A Contrastive Study of the English and Chinese Comparative Constructions

Abstract

Comparison is a common feature of all natural languages. Therefore, it is of great importance to analyze different ways of comparison expressions in Chinese and English and then to find out the reasons that generate the differences. With the help of library and Internet, the present study will analyze comparison in three aspects: semantically, syntactically and then to analyze the reasons that generate the differences in order to help English learners in China gain a better insight into peculiarities of their mother language and English in comparison expressions so that it is possible for them to be more conscious of not making mistakes in English writing or daily communications. Furthermore, by way of a contrastive study of English and Chinese expressions of comparison systematically, it is hopeful to improve the English teaching and translation from English into Chinese and vice versa.