Tradition and Custom

習慣成自然，practice makes perfect 熟能生巧，凡事成了習慣就容易做得到 custom makes all things easy 。

 

CUSTOM 指一個社會團體的成員所接受的慣常行為 ，例如一個民族長期建立起來的個人或團體，大家都遵循的某種特定的行為方式 : custom is a set of agreed, stipulated or generally accepted rules, norms, standards or criteria ；所謂 so many countries, so many customs。各國習俗不同 social customs vary in different countries 每個國家都有不同的社會習俗；local custom 是當地的風俗習慣；ancient custom 是古老的習俗。

 

 

Burning fireworks 放煙花鞭炮 was once the most typical custom during the Spring Festival。Waking up on New Year, everybody dresses up and extends greetings to their parents and receives red packets of money。北方人吃餃子，南方人吃年糕：People in northern China will eat jiaozi, or dumplings；southern Chinese eat niangao, New Year cake made of glutinous rice flour,  niangao auspiciously meaning “higher and higher, one year after another.” 年糕有年年高陞大吉大利的兆頭。

 

農曆新年的吉祥語和揮春 auspicious messages，翻譯成英文的一些版本，最早見諸於美國1837年，例如 : 財源廣進：May wealth flow in abundantly； 五福臨門：May the Five Happiness enter the abode；貨如輪轉：As wheels evolve, so may supplies and sales continue；客似雲來：Customers come in numbers, like the gathering of clouds；一本萬利 ：From a single cash, may 10000 be derived,  文字水準不錯。

 

HABIT is customary behaviour，指一個人習慣地做著一些以後難以戒掉的事。例如：It was his habit to get up early 他習慣早起。Smoking is a bad habit抽煙是個一壞習慣。Can’t you break away from the old habit?難道你改不掉舊習慣嗎？Habit is second nature習慣成自然，習慣是人的第二天性。HABIT的常用語：break the habit 改掉習慣； a creature of habit受習慣支配的人 ; a deep-rooted habit 根深蒂固的習慣 ；fall into the habit 養成習慣 ；from force of habit 出於習慣的力量： because of a need to conform to a long-standing pattern of behaviour 習慣使然；make a habit of  形成一種習慣  。

 

 

兩句意思相同的諺語：積習難改 old habits die hard，反映人們通常不願意改變做事的習慣，尤其是長期形成的工作方式；本性難移 the leopard cannot change its spots：豹無法改變身上的斑點，表示不論先天或後天的惡習，感染久了，就難以消除。

 

These nouns refer to established patterns of behaviour typical of a group, community, or culture。

 

世界各地方各民族都有自己的傳統文化。傳統，指歷史沿傳而來的思想、道德、風俗、藝術、制度、習慣等等。傳統文化，就是文明演化彙集而成 ，反映民族特質和風貌的民族文化。TRADITION 一詞，源自拉丁文 “Traditio”  即「傳承」之意。 TRADITION is a belief or custom that has existed among a group of people for a very long time。 Tradition in its broadest sense refers to knowledge, doctrines, and patterns of behaviour transmitted from generation to generation 一代傳一代。Common examples include holidays, greetings and or socially meaningful clothes, like English lawyer robes and wigs 英國法官和大律師的黑袍和馬毛假髮。Tradition is usually contrasted with the goal of modernity 繼承傳統的對立面是追求現代化 。 

 

 

CUSTOM refers to the habitual pattern of behaviour of a community or people：表達群體的生活習慣。A custom, while well established in usage, does not have the force of a tradition。Tradition emphasizes more strongly historical significance：傳統強調歷史的意義 : such as the custom of shaking hands; the tradition by which the bridegroom places the wedding ring on the finger of his bride 。

 

 

While CUSTOM 習俗 suggests a longstanding cultural habit, a CONVENTION 慣例和常規may be  an expression of the MANNERS of a people：the handshake is a social convention。A convention is a general agreement  to do something in a certain way : it used to be the convention for European women to wear hats in church。Observing  social conventions implies a measure of conformity 循規蹈矩, whereas observing a custom implies only the performance  of a habit shared with a great many other people because they are local customs and culture。

 

MANNER 態度 refers to a typical or customary way of doing something：a business manner 一副公事公辦的樣子 ；MANNERS規舉、習俗或禮貌 are the habits and customs of a particular group of people：the social manners of the eighteen century 18世紀的社會習俗。

 

MANNERIS 言談舉止 is a particular habit or way of speaking, such as a small movement of your face or body that is part of your usual behaviour。Some body like saying “you know” all the time。This is considered not a very good practice。

 

 

逢星期二、五刊登