中国学生英语能力:涵义与描述——邹为诚教授访谈录

On Indicators of Chinese Students' English Language Ability:Definition and Description

语言能力指标研究是应用语言学领域探讨的核心问题之一。对于语言能力指标的研究主要是采用质的研究方法,首先构建理论框架,然后通过大量的二语习得实验加以验证、反驳或扩展。本文试图通过访谈来探讨语言能力指标的理论框架,并进一步探索这些能力指标的具体种类和涵义,以期完成我国学生英语能力指标研究的第一步工作。本文访谈对象是华东师范大学外语学院邹为诚教授,他系统地阐述了中国学生英语能力指标的框架构想。邹为诚认为,英语是一种语言,但首先是我国学校教育中的一门课程,对中国学生的一系列英语能力指标的系统描述应该在这个大前提下进行。

Identifying indicators of language ability is one of the main tasks in applied linguistics.Such studies are usually conducted qualitatively to construct a theoretical framework,which is then to be validated,rejected or expanded by empirical research in second language acquisition.This paper,based on interview methodology,is intended to build a theoretical framework and explore the categories and connotations of indicators of language ability,the purpose of which is to lay a foundation for the research of indicators of Chinese students＇ English language ability.The interviewee,Zou Weicheng,a professor from East China Normal University,elaborates on a conceptual framework of indicators of Chinese students＇ English language ability.According to Zou,English is first and foremost one of the main subjects in school education in China before it is recognized as a language,and this is the background against which we give a detailed and systematic description of indicators of Chinese students＇ English language ability.