Linguistic Characteristics and Cultural Connotations of English and Chinese Shop Names.docVIP

Linguistic Characteristics and Cultural Connotations of English and Chinese Shop Names 1 Introduction English and Chinese shop names that display the generality and peculiarity of the complex psychological activities can be reflected in the similarities and differences between the oriental and western cultures. According to Shuxiang Lv, only by contrast can we know what is common and what is special. With the approach of contrast, this essay will deal with the shop names from the perspectives of linguistics, psychology and cross-cultural communication to show the linguistic characteristics and cultural connotations of English and Chinese shop names. 2 Traditional Display and Modern Fashion In the colorful contemporary world, the public’s needs for culture could be generalized in two aspects: to keep the tradition and to pursue the modern fashion. Such a cultural tendency is also well reflected in the shop names. “Shop names” is not only a sign system for identification, but also a tool to create a cultural atmosphere by the businessmen so as to appeal to the consumers, stimulate them, and finally drive them to purchase. 2.1 The Traditional Characteristics of Chinese Shop Names China is an old civilized nation with a deep traditional influence, and the Chinese still prefer to imitate the style of their ancestors. To show their great talent and learning, many people like to weigh their words in pursuit of grace. “Graceful” words with an air of great antiquity in shop names could well cater for people’s psychological needs. In terms of structure, such “shop names” are word groups consisting of a modifier and the word it modifies, and most of them originate from the ancient poems or allusions, with the core words being “Zhai, Ge, Xuan, Tang, Lou, Ting, Yuan” and so on. [2] For example: Wen Bao Zhai (a stationary store, Wen Bao is the short form for Wen Fang Si Bao—the four treasures of the study: writing brush, ink stick, ink