A Comparative Study Of Kinship Terms Between Chinese And English From A Cultural Perspective

Kinship terms are a universal feature of languages because kinship which remains the principal source of our closest tie with others is so important in social organization. However, kinship terms vary among languages and nations and they are formed and developed in different historical and cultural backgrounds. Therefore, a research into the differences between kinship terms can help us understand the history and culture in which they are bred and matured. It is also of great benefit for us to have a comprehensive mastery of the relationship between language and culture. What's more, a comparative research of different kinship term systems tends to help us to avoid the pragmatic failures we come across during the process of cross-cultural communication.In this thesis, after a discussion of the relationship between language and culture, it is pointed out that language is a part of culture, as well as the carrier of culture, and they are inseparable and interdependent. They have mutual impact on each other. Kinship terms, as an important part of language, are not only a part of culture, but also the carrier and mirror of culture. The process of its formation and development, to a great degree, has been influenced by all kinds of cultural factors. Chinese kinship term system and English kinship term system were formed and developed in two completely different cultures—Chinese culture and English culture. Thus, their formation and development have been impacted by their own cultures respectively. As one of the most essential parts of culture, the different influences of collectivism and individualism on the formation and development of Chinese kinship terms and English kinship terms are particularly apparent.On the basis of the current situation of kinship terms, taking the frequently-used terms as the research subject, this thesis has made a static research in differences between Chinese kinship terms system and English kinship system by comparison and analysis. Then the causes of these differences are dug out from a cultural perspective.Firstly, this thesis defined kinship terms and other related concepts based on the previous studies in this field. An analysis of the sources of kinship terms revealing all the kin relations are divided into three types: lineal blood kinship, collateral blood kinship and affinal kinship. Then these kinship terms are classified into four series, i.e. paternal side, maternal side, side of husband and side of wife, which has given a panorama of kinship terms both in Chinese and English. Through the comparative analysis of them, it is found that Chinese kinship terms belong to Sudanese kinship term system, which is a typical example of descriptive system according to Morgan. Its prominent feature is highly descriptive and each kin relation has been expressed specifically. However, English kinship terms belong to Eskimo kinship system, whose main characteristic is simple and highly general. Other major differences between Chinese and English kinship terms are demonstrated in the following aspects: sex, age within the same generation, whether there is a distinction between blood lineage and affinity, between paternal side and maternal side, between side of husband and side of wife and so on. In fact, these differences are the reflections of cultural differences, such as different family types and structures, different social systems, economic types, and different value orientations and so on.In a word, kinship terms belong to a complicated language-culture system, whose formation and development are influenced by its own culture. Chinese kinship terms are bred in Chinese culture, in which feudal clan system and collectivism have played vital roles. Therefore, it carries a heavy color of patriarchic clan system and elements of collectivism. However, English kinship terms are formed and developed in English culture, especially impacted by individualism which contains more humanist and equal elements.