东西方文化差异与语言翻译的比较

The Difference between Occidental and Oriental Cultures and Language Translation

不同民族思维方式的差异是造成不同语言差异的重要原因 ,东西方思维方式对峙性的显著特征使得英汉两种语言在表达方式上呈现多样性。东方思维方式是其整体性 ,具象性 ,辩证性 ,主观性 ,模糊性 ,思维的顺向性 ;而西方思维方式则是具体焦点性 ,抽象性 ,分析性 ,客观性 ,精确性 ,思维的逆向性。体现在两种语言上就形成英语的重逻辑、重组织 ,句子结构长 ,句子呈现“树型结构” ,而汉语则注重整体结构 ,以动词为中心 ,层层推进 ,句式呈现“流水型结构”。分析研究这些差异会使语言学习者和翻译者在深层次上了解不同语言的特征。

The difference of different thinking modes results in a diversity of languages. The obvious difference between English and Chinese ways of thinking brings about different ways of expressing in the two languages. The oriental way of thinking is featured by its being integral, imaginal, dialectical, subjective, and indistinct; the occidental way of thinking is featured by its being concrete, abstract, analytic, objective and accurate. These differences are reflected in language expressions by the fact that English sentences are “tree” structured with emphasis on their logic and organization, while Chinese sentences are usually “stream” structured with emphasis on the their integral structures and with the verb as the center for a gradual development of ideas. The study and analysis of such differences may be of some help to language learners and translators.