中英时间表征中的空间隐喻对比

A Contrastive Study of Spatial-Temporal Metaphorical Representations in Chinese and English

现代汉语中存在着许多可以表示空间意义又可以表示时间意义的语素,如:“前”、“后”、“上”、“下”、“里”、“内”、“中”、“间”等。按照空间维度的特点可将此类语素分为二维空间语素以及三维空间语素。英语中也有众多含有空间语素的时间表征,但缺少纵向如“上”、“下”表时间。且在部分时间词汇中,空间语素并非以方位词的方式体现,而是多以表空间的介词来体现。通过对比研究发现,中英双语虽在语义层面表达相近,具体表达构式却存在差异。在对外汉语教学中,教师需要认清中英双语中对时空隐喻的认知差异,针对易产生的偏误情况进行讲解与练习。

Ample studies have shown that the understanding and mental representation of time by both English and Chinese speakers are accomplished through the mapping of spatial concepts. There are several words in Chinese spatial words system can represent both spatial meaning and time meaning, like “Qian, Hou, Shang, Xia, Li, Nei, Zhong, Jian”. This means that people have transferred time and space orientation words to carry out a metaphor. This article compares the differences and commonalities between the space metaphors used in English and Chinese by dividing the words into two-dimensional words and three-dimensional words, explain the specific details and characteristics of English and Chinese spatial-temporal metaphor. Based on the comparison, the paper proposes suggestions for teachers who teach Chinese to English speakers.