摘要
随着全球经济的飞速发展及中国加入WTO,人们在跨文化背景下的交际日益频繁。交际往往是以“互通姓名”为开端,但谈到姓名,由于历史或文化因素,古今中外形成了各自不同的姓氏体系。
本文基于班纳狄克特(Benedict)“文化相对论”的理论模式,就中英姓氏的起源、习俗、特征及名字库等文化差异做了比较、分析,试图在一定意义上解决跨文化交际中由于中英姓名的文化差异而导致的问题,如怎样通过对目的语有关姓名文化的了解,在择名取姓时,把握分寸,减少选名时的盲目性和任意性。
本文通过实例比较和分析,证实了斯格伦夫妇(Mr.& Mrs.Scollon)及修克(Shook)在他们著作中的阐述:姓名不仅仅是人们籍以相互区别的标志或符号,还是交往的开端,更是人们了解一个社会及其文化诸多方面的一个信息窗口。本文同时也证明了班纳狄克特(Benedict)文化相对论中对不同文化尊重的必要性。
由于知识及资料的局限性,本文所探讨的姓名仅是中英姓氏体系中很小的一部分,仅局限在英美国家和大陆的汉族。有关姓氏所涉及的更广范围有待进一步探索。
With the globalization and China's entry into WTO, people from different cultural backgrounds have more and more opportunities to interact with each other. Communication usually begins with the exchange of names. However, as far as names are concerned from a cross-cultural communication perspective, things become confusing and complicated. Chinese and English names may bring about different responses from Chinese and Western people.
Based on Benedict's theory "cultural relativity", the thesis probes into the origins of Chinese & English surnames, the features of their given names and the central stocks of both Chinese and English names. It analyzes and discusses the cultural differences and similarities reflected in Chinese and English names, which may help English or Chinese language learners to avoid blindness, arbitrariness or even embarrassment when they are to choose foreign names.
By illustrating specific examples both in English and Chinese cultures, this thesis has confirmed what Mr.& Mrs. Scollon, and Robert L. Shook stated in their works: name is a sign as well as an information window, through which people may better perceive a society and its culture in various aspects.
This thesis also proves Benedict's belief: culture shapes one's experiences and behaviors. One's name, as a carrier of his cultural heritage, is born with him, companies him and may influence his career as well as his life.
Name study touches a wide range of disciplines while a comparative study of names from the cross-cultural communication perspective covers even more. This research contributes a very small part to this broad issue since names concerned in this thesis are limited to the very general phenomenon in China and Britain. This research, hopefully, will encourage a further study in this field.
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