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中西方数字文化比较与翻译


“三”的文化对比分析
在汉语里,3被写成三,其意义是,上面一横代 表天,下面一横代表地,中间一横代表人,即融天、 地、人为一体,寓意天地人的关系。古人认为,数字 始于一,终于十,成于三。中国的道教有三清之说, 即玉清、太清、上清;佛教中有天、地、人三尊之说。 老子说:‚道生一,一生二,二生三,三生万物。‛ 可见三在中国文化中被赋予了很大的意义。所以,在 中国,三是一个很吉祥的数字。它有生长、吉祥之意, 如‚三羊开泰‛、‚岁寒三友‛、‚连种三元‛、 ‚吉祥三宝‛。
“八”的文化对比分析
在我国,南方经济发达区的粤语区的‚八‛与‚发‛谐音,广东人特别 喜欢数字八,以求生财之道,发财致富。现在对八的爱好已经风靡全国, 各行各业,男女老少对‚八‛可以说是特别偏爱,几乎达到迷信的程度。 电话号码喜欢有八,汽车牌照最好有八,有的商店取名‚518‛( ‚我 要发‛ 的谐音) 中国人把八个人坐的桌子叫‚八仙桌‛,功名显赫的人要坐‚八抬大 轿‛,以显‚八面威风‛,会办事的人总是 ‚八面玲珑‛,关系亲密 的朋友称为‚八拜之交‛。
“六”的文化对比分析
Six in English is an unpopular number, which is viewed as a sinister omen. For instance, at sixes and sevens(乱七八糟的; 糊涂的;迷茫的), hit sb. for six or knock sb. six(给敌人/某人以毁灭性的打击), six of the best(以藤鞭击六下——学校的一种 惩罚手段), six penny (不值钱), etc.
“五”的文化对比分析
在中国古代,‚五‛指金、木、水、火、土; 与此同时,‚五‛也与中国传统文化密切相关, 诸如五行、五福临门、五方保护神、五湖四海等 等。进一步说,用数字‚五‛代表东西南北中五 方,是中国一项非常悠久的文化传统。现在,北 京奥运吉祥物选择五个福娃,既可与奥运会标志 五环相呼应之外,又符合中国人口众多、历史悠 久、文化丰富的国情。
“九”的文化对比分析
含有数字‚九‛的词汇也十分丰富。如,‚九州‛是指传说中的我国上古 行政区划,后用作‚中国‛的代称; ‚ 九族‛(the nine degrees of kindred: either the nine generations from one's great-great-grandfather down to one's great-great-grandson; or four generations of one's paternal relations, three generations of one's maternal relations, and two generations of one's wife's relations),古代有一种残酷的刑法叫‚诛灭九族‛;古代传说‚龙生九子, 各有所好‛;民间传说中还有‚九头鸟‛(nine-headed bird: a fabulous bird whose appearance was for merely regarded as a bad omen)的故事。 此外,在文娱、体育等词汇中,数字‚九‛也比比皆是。如,许多歌名都 以‚九‛开头:‚九妹 ‛、‚九九艳阳天‛、‚九百九十九朵玫瑰‛等;乐 器中也有‚九音锣‛;在体育活动中,‚九柱戏‛(nine pins),兵器中有 ‚九节鞭‛[但这与西方文化中的‚九尾鞭‛(cat-of-nine- tails: an instrument of punishment so called from the nine pieces of leather or cord which compose it)]意义不大一样。 地名中也有一些以‚九‛开头的,如‚九寨 沟‛、‚九华山‛、‚九江‛和‚九龙‛等。
“七”的文化对比分析
7在汉语中却是被人们常常忌讳的数字,‚七与丧 事有关‛自古汉人对去世的人每七日祭拜一次,直 到七七四十九天为止‚;给人送礼时忌7件或7样; 饭桌上的菜决不能是7盘;人们挑选良辰吉日不挑7, 17,或者27。 7也有神圣的意蕴,古人将日、月、金星、木星、 水星、火星、土星归纳为‚七政‛;又如东、南、 西、北各有7位神灵,合称二十八宿,玉皇大帝有7 个仙女,太上老君炼丹需要七七四十九天。佛教认 为,万事由地、水、火、风、空、识、根七种本原 生成;佛寺由七种厅堂组成;佛塔共有7层,所以 有救人一命胜造七级浮屠;释加牟尼面壁七天则修 成正果,他在菩提树下冥思四十九天则佛身显现。
The Comparison of Number Culture both in English and Chinese and Their Translation
中西方数字文化观的比较与 翻译
“九”的文化对比分析
As for nine, the Occidental and Oriental cultures share some common features: Most people in the two cultures regard nine as mysterious and sacred number; Number nine refers to the majority as well as the number itself; Number nine is often used in the entertainment and sports activities. 在我国,数字‚九‛被认为是一种神秘的数字,它起初是龙 形(或蛇形)图腾化之文字,继而演化出‚神圣‛之意,于是中 国古代历代帝王为了表示自己神圣的权力为天赐神赋,便竭力把 自己同‚九‛联系在一起,如‚九五之尊‛(imperial throne);称官位仅次于皇帝的王爷为‚九千岁‛等。
“七”的文化对比分析
• The number seven exerts a great influence on the western culture. In the westerners’ eyes,seven is a mysterious and sacred number. • According to the Christianity,God creates all the creatures in seven days. Hebrews often use seven while swearing, such as ‚to come under the influence of seven things". • In Greece, there are seven sages of Greece (希腊七贤) and the seven Bishops (七大主教); • In the western religion, seven is used in generalization. • The Seven Virtues(七大美德 ): Faith,hope, charity, justice, fortitude, prudence, temperance; • The seven deadly sins(七宗罪): Pride, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, avarice, sloth; • The Seven Gifts of the Spirit(神的七大礼物); • The Seven Heavens(七重天); • The Seven Sacraments (七大圣礼); • Seven Champions(基督教的七大守护神).
In the western culture, 8 is also regarded as a lucky number. The ancient Greek think 8 stands for bumper harvest, achievements and longevity. The story of Noah's Ark, according to Genesis, God has observed man's evil behaviors and flooded the earth. Only 8 survived the disaster by Noah's Ark. In the Gospel (《福音书》), Jacob, Jesus’ brother, had 8 children and so 8 means fertility (多子多孙).
“六”的文化对比分 析 我国自古以来就有崇尚‚六‛的观念。考古
发现秦始皇的铜马车皆以‚六‛及其倍数为度。 先秦时期六部儒家经典称为‚六经‛或‚六艺‛, 诸子中最著名的阴阳、儒、墨、名、法、道德总 称为‚六家‛,皇后的寝宫称‚六宫‛。 古代把亲属关系归纳为‚六亲‛,天地四方 合称为‚六合‛或‚六幽‛。妇女怀孕也称为 ‚身怀六甲‛. 民间有‚六六大顺‛的吉语,农历初六、十 六、二十六被视为举行婚礼的吉日。
“五”的文化对比分析
Friday has long been considered extremely unlucky because it has some bad associations which came from mythology, tale of the Bible, and the customs and habits. According to the Bible, the Lord God created the first man, Adam. Then he took a rib from Adam's body and out of it created the first woman, Eve. It was said that Adam was created on a Friday and it was on Friday that Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, and on a Friday they died. Jesus Christ was persecuted on Friday.
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