篇章信息度理论及其对英语教学的启示

On the Theory of Textual Informativity Degree and the Enlightenment to English Teaching

篇章信息度是篇章信息处理中的一个重要概念,指对于接受者而言篇章信息超越或低于期望值的程度。根据语言学家de Beaugrande和Dressler的理论,篇章的信息度可分级界定,共分为三个等级。信息度过低会使篇章枯燥乏味,而信息度过高又会使篇章晦涩难懂,因此,篇章和篇章生产者要根据目标读者、篇章主题和文体风格有效地把握篇章的信息度。在英语写作教学中,对于篇章信息度的把握问题也应给予充分考虑,并设计出相应练习以训练学生对篇章信息度的控制。

The term ＂informativity degree＂ means to what extent the information contained in a text comes out beyond or within the receiver＇s expectation. De Beaugrande and Dressier, categorized textual informativity into three different degrees. Too low degree of informativity makes a text tiresome for reading,while too high degree makes it hard to understand. A good producer should know well about what informativity degree should be maintain according to the target roader, lextual topic and style. Foreign language teachers should ;eaeh students some ways to keep a proper imformativity degree in their teaching of writing,so as to train the students to adjust the informativity degree of a text.