英语学习者学术写作中缓和语和增强语的语用研究

A Pragmatic Study of Hedges and Boosters in Academic Writings of Chinese EFL Learners

本研究以语料库为研究工具对比分析中国英语学习者和英语本族语者英语学术写作中缓和语和增强语的使用情况。数据分析基于两组学生学术写作语料:中国英语学习者和英语本族语者硕士学位论文各50篇。研究发现,中国英语学习者学术写作中缓和语和增强语的使用频率与本族语者相比有显著差异,中国英语学习者倾向于少用缓和语而多用增强语;并且缓和语和增强语的语类分布差异主要体现在论文的结果与讨论部分,语用功能差异主要体现在读者导向上。本研究对提高学习者学术写作语用能力具有一定的启示意义。

This corpus-based study compares the use of hedges and boosters in the academic writing of Chinese EFL learners with those of their native counterparts.The analysis was based on two corpora of student academic writing:50 MA theses of Chinese EFL learners and 50 MA theses of native students.Results showed that Chinese EFL learners used hedges less frequently and boosters more frequently than their native counterparts.In terms of generic variations,the difference was particularly significant in Results and Discussion section of the theses and in terms of functional variations the difference lay mainly in the reader-oriented aspect.The paper provides a few implications for improving L2 pragmatic competence in academic writing.