Abstract: This study aims to investigate the differences of preferences and taboos in number use between China and UK and the causes behind them. After reviewing the previous studies and related literatures, the author contrasts the expressing and notation system of the numbers in China and UK as well as the preferences and taboos between the two cultures. Then the author analyzes the reasons that cause the differences in preferences and taboos of number use between China and UK from four aspects, namely historical origins and religious belief, metaphoric meaning, national cultural psychology and homophone and harmonic meaning causes. Finally, the author makes a conclusion towards this research by listing the limitations and points out that comparative studies on the use of numbers between different cultures can make people understand the cultural differences better, thus to facilitate the cross-cultural communication more profitably.

Key Words: number; preferences; taboos; China; UK

CONTENTS

Abstract

摘要

1. Introduction-1

2. Literature Review-1

2.1 Definition of Number-1

2.2 Foreign and Domestic Studies of Number-2

3.Differences between Expressing and Notation System-3

3.1 Different Customary Expression-3

3.2 Different Notation System-4

3.3 Different Quantifiers-4

4. Distinction of Preference and Taboo between China and UK-5

4.1 Different Preferences-5

4.1.1 Preferences in China-5

4.1.2 Preferences in UK-6

4.2 Different Taboos-7

4.2.1 Taboos in China-7

4.2.2 Taboos in UK-7

5 Roots of Differences on Preferences and Taboos between China and UK-8

5.1 Historical Origins and Religious Belief-8

5.2 Metaphoric Meanings-9

5.3 National Culture Psychology-9

5.4 Homophone and Harmonic Meaning-10

6 Conclusion-11

Bibliography-12

Acknowledgements-13