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英汉谚语的比较

[Abstract] Proverbs are the cream of a language. They reflect the relationship between language and culture. Human beings’ common social activities are in many aspects similar, so English and Chinese proverbs have similarities. Because of the cultural differences, English and Chinese proverbs have differences in their detailed contents. The author compares their similarities and differences and also proposes that English and Chinese proverbs will break the boundary and accomplish interfusion. English and Chinese proverbs have similar origin and similar linguistic characters. They both originate from folk life, mythology, literary works and from other languages. Differences between English and Chinese proverbs also exist. That is different geography; different history customs; different religions and different value concepts.

[Key Words] proverbs; similarities; differences; interfusion

[摘 要] 谚语是语言的一个重要组成部分，是各国语言文学艺术宝库中的一朵奇葩。谚语体现了语言与文化的关系。由于人类的普遍社会活动和心理思维过程有许多共同之处，因此英汉谚语也存在着相同之处。但由于各国具体历史文化背景的不同，所以英汉谚语又存在着差异。本文分析了英汉谚语的相同点与不同点，并提出英汉谚语在跨文化交际中的渗透与融合。英汉谚语有着相同的起源和语言特点。都来自民间生活，神话传说，文学作品和外来语。英汉谚语的语言具有简炼和生动形象的特点。但从具体内容来看，英汉谚语表现了不同的地理、历史、宗教和文化价值观念。最后指出随着世界文化的交流，谚语逐渐打破国家和民族的界限，英汉谚语在互相渗透与融合。

[关键词] 谚语；相同点；不同点；融合 1. Introduction

The definition of proverb by Oxford Advanced Learner’s English-Chinese Dictionary is “short well- known saying that states a general truth or gives advice.” (精练的俗语，或为普遍道理或为劝诫语) Wu Zhankun said that proverbs are the crystal of national wisdom and experience. They are frequently used orally and handed down from generation to generation and usually give people information and speak the truth. They are short sentences with common style, concise structure, and vivid language.[1] Wang Qin said that proverbs are the summing up of practical experiences. They are the oral forms of language that give people experience, advice or warning. [2] The great English philosopher Francis Bacon once said:“The genius, wit and spirit of a nation are discovered in its proverbs.”

From these definitions, we can see common characters of proverbs. Proverbs are the crystal of the national wisdom and experience. Proverbs are colloquial, so they are very easy to be remembered and handed down. They usually give people advice and warning.

Proverbs are the cream of a language. Language and culture are tightly interacted with each other; each influencing and shaping the other. Language is part of culture. The Chinese language is part of China culture and English language is part of English culture. Language is the carrier and container of culture. Human knowledge and experience are described and stored in language.[3] As a part of language, proverbs closely integrated with the society and culture. Proverbs reflect many aspects of the nation such as

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geography, history, religious faith and values.

English and Chinese belong to two different language systems, having great differences in their cultures. But human beings’ common social activities and emotional reflection and observation of the world are in many aspects similar. So not only differences but also many similarities exist in English and Chinese proverbs. With the communication of world, English and Chinese proverbs are permeating and interfusing each other.

2. Similarities between English and Chinese proverbs

The similarities between English and Chinese proverbs mainly lie in their origins and linguistic characters. 2.1 Similar origins

Proverbs are concise, vivid and common short sentences which be used and passed on orally. They are the summing up of the experience in the production struggle and the social life and the crystal of wisdom. [4] An English proverb itself tells us that“Proverbs are the daughter of experience.” From these we can find that English and Chinese proverbs enjoy the similar origin: they both originate from people’s daily life and experience. Specifically speaking, they both come from folk life, mythology, literary works and from other languages.

2.1.1 Originating from folk life

Proverbs are the summary of people’s daily life and experience, and closely related to the practice of people’s life and work, revealing a universal truth from details so as to enlighten people. There are many proverbs originated from folk life. They are created by working people, such as farmers, workmen, hunters, businessmen, army-men and so on. They use familiar terms that were associated with their own fields. E.g.: Farmers created the following proverbs: (1) Make hay while the sun shines. (2) April rainy for corn, May for grass. (3)肥不过春雨, 瘦不过秋霜。 (4)春天不忙，秋后无粮。

Workmen created the following proverbs: (5) Strike while the iron is hot.

(6) A good anvil does not fear the hammer. (7)木匠怕漆匠，漆匠怕光亮。

Hunters created the following proverbs:

(8) He that is afraid of every bush will never prove a good huntsman. (9)上山打虎心要狠，下海提龙心要齐。 Businessmen created the following proverbs: (10) You pay your money and take your choice. (11)货有高低三等价，客无远近一样待。 Army-men created the following proverbs: (12) A good general make good men. (13)养兵千日，用在一时。

These were first used by a limited group of people in the same fields. Because they are philosophical colloquialism, later they gradually gained wide acceptance and partly became part of the common corn of language and are now used in many other situations. 2.1.2 Originating from mythology

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Each nation has its own mythology, fable and allusion. Chinese traditional culture, ancient Greek and Roman civilization bequeath many mythologies and allusions. They become one of the major sources of proverbs. The stories and heroes in Greek Mythology, The Fable of Aesop and The Homer left a lot of proverbs. E.g.:

(14) I fear the Greeks, even when bringing gifts. (From the well-known story of the Trojan horse by which the Greeks took the city of Troy.)

(15) You cannot make a Mercury of every dog. (From Roman Mythology. It means that not every mind will answer equally well to be trained into a scholar).

(16) The fox said the grapes were sour. (From The Fables of Aesop. It means that one said something is bad when one cannot get it.)

Chinese culture can trace back to ancient times. There were many natural phenomenons and our ancestor can’t explain these phenomenons. They created the mythology and fable to explain the phenomenon. So many Chinese proverbs come from mythology and fable. E.g.: (17)八仙过海，各显神通。（from《八仙过海》） (18)过着牛郎织女的生活。（from a folk legend）

2.1.3 Originating from literary works

Many English and Chinese proverbs come from literary works. A nation’s literary languages are its language’s ginger. They promote the development of language. Some of brilliant sentences, plot and hero’s name in literary works become proverbs.[5]

There are many great writers in western society, such as Shakespeare, Francis Bacon, John Milton and so on. They had made distinctive contributions to the development of English literature. Their works were accepted and passed on by English people from generation to generation. Many sentences become the English proverbs.

Shakespeare’s works are the most colorful literature origin of proverbs. Many English proverbs are from the works of Shakespeare. E.g.:

(19) “The biter is sometimes bit.” is from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. It tells people that those who do bad things to others will bring themselves trouble.

(20)“All is not gold that glitters.” is from Shakespeare’s The Merchants of Venice. It means that those who have a good appearance are not necessarily profound or learned.

Some other writers, philosophers’ words also become proverbs. E.g.: (21)“Reading makes a full man, conference a ready man, and writing an exact man” is from a distinguished English philosopher and writer Bacon’s On Reading. It tells people that reading, conference and writing can make a person learned, sharp and precise. And(22) “The childhood shows the man” is from Milton’s Paradise Regained.

Many Chinese proverbs are from classic Chinese literary works. The four great works: The Pilgrimage to the West, The Three Kingdoms, A Dream of Red Mansions and The Marsh Rebellion are the most popular classics in China. Such as:

(23)温故而知新。(By studying the old one learns something new )---《论语》(Selected Reading) (24)三个臭皮匠顶个诸葛亮。(Three cobblers with their wits combined equal Zhuge Liang the master---the wisdom of the masses exceeds that of the wisest individual.)---《三国演义》( The Three Kingdoms)

(25)三十六计,走为上计。(Of the thirty-six stratagems, the best is running away.)---《水浒传》(The Marsh

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