隐喻思维训练对于培养写作能力的影响

The Application of Metaphorical Thought into Writing Teaching and its Influence on Writing Competence

在传统的英语写作教学中,隐喻的作用被局限为修辞手段,往往被视为高深而为学生们敬而远之。而作为思维的本质特性之一,隐喻与思想表达密不可分,其在英语写作教学中的作用更是不应忽视。为此,笔者在长达一年的英语专业三年级写作课程中引入了隐喻思维训练,以研究隐喻对写作能力培养的实际影响。而研究表明,在写作训练中,充分地运用思维的隐喻性可以有效地帮助学生发挥想象力,开发和利用思维中的隐喻性特征,恰当使用已有的词汇进行准确生动的表达,摆脱"翻译式写作"的陋习,提高写作能力。

In the traditional teaching of English writing, the introduction of metaphor has been confined to its rhetorical use, which is commonly considered as unessential and abstruse, and thus virtually isolated from students＇ writing practice. However, as one of essential features of thought, metaphor deserves much more attention and application in English writing teaching and learning. In order to study the influence that metaphor can exert on Chinese students in their English writing competence, I instructed students to pay significant attention to metaphorical thought and apply metaphor in writing practice during one-year writing project for junior English majors. It is proved that metaphor is very helpful in improving students＇ English writing competence by stimulating their imagination, assisting them in exploring and applying the features of metaphorical thought, guiding them to employ appropriate and handy words for accurate and vivid expressions, and setting them free from the fetter of unconscious translation of their Chinese ideas in mind while writing.