Abstract

Due to the impact of various factors such as geographical environment of different nationalities, different regions, contribute to different cultural environment; and different cultural environment has created a different language features. Language is a very important part of culture, it relies on culture and exist but also affects the culture. Vocabulary is an indispensable part of language, the same conception of different words and the different use meaning of the same word, implied meaning and associative meaning of vocabulary will express different language and culture. With deepening in Sino-foreign cultural exchanges, language and culture has been paid great attention in the mass, as a branch of language, vocabulary also gradually become more and more researchers’ study emphasis.

This paper mainly studies the plant words, through the contrast of the plant words in both English and Chinese, discusses and analyzes the same similarities of plant words in Chinese and English, the differences and find out the different reasons and find the corresponding solution. First, analyzes the research status of the plant words, find out familiar plant vocabularies; secondly, through the discussion, contrast, and the method of setting examples, to analyze the plant words in English and Chinese languages, expresses the meaning of the same or different; finally, do an in-depth research to find the cause of this situation and puts forward corresponding solutions on these reasons. This paper has certain reference significance in the cultural contrast between Chinese and English, intercultural communication and translation practice.

Keywords: plant vocabulary, cultural connotation, cultural contrast, associative meaning

Contents

摘要

Abstract

1.Introduction

1.1 Research Purpose-3

2. Associative meaning and its relevant theories

2.1 Associative Meaning-4

2.2 Associative Meaning of Plant Words and Culture  -5

2.3 Metaphor-6

3. Comparison of Cultural Connotation of Plant Words in English and Chinese 

3.1 Differences in English-Chinese Plant Words-6

3.1.1 Same Concept, Different Cultural Connotation-7

3.1.2 Same Concept, Same Cultural Connotation-8

3.1.3 Different Concept, Same Cultural Connotation-8

3.1.4 Cultural Connotation Vacancy of English-Chinese Plant Words -8

4. Reasons for Differences in Cultural Connotation of English and Chinese Plant Words

4.1 Difference in Aesthetic Psychology and Way of Thinking..9

4.2Difference in Myth and Religion.10

4.3 Difference in Living Environment.11 

5. Strategies to Reduce Misunderstanding of English and Chinese Plants Words

5.1 Use Translation Strategies to Reduce the Cultural Differences.12

5.1.1 Literal translation..13  

5.1.2 Liberal translation13

5.1.3 Borrowing translation14

5.2 Distinguish Vocabulary from Contexts..14

Conclusion-14

References-16

Acknowledgements-17