Abstract：Language is the bridge of cultural communication,reflecting the various aspects of social life. Animal words, as an essential element of language, which play a vital role in the lives of human beings, have a great influence on culture. At the same time, culture also influences animal words and animal implication. Different cultural backgrounds and cultural traditions endow animals in different peoples and regions with respectively specific cultural implication and connotation. This article, by listing a mass of examples, analyzes the differences of cultural connotation between English and Chinese animal words, and explains such causes according to the differences between English and Chinese animal words as historical culture, social conventions, religious faith, values and so on. That enables us to grasp richer knowledge of language and culture related to animal,and have in-depth understanding of the unity and the differences between English and Chinese cultural traditions and customs, so that we can learn English well and reach the aim of successful cross-cultural communication.

Key words: Animal idiom, Similarities and Differences, Conceptual Meaning, Associative Meaning

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1. Introduction-1

2. Literature Review-2

2.1  Animal Words in General-2

2.2  The Cultural Implication of Animal-2

2.3  On Animal Words at Home and Abroad-3

3. A Comparative and Contrastive Study of Chinese and English Animal Words-4

3.1  Identical Animal Words ,Similar Cultural Implication-4

3.2  Identical Animal Words ,Different Cultural Implication-5

3.2.1 English Commendatory Sense,Chinese Derogatory Sense-5

3.2.2 Chinese Commendatory Sense,English Derogatory Sense-6

3.3  Different Animal Words , Similar Cultural Implication-7

3.4  Cultural Uniqueness of English Animal Words-8

3.5  Cultural Uniqueness of Chinese Animal Words-8

4. Reasons for Different Cultural Implication in Chinese and English Animal Words-9

4.1  Different Geographical Environment-10

4.2  Different Social Environment-10

4.2.1 Differences in Religion and Fable-10

4.2.2 Differences in Historical Culture-11

4.2.3 Differences in Values-11

Conclusion-12

Bibliography-13

Acknowledgments-15