英汉方位词“东西南北”的应用模式及其文化认知取向对比研究

The Applying Patterns of Locality ‘East,West,South and North’ in English and Chineseand Their Corresponding Culture-Oriented Cognition

每种语言都有自己独特方位表征模式,英汉语也不例外。表面上看,英汉语都存在"东西南北"四个方位,但在具体表征模式方面却相差甚远,主要体现在两个方面:(1)前者以"南北"向为主轴,后者以"东西"向为主轴;(2)前者以自然方位为主导,简明客观;后者以人文方位为主导,复杂主观。其主要理据在于英汉语背后所隐含的文化认知取向差异。

Each language has its own special representation of locality, with no exception of English and Chinese. At first glance, the four localities ＇ east, west, south and north＇ can be found in both English and Chinese, yet quite different in their respective patterns of representing, chiefly embodied in two aspects： （ i ） the former ／ based on the vertical axis ＇ south and north＇, while the latter on the horizontal ＇ east and west＇ ; （ ii ） the former based on natural localities, simple and objective while the latter on humanistic localities, complex and subjective. The major motivations lie in the differences of culture-oriented cognition behind English and Chinese.