Abstract

A specific social culture would be mirrored by its vocabulary. The diversities of social backgrounds and cultures have resulted in the differences in the connotation of vocabularies. Cultural differences have endowed animal words with connotations. This paper has shown the relationship between the denotations and the connotations of animal words in English and Chinese, and summarized the factors that cause the differences. It is beneficial to language learning and intercultural communication to analyze the connotations of animal words in both languages from the perspective of comparative linguistics.

Key words: animal words, difference, connotation, contrastive analysis

CONTENTS

中文摘要

Abstract

1. Introduction.1

2. Comparisons of Animal Words in Chinese and English2

2.1Equivalent animal words in both languages. 2

  2.2 Overlapping animal words in both languages4

  2.2.1Animal words with the same denotations but different 

connotations.4

  2.2.2Animal words with the same connotations but different

denotations7

2.3 Vacant animal words in both languages.9

  2.3.1Animal words but without connotations in English10

  2.3.2Animal words but without connotations in Chinese.10

3. Factors that cause the differences.11

3.1 Traditional Culture 11

3.2 Geographical environment .12

3.3 Way of thinking .12

4.Conclusion .12

Works Cited. 14