中国学生在议论文写作中使用因果连接词的语料库研究

A Corpus-based Study of the Use of Causal Connectives in Chinese EFL Learners' Argumentative Writings

本研究依据语料库来调查中国学生在议论文写作中使用因果连接词的情况,发现中国学生使用的密度表现出先增后减的发展特点,丰富度大体上呈线性增长。中国学生的书面语中有较强的口语化倾向,但随着其英语水平的提高,这种倾向会逐渐减弱。和本族语学生相比,中国学生使用因果连接词的密度要高,但丰富度却低。两者在因果连接词的选择和使用位置上的差异,不但再次证实了中国学生书面语中的口语化倾向,而且也反映出中国学生偏爱归纳式的思维模式。

This study investigates the use of causal connectives in Chinese EFL learners＇ argumentative writings in a large Chinese learner corpus. It finds that density of causal connectives Chinese students use shrews signs of intial increase but suhsequent decrease. However, their variety displays a rough linear development model. Furthermore. Chinese students tend to use colloquial words in compositions. But this tendency diminushes as their English proficiency improves. Compared with native English speakers, Chinese learners use more causal connectives, but of less variety. Their differences in choosing and manipulating these words not only confirm the oral style found in Chinese students＇ written discourse, but also reveal Chinese students＇ preference for inductive thinking.