第六讲 语言、文化与翻译

1. 中西语言文化差异

6.1.1 中西语言差异

英语言属于印欧语系，是拼音文字，“以形表意”，主要靠形合（hypotaxis）成篇,强调形式和功能；汉语属于汉藏语系，是表意文字，“以意统形”，主要靠意合（parataxis）成篇，强调逻辑关系与意义关联。

①我常见许多青年朋友，②聪明用功，③成绩优异，④而语文程度不足以达意，⑤甚至写一封信亦难得通顺，⑥问其故则曰其兴趣不在语文方面。（梁实秋《学问与兴趣》）

①I have come across a great many young friends, ②bright and diligent, ③do exceedingly well in studies, ④but they are rather weak in Chinese, ⑤even can’t write a smooth Chinese letter.⑥When asked why, they’ll say they are not interested in Chinese.（梁实秋《学问与兴趣》）

I have come across a great many bright and diligent young friends who have done exceedingly well in studies, but they are rather weak in Chinese. They can’t write a letter in correct Chinese. When I ask them why, they always say they are not interested in the Chinese language. 句子类型：

英语和汉语的句子按功能分为：陈述句、感叹句、祈使句和疑问句；按结构分为单句（simple sentence）和复句(multiple sentence)。 汉语复句按关系主要分为：因果、并列、转折复句。

英语复句分为并列句（compound sentence）和复合句（complex sentence）。英语的基本句型有7种： 1. S+V 2. S+V+O 3. S+V+C 4. S+V+P

5. S+V+O (indirect) +O (direct) 6. S+V+O+C 7. S+V+O+Ad 英汉篇章比较：

篇章（text）是表达整体概念的语义单位。衔接性和连贯性是篇章最重要的特征。 1. 信息结构：篇章最主要的功能是信息功能，借助句子信息结构体现。句子里，

先说的词语是主位（theme），后说的词语是述位(rheme)，主位—述位（theme-rheme）结构就是句子的信息结构，它是作者思维方式的反映。当句子成分既是已知信息又处于主位时，它便是主题(topic),句子的其余部分便是述题(comment)。汉语是主题显著（topic-prominent）语言，句子强调意义和功能，建构在意念主轴(thought-pivot)上；英语是主语显著语言，句子重形式和功能，建构在主谓主轴(subject-predicate-pivot)上。

2. 衔接手段：分为指称衔接、结构衔接、词汇衔接和语音衔接。

1）指称衔接(referential cohesion)：汉语不太在意主语，中国人的思维方式又

比较隐含曲折，所以常出现零式指称（zero-anaphoric）现象；英语中主语不可缺少，英美人的思维方式比较简单直接，所以指称衔接很常用。 2）结构衔接(structural cohesion): 通过主位—述位结构、替代(substitution)、

省略(omission)、对偶(antithesis)、排比(parallelism)、对照(contrast)、回环(palindrome) 、层递(climax) 、反复(repetition)等修辞格实现。 ①我仍旧站在那棵柿子树下，望着树梢上那个孤零零的小火柿子。②它

那红得透亮的色泽，依然给人一种喜盈盈的感觉。③可是我却哭了。④哭那陌生的，但却疼爱我的卖灶糖的老汉。

① I stood under the persimmon tree, looking at the lone little persimmon.②

Its flaming redness was a joyous sight.③ But I cried. ④ I cried for the strange old candy peddler who had been so fond of me. 虚心使人进步，骄傲使人落后。

Modesty helps one go forward, whereas conceit makes one lay behind. 燕子去了，有再来的时候；杨柳枯了，有再青的时候；桃花谢了，有再

开的时候。但是，聪明的，你告诉我，我们的日子为什么一去不复返呢？ Swallows fly away, and they will return; willows wither, and they will

burgeon; peach-blossom fades, and they will afresh. But tell me, you who are wise, why do our days have departed and never returned. 我为人人，人人为我。（回环） One for all, all for one.

①一年，两年，三年，你的望眼欲穿；②一年，两年，三年，我的归心

似箭。

Year after year you have been looking forward with eager expectation to my

home-coming; year after year I’ve been looking forward with great anxiety to returning home.

3）词汇衔接(lexical cohesion): 分为重复和搭配(collocation)。词的重复可以

是相同的词、同近义词、上下义词等。

6.1.2 中西文化差异

中英思维方式的不同：

伦理 (ethics) 与认知 (cognition) 2) 整体(integrity)、综合性 (synthetic) 思维与个体(individuality)、分析性(analytic) 3）直觉(intuition)与实证(evidence) 4) 形象思维(figurative thinking)与逻辑思维(logical thinking) 5）隐含曲折(indirect)与简单直接（direct） Cultural Patterns

Dominant American Cultural Patterns

Individualism: the doctrine that each individual is unique, special, completely different from all other individuals, and the basic unit of nature. It manifests itself in individual initiative (“Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps.”), independence (“Do your own thing.”), individual expression (“The Squeaky wheel gets the grease.), and privacy (“A man’s house is his castle.”). Individualism dominates American culture. Where be in sexual, social, or ethical matters, the self for Americans hold the pivotal position. So strong is this notion that some Americans believe that there is something wrong with someone who fails to demonstrate individualism. Equality:

Americans believe that all people have a right to succeed in life and that the state,

through laws and educational opportunities, should ensure that right. Equality is emphasized in everything from government (everyone has the right to vote) to social relationships (“Just call me by my first name”). The value of equality is prevalent in both primary and secondary social relationships. Most of the primary social relationships within a family tend to advance equality rather than hierarchy. Formality is not important, and children are often treated as adults. In secondary relationships, most friendships and coworkers are also treated as equals. The value of equality in American social relationships often creates communication problems in intercultural settings. Americans like to treat others equal and choose to be treated in the same manner when they interact in school, business, or social environments. People from the cultures that have rigid, hierarchical social structures often find it disconcerting to work with Americans. Materialism

For most Americans, materialism has always been an integrated part of life. They consider it almost a right to be materially well-off and physically comfortable, and they often judge a person by their material possessions. They often ridicule the person who is not driven by material objects. They expect to have swift and convenient transportation—preferably controlled by themselves—a large variety of foods at our disposal, clothes for every occasion, and comfortable homes equipped with many labor-saving devices. .In the American metaphysic, reality is always material reality. Competition

Competition is part of an American’s life from early childhood on. As the proverb says, a horse never runs so fast as when he has other horses to catch up and outpace. In sports and at work, they are told the importance of being “the number one.” Competition is yet another pattern that often causes problems for Americans when they interact with people who do not support this value. When confronted with individuals with a competitive drive, the French, Japanese and our Chinese may interpret them as being antagonistic, ruthless, and power-hungry. We may feel threatened, and overreact or withdraw from the discussion. Hofstede’s Value Dimensions