Comparative analysis of cultural connotation words in Russian and Chinese

The paper presents an analysis of words conveying culturalconnotations in Russian and Chinese, aiming to solve the problem that the learners of Chinese and Russian encounter in languagelearning. The author puts great emphasis on the significance of intercommunicative functions and accumulative functions of words insecond language acquisition. A words accumulative function is equally important as its intercommunicative function in language learning.The study of words is not complete without the consideration of the words connotations. A word conveys more than its dictionarymeaning, it implies evaluation, expression force, history and other complementary information. A words connotation consists of specificconnotation and accompanying range. Specific connotation or specific concept usually gets expressed in verbal communicationbetween speakers. The accompanying range is the range in which the language tools associate certain abstract images with personalemotions. Besides, connotation indicates certain language standard and is influenced by many factors, such as society, region, technologyand culture. A words connotation comes into being in groups of people; it is not peculiar to an individual. Words carrying emotionaland aesthetic associations are available in different languages. Therefore, it is very important to study the similarities and differencesof the words connotations in cross-cultural communication. For the second language learners in the attempt to study the wordsconnotations, they should put emphasis on the non-equivalent words, including the background words. The non-equivalent words areavailable in different cultures. They share the same literal sense but subtly differ in emotional and aesthetic associations. As a result ofthe differences in ethnic culture, the words cultural connotations vary from culture to culture. The words with cultural connotations inRussian are different from those in Chinese. According to the national conditions of language, words with cultural connotations can beclassified into the following five categories: 1. Equivalent words. 2. Words common in both languages but carrying cultural connotationonly in one culture. 3. Words common in both languages but different or opposite in cultural connotations. 4. Words common in bothlanguages with partially different cultural connotation. 5. Completely non-equivalent words. Based on the similarities and differences incultural connotations between Russian words and their Chinese counterparts, the author comes to a conclusion that words with culturalconnotations make a feature of reflecting reality and conveying culture. These words, directly or indirectly, mirror nonverbal activities,portray ethnic characteristics, reflect national convention, indicate peoples attitude towards the world, and involve social system of thecountry.

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