胡發(fā)行
摘 要: 本文主要從語句和篇章的視角為提高英文寫作水平提出了一些嘗試性的意見。英文寫作教學(xué)的重點(diǎn)既要放在語言層面上,又要放在篇章結(jié)構(gòu)和內(nèi)容的介紹和分析上,尤其要提高學(xué)生的語言布局能力。
關(guān)鍵詞: 英文寫作 語句 篇章
1.引言
培養(yǎng)寫作能力是中學(xué)英語教學(xué)中一項(xiàng)很重要的內(nèi)容。寫作反映學(xué)生的綜合素質(zhì),檢驗(yàn)的是學(xué)生綜合水平及應(yīng)用英語的交際能力,是一項(xiàng)與學(xué)生整個教育經(jīng)驗(yàn)息息相關(guān)的過程。丁往道指出:“要有效地表達(dá)思想還需要句子思想統(tǒng)一性、連貫性、表達(dá)的簡潔性,重點(diǎn)突出性及句式的多樣性?!北疚膹恼Z句和篇章的視角談?wù)勅绾翁岣邔懽髂芰Γ行У乇磉_(dá)作者的思想。
2.英文句子的有效表達(dá)
英文句子的有效表達(dá)包括一致性、連貫性和多樣性。英語寫作的基本原則是英文思想的表達(dá)制約著英語的句法結(jié)構(gòu),即英文的思想決定了句子結(jié)構(gòu)的選擇。
2.1Unity
Unity is the first quality of an effective sentence. A unified sentence expresses a single complete thought.
Faulty: Ji Xianlin is one of the greatest scholars.
Revised: Ji Xianlin is one of the greatest scholars of the contemporary society.
2.2Coherence
Coherence means clear and reasonable connection between parts. A sentence is coherent when its words or parts are properly connected and their relationship clear.
Faulty: The famous professor leaves us a deep impression not only with his knowledge but also with what he does.
Revised: The famous professor leaves us a deep impression not only with his knowledge but also his good manners.
2.3Variety
英文寫作中的句式多樣性是指在段落寫作或短文寫作中句式應(yīng)該富于變化,增加句子的可讀性和“學(xué)術(shù)性”,從而提升作品的層次。
《新概念英語》第二冊第一課A Private Conversation是一篇很好的文章。但對于高中生尤其是高考作文而言,如果寫出這樣的文章,分?jǐn)?shù)一定高不了。主要原因是句式單一,缺乏變化。
A Private Conversation (adapted)
Last week I went to the theatre and I had a good seat. The play was very interesting but I didn't enjoy it because a young man and a young woman were sitting behind me, talking loudly. I got very angry because I couldn't hear the actors. I turned round, looking at them angrily. But they didn't pay any attention. In the end, I couldn't bear it and turned round again, saying angrily, “I cannot hear a word”. But the young man said rudely, “It is none of your business, this is a private conversation!”
通過增加連詞,將意思密切相關(guān)的簡單句改為并列句或復(fù)合句,使短文的句式多了些,可讀性更強(qiáng),同時(shí)提升了文章的檔次。同時(shí)還使用了分詞結(jié)構(gòu)進(jìn)行改寫。要體現(xiàn)句子的多樣性可以轉(zhuǎn)換句式,還可以使用非謂語動詞作狀語等。
3.語篇紐帶
優(yōu)美的英文寫作除了考慮句子的有效表達(dá)外,還可以從篇章結(jié)構(gòu)提高寫作水平。語篇結(jié)構(gòu)包含句子、語段和語篇。英文寫作中句子和語篇是融合在一起的,語篇都是一些意義相關(guān)的句子通過一定的承接手段合乎邏輯地組織起來的語義整體。英文寫作可以通過不同的語篇紐帶提高自身的表達(dá)力。
3.1邏輯紐帶
邏輯紐帶包括表示時(shí)間關(guān)系與空間關(guān)系、列舉與例證、延伸與轉(zhuǎn)折、推論與歸納、原因與結(jié)果等,邏輯概念的過渡詞語指表明從句或句子邏輯關(guān)系的過渡詞或短語,e g: therefore, however, finally, besides, likewise, in other words, in addition, on the other hand, in conclusion, what is more, etc.
In front of him lies an dilapidated bowel with only a few coins in it. Believe it or not, it is more and more difficult to make a living by begging.endprint
邏輯紐帶的重要性至于它能表示作者的思路與語篇的意義重心。如果意義相關(guān)的句子不能通過過渡詞或短語合乎邏輯地連接起來,句子就不能構(gòu)成語篇,不具備語篇所必需的粘著性和連貫性。
3.2連句成篇的語法紐帶
連句成篇的語法紐帶時(shí)、體形式的一定搭配及照應(yīng)、替代、省略、平行結(jié)構(gòu)等語法手段的應(yīng)用。
動詞某些時(shí)、體形式的前后搭配起連句作用。比如在敘事文體中,上文用一般過去式,下文用過去完成體,以建立上下文之間的承接關(guān)系。
I stopped to let the car cool off and to study the map. I had expected to be near my objective by now, but everything still seemed alien to me.
使用照應(yīng)手段也是一種重要的語篇紐帶。人稱照應(yīng)(personal reference)是人稱代詞、物主代詞、反身代詞與其指代對象之間的照應(yīng)關(guān)系。
On his arrival in the capital the Foreign Minister declared his support for the government.
3.3連句成篇的詞匯紐帶
連句成篇的各種紐帶—邏輯紐帶、語法紐帶、詞匯紐帶都是交織使用,邏輯紐帶和語法紐帶往往與詞匯放不開。詞匯紐帶亦即詞匯的重復(fù),同義詞、反義詞的使用等連句手段。
She stood by the window and looked out dully at a grey cat walking a grey fence in a grey backyard. (O. Henry: “The Gift of the Magi”)
她站在窗子前,呆望著外面灰蒙蒙的后院里,一只灰色的貓正在灰色的籬笆上行走。
Christmas來臨,Della想給Jim買一件禮物,可手頭上只有一塊八毛七分錢,Della站在窗前,前思后想,心里難受。本來“后院”、“貓”、“籬笆”是無意識的,這時(shí)在Della眼中,它們都染上了一層慘淡悲哀的色彩,英文中用了三個grey突出這一點(diǎn),“灰色”象征著郁悶和沮喪。
3.4Rhetoric Devices
Apart from the textual connectors, rhetorical devices can be adopted to enhance the effectiveness of writings.
The best way to overcome the fear of death is to make your interests gradually wider and more impersonal, until bit by bit the walls of ego recede, and your life becomes increasingly merged in the universal life. An individual human existence should be like a river.
這句話是說:“每一個個人的存在都應(yīng)該像一條河一樣——開始是細(xì)小的,被限制在狹窄的兩岸之間。”說明人的生命是渺小的,也是有限的,宇宙的生命是無限的,個人的有限生命只有置于無限的宇宙之中才能獲得永恒。
3.5謀篇布局
美國文學(xué)之父Washington Irving在《一個陰雨的鄉(xiāng)村客棧的星期天》中為了突出中心主題是如此刻畫人和物的:文章開宗明義,道出主旨,段落的topic sentence居要明晰,思路清晰,最后一句結(jié)論“這兒的一切都令人感到凄涼和沮喪”,supporting sentences緊扣主題,不現(xiàn)枝蔓,鄉(xiāng)村客棧陰雨的星期天中的人和物躍然紙上。
A Wet Sunday in a Country Inn
I know of nothing more calculated to make a man sick of this world than a stable yard on a rainy day. a wall-eyed horse, tired of the loneliness of the stable, was pocking his spectral head out of a window, with the rain dripping on it from the eaves; an unhappy cur, chained to a dog-house hard by, uttered something between a bark and a yelp; a drab of a kitchen wench tramped backwards and forwards through the yard in patterns.
文章描述馬用了“眼白特別大的”和“幽靈般的”頭,被拴住的狗在屋檐下生氣地不停地嗥叫著,還有陰沉著臉在院子里來回走動的邋遢廚娘??梢娺@樣的下午是令人難以忍受的。如此細(xì)膩的描寫,刻畫得栩栩如生,讀者油然而生的凄涼和沮喪之情被感染得無以復(fù)加。
6.結(jié)語
本文主要從語句和語篇兩方面為寫出有效的英文句子、提高英文寫作水平提出一些建議。今后教師寫作教學(xué)的重點(diǎn)既要放在語言層面上,注意句式表達(dá)的多樣性,使段落和短文更有層次,又要放在篇章結(jié)構(gòu)和內(nèi)容的介紹和分析上,尤其要提高學(xué)生的語言布局能力。
參考文獻(xiàn):
[1]丁往道.英語寫作手冊[M].北京:外語教學(xué)與研究出版社,2004.
[2]馮奇.外語教學(xué)與文化[M].上海:上海大學(xué)出版社,2009.endprint