Paper Keywords: Chinese; Cultural significance of vocabulary; Vocabulary teaching of Chinese as a foreign language

Abstract: Teaching Chinese as a foreign language is to improve students' ability to use Chinese and communicate. The cultural meaning of vocabulary is a difficult and important point in teaching and communication. This paper explains the Chinese meaning of words and puts forward corresponding teaching strategies for teaching Chinese as a foreign language.

The language of a country or a nation can usually reflect its cultural essence and way of thinking. When we are learning a foreign language, knowing the culture of that country is of great help to language learning, and so is Chinese. Among the elements of Chinese, vocabulary directly reflects the changes of social life and the development of national culture, and is the most basic and active component. The cultural essence of language determines that vocabulary must carry rich and specific cultural connotations. Second language teaching mainly solves the cultural differences and cultural conflicts in word meaning, and the interference of cultural differences in word meaning to cross-cultural communication, so as to ensure the smooth communication of words.

First, the cultural significance of vocabulary

In cross-cultural communication, we usually divide the meanings of words into two categories: linguistic conceptual meaning and cultural connotation meaning. Linguistic meaning refers to the reflection and generalization of the general attributes or essence of objective things in people's minds. It is a dictionary meaning and an objective meaning that is not affected by the subjective will and emotional color of the communicator. Cultural meaning is a meaning attached to linguistic meaning, which expresses the communicative value in actual cross-cultural communication and the cultural characteristics of the information conveyed. The linguistic meaning of words reflects the characteristics of language, is restricted by language rules, and expresses the basic meaning of words, which is relatively fixed and will not vary from person to person. For example, words that express natural phenomena, science and technology, daily necessities and other objective objects and phenomena belong to this category. Cultural meaning is a kind of communicative meaning and psychological meaning beyond language meaning, which reflects the subjective attitude, emotional color and intention information of the word users. People's subjective attitude and emotional color are restricted by the social system, cultural tradition, life customs, behavior norms, communication rules, ways of thinking and values in their mother tongue. Therefore, the most prominent expression of the cultural meaning of words is different cultures, and the background meaning, emotional color and communicative value people give to cultures are also different, and they are restricted by different communication rules.

Second, the correspondence between Chinese and English meanings.

1, the linguistic meaning corresponds to the cultural meaning.

These words often refer to natural phenomena and science and technology. For example:? Sun, moon, air? With what? Sun, moon, air? ; ? Computer, TV, science? With what? Computer, TV, science? . But here? Corresponding? Or mainly refers to the correspondence of language meaning. When used in metaphorical meaning in a certain context, it cannot be said that different cultures will definitely correspond completely or basically.

2. Linguistic meaning and cultural meaning do not correspond.

These words come from a unique cultural background and reflect a nation's unique material culture. Ethnic customs words? Or? Cultural words? It's difficult to find words that are completely corresponding to ethnic customs in other languages, also known as? Nonequivalent words? . Just like Chinese? Huabiao? 、? Tai Chi Chuan? 、? Get rid of poverty? 、? Decentralize? 、? Harmonious society? ; In English? Streak (naked running),? Hippies 、? Punk? .

3. The linguistic meaning does not correspond, but the cultural meaning corresponds.

Sometimes two languages have different expressions for the same thing or phenomenon. For example,? Dog days? Corresponding to? Dog days? Both refer to the hottest days of the year. In China culture? Dog days? According to the seasonal changes of the lunar calendar in China, it is usually from late July to early August. In English? Dog days? Fingers? Dog star? Time to rise. These two statements fully reflect the differences between Chinese and English cultures and national customs.

4. Linguistic meaning corresponds to cultural meaning.

Many words can find their own meanings in bilingual dictionaries, but the cultural images or cultural concepts reflected by the words corresponding to the dictionary meanings may not necessarily correspond. Even when words in one language are translated into corresponding words in another language, no information or wrong information can be provided to the people in the target country. For example:? Unit? With what? Unit? , commonly used in China? Unit? Chinese-English dictionaries will indicate their own or others' working organs, groups or departments. Unit? Translation? Unit? . It is difficult for westerners to understand its meaning in cross-cultural communication. In China, actually? Unit? It is not only a place for individuals to work, study and live, but also various needs, such as enjoying cheap housing and medical insurance. After the reform and opening up, the unit? But what about the role of atrophy? Unit? Many functions of still exist. For a long time in sight, Unit? It is difficult to completely eliminate the important role in people's minds.

5. Linguistic meaning corresponds to cultural meaning.

Generally, people who know a foreign language can understand the linguistic meaning of loanwords at a glance, even if they don't, they can know it by looking it up in a dictionary. However, the cultural meaning and communicative value of words are really difficult for people who don't understand the culture of the country. Like English? Tea break? The linguistic meaning of these two words is very clear, but people who don't understand British culture can't understand the cultural meaning of these words at all (take a short break after work in the morning or at noon, have a drink, have a rest, eat something light, etc.). Here? Tea? It also has profound cultural implications: first, the time is between lunch and dinner; Second, the content is not only tea, but also coffee and snacks; Third, this way of drinking tea is a common social way for housewives. Therefore, without understanding the cultural background and customs of language users, it is impossible to understand the cultural meanings of such words.

Third, the cultural significance of teaching Chinese as a foreign language vocabulary

Differences in cultural meanings of words are an important cause of cross-cultural communication barriers, so we must pay attention to them in teaching.

First of all, teachers of Chinese as a foreign language should teach the background meaning of Chinese vocabulary in a targeted way. Conflicts in cross-cultural communication almost occur with the beginning of language learning, but in the initial stage of teaching, they are often tolerant. With the deepening of foreign students' language learning, there are requirements for language and communication, and cultural knowledge is gradually infiltrating. Therefore, it is necessary to guide students to learn the cultural meaning of vocabulary and prevent misunderstandings in communication.

Teachers can use the environment to reveal the cultural information contained in words after completing the linguistic meaning of words. For example, when it comes to? Dragon? Cultural significance is something that China people can learn from. Dragon? Worship, most ancient imperial palaces are carved with dragons to illustrate: (1) symbolizes the Chinese nation; (2) symbolizing the emperor? Wait a minute. In English? Dragon? (Dragon) difference, in the western world, the dragon is considered as a monster full of domineering and aggression. ? Dragon? This image often leads foreigners who know little about China's history and culture to make some unrealistic associations unilaterally or arbitrarily. Therefore, revealing its cultural significance through the specific use of the environment and connecting it with real life can help students better understand and use it and avoid communication conflicts.

Then, we should be careful when teaching words of one kind or another. In teaching and translation, it is necessary to treat the unique statement of China culture differently: first, it is necessary to convey the meaning and information accurately; second, it is necessary to avoid causing cultural misunderstanding or cultural conflict to people from non-native cultural backgrounds. For those proverbs that are popular in contemporary society but only reflect the characteristics of China culture, especially contemporary China culture, cultural misunderstandings and conflicts should be avoided as much as possible in teaching; For those popular but not standardized statements in China society, we should deal with them as appropriate. If we can't translate them into a foreign language, we don't have to translate them. If we have to translate them, we need to add background notes and comments to eliminate cultural misunderstandings. Translation is unnecessary for slogans, slogans, propaganda and notices that are only aimed at China people.

Language itself is a kind of culture, not only because it is a unique product of human society as a unique communication tool, but also because its basic unit words contain rich cultural implications. For Chinese learners, if they really want to master Chinese, they should and must understand the cultural meaning of Chinese, thoroughly and comprehensively grasp the semantic meaning, especially the deep cultural meaning, and carry out the necessary cultural infiltration when teaching foreign students, which has become an important link in vocabulary teaching of Chinese as a foreign language.

References:

Bi Wanji. Second language teaching and cross-cultural communication [M]. Beijing: Beijing Language and Culture University Press, 2009.

[2] Sun Dejin. TCFL vocabulary and vocabulary teaching research [M]. Beijing: Commercial Press, 2006.

[3] Chen Guoming. Cross-cultural communication [M]. Shanghai: East China Normal University Press, 2009.

[4] Gao Yan. Vocabulary teaching of Chinese as a foreign language [M]. Shanghai: East China Normal University Press, 2008.

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