ppt-A contrastive study of Chinese and English words

1. I have a short memory. 我记忆力不好。 2. Her life was short but brilliant. 她的一生是短暂而光荣的。 3. He complained that the notice was too short. 他埋怨说通知太仓促了。 4. Indeed he has a short temper. 他确实是个急性子。
Classification of context
1.In discourse translation, context can be classified as situational context and cultural context. (Li Yunxing,p.112)
2. Linguistic context and cultural context( Read the textbook for further information.)
1)Equivalents in the Chinese language can be found for some English words. The meanings of these words are the same in any contexts.
China---中国 The Pacific Ocean---太平洋 Hovercraft---气垫船 Tuberculosis---结核病 电—electricity 原子---atom
Major contents:
1.meaning of the word 2.grammar related to the word 3.idiomatice use and collocation words 4.context aning of the word
Vacillation and flexibility of English words are characterized by polysemy. The meaning of a word varies with the frame of words and the juxtaposed words.
11．警察叫汽车停下，对司机说： “你没有亮灯，先生，我必须给你 一张违规通知单。”
A policeman stopped the car and said to the driver,“ You haven’t turned your lights on, sir, I must give you a ticket”.
Language develops with the development of the society. It is the same case with the meaning of words. Take the English word “bird” as an example, its original meaning is “animal”--“feathered animal with two wings and two legs, usu. able to fly.”(Oxford,p129), but it can be refer to “a person” in informal English and “a young woman” in slang. eg. He got a new bird(a girlfriend). an early bird, a queer bird,etc.
6.从政治思想上关心学生是教师份内的事(duty). It’s the teacher’s duty to be concerned about the students’ ideology. 7.我已把事情讲清楚了（case）. I’ve already put the case clear. 8.我可以举出好几件事来证明（instance）. I can cite quite a few instances to illustrate it. 9.这不是开玩笑的事儿。(joke) This is no joke. 10.那是件普通小事（incident）. That is an ordinary incident.
12.他在伦敦那所广播、电视与函授 大学学习时，常常认真做家庭作业， 甚至连自由选题也作了。
During his study in the Open University in London he often did his homework conscientiously and even completed the open questions.
*Ex.
Translate the following according to the requirements: 1．我们对这件事当然有发言权（matter）. Of course we have a say in this matter. 2.真是想不到的事(surprise). What a surprise! 3.这本新书的出版是今年文化界的大事(event). The new book was the cultural event of the year. 4.各族人民的代表欢聚一堂，商讨国家大事(affairs). Representatives from different nationalities gather in the small hall to discuss affairs of the state. 5.这决不是轻而易举的事(job). It’s certainly no easy job.
3.Idiomatic use and collocation of words
e.g. (1.) 社会 社会问题 social problems but:社会秩序 public order 社会舆论 public opinion (2). black tea 红茶 black coffee 清咖啡(coffee without milk) (3.) 青山green hill 青天blue sky 青布 black cloth 白蛇青蛇the White Snake and the Green Snake (4.) 牛皮纸袋 brown-paper bag
13.在快速作笔记时，人们喜欢用缩 写词、首字母缩略词和首字母。
In jotting down, people like to use abbreviations, acronyms and initials.
2.Grammar relating to the word
1) difference in classification 2） difference in quantity ） 3) difference in frequency of use The Chinese language puts emphasis on Parataxis(意合 whereas 意合) 意合 the English language Hypotaxis (形合 形合). 形合
English words are believed to be characterized by great vacillation and flexibility; the meaning of a word may range widely and it depends much on the contextual relationship as is said”Words do not have meanings; People have meanings for words.” Firth, founder of modern English linguistics, put emphasis on the importance of context as follows:” Each word when used in a new context is a new word.”(Modes of meaning, Essay and Studies, London, 1951.p118)
Chapter Four A contrastive study of Chinese and English words
and word- translation
Teaching aims:
An introduction to the differences between Chinese and English words and the essentials of word translation
Eg.
(1)舅舅从桌上把花瓶拿去了。 Mother’s brother has taken the vases away from the table. (2)我属蛇。 I was born in the Chinese Lunar year of the snake.
3). polysemy
4.Context
Eg 1. “上课了？” Eg.2三四个筛酒的酒保，都手忙脚乱，搬东搬 西。（施耐庵〈水浒传〉） A: But these serving men were so busy, their hands and feet were all in confusion, and they were moving things hither and thither, east and west. (All Men Are Brothers) B: …the four or five waiters were busy rushing from one to another serving food and drink. (Outlaws of the Marsh)
2).partially corresponding
marriage---娶，嫁 brother---兄，弟 aunt---姑，姨，婶，舅妈 山 --- hill, mountain 借---lend,borrow 江，河 ---river 蛇 --- snake, serpent 乌鸦---raven, crow 你，您 ---you 杯子---cup, mug,glass 桌子---table, desk
situational context:
Eg. Neil, the new chairman of the Bury St. Edmunds branch of the National Front, called me at home from a pay phone in a pub. It looked likely that he would get approval for me to come along to their disco party. The date for the party had been fixed---Saturday, the 14th of April. Could I make it? He situational context: would meet me at the station.
Unlike those of English words, Chinese words are comparatively rigorous,accurate and fixed in meaning which do not range so widely as English words do. They depend less on the context and are comparatively independent of the context.
(5)开车 to drive a car 开门 to open the door 开船 to set sail 开机器to start (run) a machine 开刀 to operate 开收音机 to turn on a radio (6) a. 我看出了他的心事。 I could read his mind. b.他看出了她的破绽。 He spotted her weak point.