摘 要

习语是体现一个民族文化底蕴的重要方式。在不同的民族文化的影响下，相同的数字、颜色、动物等都有着不同的含义，由此衍生的习语也带有不同的感情色彩。研究习语是了解一个国家历史文化的重要途径，因此对习语的研究和掌握尤为重要，而动物习语作为习语大家庭中不可缺少的一部分，它所体现的文化内涵更加值得深入研究。

本文从同种动物相同内涵、同种动物不同内涵和不同动物相同内涵这三个角度分析了英汉动物习语中的文化内涵，并在综述前人研究成果的基础上，从地理环境、风俗习惯、历史典故和宗教信仰等视角，深入探讨了导致动物在英汉动物习语中内涵不同的原因。本研究成果有助于人们了解英汉动物习语的文化内涵，有利于动物习语的正确使用，从而减少跨文化交际中的障碍，促进中西方人际交往的和谐。

关键词：对比；文化内涵；英汉动物习语

Contents

1. Introduction…………………………………………………………………………1

2. Demonstration…………….............……............……………....…....………2

2.1. Definition of Idioms………………………..………………………………..……2

2.2. Characteristic of Idioms……………………....……………………...…………2

2.3. Comparision of Cultural Connotations in Animal Idioms…………...………3

2.3.1. Same Animals with Same Connotations…………………………...…………4

2.3.2. Same Animals with Different Connotations…………….………………………4

2.3.3. Different Animals with Same Connotations………….………………………5

2.4. Cultural Factors Contributing to the Differences……………………...………5

2.4.1. Geographical Factors……………………..……………………...……………5

2.4.2. Custom and Habit Factors…………………..…………………………………6

2.4.3. Historical Allusion Factors………………….……………………...…………7

2.4.4. Religious Factors…………..…………..…………………………...…………8

3. Conclusion……………………………......…………………………………………9

Works Cited…………………………………………………………..........................10

Bibliography…………………………………………………………………….......11

A Comparison of Cultural Connotations between English and Chinese Animal Idioms

1. Introduction

Idioms are bright pearls in the long river of human civilization. They reflect a nation’s culture and have become a treasure for a country or a nation to hand down. Idiom is a special language phenomenon. Generally speaking, idioms, including fixed phrases, proverbs, colloquialisms, sayings, allusions and so on, are the results of people's daily life experience. They have to go through a long and complicated process of proof to become idioms. The study of idioms is very important, as idioms have many special features, such as fixed structures, profound implications. Studying idioms is an important way to understand a nation’s culture.

“idioms are one of the components of Chinese and English language and culture.” (Li Shengnan，2017：263) Both English and Chinese are languages with a long history, and idioms are the product of the precipitation of language culture. Idioms can reflect the history, humanities, geography, and religious beliefs of a nation. If you want to have a better understanding of English and Chinese culture, you might as well learn from the aspects of idioms first.

Animal idiom has a long history. It enriches idiom culture with its cultural-related connotations. There are many kinds of animals in both Chinese and English idioms, which are full of symbolic significance. In order to accurately understand the idiom-based philosophy in each culture during the cross-cultural communication, this paper gives an analysis of the cultural connotations that the animal idioms play in Chinese and English culture from three different angles, that is, same animals with same connotations, same animals with different connotations and different animals with same connotations. 

This thesis is made up of three chapters. Each chapter is independent of another and eventually combined together in the conclusion part. The first part describes the background, purpose and structure of this study. The second part firstly clarifies the definition and characteristics of idioms, analyses the cultural connotations of animal idioms in English and Chinese, and then makes a concrete analysis of the cultural differences between China and the West from four aspects: geographical environment, customs, historical allusions and religious beliefs. The third part summarizes the full text and points out the characteristics and significance of this study.

1. Demonstration

2.1. Definition of idioms