-
Unit 4
词汇与意义
?
教学内容：
?
（
1
）词汇的概念意义、内涵意义
、社会意义、情感意义和搭配意义。
?
（
2
）中英词汇对比
?
基本要求：
?
了解词汇在语言的跨文化交际中的地位，掌握词汇的几种意义，中英语言在词汇方面
存在的
差别。重点是词汇的内涵意义及中英词汇的差别。
Importance
?
If we want to study the
difference between two languages, we have to begin
with the study of
the words in the two
languages. Because the close relationship between
language and culture is
most readily
seen in words.
Section 1 Types of
meanings
?
1. Conceptual
meaning
概念意义
?
the basic meaning presented
by a word. It refers to logical,
cognitive(
认知的
), referential
(
指示
的
), or
denotative
（外延的）
content.
?
also
known as surface meaning or denotative
meaning
外延意义
, dictionary
meaning or literal
meaning
字面意义
of a word.
Features of
Conceptual
meaning
概念意义
?
1. It is the core of the
meaning of a word. It is the basic meaning
represented by meaningful
linguistic
units. It’s recorded in the dictionary.
?
E.g.
woman-an
adult female human being.
?
Dog-a four-legged animal
which can make the sound of barking
?
2. It can be divided into
some semantic components(
语义成
?
分
).
?
Woman:
+animate(
有生命
)
+human(
人
)
- male (
男性
)
-adult(
成年
)I
?
boy
：
?
3. It is relatively
constant and stable, because it is the meaning
agreed upon by all the members
of the
same speech community.
But
it may also vary.
?
Manuscript
=“
手稿
”
now
also including
文稿
printed from
typewriter or computer
Note: Many different words can have the
same conceptual meaning
?
walk
?
to
move
forward
by
placing
one
foot
in
front
of
the
other.
The
newlyweds
新婚夫妇
strolled
down
漫步
the streets of Paris.
?
The wealthy businessman
swaggered
大摇大摆地
into the restaurant and demanded a
table.
The overweight man
lumbered
笨重地行动
along, breathing heavily and
occasionally tripping.
?
These synonyms,
although with different connotative
meanings
内涵意义
, have the same
conceptual
meaning.
The English Words unique in English
culture
?
A. words related
with geography
?
e.g.
New
England,
Canberra,
Northern
Ireland,
Sydney,
London,
Edinburgh,
Greenwich,
Quebec,
Ottawa,
?
The Thames River, St.
Lawrence, British Isles, The Rocky
Mountains
（落基山脉）
, The
Mississippi
River, The Niagara Falls,
?
koala,
kangaroo, tornado(
龙卷风
)
?
The Great Barrier Reef,
Silicon Valley, Yellowstone Park,
?
Summary
：
A
ll
these
have
their
own
geographical
features:
places,
plants
and
animals
uniquely
found in USA, Great
Britain and Australia; They all represent meaning
unique in their own
cultures
；
Their
Chinese equivalents are only used by the Chinese
people as mere names, which have lost their
distinctive geographical and cultural
features.
The English Words
unique in English culture
?
A. words related with
geography
?
e.g.
?
U.S.A:
New
England, The Rocky Mountains,The Mississippi
River, The Niagara Falls,Yellowstone
Park, Silicon Valley
?
Britain:
British
Isles, Northern Ireland, London, Edinburgh,
Greenwich, The Thames River, Rose
?
Canada:
Ottawa,
Quebec, St. Lawrence,
?
Australia:
Canberra, Sydney, The Great Barrier Reef, koala,
kangaroo
?
B.
words and history
?
the May
Flower
?
(the ship in which a
group of
?
British Puritans who were
also
?
known as
pilgrim fathers sailed to
?
America in 1620.
?
The revolutionary war
?
( the struggle of the 13
colonies in North America for independence from
the British rule between
1775-1783)
?
Scalp(
头皮
)
?
(to
tear
the
skin
on
the
top
and
back
of
head
and
the
hair
attached
from
an
enemy
by
an
North
American Indian as a
trophy
战利品
)
?
?
Knight
?
(a
man
given
the
rank
of
knighthood
by
the
British
Monarch
in
recognition
of
merits
in
public
service)
?
Hippy/Hippie
?
(a
young
man
and
young
woman
who
rejects
authority,
existing
institutions
and
conventional
attitudes
towards morality, style of dress, etc.)
?
C.
word and politics
?
USA: President, Secretary, Congress,
Senate, the House of Representatives, The
Democratic Party,
The Republican Party,
the Supreme Court
?
Great
Britain: Parliament
议会
:the
supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom. It
comprises the
sovereign, the House of
Lords and the House of Commons.
议会两院尤指英国
由上议院和下议院构
成的国家立法机关
;
Prime
Minister,
The
Conservative
Party,
The
Labour
Party,
Supreme
Court
of
Judicature
司法
?
Gov
ernor
行政长官
?
the official title of the
representative of the British monarch in a British
colony.
?
Governor
general
总督
?
the personal representative
of the British crown in the independent nations of
the commonwealth.
?
e.g. The
Canadian Governor General
?
Constitutional
monarchy
君主立宪制
?
a monarchy in which the
powers of the rulers are restricted to those
granted under the constitution
and laws
of the nation
D. words and
religion
?
Bible
?
a collection of religious
books comprising the Old Testament and New
Testament
?
reformation:
宗教改革
?
a
16th century religious movement against the abuses
in the Roman Catholic Church, ending in the
formation of Protestant Churches.
?
Christmas
box
耶诞礼物或礼金
?
money given at Christmas
time to the dustmen and others who provide a
service throughout the year.
?
Boxing
day
节礼日
?
the first week day after
Christmas, a legal holiday in England
?
Easter
?
the chief Christian feast,
which celebrates the Resurrection of Christ, on
the first Sunday after the full
moon
that coincides with or comes after the spring
equinox.
E. words and
Holidays
Christmas
cake/pudding/card/tree/carol/stocking
Father Christmas), Santa Claus(A)
?
F. words and
currency
?
Pound, penny; the
American dollar, cent, quarter, nickel
?
G
. Words and law
?
Court, judge, jury, lawyer,
attorney (A)
?
H. Words and
way of life
?
Snack Bar,
roast beef, hamburger, sandwich, barbecue,
cocktail, champagne; pajamas, suite, dress;
subway, Greyhound bus; drive-ins,
diner,
?
I. words
and sports
?
Football,
soccer, rugby, hockey, cricket
?
J. words and sex
?
Striptease, sex store,
sexual interference, prostitute, whorehouse
?
K. words and personality
?
GB: reserve, practical,
insularism
偏执
?
USA
：
individualism, rapid pace
of life, direct, promptness, informality,
originality, materialism
English works partly corresponding with
Chinese words in conceptual meaning
?
1.
Intellectual--
知识分子
?
2. social
sciences--
社会科学
?
3.
drugstore--
药店
?
[
美
]
杂货店
(
出售药物、糖果、饮料
,
化妆品，杂志及其他杂物的店铺
)
?
4. Morning=
午夜
+
凌晨
+
黎明
+
早晨
+
上午
?
5. Young(18-40),
middle-aged(40-60), old (over
60)-------
老中青
?
Discussion:
discuss the conceptual differences
between the words in each pair
< br>?
yard--
院子
?
peasant--
农民
?
idealist-
唯心主义
者
?
materialist--<
/p>
唯物主义者
家庭
)
?
An
American (A) attended her Chinese friend's (B)
wedding. Two years later, the two met
again.
?
A: Have you started a
family'!
?
B: Oh, yes. You attended my wedding,
remember?
?
A: I mean if you've had
children.
?
Here
we
see
that
'
family'
means
more
than
jiating
(
家庭
)
，
though
they
seem
to
be
equivalents.
2. Connotative
meaning
内涵意义
?
the
implication
（含义，暗示）
of words, apart from its primary
meaning.
It
is
the
communicative
value
that
an
expression
has
in
addition
to
the
purely
conceptual
meaning. It varies from culture to
culture and from individual to individual
?
E.g. Woman
?
Physical:
biped(
双足的
), having a
womb(
子宫
)
?
Personality: gentle,
compassionate, sensitive, hard-working,
frail
脆弱的
, emotional, prone
to tears,
irrational,
incons
tant
变
化
无
常
的
,subject
to
maternal
instinct,
behavior:
capable
of
speech,
experienced in cookery, skirt or dress
wearing,
?
Dog
?
loyal to owner,
fierce
凶猛的
, violent
Features of
Connotative meaning
内涵意义
?
1.
Despite
cultural
background
difference,
some
corresponding
words
in
two
languages
may
convey the same
connotative meaning. e.g tiger,
老虎
--cruelty
?
E.g. Woman
?
2. words with the same
conceptual meaning yet different connotative
meaning
?
书
, book
?
老，
old
?
同志，
comrade
?
宣传，
propaganda
?
狗，
dog
Connotative meanings vary
according to different people, times, ages,
societies etc.
?
E.g. Home: warm, loving,
comfortable, safe
?
like a prison,
cold, boring
?
终身大事
?
工作？
事业？
婚姻
?
生死？
?
Connotative meaning may
change with the times going
?
E.g.
traditional: positive in the past
?
“old, conservative” at
present
?
3. Social
meaning
社会意义
?
Social meaning
is what a piece of language conveys about the
social circumstances of its use,
such
as
the
language
users(
who
are
using
the
language),
settings
(where
is
language
used),
topics (what are language users are
talking or writing).
?
E.g
?
home (general) ,
residence
(formal),
domic
ile
（
law
）
, abode (literature),
?
horse,
steed
（战马）
,
nag
（老马）
,
gee-gee
（
< br>child
）
?
throw(general)
,
cast (literature and religious),
chuck(slang)
?
salt, sodium chloride
?
disobedient,
recalcitrant
反抗的
?
A good selection of words
is important.
Exercise
！
?
Words
which
stand
for
what
people
do
in
order
to
make
a
living:
job,
vocation,
profession,
occupation, career, trade, work
?
Profession
(an occupation requiring special
education, especially in the liberal arts or scien
ces)
所指
的职业是需要在文科或理科方面有一定的教育程度
，具备一定理论水平的人才的职业。通常指
脑力劳动。例如：
t
he teaching profession(
教书的职业
)
，
the profession of journali
sm(
新闻业
)
。
?
以前
profession<
/p>
专指三种职业：法律、医药、神学，称作
the learned
professions(
学者的职业
)
。
?
而随着技术的发展和职业的细化
(occupational
specialization)
，
渐渐越来越多的职业可以划
归到
“profession”
中，
如
：
engineers(
工程师
)
，
educationalists(
教育
家
)
，
accountants(
会计
)
。
现在
profession
覆盖的范围更大了。
?
Vocation (the particular
occupation for which you are trained)
是指
经过训练后从事的职业，需
要一定职业技能。
vocation
al education(
职业教育
)
，
vocational school(
职业学校
)
。
?
?
Occupation (the principal
activity in your life that you do to earn money)
指生活中为了赚钱而
从事的主要活动。我们可以说
< br>By
occupation
she
is
a
housewife.(<
/p>
她的职业就是做家务。
)
而
occupational
disease
则是职业病。
?
Trade (the skilled practice
of a practical occupation)
更侧重技巧、手艺而非高深的
学问、理论
等。如：
carpenter(
木匠
)
，
barber(
理发师
)
等。我们说
“
三十六行
”
这里的
“
行
”
就是
trade
。
?
?
Career (long-term or
lifelong job)
指长期的，
甚至终身从事的职业。
a career soldier(
职业军人
)
，
a career politician(
职业政客
)
。
?
?
wo
rk
它是泛指一切长期从事的职业，
不管专业、
技巧，
不管是否需要学问等等。
“What's
your
work?”(
你做什么工作
?)
是最常见的问别人工作的一句话。
?
?
Job (a specific piece of
work required to be done as a duty or for a
specific
fee)
常指一件具体工
作。
You
have done a good job
．
(
你做的很好。
)
暑期工就可以是
a summer job
。
His job is to
sell
newspapers.(
他的活就是卖报纸。
)
Social Meanings
of Some English Words
?
Table
1
，
2
Pairs of synonyms in English
?
Table 3 Triples of synonyms
in English
4.
Affective (emotional)
meaning
情感意义
?
Communicated when feelings
or attitudes are expressed either directly or
indirectly in language.
?
Affective
meaning
can
be
expressed
by
conceptual
meaning,
connotative
meaning
and
interjection(
感叹词
).
?
E.g.(1) I
am firm.
?
You are
obstinate.
（固执己见，执迷不悟）
?
He is a pig-headed
fool.
（愚蠢的固执）
?
(2)
stingy
（吝啬的，小气的）
vs
frugal
（节俭的，朴素的）
?
(3) skinny, well-built,
slender, thin,
?
fat
，
plump
?
(4) neutral: landlord,
capitalist, boss, lover
?
negative:
地主，资本家，工头，情人
?
Examples
?
周总理是一位杰出的政治家。
?
Premier Zhou is an
outstanding statesman.
The
politician is concerned with successful elections,
whereas the statesman is interested in the future
of his people.
5.
Reflected
meaning
反映意义
?
It is communicated when one
sense of a word forms part of our response to
another sense of the
word.
指听话人在听到一个词时所联想到的这个词的其他词义。
?
E.g.(1)
Comforter
，
Holy
Ghost==
上帝
?
(2)
Venus
（金星）
=the morning star,
the evening star(
定更星
)
?
(3) greenhouse,
温室
?
(4)
black tea
，红茶
?
(5) stop watch, desk watch;
挂钟，座钟
?
(6) contact lenses;
隐形眼镜
---cause and result
6.
Collocative
meaning
搭配意义
?
It is composed of
associations a word gets from those words that are
often used together with it.
指
词汇在同一语境中共现。由一个词从经常与它连用的词语引起的联想构成。
?
E.g.(1) pretty--handsome
?
Pretty: girl, boy, woman,
flower, garden, color, village…
?
Handsome: boy,
m
an, car,
overcoat, airliner,
typewriter…
?
“
副
”
?
Vice
副，
次
，
代理
:
vice-
chairman, vice-president
，
Ass
ociate
副，
次
:
associate professor, associate
director, associate
editor
，借自拉丁语
?
Assistant:
assistant manager, assistant secretary
?
Deputy:
deputy
director,
deputy
chief-of-
staff(
参谋长）
,deputy
mayor,
deputy
head,
deputy
command-in-chief
在上级不在的时候代行职责，源于法语
?
Lieutenant:
lieutenant governor, lieutenant general
?
Under
:
undersecretary (of state,
US)
，源于英语
?
Connotative
meanings, social meanings and affective meanings,
reflected meanings and collocative
meanings can be grouped together as
associative meanings
（联想意义）
.