Abstract
Language is the carrier of the culture. Color words, as a special classification in the language vocabulary system, it has significant feature and historical inheritance. It makes language more rich and vivid, but also let us have a better understanding of the different culture. Color term in English and Chinese reflect its own physical property and a sign of culture development.
As everyone knows that many elements affect the formation of the meaning of color words. For example: religion, culture, politics, manners and customs. Besides, these color words have been passed down from the past and get its own cultural trait.
The paper chooses the six basic color terms that are widely accepted by scholars to make a comparative analysis of cultural connotations of basic color terms in English and Chinese, and further confirms that connotations of color terms embody culture. Then, the features and the causes of connotations of basic color words can be drawn through the study. At last, the paper states the significance of knowing the connotations when we are dealing with cross-cultural communication and foreign language study.
Keywords： basic color words; culture; cultural connotations; characteristics; cultural causes; functions
Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................1
1. Overview of Color Terms and Culture.................................................................... 1
1.1 Comprehension of Color,Color Term and Basic Color Term........................... 1
1.2 Comprehension of Culture and Culture Connotation........................................2
1.3 Relationship between Color Term and Culture................................................. 3
2. Comparison of basic Color Terms between English and Chinese from Culture.... 4
2.1 Comparison between Black and 黑 ...............................................................4
2.1.1 Culture similarities between Black and 黑................................................4
2.1.2 Culture difference between Blcak and 黑................................................. 5
2.2 Comparison between White and 白................................................................. 5
2.2.1 Culture similarities between White and 白...............................................5
2.2.2 Culture difference between White and 白.................................................5
2.3 Comparison between Red and 红 ..................................................................6
2.3.1 Culture similarities between Red and 红..................................................6
2.3.2 Culture difference between Red and 红....................................................6
2.4 Comparison between Blue and 蓝...................................................................7
2.4.1 Culture similarities between Blue and 蓝.................................................7
2.4.2 Culture difference between Blue and 蓝...................................................7
2.5 Comparison between Purple and 紫................................................................7
2.5.1 Culture similarities between Purple and 紫..............................................7
2.5.2 Culture difference between Purple and 紫................................................7
3.Cause for Culture Similarities and Differences in Basic Color Terms.....................7
3.1 Religion...........................................................................................................8
3.2 Social Political System....................................................................................8
3.3 National Psychology........................................................................................8
3.4 Natural and Social Background.......................................................................9
4.Conclusion..............................................................................................................10
5.Notes.......................................................................................................................10
6.References...............................................................................................................11
