A Comparative Study On Chinese Chengyu And English Idioms-from The Perspective Of Cultural Origins

The diversity of the world is embodied in language. The cultural differences between the West and the East are also reflected in language. As the essence of Chinese language and English language, Chinese Chengyu and English idiom both were culture-loaded. Consequently, a comparative study on the cultural origins of Chinese Chengyu and English idioms may shed great light on the cultural differences of the two languages.For the current researches have only covered part of the influence of culture on the use of Chinese Chengyu and English idioms, the thesis attempts to answer the following questions:a. What are the cultural sources behind the Chinese Chengyu and English idioms?b. What different cultural sources lead to the differences in the use of Chinese Chengyu and English idioms?This thesis conducts a comparative study on the cultural origins of Chinese Chengyu and those of English idioms. And qualitative analysis has been adopted in the thesis, where various Chinese Chengyu and English idioms quoted from several dictionaries were analyzed, classified and compared.The cultural origins of Chinese Chengyu and those of English idioms consist of all aspects of culture. To be specific, these include geographical environment, lifestyle, historical events, religious belief, customs, literature and arts, science and technology, and values. Those different cultural sources lead to three differences in the use of Chinese Chengyu and English idioms. In the exact words, using different objects for metaphors, expressing different connotation and extension, and implying different attitudes.The research of military science, medical science and astronomy reflected in Chinese Chengyu is firstly touched.The research may serve to enrich language learners' knowledge on cultural origins of Chinese Chengyu and English idioms, thus enhancing their cultural awareness. Consequently, it will be easy for people to get deep understanding about the connection of Chinese Chengyu and English idioms to their cultural origins, which will greatly help with proper commanding and using of Chinese Chengyu and English idioms.