英语求职信恭维言语中的身份构建——评价理论的视角

Identity Construction in Compliments of English Cover Letters:Under the Framework of Appraisal Theory

人们通过语言建立并维持各自在社会中的身份地位,成功的求职信必须要构建被读者认可的写者身份。评价理论旨在研究语篇中的人际意义和如何通过修辞手段与读者结成盟友,评价资源的选择应该具有构建合适写者身份的功能。在评价理论的视角下,通过对30份英语本族语者英语求职信和30份中国英语学习者英语求职信的对比,发现这两组写者在求职信恭维言语中构建了不同身份,为英语求职信的写作教学提供了新的角度,并进一步揭示了身份构建要素在外语语用教学过程中的重要作用。

Language functions as a tool to construct and maintain social identities. A successful cover letter must construct social identities of writers deemed as proper by readers. The appraisal theory which aims to study interpersonal meaning of discourses explores means by which writers/speakers align with readers/listeners. Right choices of appraisal resources should help build proper social identities of writers/speakers. By contrasting 30 English cover letters of native writers of English and 30 English cover letters of ESL learners in China,this paper finds different identities are built by these two groups in compliments of cover letters. The result suggests a new angle to teaching of English cover letters and further illustrates the important role of identity construction in pragmatic teaching of foreign languages.