Intercultural Study Of Chinese And English Animal Idioms

Culture study has been a heated subject;hence many scholars focus their attention on the field of intercultural study. Chinese and English languages abound with animal idioms, which reflect respective culture. Consequently, people place great hope on animal idioms. The thesis attempts to make an intercultural study of animal idioms to track down the similarities and differences in cultural aspects and cultural features expressed in animal idioms.On the level of tropism of thoughts, animal idioms reflect individual tropism of thoughts in Chinese and English languages. Represented by Confucianism, Chinese culture is rich in the spirit of humanism and the spirit of loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, uprighteousness and righteousness as well as dialectics, trend of choosing propitiousness and spirit of being sturdy. Meanwhile, the spirit of equality, freedom, individualism, adventurism and sexism is embodied in English animal idioms.On associated meanings, animal idioms are abundant in it. There is blankness as well as similarities and identities in associated meaning between Chinese animal idioms and English animal idioms. Meanwhile, contradictions and blankness are typically reflected in them. All these similarities and differences enrich the two languages and make them full of charm.When it comes to cultural connotations, there are cultural signs on animal idioms. Chinese and English animal idioms are greatly influenced by geographical culture, historical culture, customary culture, religious culture. Furthermore, some idioms are derived from literary works, myths, legends, and fables and so on.In short, in exploring the essence of culture, animal idioms shining with cultural flavor and cultural connotations have been the focus. Some differences as well as some similarities are discovered, and the thesis will contribute to the understanding of different cultures. In the process of intercultural communication, the world culturewill become more and more comprehensive, universal and mingled on the condition that people work at it with the attitude of seeking common ground and reserving differences.