What Animals Reveal about Grammar and Culture: A Study of Animal Metaphors in Mandarin Chinese and English
Author: Shu-Fen Chen(Department of Chinese Literature, National Tsing Hua University),Li-Chi Lee Chen(Department of English, National University of Tainan)
Vol.&No.：Vol. 56, No. 2
Date：September 2011
Pages：121-152
DOI：10.3966/207451922011095602005
Abstract：
This study compares the use of animal metaphors between Mandarin- and English-speaking societies. We adopt the Great Chain Metaphor as the theoretical framework, and employ semantic molecules in the analysis. The findings of this study are as follows: First, animal terms in Mandarin and English can be used as denominal verbs. In English, these verbs can be used transitively (fox the people) and intransitively (chicken out of a fight). By contrast, Mandarin has significantly fewer animal terms that can be used as denominal verbs, most of which are static verbs. Among them, many are collocated with human relations (ji1po2 雞婆 “chicken-grandmother; to be a busybody”) or body parts (zhu1tou2 豬頭 “pig-head; to be stupid”). Animal metaphors reflect cultural history, and different animal metaphors used in various cultures may possess the same connotations. For example, metaphors with niu2 牛 “cattle” in Mandarin correspond to those with “horse” in English (li4da4ru2niu2 力大如牛 “power-big-as-cattle; as strong as an ox” vs. “as strong as a horse”). Additionally, metaphors with hu3 虎 “tiger” in Mandarin are similar to metaphors with “lion” in English, most of which are presented positively (hu3jiang4 虎將 “tiger-general; a general as brave as a tiger” vs. “as regal as a lion”). People from different cultures may regard the same animals differently. Dogs, for example, are viewed differently by the two cultures. English speakers have a high opinion of dogs, while Mandarin speakers despise them (lao3gou3 老狗 “old-dog; a cunning guy” vs. “old dog; an experienced person”). In summary, numerous aspects of animal metaphors are culture-specific and are, therefore, perceived differently by people from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Keywords：animal metaphors, denominal verbs, gender bias, semantic derogation, semantic molecules
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