英汉方位名词对比

The Contrast of English and Chinese Place Nouns

英汉方位名词在构词、语义特征、修辞方面存在许多异同,这些异同与语言使用社团的认知模式、文化观念密切相关,反映了两种语言的本质特征。由于方位的同一性,英汉语中规约定位、宏观定位下的方位名词,更多的是承载了地理、社会文化等诸多因素的差异,因此差别较大,甚至出现完全相反的情况。而现行定位、微观定位下的方位名词,反映的是事物之间的相对关系,两种语言的认知模式有相似和重合之处,使它们在喻指其他概念时,反而更加相似一些。

For English and Chinese place nouns, there exist many similarities and differences in word formation, semantic feature and rhetorical use, which are closely related to the cognitive pattern and cultural value of speech communities and thus reveal the nature of both languages. From the Macroaspect, there are some common features in direction; however, there are more differences in expression of direction due to different geographical, social and cultural factors. From the micro-aspect, place nouns reveal the relation between objects, and thus lead to similar or overlapping cognitive pattern, esp. in metaphorical use.