English and Chinese people have different religious faith. Different religions lead to the differences between English and Chinese proverbs. Christianity is the main religion in English-speaking countries, so many English proverbs are related to “God”. While Chinese people believed in Buddhism and Taoism, so many Chinese proverbs are about“佛”and “道”。
3.4 Reflecting different value concepts
The differences between Chinese and western value concepts mainly lie in individualism and collective.
Westerners believe that everyman is equal. They aspire to freedom and equality. Many English proverbs show American’s advocating of freedom and individualism. E.g.:
(78) God helps those who help themselves.
(79) He helps little that helps not himself.
These two proverbs illustrate the individual role. The words “themselves” and “himself” show that independence plays an important role in their life.
(80) Everyman is the architect of his own fortune.
(81) If you want a thing well done, do it yourself.
These two proverbs attach importance to independence and self-reliance. Self-reliance impels people to create opportunities, seek competition and be ready for risks.
(82)“It is the squeaky wheel that gets the oil.” gives prominence to the individualism.
English and Chinese proverbs have many similarities and differences. With the communication of world culture, proverbs will break the boundary of states and nations, promote the cultural convergence and achieve interfusion. English and Chinese proverbs are permeating and interfusing each other constantly.
4. Permeation and interfusion
With the progress of science and technology, the development of society and dissemination of information, the communication and cooperation among countries are expanding. The contact among states and nations is more and more frequent. Different national cultures are permeating and interfusing. Language is the carrier of culture. Cultural convergence is directly reflected in the integration of language, at the same time the interfusion and changing of language reflect and record the evolution of cultural convergence. [16] Proverb is the crystal of language. It has no exception.
The communication between Chinese and Western culture is more and more frequent. These two cultures affect and permeate mutually. English absorb many Chinese words, and a great number of English words also enter in the Chinese culture. For example：
(90)“以眼还眼，以牙还牙”is from “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.”转贴于 酷文网-论文下载中心 http://www.coolwen.net
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