中国大学生英语习语理解策略研究

A Study on the English Idiom Processing Strategies Used by Chinese College Students

本文调查语言水平和习语类型对中国大学生英语习语理解策略使用情况的影响。20个英语习语被分为正式、非正式和俚语三种类型,40名不同英语水平的中国大学生参加了理解英语习语的有声思维实验。实验结果表明:语言水平对习语理解策略使用有显著影响。高等水平学习者比中等水平学习者采用的习语理解策略更多更有效。中等水平学习者更着重于习语语言形式和字面语义的分析;而高等水平学习者更善于利用语境、相关母语知识、习语字面意义和其比喻意义之间的联系来猜测习语意义。习语类型对习语理解策略使用也有显著影响:从策略类型和数量来看,理解正式和非正式习语策略大大超过理解俚语策略;理解三种习语策略的具体差异较大。

This paper investigates the effect of language proficiency and idiom type on the idiom processing strategies used by Chinese EFL learners. Twenty English idioms are classified into three categories： formal, informal and slang. 40 Chinese EFL college learners of different language proficiency participated in an idiom comprehension test by means of the think-aloud protocol, in which they verbalized their thoughts as they arrived at the meanings of the examined idioms. The results reveal that language proficiency exerts noticeable influence on strategy uses by Chinese EFL learners. The advanced learners employ greater and more efficient strategies than the intermediate learners in the comprehending process. The intermediate learners concentrate more on the linguistic forms of the L2 idioms and pay much more attention to the literal semantic analysis of the expressions. However, advanced learners are more active in making use of the context involved, searching for related knowledge in L1 and looking for the match between the literal meaning and the figurative meaning of the L2 idioms. In addition, idiom type also affects participants＇ strategy use. In terms of the strategy type and quantity, the strategies employed to comprehend formal and informal idioms are greatly more frequent than those used to interpret slang. Moreover, great differences are also observed in the specific strategy use for the three different types of idioms.