从习语来源看中英文化差异

从习语来源看中英文化差异内容摘要：

mples are Columbus39。 s egg(哥伦布竖鸡蛋 )(In the famous story of Columbus39。 s egg, the explorer, irritated at being told that his exploits were easy, challenged the guests at a banquet to balance an egg on its end. When all had failed, he succeeded by flattening one end by tapping it against the table, a trick that any would then have been able to repeat. Repetition is easier than innovation.)[7] and to eat crow(吃下乌鸦 ) which means to be forced to change hat one has said。 admit that one is wrong. The origin of „to eat crow‟ is that towards the end of the war 1812, a British officer encountered an American hunter near the British line, gained control of his musket and thereby forced him to eat the crow he had just shot. The American plied, but when his musket was returned, he forced the British officer to do the same.[8] Rome and Denmark once occupied England for a long time, so the conquest influenced the English to a certain extent: six of one and half a dozen of the other(半斤八两 ) es from Denmark, whereas return to one39。 s muttons(言归正传 )and do in Rome as the Romans do(入乡随俗 )are from France and Rome respectively. The history of mankind is almost the history of war, which is the source of numerous idioms, as is mirrored in the following English and Chinese idioms: What millions died that Caesar might be great(一将功成万骨枯 )， to steal a march on(先发制人 )， to put up the sword(讲和 ). The Chinese nation has a long history of war for more than two thousand years, and therefore the Chinese language is rich in such idioms, which often appear in the following historical books such as《左传》，《史记》，《三国志》，《三国演义》，《水浒传》 . They are 兵不厌诈 (There can never be too much deception in war)，兵荒马乱 (amidst the ravages and turmoil of war),短兵相接 (cut and thrust)，赶尽杀绝 (cut down the grass and dig up the roots)，知己知彼，百战不殆 (Know the enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles with no danger of defeat),临阵磨枪(to sharp one39。 s spear only before going into battle). . Fables and mythologies Idioms are usually closely related to distinctive cultural fables and mythologies. Greek and Roman civilizations have a great influence on the English language, so the Greek and the Roman mythologies have greatly enriched the English idioms. Most English allusions e from the Bible and the Greek Roman Myth. Let39。 s take a glance at the following idioms: Achilles39。 heel(致命弱点 )which is from the Greek mythology has the meaning the one weak spot in a man39。 s circumstances or character. A Pandora39。 s box (潘多拉之盒 ) which means the origin of all evils is also from Greek mythology。 [9]P360,10and Penelope39。 s web(铂涅罗铂的织物 ,指永远做不完的工作 ), Greek mythology, refers to work never ends。 crocodile39。 s tears(鳄鱼眼泪 ) is from The Voiage and Travaile of Sir John Mandeville written by Sir John Mandeville, [10]P504,147 (it is just like the Chinese idiom“猫哭老鼠假慈悲 ”)etc. David and Jonathan means a pair of devoted friends. The stor y is from the Bible: Jonathan is David‟s friend, and he always protects him from danger. (like Chinese“管鲍之交 ”)。 Every Caesar has his Brutus implies that one should be aware of one39。 s false friend in case one would be betrayed by him. Here, Brutus was once a friend of Caesar who was murdered by him. Another example, Hercules was one of the most famous heroes in Greek mythologies. He killed two snakes when he was a baby, and was known as a man of muscle. Because of this, he walks into the English idioms: Hercules39。 choice means the reward of toil in preference to pleasure, the Herculian efforts(九牛二虎之力 )， the pillars of Hercules(天涯海角 ).In addition, Aesop39。 s Fables greatly influence the English idioms. Perhaps you are quite familiar with these idioms: mistake the shadow for the substance(以假当真，捕风捉影 ), sour grapes(聊以自慰 ), nurse a viper in one39。 s bosom(姑息养奸 )， the lion39。 s share(最大或最好的份额 ), to cut the Gordian knot(快刀斩乱麻 ). Most of the following Chinese idioms are from Chinese historical works and ancient fables and fairy tales. They are vivid with profound meanings. For example:拔苗助长 : try to help seeding grow by pulling themspoil things by undue haste。 囫囵吞枣 : swallow a date wholly without chewing or tasting ituncritical acceptance without real prehension of what one reads or studies。 画龙点睛 : draw the eyes when painting a dragona crucial touch which drives home a point otherwise difficult to explain。 邯郸学步 : learn the ways of walkingimitate others only to lose one‟s originality。 夜郎自大 : it refers to blinded by one‟s presumptuous selfconceit. Such allusions not only make the language richer, but also make munication much more vivid and often easier. . Literary works Idioms from literary works are also one of the main sources from which idioms are derived. In English literature, Shakespeare plays a very important role。 his dramas are the major source of this kind: applaud one to the echo (掌声雷动 ), die in harness (因公殉职 ), make assurance doubly sure (加倍小心 ) and at one fell swoop(一下子，一举 ) e from Macbeth。 have an old head on young shoulders (年轻却有头脑 ) and to claim one39。 s pound of flesh (割某人的一磅肉 ) are from The Merchant of Venice。 hoist with one39。 s own petard (搬起石头砸自己的脚 ) and out of joint (杂乱无章 ) are from Hamlet. Besides, the woks of other famous writers also store a great many idioms: a nineday wonder (昙花一现 ) appears in Troilus and Cressid written by Geoffrey Chaucer。 a fly on the wheel (妄自尊大 ) derived from Aesop39。 s Fable, can refer to assuming a selfimportant air。 mind one39。 s eye ( 当心你的眼睛 )Charles Dickens Barnaby Rudge。 “Reading makes a full man, conference a ready man, writing an exact man”Bacon Of Studies, Catch 22(第 22 条军规 )Joseph Heller39。 s Catch 22。 the ugly duckling(丑小鸭 )is from Han Anderson39。 s tales.[11]P23 Chinese idioms like 精卫填海 (the mythical bird trying to fill up the sea with pebbles, a person with strong will) and 机关算尽太聪明，反算了卿卿性命 (too much cunning in plotting a。