一项基于语料库的英语写作研究——大学英语写作中词语搭配的实证研究

Collocations in Non-English Major Writings: A Corpus-based Research on College English Writing

本文利用语料库技术和统计软件对低、高分组大学英语写作中的词语搭配频率和写作水平进行分析,试图说明英语学习者词语搭配使用能力与写作能力之间的关系。研究发现:(1)写作水平与词语搭配使用频率显著正相关;(2)低、高分组作文的词语搭配使用频率存在显著差异;(3)低、高分组学生在词语搭配的分布模式如搭配类型、搭配错误和搭配词的丰富程度上有很大差异;(4)传统的词语搭配研究结果不能很好地代表高分群体。

The study compares the use of collocations between the higher and the lower achievers among students of College English,in order to gain insights into how non-English majors’ writing ability is correlated to their ability to use collocations.Data analyses indicate that(1) a significant correlation exists between the collocation frequency and the writing scores;(2) the higher achievers tend to use collocations significantly more frequently than the lower achievers;(3) the two groups involved in the study also show noticeable differences in their respective collocation patterns,including the kind of collocational errors they tend to make,and the variety of collocates they are likely to use;(4) traditional case studies on the subject fail to shed much light on the higher achievers’ way of using collocations.