Comparative Study of the Cultural Connotations of Animals in China and the West from the Perspective of Intercultural Communication: Taking Chinese Zodiacs as an Example

Abstract

As we know, language is a cultural carrier. Different social backgrounds and national cultures have a great effect on the cultural connotations of idiom. Along with the development and progress of human society, animal words gradually have got their established connotations in all languages. However, the connotations of animal words in one language do not necessarily coincide with those in another because of geographical environment, convention, history, and religion in different cultures. Therefore, this paper intends to take the Chinese Zodiac as a research object from a cross-cultural perspective to explore the differences in animal culture between China and the West. By comparing factors such as social customs, religious beliefs, and natural environment, explore several methods of translating animal idiom so as to promote smooth cross-cultural communication and provide references for related research.