外语语用测试:问题与对策

Testing of foreign language pragmatics:problems and suggestions

交际语言能力理论认为语用能力是语言能力的一个重要组成部分,因此语言测试必须检测语用能力。文章综述了国内外对于语用能力以及外语语用能力测试的研究,归纳了在我国开展语用能力测试面临的诸多困难:确定外语语用能力的构念、设计试题和制定评分标准中存在的困难,以及难以开展测试的效度验证等。针对这些困难文章提出了一些建议性对策,如借用语用学、跨文化交际和外语教学理论来界定语用测试的构念;通过问卷采集母语者及学习者在语用环境中的语言使用来编写选项和评分标准;从测试前、测试中和测试后三个方面把语言学理论、认知心理学理论和方法以及心理测量学手段综合起来验证效度。

Pragmatic competence is one component of language ability and thus should be tested according to communicative language testing models. The paper reviews relevant researches concerning pragmatic competence and L2 pragmatic tests, and then summarizes problems that the administration of L2 pragmatic tests in China is confronted with： the difficulty in determining test construct, developing the test, designing scoring criteria, and validating the test use. The paper further proposes some suggestive strategies： to determine the test construct by a comprehensive use of theories in the disciplines of pragmatics, transcultural studies and foreign language teaching and learning; to develop test items and design scoring approaches based on native speakers and L2 learners＇ responses to target pragmatic domains ; and to validate test use by combining linguistic theories, cognitive psychological theories and research methods, and psychometric analyses from the three stages of test process： test design, administration and use.