Research Proposal
An Analysis of the Different Cultural Connotations of
Color Words Between English and Chinese By Tian Min
Research Background:
A language not only exprees facts, ideas, or events which represent similar world knowledge by its people, but also reflects the people’s attitudes, beliefs, and world outlooks etc.People of different cultures structure the world around them differently, at least in the language they use to describe that world.Languages differ enormously from one another, and these differences are related to important differences in the customs and behaviors and other aspects of the cultures in which those language reside.In a word, language is a mirror of culture.
When we learn a new word we tend to look for its meaning in the word itself.Yet in addition to its dictionary meanings, the same word may stir up different aociations in people, because of cultural differences.In our daily life, color words are the common illustrations of the cultural differences in language use.In Chinese and English cultures, color words are in the same way influenced by cultures, and used widely in people’s daily life.
Research Significance:
As the differences between Eastern and Western cultures led to the understanding of the color words are not the same .Color words contain a lot of deep meaning, implies a different ethnic feelings.If we do not take into account the impact of cultural differences, we are difficult to understand the implicit meaning of color words.The significance of this thesis is to enable a better understanding of color words, in order to enhance communication skills, avoid conflict of cultures.
Research Status:
Study of color words has long attracted linguists’ attention.The bright lights of the objective world and for humankind as a whole are the same, but the national language or in different books of different ages or different geographical dialects often be found to have different understanding about color words.This concentrated and fully prove that language is the result of human cognition to understand and expre the objective world, different groups of people in cognitive understanding and expreion of the world, due to the different natural environment, social life, cultural traditions.Study of color words in different languages between the similarities and differences.The same object can look at how the differences in cognitive terms showing similarities
and differences between how the social and cultural differences and further expansion of the semantic differences, which for the cognitive linguistics, comparative linguistics and culture, linguistics, and on second language teaching of applied linguistics has an important significance..
Research Tendency:
21st century’s color words study should stre the originality on research based on the achievements of the previous scholars, domestic or abroad.The study should keep track of the latest development of color words, making breakthrough, upgrading the research quality.
Research Significance and Objectives:
I write this thesis in order to make English learners have a better understanding of the cultural meaning of color words and enhance communication skills, avoid conflict in Western culture.
Outline
A.Cultural Connotations of Black and Reflections in Idioms
1．Positive Connotations and Their Reflections in Idioms
1.1 Black Is Aociated With the Solemn and the Dignified
1.2 Black Is Aociated With Profit
1.3 Black Is Aociated With the Black People
2.Negative Connotations and Their Reflections in Idioms
2.1 Black Is Aociated With the Death
2.2 Black Is Aociated With the Evil and Unfortunate
2.3 Black Is Aociated With the Shame and Disgraceful
2.4 Black Is Aociated With Anger
B.Cultural Connotations of White and Reflections in Idioms
1.Positive Connotations and Their Reflections in Idioms
1.1 White Is Aociated With the Pure and Lucky
1.2 White Is Aociated With Integrity and Honesty
2.Negative Connotations and Reflections in Idioms
2.1 White Is Aociated With Death and Poor
2.2 White Is Aociated With Worthle and Timid
C.Cultural Connotations of Red and Reflections in Idioms
1.Positive Connotations and Their Reflections in Idioms
1.1 Red Is Aociated With Honor and Love
2.Negative Connotations and Their Reflections in Idioms
2.1 Red is Aociated with the Obscenity
2.2 Red Is Aociated With Revolution and Socialism.
2.3 Red Is Aociated With Danger and Lo
D.Cultural Connotations of Yellow and Reflections in Idioms
1．Positive Connotations and Their Reflections in Idioms
1.1 Yellow Is Aociated With the Noble
1.2 Yellow Is Aociated With the Joy and Miing
2.Negative Connotations and Their Reflections in Idioms
2.1 Yellow Is Aociated With the Vulgar and Exaggerative
2.2 Yellow Is Aociated With the Coward and Disease
Difficult Points
With the changing society, people have a view of things may have diametrically
opposite point of view, how is the color of the word has become more authoritative to be a problem; how to get people to attach importance to the implied meaning of color words which may lead to cultural conflict is also a problem.As the color words in real life, the widely used, it is difficult in a paper summarizing, so how to form the color words of the formation of an effective system is a difficult.Poible problems also contain: (1) Limited availability of helpful data, especially the books or articles
written by the native scholars; (2) Difficulty in the presentation of insightful ideas and the attainment in originality due to lack of the knowledge related.
Bibliographies
[1] Baugh, A.C.& Thomas Cable.A History of the English Language [M].Peking: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Pre, 2001.
[2] Eckersley, C.E.Brighter English [M].London: Longman, 1979.
[3] Gill, R.Mastering English Literature [M].London: Mac Millan Education, 1985.
[4] Hornby, A.S.Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English [Z].London: Oxford University, 1974.
[5] Knowles, G.A Cultural History of the English Language [M].U.S.A.: A Hodder Arnold Publication, 1997.
[6] Lott, B.A Course in English Language and Literature [M].U.S.A.: Edward Arnold, 1989.
[7] Lyons, J.Language and Linguistics [M].London: Longman, 1981.
[8] Wales, K.Northern English: A Social and Cultural History [M].London: Cambridge University Pre, 2006.
[9] Wu Weizen.History and Anthology of English Literature [M].Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Pre, 2001.
[10] Yang Yanhua & Zhang Shufan.Modern English Lexicology [M].Peking: Metallurgical Industry Pre, 2007.
[11] 陈永烨．“英汉颜色词所表现的中西文化差异” [J]．《辽宁工程技术大学学报》，2005，(7)．
[12] 戴炜栋,何兆熊《新编简明英语语言学教程》.[A].上海：上海外语出版社,2002.
[13] 邓炎昌，刘润清．《语言与文化》[M]．北京：外语教学与研究出版社，1991．
[14] 蒋栋元．“论颜色及颜色词的文化差异” [J]． 《四川外语学院学报》，2002，
(3)．
[15] 唐振华．“英汉颜色词的翻译” [J]．《中国科技翻译》，1997，(2).
n
姓名：田敏
:200940210109论 文 开 题 报 告学号
班级：阜阳师范学院外国语学院2009级英语一班
