交际、变异、标准:关于英语语音在中国的取向

Communication,Variation and Standardization——The Developmental Direction of English Pronunciation in China

文章认为语音即语言。语音符号的任意性、结构的系统性和使用的广泛性赋予语言有效的生存和交际功能。人、事、地、时的环境变化预示三方交际和存在隐形第三方,语言交际因此要求心理服从社理,社理服从物理,参与者主动适从甚至顺从地调整话语。语音变异因此是交际性语言能力的重要标记,有客观的和主观的。从标准看,发音变异有正确、准确和精确的客观度量,从交际的社会性看,有物理近切、社理贴切和心理亲切的主观评价。文章由此区分RP和GA的音位学、教育学和社会学等级。英汉语系的硕大差异设定中国英语的发音必然出现显著变异,学习与使用者数量的巨大增长更可能降低发音质量。作者从中国英语教育的基础、发展和特色提出RP作为中国英语的语音取向,建议中国高校英语专业加强外语和师范学校学生英语发音的正确和准确程度,改善中国窗口职业人士的发音形象,提升中国英语整体发音水平及其在国际英语中的地位。

This article assumes that speech sounds are language per se, of which the arbitrary symbols, the systematic structures, and the extensive use endue language with effectual appearance and communicative functions. It is postulated that the environmental changes in person, event, space and time relate a three - party communication for an invisible third listener - speaker, which requests that the mental be in deference of the social and the social in deference of the physical, and that the participants be active in altering adaptively and submissively their speeches in concern. Sound variation, whether objective or subjective, is therefore a significant mark for communicative language abilities. Pronouncing variation can be objectively standardized into correctness, accuracy, and precision, and subjectivized into physical nearness, social adherence, and mental affability in communication. We argue that there are phonological, educational, and sociological aspects for scaling RP and GA and contend that the huge difference between English and Chinese predetermines that English pronunciation by Chinese speakers shall be considerably varied and the huge increase of learners and users shall meanwhile reduce the pronunciation quality. With regard to the basis, development and uniqueness of teaching English in China, this article proposes RP as a target, and suggests that English pronuncia- tion for majors, especially those of international studies and at normal universities be strengthened to such an extent of being correct and appropriate that the pronunciation image of those professionals in window positions in China be improved and Chinese English as well as its pronunciation upgraded to an advanced level among different varieties of International English.