读书破万卷下笔如有神中西思维差异与英语写作摘要:英汉语言的思维模式存在较大的差异。结合英语教学实践,探讨汉语思维对中国学生英语写作的影响,提出相应的对策 ,以使学生能注意到两种思维模式的差异,克服母语的干扰 ,提高英语写作水平。There exist differences between English and Chinese thought patterns. Based on teaching practice, the restriction of Chinese thought modes on English writing by Chinese students is dealt with and some suggestions are put forward for its improvement. In English writing Chinese students should be aware of the differences of the two different thought patterns and avoid L1 negative transfer so as to improve English writing. 大量的研究表明 ,学生的外语写作过程具有双语特征。有研究发现初级阶段的二语写作不是一个纯粹的二语思维过程,二语水平较低的学生在二语写作中常常依赖母语思维。随着二语水平的提高,母语思维量逐渐减少 ,不同的思维活动中的母语参与量不等。本文从东西思维方式的差异出发 ,结合英语教学实践 ,探讨学生的英语写作由于受汉语思维负迁移的影响而产生的种种弊病,以使学生能注意到两种思维模式的差异 ,并对两种思维模式进行有效的模仿,克服英语写作中汉语的影响,提高英语写作水平。( 一) 用词差异(1)用词的虚实问题(2)动、名词和介词使用频率的问题(3)用词的具体与概括的问题精选学习资料 - - - - - - - - - 名师归纳总结 - - - - - - -第 1 页，共 14 页读书破万卷下笔如有神(4)修饰词运用频率的问题1.1 英语： 思维抽象 (method of abstract diction) ， 虚概括，静态的 , 名词、介词；汉语：思维具象 (method of concrete diction), 实概括 , 动态的, 动词; (1)用词的虚实问题1. 在封建社会，中国人民生活在水生火热之中”, a. In the past, the Chinese people led a life in deep water and hot fire. b. In the past, the Chinese people led a life of extreme hardship”评价：a句非常形象生动 , 句子通顺 ,看上去也没有语法错误 ,而英语母语者读起来却感到非常吃力,不容易理解。 b 句更符合英语主虚的特点。中国学生的英语写作充满了意象性，虚词汇, 2. 安东尼彻夜未眠，因为他对于是否得插手此事举棋不定。Anthony didn t sleep the whole night because he raised the chess and cant decide whether or not to take a hand in the matter. Anthony stayed up all night because he just could not make up his mind whether or not to take a hand in the matter. 3.他非常刻苦，一直在脚踏实地学习英语。“I study very hard and have been lea rning English on the ground”,这会人山人海 ; people mountain people see. 不要虎我： don t tiger me. 上火： catch fire 精选学习资料 - - - - - - - - - 名师归纳总结 - - - - - - -第 2 页，共 14 页读书破万卷下笔如有神评价：这种用法非常形象生动,但却让英美人士迷惑不解 , (2)动、名词和介词使用频率的问题汉语是动态的 ,语言中多用动词 ; 英语是静态的 ,其语言呈现出少用动词 ,多用名词和介词。1. No years pass now without evidence of the truth of the statement that the work of government is becoming increasingly difficult. 行政管理工作已变得越来越困难了,每年都证明确实如此。2. The custom-made object will be within everyones reach.这种定制生产的产品到那时便人人都可享用了。3. “这位通俗歌星在舞台上的出现引起了全场观众起立鼓掌。”“The pop star appeared on the stage, which caused the audience to stand up and applaud. ”“The pop star s presence on the stage brought the audience to their feet in applause. ”4. My shock and embarrassment at finding Mother in tears on Wednesday was a perfect index of how little I understood the pressures on her.（这表达了作者震惊尴尬的复杂矛盾的心理。 ）5.“这本书太难 ,我看不懂。”学生通常的表达是The book is too difficult for me to read.”“The book is above /beyond me ” 。6. 我对这件事完全不知道。I don t know this matter at all. 精选学习资料 - - - - - - - - - 名师归纳总结 - - - - - - -第 3 页，共 14 页读书破万卷下笔如有神I am utterly in the dark about the matter. (3)修饰词运用频率的问题西方人思维是理性的 ; 措辞讲求“真”，以理服人，东方人的思维是情感的 , 措辞讲求“华”以情动人。如“痛苦的呻吟 , 残酷地折磨”等都是汉语中常见的表达。如“这位美国前国务卿已重新回到公众社会中”例证：英语词语搭配是学生英语写作中最感棘手的问题,因为中文里的某些词语在不同的语境里英语有不同的表达。学生对于“ 任何语言都有自己独特的用词习惯和语义逻辑” 体会不深 ,汉语思维模式影响太大,写出的英语不地道 ,不符合惯用法。中国学生在处理汉英词组转换时,经常沿袭母语的形象思维方式,根据汉语意思套用英语单词,英语写作就成了填空式练习 ,缺乏英语抽象思维能力,汉语干扰根深蒂固,很难准确表达思想。At college, we should learn as much knowledge as possible so that we can be well prepared for our future career.( 误) At college, we should acquire as much knowledge as possible so that we can be well prepared for our future career.( 正) 学习知识不能用learn knowledge 来表达 ,而英语中与 knowledge 搭配的动词有 acquire, obtain, absorb, accumulate, develop, gain, broaden, enlarge等。精选学习资料 - - - - - - - - - 名师归纳总结 - - - - - - -第 4 页，共 14 页读书破万卷下笔如有神(二)句式结构差异2.1 时空观念问题英语句子的人称、数量、时态、语态情态均受制于时空,要求形式一致; 汉语语言形式要求并不严谨。1. “她开始行医至今已有三年零四个月了。 ”She began to practice medicine for three years and four months to the day. 2. 老妇人愤愤地大声叫喊说,那个女店员骗了她。”The elderly woman angrily exclaimed that the shop girl had cheated her. 2.2 关联照应方面的问题英汉不同的思维方式对其语言结构产生了较大的影响。北京大学季羡林教授认为 ,东西方文化最根本的不同表现在思维模式方面。他说:一言而蔽之 ,东方文化体系的思维模式是综合的,而西方则是分析的。表现在语言上 ,汉语句子重 “ 意合 ”,强调内容或表意的完整性;英语句子重“ 形合”,强调结构的完整性和形态的严谨性1.关联照应手段差异英语: 分析型的理性语言 , 句间讲究形合 , 显性,多样的关联照应汉语: 综合型的直感语言 , 句间讲究意合 , 单一,隐式的关联照应。英语句子的从属关系大多数是用连接词if, because, although, when等明确表达出来。 ”1.留得青山在 ,不怕没柴烧。 If you can keep fit, you neednt worry about 精选学习资料 - - - - - - - - - 名师归纳总结 - - - - - - -第 5 页，共 14 页读书破万卷下笔如有神your future. 2.跑得了和尚 ,跑不了庙。 The monks may run away, but the temple can not run away with them. 3. 中国学生在英语写作时受母语习惯的影响,往往不注意句与句间的衔接,英语写作缺乏照应手段,句式单调 ,缺乏连贯性 ,习惯使用一连串的简单句。He speaks slowly, his voice is loud, everyone in the hall can hear clearly. 这是由三个短句组成的一个句子,带有明显的汉语思维痕迹,结构松散。为了体现三个短句之间的关联,按照英语思维 ,变换句式 ,使用恰当的衔接手段 ,将此句转化成一个复合句: He speaks slowly and his voice is so loud that it can be heard clearly by everyone in the hall 4. 她身体十分虚弱 ,几乎站不起来。 ” 这句汉语隐含因果关系。She was very weak, she could barely stand up.”除此之外，英语往往用替代变换进行照应,而汉语则倾向于重复词汇。5.“我们是要一个没有自行车的城市,还是要一个没有汽车的城市”“. We should have a city without bikes or a city without cars . ”6. Your question is an interesting one. 7. 他讨厌失败 ,他一生中曾战胜失败 ,超越失败 ,并且藐视别人的失败。He hated failure; he had conquered it all his life, risen above it, and despised it in others. 精选学习资料 - - - - - - - - - 名师归纳总结 - - - - - - -第 6 页，共 14 页读书破万卷下笔如有神2. 主语显著与主题显著的差异英语：形合， subject-prominent,句子的主题往往就是该句的主语; 汉语：意合， topic-prominent,主题往往并非就是句子的主语。1. 喝一碗汤 ,就算是早饭了。The breakfast is just a bowl of soup. 可以看出 ,汉语的主语和英语的主语完全不同。在例1 中,汉语句子的主语是一个话题或主题 ,由一个动词短语构成。2. 夏天很难保藏食品。Summer is difficult to preserve food. It is difficult to preserve food in summer. 上例就是一个典型的主题句,按照汉语思维 , “ 夏天” 是主题 ,后面是评述。受汉语思维的影响 ,学生认为汉语的主题就是英语的主语,其实,英语的主语是 “ 保藏食品 ”( to preserve food),“夏天”( in summer) 只是时间状语。3. “罢工结果 ,资方接受了工人的要求。4. “令我们吃惊的是 ,这位州长竟然是个贪官。 ”3. 客体思维在句式上的体现西方人重视自然客体,思维的目标往往指向外界,探求外部世界 ,整个思维是开放型的。中国人则受传统影响,重视人的伦理生活 ,思维往往指向自身 ,寻求人与自然的和谐。思维方式的这种差异反映在语言表达上,其明显的标志之一就是在描述实物和阐述事例的过程中,特别是当涉及到行为主体时 ,汉语习惯于用表示人或生物的词做主语(或潜在精选学习资料 - - - - - - - - - 名师归纳总结 - - - - - - -第 7 页，共 14 页读书破万卷下笔如有神的主语 ),而英语则常用非生物名词做主语由于受汉语主体思维的影响,在英语写作中 ,学生习惯用一定概念的人做主语, “I, we ” 等指人代词使用频率高 ,常用“ We think.”, “I estimate.”“ people believe”“It can be argued that.”,“It is estimated that.”, “It is believed that that.”1. The teaching set-up filled me with fear. I felt fear by the teaching set-up.前一句的出发点是外界事物,客观幽默;而后一句的出发点是说话者自身,主观色彩强烈。中国学生习惯用第二种表达 ,体现了中国学生英语写作中较强的主观倾向。在英语写作中,我们要注意主、客观倾向的差异,变换出发点 ,使语言表达趋于客观,增强文章的说服力。2.“如果不按时将书归还图书馆或到期前不续借,就得按规定罚款。”If you can t return books to the library on time or renew them before they are due, the library will fine you . 就极易激化读者与图书馆的矛盾; If books are not returned, a fine must be paid 就易被读者接受。注意到这种倾向性的差异,学生作文时如能变换一下出发点 ,使自己的表达趋于客观、公正,这样其实反而更能增强文章的说服力。3.长期以来 ,大家知道心脏与肝脏的关系是最主要的。It has been known for a long time that there is a first relationship between the heart and the liver. 精选学习资料 - - - - - - - - - 名师归纳总结 - - - - - - -第 8 页，共 14 页读书破万卷下笔如有神4 许多人认为 ,普通人的思维活动根本无法与科学家的思维活动相比,认为这些思维活动必须经过某种专门训练才能掌握。And it is imagined by many people that the operations of the common mind can by no means be compared with those of scientists, which can be grasped by a sort of special training. 原文中有三个被动语态is imagined, be compared 和 be required,译成汉语都变成了主动表达 : 认为、相比和掌握。4. 时态在两种语言中的运用不同的语言具有不同的时态,有的语言甚至很少或没有时态。汉语： 1.基本上就是借助词汇来表示各种时间和动作的, 2.动词除了只有“着”、 “了” 、 “过”英语： 1.英语共有 16 种时态，区分细微 ,习惯性强。英语就是通过这些固定的语法手段将动作的进行过程与状况描绘得更准确更精细,有时甚至能表达说话人的感情色彩。2.英语的进行时、完成时或过去时1. 你老是问我这样的问题 ! (用现在进行时表示厌烦 ) Youre always asking me such questions! 2. 我现在住在一间非常舒适的公寓里。(用现在进行时表示满意 ) I am now living in a very pleasant flat. 3. 人们已经注意到大凡受到死亡威胁的人或是死里逃生的人对于他们所干的任何事总是兴趣盎然。It has been noted that those who live, or have lived, in the shadow of 精选学习资料 - - - - - - - - - 名师归纳总结 - - - - - - -第 9 页，共 14 页读书破万卷下笔如有神death bring a mellow sweetness to everything they do. 点评： 传递同样的意思 ,英语只要选用合适的时态就可以了,而汉语则必须使用词汇手段。六、英语多省略 ,汉语多补充英语：形象，注重句子结构,善省略。名词，动词，句法，情景省略汉语：意象，注重句子意义，善补充。意义更具体完备。1.野心不仅是罪恶的根源 ,同时也是毁灭的根源。Ambition is the mother of destruction as well as of evil. 2.阅读训练人的眼睛 ,说话训练人的口齿 ,写作训练人的思维。Reading exercises ones eyes; speaking, ones tongue; while writing, ones mind. 3.近朱者赤 ,近墨者黑。Association with the good can only produce good, with the wicked, evil. 4 一个和尚挑水吃 ,两个和尚抬水吃 ,三个和尚没水吃。One boy is a boy, two boys half a boy, three boys no boy. (三)篇章结构差异1.段落的统一性问题汉语: 螺旋式(迂回曲折 , 旁敲侧击，欲扬先抑 ) 英语：直线式（开门见山，直奔主题） ，如以“ Why Hitler Committed Suicide”为题的一篇英语作文为例 : 1. The comparatively minor mass execution was also carried out upon Hitlers order. As the inevitable ending was approaching, he must have 精选学习资料 - - - - - - - - - 名师归纳总结 - - - - - - -第 10 页，共 14 页读书破万卷下笔如有神sensed that what was in store for him would be nothing but the severe punishment and humiliation. It has been proved many a time whoever goes against the tide of history and the will of the people is doomed to failure. Most likely its just for fear of this that he killed himself. The last situation conference was held at noon on April 30, 1945. Like all dictators he was carried away by power. Hitler fell right into this category. 该段落杂乱无章 ,缺乏逻辑性 ,主题不突出 ,其中三句与主题无关(已用下划线标出 )。 如果能以 “Whoever goes against the tide of history and the will of the people is doomed to failure”为主题 ,并围绕该主题加以论述 ,情形就会大不一样。 Bander(1978: 2)指出: “ 一个段落最重要的要素就是一个段落一个意思 如果在一个段落中掺入了与该段落唯一中心意思不相符的话语 ,就会失去读者的危险。 ” 英语通常是用一个段落表达一个意思 ,段落中心意思往往由作者直接说出来,被称为作者责任型(writer responsibility);而汉语段落中心一般深藏不露,要靠读者自己去归纳 ,称作读者责任型 (reader responsibility),甚至还有用多段说明一个意思的 ,也有一个段落包含多个意思的。Bander 认为这是因为语言文化思维差异的影响所致。 与英语截然不同的汉语思维模式往往使中国学生在英语写作时游离于段落中心之外 ,不易保持段落的统一性。2. I have been studying English for almost eight years. Although I have made a lot of efforts, and spend much time on it, I do not make very obvious progress. I think it is because we have few opportunities to 精选学习资料 - - - - - - - - - 名师归纳总结 - - - - - - -第 11 页，共 14 页读书破万卷下笔如有神practice what have been learned. How can I memorize it if we learn a new word without any chance to use it! But if we encounter or use it in real life many times, things will be quite different. For example .这一段作者一直在不断地变换话题,主要是因为段落没有中心而无法保持段落的统一所造成的。2.篇章衔接问题偏重直觉的汉语思维模式趋向于思维的自然流向,完全遵守事件发生的先后顺序和时间顺序,靠语义的贯通来表明语言结构之间的逻辑关系 ,不像英语那样利用语言形态(如时态、语态 )和语言形式手段(如连接词、代词 )的连接来表示结构关系,表达意思 ,致使中国学生的英语篇章结构连接不紧。例如: 1. Television was invented by John Baird. When he was young he built an aeroplane. He tried to fly in it. It crashed own below. Baird was fortunate not to be killed. It did not is courage him. When he was older he tried to make diamonds from coal. There was an enormous explosion. He was not injured. He became a businessman. His business failed. He thought of working at television. His family advised him not to. He did not listen to them. He rented an attic. He bought the apparatus he needed. He started working. He worked for a long time. He was not successful. One day he saw a picture on his screen. He rushed out to get someone he could “televise”.He found an office boy. He took him back to his room. No 精选学习资料 - - - - - - - - - 名师归纳总结 - - - - - - -第 12 页，共 14 页读书破万卷下笔如有神image of the boy appeared on his screen. The boy, terrified, had put his head down. He put it up again. His picture appeared on the screen. Television had been discovered. 整个段落全由简单句构成,是典型的汉式英语语篇,句子松散 ,层次混乱,没有严密的逻辑关系。为了使语篇自然流畅,适当使用一些过渡词很有必要。英语段落中的过渡词在句子间起着重要的作用,能使句子粘结连贯 ,是反映英美思维不可缺少的语言纽带。五 措施1. 思维导入法精读课教材中导入西方思维方式的内容,并与中式思维进行比较,使学生意识到英汉两种思维对语言的不同影响,培养对西方文化的好奇心和敏感性 ,并善于发现总结其特点,克服母语迁移心理,逐渐养成用英语思维的习惯。2.单词归类法在学生掌握词义的基础上,深入发掘词汇内部的文化差异,并通过对类似词语的归纳 ,使学生较容易地扩大词汇量,学会准确恰当地运用词汇。如教“说”的动词时,可以把英语中类似的表达法列出。3.句式对比法充分挖掘教材的内容,找出典型的富有英语特色句式,在课前 ,让学生先译 ,然后通过对比 ,让学生领悟两种语言的差异,从而学会英语句式的独特用法。如英语无灵主语与汉语有灵主语的差异。4 语篇分析法精选学习资料 - - - - - - - - - 名师归纳总结 - - - - - - -第 13 页，共 14 页读书破万卷下笔如有神通过撰写概要、改写课文等有目的的写作训练,使学生了解英语语篇结构模式及其和汉语语篇模式的区别,并加以详细的分析 ,使学生了解英语语篇在表意、信息传递上的特点,培养学生的逻辑推理能力和分析概括能力及创造能力。精选学习资料 - - - - - - - - - 名师归纳总结 - - - - - - -第 14 页，共 14 页