外语学习者文本中的句法和词汇简单化研究

An analysis of syntactic and lexical simplicity in EFL learners’ written texts

本文运用Hinkel(2003)的分析框架研究以英语作为外语学习者的写作特征,并与Hinkel研究中的英语母语者和二语学习者的句法和词汇使用特征进行对比,以探索外语学习者在句法和词汇使用上可能存在的问题。受试为西部一所大学里选修高级英语写作课的58名英语专业二年级学生。所分析语料为受试在期末考试中闭卷完成的针对两个话题之一的说明文。结果显示,外语学习者受语言水平的限制,在文本中过度依赖最常用的句法和词汇特征,且具有趋同性。最后,本文指出在教学实践中应注重提高学生的句法和词汇能力并鼓励学生独立思考,培养学生的批判性思维和创造性写作能力。

This paper investigates the syntactic and lexical features in EFL learners’written texts based on Hinkel’s(2003)analytical framework,and compares them with Hinkel’s findings.Subjects are 58 English major sophomores taking the Advanced English Writing course at a university located in Western China.Data for analyses were 58 expository essays on one of the two topics in their final exam.Results indicate that EFL learners excessively rely on the most frequent and simple syntactic and lexical features in written texts due to their restricted language proficiency,and present convergence of features in writing.The paper concludes that teaching writing needs to help develop the EFL learners’syntactic and lexical repertoire and encourage them to think for themselves and cultivate their ability of critical thinking and creative writing.