Analysis of Cultural Connotation Differences of Animal and Plant Words between Chinese and English from the Perspective of Cross-cultural Communication

Abstract

Cross-cultural communication refers to the communication between people with different cultural backgrounds. Language in the process of communication will reflect a person’s cultural background and thinking. Language is the carrier of culture, while word is the most basic unit and component of language. Nations have formed cultures with their own characteristics in the long history where the connotation of words would be affected by cultural differences. Therefore, to reduce cultural conflicts and misunderstandings, it is necessary to understand the differences between Chinese and English words. Based on the perspective of cross-cultural communication, this paper analyzes the differences in the connotation of animal and plant words in Chinese and Western cultures, aiming to further improve cross-cultural communication awareness and translation ability.