中英宝石颜色词特征和定名探析

Feature and Denomination of Gemstone Colour Word in English and Chinese

颜色是宝石价格的决定因素之一,宝石颜色描述的重要性不言而喻。在中、英两种语言里均存在着用以描述宝石颜色的词语,而且随着新的宝石品种的开采和市场推广,宝石颜色词语的数量也不断增加,在珠宝商贸不断发展和文化交流日益频繁的当下,有必要对之进行梳理。笔者收集了大量宝石颜色相关语料并对其进行分析、归类和概括,按结构特征将其分为五类。结果发现,中英宝石颜色词的构词方式极为相似,其中,国内消费者对汉语三音节非基本颜色词的接受程度最高;并提出宝石颜色词的定名和互译上在力求忠实和简洁之外,还需考虑文化内涵,使其契合消费者心理,且易于传播;宝石颜色的定名权和推广也应该引起更多从业者的关注。

As colour is one of the factors determining the price of gemstones, the importance of description of gem colours is self-evident. With the mining and marketing of new varieties of gemstones, there are a growing number of terms used to describe the colours of gemstones in Chinese and English. Under the background of increasingly prosperous international jewelry trade and cultural exchanges, it is necessary to sort out the terms. The gemstone colour words were collected, analyzed, classified and summarized in the papers. It was found that the gemstone colour words both in Chinese and English, except basic colour words, based on structural features, can be divided into five categories, among which the three-syllable non-basic colour words in Chinese, are the most popular. When it comes to denominating and translating of the gemstone colour words, we should take the cultural connotation and publicity as well as loyalty and conciseness into consideration. More attention of the jewelry practitioners should be given to the right of denomination and promotion of the gemstone colour words.