Chapter 2. Words and Meaning

1. What are words and meaning?

Word(it is intuitively recognizable are basic units of meaning. )

Meaning (words represent meaning. It is included conceptual meaning and associative meaning.)

Conceptual Meaning(概念)(is the basic meaning presented by meaningful linguistic units.)

Associative meaning included the contents as follow:

Connotative meaning(内涵意义): (is the communicative value an expression has in addition to the purely conceptual meaning. Such as “women”)

Social meaning(社会意义): it is what a piece of language conveys about the social circumstances of its use. Such as “residence” and “domicile”)

Affective meaning(情感意义): is communicated when the feelings or attitudes are expressed in language

Reflected meaning(影射含义): it is arises in words of multiple conceptual meaning. When one sense of a word forms part of our response to another sense. Such as “the Comforter” and “the Holy Ghost” are all refer to the God.

Collocative meaning(配置意义): it is consists of associations a word gets from those words that are often used together with it.

Thematic meaning(专题意义): it is what is communicated by the way in which a speaker or writer organizes a message, in terms of ordering, focus, or emphasis. Such as active sentences and passive meaning.

2. Words and conceptual meaning

2.1 Words and culture-specific conceptual meaning

2.1.1 Words and geography

The United States of America  美利坚合众国

The Mississippi             蜜西西河

Superior                   苏必利尔湖

Niagara Falls               尼亚加拉大瀑布

Rocky Mountains           落矶水脉

Washington                华盛顿

Poke                      美洲商陆(植物名)

Terrapin                   北美泥龟

The United Kingdom of Great  大不列颠及北爱尔兰

Britain and Northern Ireland    联合王国

The Thames                泰晤士河

The Channel                英吉利海峡

England                   英格兰

London                    伦敦

The Commonwealth of Australia澳大利亚联邦

New South Wales            新南威尔士

Great Barrier Reef           大保礁

  Great Victoria Desert         大维多利亚沙漠

Canberra                  勘培拉

Koala                     考拉熊

Kangaroo                  袋鼠

2.1.2 Words and history

The May Flower(五月花)

The Revolutionary War or War of Independence(独立战争)

Continental Congress(大陆会议)

Emancipation Proclamation(解放宣言)

Homestead Act(宅地法案)

Scalp(剥带发头皮)

Lynch(私刑)

Cowboy(牛仔)

Hippie(嬉皮士)

Duke(公爵)

Knight(骑士)

Glorious Revolution(光荣革命)

Castle(城堡)

Fort(要塞或堡垒式的贸易站)

2.1.3 Words and Politics

United States

President(总统)

Congress(国会)

Supreme Court(高级法院)

Democratic Party(美国民主党)

Republican Party(美国共和党)

Britain

Queen(女王)

Prime Minister(首相)

Parliament(议会)

Labour Party(工党)

Conservative Party(保守党)

Governor-General(总督)

2.1.4 Words and Christianity

Trinity(三位一体)

Bible(圣经)

Catholic(天主教)

Orthodox Eastern Church(东正教)

Reformation(宗教改革)

Protestant(新教徒)

Puritan(清教徒)

Mass(弥撒)

2.1.5 Words and Holidays

Christmas box(圣诞节礼)

Christmas Card(圣诞贺卡)

Christmas tree(圣诞树)

Christmas pudding(圣诞布丁)

Christmas rose(圣诞玫瑰)

Christmastide(圣诞节节期)

Thanksgiving Day(感恩节)

Boxing Day(节礼日)

Easter(复活节)

St. Valentine’s Day(情人节)

April Fool’s Day(愚人节)

Anzac Day(新澳军团日)

2.1.6 Words and living styles

Hot dog(热狗)

Hamburger(汉堡包)

Sandwich(三明治)

Pudding(布丁)

Salad(沙拉)

Whisky(威士忌)

Cocktail(鸡尾酒)

Drive-ins 汽车的

Diners (用餐)

Baseball (垒球)

Rugby(橄榄球)

Hockey(曲棍球)

Water skiing(滑水)

Polo(马球)

Golf(高尔夫球)

Striptease(脱衣舞)

Love store(色情商店)

X-rated sexploitation movies()

Late-late TV shows

2.2 English words that correspond partially in conceptual meaning with their translation equivalents in Chinese.

Intellectuals (知识分子)

Social sciences (社会科学)

A Yard(院子) Quadrangle Courtyards (四合院)

Drugstore(AE) Chemist’s shop (BE)(药店)

Grandfather

Grandmother

Father

Father-in-law

Mother-in-law

Brother

Sister

Son

Daughter

Grandson

Granddaughter

Uncle

Aunt

Nephew

Niece

Cousin

Chauvinist pig: 大男子主义

Dude, athlete, macho, stud, hunk, Don Juan, playboy, egotist fatty bagger: 装酷,受女性欢迎的, 自我中心主义者.

Turkey, nerd, jerk, prick, bastard, pimp, skinhead, redneck dog: 令人讨厌的,古怪的

Wimp, sissy, homosexual, queer, gay, hippie: 奇怪的, 同性恋者.

Couchwarmer:

Ladies’ man

Man, boy, guy, fellow, gentleman, boyfriend, fiancé, lover, sweet heart: 指男性的

2.3 English words and what may be mistaken for their equivalents in Chinese.

Greenhouse(温室)

Busywork(耗时而无价值的工作)

Busman’s holiday(消磨于与日常工作类似这活动的假日)

Busybody(爱管闲事的人)

Housewarming(乔迁之喜)

Donkeywork(单调的日常工作)

Police action(维和行动)

Lowboy(矮脚抽屉柜)

Free love(公开同居)

First Lady(第一夫人)

High school(中学)

Rest room(公共建筑物内的洗水间,厕所)

Equalitarianism or egalitarianism(平均主义)

Lover(情人)

Disinterested(公正的,不偏不倚的)

Cooker(炊事用具)

Wester(西风)

2.4 Words, conceptual meaning and word formation