基于语篇的英文写作方法

来源:用户上传      作者: 顾立芬

　　摘要: 从传统的角度看,语言最重要的、最基本的东西是语法。从功能的角度看,首先是语篇,其次才是语法。英文写作就是把语法和语篇有机地结合起来,利用语篇的特征,使用语法手段来表达作者的思想,从而达到有效的交际目的。
　　关键词: 语篇语法写作方法
　　
　　语篇通常指一系列连续的话段或句子构成的语言整体,句子之间有一定的逻辑关系,具有结构上的组织性和语义上的统一性。它既包括“话语”,又包括“篇章”;它既可以是一个独词句,如welcom,又可以是一个小句,如公共场合的告示No Admission,还可以是一篇散文、一部小说、一首诗、一份商务合同等。无论种类多么繁多,语篇的构成规则都相同的,即衔接与连贯。衔接是语篇的内在特征,是由一定的语言形式,即语法和词汇来体现的。语篇的连贯不仅表现在句子之间的逻辑语义关系上,还要依赖于读者对句间关系和句子功能的理解。理解语篇不能只靠衔接手段,还要利用背景知识,或者叫世界知识。
　　从传统的角度看,语言最重要的、最基本的东西是语法。从功能的角度看,首先是语篇,其次才是语法,因为绝大部分句子的意义都受到它们所处语境的制约。脱离语境,无所谓“语言事实”、“正确性”或“得体性”。有效的交际是功能理解与形式得体的结合。应该结合语言的和非语言的语境教语法,把形式与功能统一起来。那么,写作作为一种书面交际形式,基本上就是凭借语法和语篇的特征,把分散的、互相联系的观点变成一个统一的观点。如何才能在语篇的基础上结合语法进行写作呢?笔者结合自己多年的教学经验,总结出五种方法。
　　
　　一、注重开头段落的功能
　　
　　开头段落是非常重要的,它通常具有引起读者兴趣,给出上下文或概括指导的功能。作者可以通过以下十种方式完成开头段落的功能。
　　(1)定义出现在标题里的重要词语。
　　(2)陈述要讨论主题的哪些方面。
　　(3)介绍关于主题的重要背景信息。
　　(4)提及这个领域所完成的工作。
　　(5)陈述作者的观点或兴趣。
　　(6)举出一个将要详细介绍的例子。
　　(7)陈述作者想要使用的策略。
　　(8)比较对手的立场或观点。
　　(9)陈述与主题有关的问题或困难。
　　(10)引用、提问或讲轶事吸引读者的注意力。
　　
　　二、注重从功能角度发展段落
　　
　　每个段落都有主题句,怎样才能围绕主题句发展段落?例如有这样一个主题句:All languages have the same purpose――to communicate thoughts――and yet they achieve this single aim in a multiplicity of ways.我们可以按照对比、举例、论述、定义和证明五种功能,参照以下五种方式围绕主题句发展段落。
　　1.介绍与主题句相反的观点
　　All languages have the same purpose――to communicate thoughts――and yet they achieve this single aim in a multiplicity of ways.
　　Animal communication,on the other hand,is constrained in many ways.
　　2.举例说明主题句
　　All languages have the same purpose――to communicate thoughts――and yet they achieve this single aim in a multiplicity of ways.
　　Each language has its own unique set of grammatical and discourse features.
　　3.详细论述主题句
　　All languages have the same purpose――to communicate thoughts――and yet they achieve this single aim in a multiplicity of ways.
　　Despite this,there are also universal features across languages.
　　4.给主题句下定义
　　All languages have the same purpose――to communicate thoughts――and yet they achieve this single aim in a multiplicity of ways.
　　By communication,of course,we mean the ability to press grammatical,lexical,and phonological resourse into service in contexts of use.
　　5.证明主题句的观点是正确的
　　All languages have the same purpose――to communicate thoughts――and yet they achieve this single aim in a multiplicity of ways.
　　Time is expressed in different languages in many different ways.
　　
　　三、注重衔接
　　
　　根据Halliday的观点,语篇的衔接有照应、替代和省略、连接词、词汇四种方式。所以在写作的时候,也可以利用这四种衔接方式,把要表达的观点衔接起来。
　　1.照应
　　(1)利用人称照应连接句子
　　Roni Size peers down from the top floor of a midtown Manhattan hotel at a skyscraper across the street .“You could fit the whole of Bristol in that,”he exclaims.
　　(2)利用指示照应连接句子
　　Roni Size peers down from the top floor of a midtown Manhattan hotel at a skyscraper across the street.“You could fit the whole of Bristol in that,”he exclaims.
　　(3)利用比较照应连接句子
　　A:Would you like these seats?
　　B:No,as a matter of fact,I’d like the other seats.
　　2.替代和省略
　　(1)名词性替代和省略
　　I’ll get you some more bread rolls.These ones are stale.(ones=bread rolls)
　　My kids play an awful lot of sport.Both(0)are incredibly energetic.(0 represents the omitted part)

　　(2)动词性替代和省略
　　A:I think you work too hard.
　　B:So do you !(do=work too hard)
　　A:Have you been working?
　　B:Yes,I have(0).
　　(3)词组性替代和省略
　　A:Are we going to land soon?
　　B:I think so.(so=we’re going to land soon)
　　A:Why’d you only set three places?Paul’s staying for dinner,isn’t he?
　　B:Is he?He didn’t tell me(0).
　　3.连接词
　　连接词与照应、替代和省略不同,因为它不是提醒读者之前提到的事项。它表示的是一种关系,这种关系只有通过参照其他部分才能被充分理解。有四种连接词,分别表示时间、因果、递进和对比。
　　(1)对比
　　I’m afraid I’ll be home late tonight.However,I won’t have to go in until late tomorrow.
　　(2)递进
　　From a marketing viewpoint,the popular tabloid encourages the reader to read the whole page instead of choosing stories.And isn’t that what any publisher wants?
　　(3)时间
　　Brick tea is a blend that has been compressed into a cake.It is taken mainly by the minority groups in China.First,it is ground to a dust.Then it is usually cooked in milk.
　　(4)因果
　　Chinese tea is becoming increasingly popular in restaurants,and even in coffee shops.This is because of the growing belief that it has several health giving properties.
　　4.词汇衔接
　　所谓词汇衔接就是指文本中的两个词在词义上相关。
　　(1)重复
　　What we lack in a newpaper is what we should get.In a word,a“popular”newpaper may be the winning ticket.
　　(2)同义词
　　You could try reversing the car up the slope.The incline isn’t all that steep.
　　(3)上义词
　　A:Did you try the steamed buns?
　　B:Yes,I didn’t like the things much.
　　(4)下义词
　　Pneumonia has arrived with the cold and wet conditions.The illness is striking everyone from infants to the elderly.
　　
　　四、注重连贯
　　
　　句子与句子之间怎样才能围绕一定的主题连贯地展开呢?这可能是每位写作者的困难。不妨参照以下三种方式。
　　1.平行展开
　　The ability to carry electricity varies according to the extent to which substances contain electrons that are free to move.It is not something possessed by all substances.
　　A:The ability to carry electricity
　　B:It
　　这两句话的主题在语义上是相同的,因为第二句话的it代替第一句话的“the ability to carry electricity”,它们之间的关系是平行展开。
　　2.顺序展开
　　The ability to carry electricity varies according to the extent to which substances contain electrons that are free to move.It is not something possessed by all substances.
　　A:The ability to carry electricity
　　B:Some substances
　　这两句话的主题是不同的,第一句话的主题是“the ability to carry electricity”,第二句话的主题是“some substances”,它们之间的关系是顺序展开。
　　3.平行扩展展开
　　The ability to carry electricity varies according to the extent to which substances contain electrons that are free to move.It is not something possessed by all substances.
　　A:The ability to carry electricity
　　B:Some substanc

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