Cultural Differences between Chinese and Western Surnames: Ancestors
There are obvious differences in the composition and structure of names between China and the West (referring to English-speaking countries). The forms of names in contemporary China are: surname+(generational name)+first name. Among them, the name of seniority no longer exists in some families in China, only surname+first name. The form of names in contemporary western countries is: first name+(middle name)+surname. The middle name can consist of one name or more names.
Second, the main differences between Chinese and Western names
1. Different order of name formation
China's surname/surname sequence is the first surname, while western countries are the first surname. For example, Bruce Lee's surname is "Li" and his name is "Xiaolong"; Potter is the surname in Harry Potter, after the name Harry.
2. Differences in the composition of names
In terms of composition, the only difference between China and the West lies in the naming requirements of middle names. In ancient China, middle names were generally generational names, brothers used the same word or the same Chinese character, and different generations of the same family used different words. For example, in the name of yongzheng emperor in the Qing Dynasty, the first word is "Yin" and the second word is "Shi", such as "Yin Zu", "Yin Ti". However, with the development of China society, the requirement of middle name has been gradually diluted. Among the western names, the middle name is mostly the mother's surname, and later it gradually developed to borrow the names of other relatives or admirers. For example, the daughter of Princess Kate of England was named Elizabeth in CharlotteElizabethDiana to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II.
3. Names have different naming methods.
China people's names are based on characters, usually two or three characters. When naming elders, they usually consider birthdays and five elements. If the five elements are short of wood, words with wood radicals will be added to the names, such as "Lin" and "Sen". The family's hopes for their children are condensed in one word. In addition, the name may also contain the words "Bo, Zhong, Shu, Ji" to indicate the order between brothers. In the west, naming is based on words, so the choice of words is limited. The origin of names is mostly related to the characters in ancient Greek and Roman mythology. The connotation and meaning represented by names are fixed and closely related to the origin of names. For example, Diana, the goddess of the moon, represents chastity, freedom and health. One difference is very unique. In China, the younger generation should not have the same name as the elders, nor should they have the same name as emperors and sages in ancient times. Avoid the name of the emperor. For example, after Yong Zhengdi acceded to the throne, all the words "Yin" in his brother's name were changed to "Cloud". And the west can have the same surname as its ancestors. For example, Prince George of England paid tribute to the Queen's father, George VI. Alexander's English female name is Alexandra, which is taken from the queen's name, while Louis is taken from a paragraph of his father's name. These names have the same names as their predecessors, and the British use the same names to express respect for their ancestors and hope for future generations.
4. Surnames and surnames have different historical origins.
In China, the origin of surnames is earlier than first names, while in the West, surnames exist after existing first names. As for African-Americans, it was after the Civil War that they got their own names, and their surnames can be changed frequently. [ 1]
Third, the cultural differences reflected by the name differences.
1. Pay attention to the difference between the collective and the individual.
From the sequence of Chinese and western surnames, we can see that China people "value surnames over names" and westerners "value surnames over names". This different arrangement of surnames and first names is one of the obvious examples of cultural differences between English and Chinese, and it is the embodiment of different traditional cultures in names. [2] For a family, the surname maintains the relationship of the whole family members, and he represents the group. [3] China people put their surnames first, indicating that China people first define themselves in the overall relationship, and then express individuals through their first names in the whole. This shows that China culture emphasizes the whole first. In the west, the first name comes before the surname, and the first name represents the individual. At the same time, the early appearance of surnames also shows that surnames and their representative meanings are more important than names in the minds of China people. Westerners pay attention to the individual as the center, emphasizing the dignity and value of the individual, and the surname represents the whole and comes after the first name. Moreover, western names appear earlier than surnames, and surnames can be changed, which shows that western culture is more sure of the status of individuals and attaches importance to the value of individuals.
2. Differences in clan concepts
Another reflection that China people value surnames over names in cultural concepts is that China people have a strong sense of clan and attach importance to it. Clans have the same clan and surname from generation to generation, and surname is the label of a person's clan affiliation. China people attach importance to the origin and development of the same surname. The west does not emphasize clan culture. You can also spy on the naming of Chinese names. China's middle name contains pronouns, which shows that China culture emphasizes the continuity and connection between generations. Generational names are the best link between clans to strengthen their sense of identity. In the west, China people's surnames are mostly their mothers' surnames, which can't reflect the correlation between the same generation and the whole family. In China, which has been dominated by Confucianism for thousands of years, because Confucianism advocates family harmony, everyone should do his duty to his family and ancestors, and the content of naming generally contains ideals and hopes. Therefore, nature is a mainstream ideal, hoping to link the past with the future. In naming, look at the names of past dynasties listed in history books, such as Guangzu, Shuzu, Stepzu and Yaozu. These names are the clearest explanation of China's traditional clan thought. [4]
3. Differences in religious views
Han people attach great importance to Confucian ethics, such as "morality, righteousness, courtesy and culture", such as Liu Xuande and Zhang Yide in the Three Kingdoms. In addition, the words "righteousness, morality, friendship, courtesy and filial piety" in the feudal ethical code and "benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom and faith" in impermanence are also common in the names. Western Anglo-Americans believe in Christianity, such as Christianity and Josephism. And Angela, Elizabeth, etc. The names of people in the Bible and the names of Christian German saints enrich the English surname database, which fully embodies the important position of Christianity in people's lives and its close relationship with people's lives. [5]
4. Some unique cultural differences between China and the West.
People in China pay attention to the date of birth and the five elements in the name. For thousands of years, the five lines of gossip in China has exerted great influence on people's ideological culture and many aspects of social life. People often determine which one is missing according to the birth date of the child, and then fill it with the name, so that the missing line is developed and prosperous. [6] If the five elements are short of wood, words with wood radicals will be added to the names, such as "Lin" and "Sen". Ancient Greek and Roman culture is the root of western culture. [7] Western culture originates from ancient Greek and Roman culture, and language is also deeply influenced by it, one of which is the name of westerners. There are gods in ancient Greek and Roman culture, which represent different meanings, and names also convey different meanings. In the west, especially in Britain, due to the historical origin of the monarchy, some names have their own tradition of naming royal names, and the British royal family will also choose from them when naming their heirs. For example, women's names are Victoria, DianaElizabeth and Alexandra, while men are Charles, George, Henry and Richard. These names are very popular.
5. Differences in wedding and marriage concepts
In ancient China, women took their husbands' surnames after marriage, and added their own surnames after their husbands' surnames, such as Wang Li and Li Weifu. There is no such tradition for women's names in contemporary China, and women's names have not changed after marriage. Many contemporary American women still use their husbands' surnames after marriage, but with the further development of the women's liberation movement, many couples began to adopt their own surnames as new surnames, separated by hyphens. For example, when MaryBrown and JohnWilliam got married, their names became MaryBrown-William and JohnBrown-William. The change of naming methods of women's names is a linguistic phenomenon. This change is a kind of label, which indicates women's pursuit of independence and equality, and also promotes the development of women's liberation movement and the prosperity and progress of social culture.