World Culture History Story Series: The British Volume

Author: Bi Jiwan, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-02-01
Features: To promote the excellent cultures of various countries and ethnic groups, advance international cultural exchange and world Chinese language teaching, the SLTP (Sino-English Language Teaching Press) published the "World Cultural History Series" to help readers familiarize themselves with and understand the history, culture, folklore, and customs of different countries, thereby strengthening cultural exchange and fostering friendship among peoples. This book selects and weaves cultural materials along the historical timeline of cultural development to reflect the systematic evolution of British history. To facilitate readers in understanding an overview of different types of events, the 105 short essays in the book are categorized into 10 parts: Part 1 covers basic information about the UK, including its name, geographical location, British people, the Union Jack and the coat of arms, and the national anthem of the UK; Part 2 includes the evolution of British history and some major historical events in the UK; Part 3 introduces aspects of the British constitutional monarchy; Part 4 recounts cities, architecture, and transportation; Part 5 discusses the language and literature of the UK; Part 6 covers the science and technology of the UK; Part 7 introduces British education, arts, and sports; Part 8 lists interesting aspects of British customs and traditions; Part 9 briefly introduces some folk superstitions and taboos; the last part includes several essays that specifically discuss the cultural differences in the meanings of corresponding words in English-Chinese translation, aiming to remind English learners and those involved in international communication—including translators and relevant teachers—to be cautious and handle "superficially similar but fundamentally different" corresponding words and "similar" things with due attention, avoiding cultural misunderstandings or conflicts when translating such words or introducing such matters.