Abstract Lexical gap is an inevitable phenomenon in cross-cultural communication。 It is common to encounter conceptual vacancy or semantic vacancy in cross-cultural communication。 Through the case study on American version of Empresses in the Palace, this paper is intended to analyze the phenomenon of lexical gap, to discuss the causes of the gaps and the influence caused by the cultural differences on the formation of lexical gap, and to put forward the countermeasures, for the purpose of achieving the mutual understanding and communication between people with quite different cultural background。76034

Keywords: cross-cultural communication; Empresses in the Palace; lexical gap; cultural differences; strategies

摘要词汇空缺是跨文化交际中不可回避的现象，跨文化交际中常常会遇到对应词空缺或语义空缺等词汇空缺现象。本文以美版甄嬛传为例，旨在分析汉英词汇空缺现象，研究其产生的原因，探讨文化差异对形成词汇空缺的影响，并提出应对策略，有助于两种语言文化背景的人们更好地沟通与交流。

毕业论文关键词：跨文化交际；甄嬛传；词汇空缺；文化差异；策略

Contents

1。 Introduction 1

2。 Literature Review 1

3。Analysis of the Phenomenon of Lexical Gap in Cross-cultural Communication 3

3。1 Conceptual vacancy 3

3。2 Semantic vacancy 4

4。 Causes of Cultural Differences Resulting in Lexical Gap 5

4。1 Different living environment 5

4。2 Different religious beliefs 6

4。3 Different historical allusions 7

4。4 Different social customs 8

4。5 Different thoughts 9

5。 Strategies for Filling Lexical Gap in Cross-cultural Communication 10

5。1 Strategies for translation 10

5。2 Strategies for cross-cultural communication 12

6。 Conclusion 13

Works Cited 15

1。 Introduction

Thanks to the development of economy as well as the globalization, contacts between nations become increasingly close。 Cross-cultural communication is frequently increased。 Meanwhile, people often encounter misunderstanding due to different cultures。 Thereof, communicative effects are often unsatisfactory。论文网

Language reflexes uniqueness of culture in that it is both a part and a carrier of culture。 Culture is a precious heritage accumulated by ancestors with language。 The common characters of different languages and different cultures offer equivalences among themselves。 However, there exist many words in one culture, for which in other cultures equivalences can hardly be found。 This phenomenon results in lexical gap。 Lexical gap was originally a terminology in the field of semantics, and then has been popular in translation。 It is also viewed as one of the cultural barriers。 Empresses in the Palace is a traditional Chinese TV series。 Its subtitle translation arouses public attention domestically and abroad。 It is a manifest in lexical gap on account of different Chinese and English cultures。 The paper is to make research on Chinese words which have no counterparts in English。 Therefore, to eliminate the barrier and to promote intercultural communication, it’s necessary to study lexical gap in cross-cultural communication and propose necessary measures。