熊风岸
摘 要: 本文从语言顺应论这一语用学视角出发,研究大学英语教学语境下语用模糊的应用。
关键词: 顺应论 语用模糊 大学英语教学
一、理论视角
比利时语言学家维索尔伦在《语用学新解》一书中提出语言顺应论。维索尔伦指出,交际各方所使用的交际语言其实是为顺应语境(包括交际各方的物理世界、精神世界和社会世界),实现成功交际而做出的动态的语言选择过程(需用不同的语用策略来表达符合当时交际语境的意义),笔者研究发现语用模糊就是最常用的策略之一。
二、大学英语教学中顺应论视角下语用模糊的应用
(一)顺应大学英语教学交际语境的语用模糊应用
1.顺应物理世界的语用模糊
(1)S:(hands up) Excuse me, I feel something wrong with my stomach, may I go out for a moment?
T:Yes, hurry out and hurry in. Please.
此处表时间参照的语用模糊词“a moment”及表空间参照的语用模糊词“in”和“out”,放在教室这一特定时间和空间语境下,意义是确定的。 “in”和“out”表 “进教室”和“出教室”;“a moment”大概为5-10分钟(整堂课为45-50分钟)。
2.顺应精神世界的语用模糊
(2)T: Morning, everyone. Today’s topic is “My Hometown”.
Sarah: Ok. I love my hometown very much because... Personally I do not like this city here...
T:Well, I can understand you in a sense. Country life is really somewhat more sweet and peaceful while city life does not necessarily mean a mass, right?
Sarah对于现在她所生活的城市生活的个人厌恶感会影响到本地学生的精神感受。如果教师不顺应这一精神世界,则话题将无法继续。
3.顺应社会世界的语用模糊
(3)T: Talking about “patriotism”, I believe we Chinese people all love our mother country. When she is in difficulty or at risk, no one will take a step back, because...to defend her and fight against any threat to her dignity.
中国社会世界里都用女性“她”形容自己的祖国。
(二)顺应语言结构的语用模糊
1.语音层面—发音
(5)T:Xiao Ming, tell me what your desk mate Wang Li is doing there now?
Xiao Ming:Oh, I am sorry he is S-L-E-E-P-I-N-G.
小明同学有意避免发出完整单词sleeping的音,这种语音层面的语用模糊策略既为同桌挽回了面子,又完成了交际任务,回答了老师的问题。
2.词汇层面—单词
(6)T:Good morning, boys and girls! I would like to say something about yesterday’s test. In a sense I feel so much relieved that most of you did a very good job in it—they got more than 80 scores. However, there are still several disappointing guys who even failed in so easy a test. Is there any special excuse? Well, I think these students must have done more important things...?
老师对考试表现较好和不佳的同学分别使用了模糊限制词 “in a sense (某种意义上)”, “most of (大多数)”, “more than (多于)”和 “any (任何)”, “I think (我认为)”,可以帮助缓和并增进师生关系。
3.句法层面—句法
(7)T: Your suggestion is not unacceptable.
双重否定句“...is not unacceptable”而非肯定句 “...is acceptable”,可以暗指学生的建议存在某些问题,但老师不想在谈话中挫伤学生积极性,以实现有效交流。
三、结语
顺应论视角下的语用模糊在大学英语中的应用还有待更深更广的研究。
参考文献:
[1]Verschueren, J. Understanding Pragmatics [M]. Beijing: Beijing Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, 2000.
[2]何自然.再论语用含糊[J].外国语, 2000(1): 7-130.