大学生英语论说文的逻辑诉诸力研究——基于新修辞学论辩理论视角

On Logic-based Persuasiveness of Chinese College Students' English Argumentative Writing: A Perspective of New Rhetoric

文章利用图尔明论辩模式,考察中国大学生英语论说文中论辩要素的使用情况,目的是从修辞学角度研究大学生英语论说文的逻辑诉诸力。图尔明模式分析显示:在英语论说文中,事实和理由的使用明显偏低,使英语论说文的质量大打折扣。大学生的英语论说文普遍缺乏逻辑诉诸力。研究结果表明,内容匮乏和读者意识薄弱是中国大学生英语论说文写作中的两大突出问题。正是这两大问题使得学生在论证的过程中无法挖掘出充足的事实,忽视正当理由的使用,进而影响了论证的有效性和合理性,最终导致文章缺乏逻辑诉诸力。笔者结合大学英语教学现状以及跨文化差异,对研究结果进行了讨论。

This paper presents an empirical study of logic-based persuasiveness of Chinese students＇ English argumentative writing from the rhetorical perspective. The Toulmin model analysis is adopted in this research, which shows that the argumentative writing is not well developed among Chinese college students based on English argumentative writings done by 185 college students,and to be specific,the absence of data and reasons,or the inept use of them degrades the logic-based persuasiveness in Chinese students＇ argumentative writing. The finding of poorly developed argumentative writing among college students indicates that the lack of content and the scant audience awareness are the two typical problems in Chinese students＇ English argumentative writing. It is the two problems that prohibit students from creating logical and persuasive English argumentative writings.