中英思维与语言比较The Relation between Thought and LanguageThe opinions vary on the relationship between language and thought although the studies on it have been lasted for over 2000 years.To sum up,there are five parlances,i.e.theory of equation of language and thought,language determinism,and thought determinism,independent language-thought theory,and separate-combinative theory.Theory of equation of language and thought Language and thought are two names of the same thing.They are produced simultaneously,in which thought is silent language,and language is the voiced thought.Determinism Language characteristics play a determined role in the process of cognition.Language is the basis of thought,and various languages lead to various thought and world outlook.Thought determinism Thought exists before language; the category of thought determines that of language.It is thought that first comes into humans mind,and then people can speak it out by means of appropriate words or other symbols.Independent language-thought theory Language and thought are relatively independent.There are various kinds of knowledge in human world,and the process of acquiring natural language is unique which is restricted to special theories,principles and rules.Whereas,the other knowledge is acquired through observation,generalization and conditioned reflex,etc.Many examples can prove the existence of thought systems which is independent of language.Separate-combinative theory Both language and thought have its separate source.From the perspective of polygenetic development,different language and thought hold different genetic source; meanwhile,their development is not parallel,whose development curve often intersect.In terms of development of individuals,the development of thought and language enters a stage of concourse 合流 and a new kind of behavior pattern only when the baby grows to age two.In a word,language and thought have different source and they combine at later time.1.Sapir-Whorf HypothesisSapir-Whorf Hypothesis,put forward by the American linguists Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf,is a mould 铸 theory of language.This hypothesis is widely quoted and discussed in intercultural communication field.Sapir 1929 argued in a classic passage that ...It is quite an illusion to imagine that one adjusts to reality essentially without the use of language and that language is merely an incidental means of solving specific problems of communication or reflection.The fact of the matter is that the real world is to a large extent unconsciously built up on the language habits of the group.No two languages are ever sufficiently similar to be considered as representing the same social reality.The worlds in which different societies live are distinct worlds,not merely the same world with different labels attached.Sapir,1929 209This position was extended by his student Benjamin Lee Whorf.It was found that the background linguistic system in other words,the grammar of each language is not merely a reproducing instrument for voicing ideas but rather is itself the shaper of ideas,the program and guide for the individuals mental activity,for his analysis of impressions,for his synthesis of his mental stock in trade...Cole et al.，1974 40 The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis can be broken down into two basic principles linguistic determinism language determines thought and linguistic relativity there is no limit to the structural diversity of languages.Thought and language are interwoven and interrelated,both language determinism and thought determinism are too absolute.This point is convincingly illustrated in the following remarksLanguage does not exist in a vacuum.It serves and is modeled by other systems in the human mind.Because it must be spoken and understood easily and efficiently,its structure and function are forced to stay within the limits imposed by peoples processing capacities.Because it is used for communication within a complex social and cultural system,its structure and function are modeled by these factors as well.Clark it is independent of all other things.Moreover,it constantly changes and moves in cycles.Then Tao can give birth to the heaven,earth and myriad（众多方面的 ）things between them.It also nurtures them to grow,bloom and bear fruit.Even so it does not take possession of them,does not dominate the man and does not regard itself mighty and powerful as their master.Zhuang Zi saysHeaven and Land live together with me,everything exists with me；we regard the nature,society as a whole and we prefer entirety to part.All these have influenced Chinese thought patterns so much that Chinese are likely to grasp reality in suchness 本质,本性 or isness 如是性 or in its totality,seeing things as they are in themselves...Chinese do not analyze or divide things into categories,so much as they synthesize 合成 elements into a unified whole.In this sense,Chinese emphasis is upon the whole.Xu,1992 2 Imaginative Thought Pattern and Abstract Thought Pattern Imaginative thought is a psychological process in which human beings remake memory presentations in brain so as to new ones.It is a special of thought,namely,imagination,a common psychological phenomenon of human beings.While abstract thought refers to a kind of rational cognition that uses concept to judge and reason,and concept is the basic element for abstract thought.The imaginative thought and abstract thought of human being is interrelated.People often use various kinds of thought in solving problems,but due to their cultural and historical differences,every nation has its own tendency of selection.Generally speaking,Chinese speakers prefer imaginative thought while English speakers abstract thought.Analogy 类比,metaphor,simile and symbol on which imaginative thought depends belong to the same category.Metaphor is the expressive of analogy,while simile is a kind of metaphor.The three of them use imagination as the foundation to express the special concept,emotion and purpose.According to Guan 1995,the fact that Chinese put so much stress on image shows that Chinese attach much importance to imagination but fail to develop conception.For instance,Confucius mentions an important idea “Ren” for 105 times in “The Analects”（论语）,but what is the real meaning of this idea is not explained clearly.Therefore,every scholar has his own understanding about it.Chinese philosophers consciously reject the notion of controlling ones life by reason.Their reasons lie in the fact that they appreciate a mysteriously higher,more profound view of the value of the right brain,of intuition.On the contrary,the abstract thought of English is embodied in its grammar.English is also dominated by logic.The conception is very clear and the sentences are organized tightly.The well-organized,logical English structures reflect English thought patterns,as even in the omitted sentences.3 Circular Thought Pattern and Linear Thought Pattern After analyzing seven hundred foreign students compositions,Robert.B.Kaplan 1966 concluded “Some Oriental writing specifically Chinese and Korean is marked by what may be called an approach by indirection.In this kind of writing,the development of the paragraph may be said to be turning and turning in a widening gyre.The tangential （外围的 ）circles or gyres （回旋 ）turn around the subject and show it from a variety of views,but the subject is never looked at directly.Things are developed in terms of what they are not,rather than in terms of what they are.Again,such a development