福建省光泽第一中学高中英语教师论文 从跨文化(6)

Americans say that eating Chinese food is really an enjoyment. You can not only reward yourself and repay others, but also have a chance to appreciate the dish names.”

2.1.1 Self-descriptive names

A large number of Chinese dish names are self-descriptive, that is, to give the basic information of its ingredients，cooking methods or seasonings to the readers by the name itself. It has no obstacles in understanding then. These names, again, can be subcategorized into names with cooking methods, names with flavor and names with ingredients.

Name with cooking methods:

The variety of Chinese cooking methods is clearly seen in this kind of names, together with an ingredient. The basic structure would be a verb-object word group, begins with a verb and ends in its object, as in the examples:“炒鱼片”,“炖牛肉”,“清蒸鱼”,“炸明虾”,“红烧猪肉”and“熏黄鱼”.In a more complex name, another minor ingredient would be added, forming the structure of an object-verb-object group, such as“菜炒鸡球”and“鸡丝烩鱼肚”.

Name with flavor:

Word group consisting of a modifier and the word it modifies is very productive in forming this type of dish name. The form is basically “modifier+head word”, with the first half as the attribute to clarify the flavor of the dish, and the latter half as the name of the ingredient. It still belongs to the self-descriptive names. Examples :“麻辣豆腐”,“鱼香肉丝”,“怪味鸡”,“糖醋石斑鱼”,“香酥鸡”and“五香牛肉”.

Name with ingredients:

With its name explicit, the main ingredient(A)’s is compared with an animal, an object or anything(B),under the format of“B+A”.“A”is in the shape of“B”.For example,“松鼠(B)黄鱼(A)”is a dish in which“黄鱼”is in the shape of“松鼠”.Similar examples are“玉簪田鸡腿”,“元宝肉”,“桂花鱼翅”,“荷花鱼肚”,“蝴蝶香酥鸡”,“太极芋泥”,“香葱琵琶翅”.

2.1.2Names with metaphors

With its name omitted, the ingredient is compared with an animal, an object or anything. No definite format can be followed. In this category, many beautiful images can be created. For instance,“蚂蚁上树”,a well-known dish, is to compare the minced pork with“ants”,and vermicelli with“trees”.“乌云托月”is to c ompare laver with “dark clouds”,and poached egg with moon. Other names, like“掌上明珠”,“七星伴月”,“雪塔观燕”,“雪夜桃花”and“雪映红梅”fall into this group.

2.1.3 Names after a person/place

Name after a person:

Such dishes are normally named in honor of their inventors or relevant people in history. Many historical figures, widely known or anonymous, connect themselves with dish names. It is the unique feature of Chinese dish names. Lin(1998:331)says, “In England, a Wordsworth steak or Galsworthy cutlet would be unimaginable”.Typical Examples are“东坡肉”,“宫保鸡丁”,“贵妃鸡翅”,“沛公狗肉”,“叫化鸡”. Name after a place:

Local flavors and specialties are commonly reflected in these dish names. The format