【摘要】会话驾驭话语标记,也称为话语条 ,是英语会话中应用广泛且非常典型的一些词和短语,讲母语的人在日常会话中常用到它们。对外语学习者来说,熟悉并且能够在不同的语境中准确地使用它们非常重要。
【关键词】会话话语标记;研究
【作者简介】魏玉梅(1984.09-),女,汉族,甘肃山丹人,兰州外语职业学院国际教育系,副主任,讲师,本科,研究方向:英语笔译。
一、引言
She’s a bit tearful today. I mean she’s had some bad news from home.
上面例句中的斜体部分被称作话语标记。传统语法教科书对这一语言现象不够重视,将其归类为附加语、修饰语或状语,教学中我们也只是在学习副词、状语和句子状语时提到,因此,学生分不清楚话语标记之间的意义和用法差异。本文试图将会话驾驭话语标记按其意义和用法进行分析,以引起对这一语言现象的重视。
二、会话驾驭话語标记的功能
1.给要点编号和排序。如:first of all, last of all.编号和排序话语标记多用于书面英语。不管后面的要点是否已编号,都可以使用 firstly或first来开始会话;不管 lastly和last之前的要点是否已编号,也可以用它们作结束语。
Several reasons were given for the change in the attitude of many students. Firstly they feared the outbreak of nuclear war. Secondly, they were concerned over the continuing pollution of the environment.
2.添加。如:besides, what is more. 力图说服某人或提出建议和争论时常用besides。对前面内容进一步补充时,常用also和too。用以补充,并强调超过前面所说的意义时,常用 what is more或on top of this/that。
Ray won’t have any proof of my guilt. Besides, he doesn’t suspect me.
3.引导与期望形成对照的事实。如:though, actually, anyway. “though”用来与刚发生的事形成对比。与人们在现实中的想象形成对照时用as a matter of fact, in fact.
The country around Cambridge is flat, though it offers easy going to the foot traveler.
4.原因和结果。如:so, as a result, in that case.
The prisoners had a secret radio, so they could receive messages from the outside world.
5.归纳和总结。如:on the whole, in a word. 正式语境中总结讨论要点常用 in summary, in conclusion, to sum up, to conclude等。
The situation is perhaps best summarized as follows.
6.举例和缩小范围。如:for example, for instance, say
They have travelled in many countries, for example, Japan, Malaysia and China.
7.重声或简洁陈述。如:in other words, that is, I mean.我们通常用话语标记来表示正在说明的不是新信息,使语言更加清晰。
Be natural. In other words, be yourself.
三、会话话语标记的意义和用法
1.一个话语标记可能有多种意义。如,OK可以是“我接受你的意见”,也可以在会话中引导一个新话题或改变谈话内容。OK, I agree with you. / OK, that finishes that. Now what was the other thing?
2.有些意义可以用许多词和短语来表达。如,Right和OK都可以表示同意。Will you make sure the water’s hot? Yes, OK./ Right, this is what I want say.
3.用于驾驭会话的词和短语有完全不同的意义。如,Right还可以是 wrong和left的反义词; by the way可以用来指一种方式。I should tell he was ill by the way he was sweating.
4.同时还存在地区、社会和个人的用词差别。如,教师经常用now来表示进入总结阶段。Now, let’s come to a conclusion.
四、结语
学习英语的目的可能不同,但无论在正式或者非正式场合使用口语,必须了解话语标记语义的细微区别、语义差异以及用法区别,这一切都取决于我们的英语水平和已掌握的话语标记知识。
参考文献:
[1]R. Nattinger, S De Carrico, Lexical Phrases and Language Teaching,词汇短语与语言教学[M].上海外语出版社,2000:64-68.
[2]吉利恩·布朗,乔治·尤尔.话语分析[M].世界文化出版社,1998:6-12.
[3]George Yule, Explaining English Grammar, OUP, 1998:273-274.
[4]Martin Parrott, Grammar for English Language Teachers, CUP, 2000:301.