.

4.3 Color terms and English teaching

People research the color terms in cultural differences that are to decline the understanding. Education is a good way to transfer cultures. In China, middle school English teaching always pursuit higher score. The score is the only one thing that students want to get. It is a disadvantage in English teaching. Language is a carrier of culture. In order to know culture, people to learn language. The score is not the most important thing, but knowing the cultures and using language. In Chinese middle school English teaching, always pay more attention to grammar and vocabulary, not cultural backgrounds and some interesting usage of vocabulary. Maybe the cultural backgrounds can not be the main part in middle school English class. However, as a section of class introduced by teachers to the students. It will change the English class, maybe will become more interesting. Color terms are not a new concept; all of the middle school students have learnt it. Whereas, few students know the connotation of color terms. The color terms?factors are beyond the language, which include the cultural factors such as different customs, traditions and cultural backgrounds. When the teachers introduce the color terms, the customs, traditions, and cultural backgrounds will be introduced. It will be a interesting part in English class. The class won?t be boring for students.

5.Conclusion

Language, as a part of culture, probably the most important and essential aspect of culture, plays a very important role in it. Color terms are a part of language, and products of culture, without color terms language would not be completed and the culture without color. For centuries people use a variety of color terms and a large number of color expressions to show their changing feelings ad preferences. Take an appreciation of the following sentences: …Mr. White is a very man. He was looking rather green the other day. He has been feeling blue later. When I saw him, he was in a brown study. I hope he will be the pink again.? This is a classic depression in English used to express sensations by using color terms. In Chinese people also can find numerous novels and poems full of color terms. According to the above comparison

and analysis, people see that there are differences between the color terms in Chinese and English. The meaning of Chinese color terms is usually general, while the meaning of English color terms is specific. The same word maybe understands in completely different way by people from different cultural backgrounds. In some occasions, people have different associations about the same color term. The study of color terms used in many aspects. Education is a way to transfer the connotation of the color terms, but Chinese middle school few students learned the usage of color terms; therefore, it is a long way to explore the color of culture.

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