A Rough Research on Numerical Cultural Connotations between English and Chinese

佘夢瑤

【Abstract】Numerals are closely related to our daily life. We can not measure time， price， proportion， victory or defeat without numerals. However， numerals are not only take effects in calculation and other relevant respects in mathematics， but also function as mysterious cultural signs sometimes. In the long process of the Chinese nations development， almost every number has formed its own meaning with its distinctive characteristics. Numerals invention and applying is an important symbol of human beings cultural development. So they can not be ignored in the culture of human language. Nevertheless， various connotative meanings are bestowed on various numerals by different nations mainly owing to the discrepancies in historical backgrounds， social customs， religions culture， ideology between English and Chinese. This paper mainly explores the relationship between peoples conventional concept to numerals and nations culture， studies the background knowledge of their cultural sources in the two languages， so as to know cultural differences and eliminate cultural conflict and improve peoples inter-cultural communication.

【Key words】numerals； connotation； culture

I. Describing the Study

1.1 Procedures

The approaches used in the research is to search for some articles firstly about numerical connotations. Then by going through the information， a comparison and contrast of numerical connotations from a new approach of culture are carried on. In the process of analysis， the factors leading to the differences between the two numerical cultures are also presented.

1.2 Analyses

Firstly， numbers and culture are closely interwoven. Numbers are symbolic representation of a nation concerning its cultural features such as philosophy， worldviews， history， religions， beliefs， superstitions， etc. Considering differences exist between Chinese and English numbers are related closely to their cultural peculiarities. Furthermore， different implications of numbers exist not only between two languages but within the two languages as well.

Chinese and English differ markedly in using numbers. The uses of numbers， either in Chinese or English， can fall into two distinct categories： numbers for precise quantities， and numbers for vague meanings. Numbers used to express precise quantities do not have much difference in different languages， whereas numbers used for vagueness vary considerably in different cultures.

It is universally accepted that language and culture are correlated with each other. As Deng Yanchang and Liu Runqing （1989， 3） put it，“without language， culture would not be possible…Language is shaped by culture.” Similarly， numbers can reflect culture. A better understanding of implications of numerals depends greatly upon a correct interpretation of cultural properties embodied in numbers. Additionally， according to Humboldt and the SWH， different languages manifest different thoughts and worldviews of different people. Therefore， numbers in Chinese and English， since they are from different cultures， involve different connotations.

II. Interpreting the Study

2.1 Findings

Every nation has its own way of expressing numbers. The concept of numbers is believed to be formulated resulting from peoples cognition of the outside world. As Adrian Room pointed out （1989， 8）， the concept of numbers arose in prehistoric times， although originally the numbers themselves would not have been understood abstractly， as they are today. Numbers primarily function as mathematical value， but they have been endowed with specific implications with the historical and social development， and gradually have become an organic part of language. Therefore， numbers are not only functional， but a real part of the language. Here are two essential examples as follow.

The representative example is numeral 13 in English. Number 13 has long been taken as the most ominous one in English-related culture. People try every possible way to avoid having any dealings with it. For example， in some English-speaking countries， people will not have dinner or travel in 13 members because they think 13 people will bring them bad luck. Even in some buildings the 13th floor or the room of number 13 cant be found， or be replaced by 12A. Number 13 is regarded as a taboo word in English. However， for Chinese 13 is just a common number without any particular meaning. Actually， the unpopularity of numeral 13 has closely relationship with its social culture and conceptual culture. We will trace back the origin of number 13 from the perspective of Scandinavian myth. Once there were twelve Gods to attend the dinner held by Valhalla in honor of the soldiers who had died in the battle field. During the dinner， the God of strife and Spirit of evil Rocky unexpectedly appeared. The number of guests became 13. It was his coming that made Balder， the God of Light Die， who is the son of the head God， Austin. The other twelve Gods were unable to save him. As a result， 13 is always associated with disaster， misfortune， etc. However in Chinese traditional culture， numeral 13 doesnt have the same cultural connotations as that in Western culture.

Coincidentally， Chinese people take complex attitude towards numeral 4 because it owns not only good but also had cultural meanings. In ancient Chinese peoples cosmic views， numeral 4 stands for “four directions and the earth”. Nevertheless， it has another unlucky meaning. Owing to the similarity of its pronunciation to another world “死（ si ）”（It means death in China）， people sometimes see the numeral as a taboo word. They will avoid having connections with numeral 4.

From the rough analysis above， we can see that traditional concepts to numerals of Chinese and Western language stem from cultural diversity.

2.2 Implications

Numeral culture can be regarded as a window from which we can learn the unique characteristics of each nation. Through the window， we can catch a glimpse of the extensive and profound culture of nations.

III. Conclusion

Numerals， as one part of a linguistic system of signs， is also a key factor in cultural exchange. Seen from above， we can conclude that the comparison of numerals connotative meanings between China and Western countries from the perspective of culture has important effects on intercultural communication， foreign language study and translation. That is to say， the roots of distinct cultural meaning for numerals in the two languages will deepen our understanding of differences between Chinese and English people.

References：

[1]KramschC.Language and Culture[M].London：Oxford University Press，1998.

[2]胡文仲.文化與交際[M].外語教學出版社，1997，1.