英汉语篇结构对比的分析介绍

基于浓重的儒教、道教、佛教等文化的渊源，中国人侧重于委婉和含蓄的表达方式。含蓄就是尽量不把话说尽，更加注重表达言外之意。在中国人看来，这样的语言会更加自然、流畅、耐人寻味。就像人们所熟悉的很多中文写作中，在开始部分总要先铺垫得很充分后才逐渐开始自然而然地引出自己所要表达的核心问题，讲究的是循序渐进。英文写作却恰恰相反，西方民族在基督教文化熏陶下重阳刚，性格直率，说话当面直述、简单结实、不拐弯抹角，所谓“come straight to the point”。写作开始就要亮明观点，最重要、最需要强调的部分一定要先给出来，紧接着便要解释说明或摆事实列论据，读者一看便知你要表达什么样的思想。所以汉语语篇或多或少在形式上稍显华丽些;而英语语篇表达上较为直白，作者的想法和观点往往一目了然。

这就是受英汉文化中前重心与后重心差异的影响:英语语篇一般重心前置，即将主要的信息与观点放在开头。文章的论点通常在首段提出，段落的主题句通常为首句，一句话的重点意思往往在句首表达。而汉语写作一般以后为重，习惯将主要的信息和观点放在最后。进行汉语写作时，文章的前半部分通常篇幅较长，列举事实、加以阐述后再作总结，说出主要论点。人们说话和写文章，为方便听话人和读者的理解，一定要遵循约定俗成的语篇组织规律。然而，由于不同文化在思维方式上存在着差异，其语篇组织结构也会因此而不同。中英文之间这样的差异非常明显。

1．汉语语篇模式

中国人说话或写文章，常常不是采取直线式或直接切题的做法，而是习惯于迂回式思维，即避开主题，把自己的想法保留到最后或者含而不露，让读者自己去领悟。由于汉族重综合的思维习惯，因此，汉语语篇模式属于典型的东方“螺旋式”。这种模式的特点是:对篇章的主题往往不是通过直截了当的方式，而是采用曲折起伏、隐喻含蓄、断续离合、迂回间接的方式来阐述。而且，中国人表达事物总是按时间和事理发展顺序由因到果、由先到后、由大到小进行阐述，这种思维方式可称为具体一般型(Particular-General Pattern）。

例如下面的一组对比:

(1)The village of Marlott lay amid the northeastern undulations of the beautiful Vale of Blackemore or Blackmore aforesaid，an engirdled and secluded region，for the most part untrodden as yet by tourists or landscapepainter，though within a few hours’journey from London.

（2）前面说过的那个美丽的布雷谷或布莱谷，是一处群山环抱、幽静偏僻的地方，虽然离伦敦不过4个钟头的路程，但是它的大部分都不曾有过游历家和风景画家的足迹。马勒村就在它东北部那块起伏地带的中间。

段(2)译文是张谷若的佳作。它与原文(1)的根本区别是:英语直截了当以主题“马勒村”为主位和重心，由里向外扩展，直到远涉伦敦;中文则以一个已知信息为主位，先远涉伦敦，再迂回到近旁的、作为主题的“马勒村”。

2．英语语篇模式

Hoey（1988）、McCarthy（1991）认为英语语篇有三种模式:(1)概括-具体型(General-Specific Pattern）其特点就是由作者先把要表达的思想概括成全文的立证句(thesis statement）或段落的主题句(topic sentence）然后举例说明或交代细节。这是典型的直线性思维。其中包括:概括-举例式(Generalization-Example）和整体-细节式(Preview-Detail）(2)问题解决型(Problem-Solution Pattern）(3)对照-匹配型(Matching-Pattern）。

(1)概括-具体型(General-Specific Pattern）

这种模式在英语中是最常见、最有代表性的。它不但广泛应用于社会科学和自然科学的议论文和说明文中，而且也常用于描写文和记叙文中。它充分体现了英、美等西方人的直线性思维模式。这种模式在英语的段落层面或语篇层面俯拾皆是。例如:

An increase or a decrease in the price level affects the economic well-being of farmers.One of the best-known examples of this in American history took place throughout the late 1800s.Prices were going down，and this caused much displeasure to farmers，who were still relatively numerous.Many farmers were in debt；they had borrowed money to buy land and equipment.A farmer might have borrowed＄500，and if his farm made＄500 per year over his costs and living expenses，he might hope to pay the debt off in a year.If the prices the farmer received went down，say，to＄250 per year，it made it very difficult for him to pay off his＄500 debt.These facts show how directly the improvement of farmers’life depends on the prices of their farm products.

这是一个“概括-举例式”(Generalization-Example）的语篇。首句是一个主题句，道明了全段的主题思想，下文的例证部分展开的是首句的内容。

The working conditions were poor.The tables where workers sat were very high，and uncomfortable.Except for a half hour at lunchtime，there were no breaks in the day to relieve the boring work.There was no music.The walls of the workrooms were a dull gray color.I was amazed that the workers hadn’t gone on strike.

这是一个“整体-细节式”(Preview-Detail Pattern）的语篇。其首句概括了主题思想，然后用细节加以说明。

(2)问题解决型(Problem-Solution Pattern）

这种模式的特点是先说明情况，提出问题，随后进行分析，最后提出解决问题的意见或办法。这种模式多用于叙事性文体、文学作品，探讨科技、自然或社会问题的说明文也有时出现这种模式。例如:

Nowadays there are more and more traffic accidents in some big cities.It is estimated that thousands upon thousands of men，women and children are severely injured or even killed on the roads every year.Man is obviously much weaker than motor vehicles.It is a never-ending battle which man is losing.

Why have there been so many road accidents？The first reason is that some pedestrians，especially old people and children，cannot see，hear or judge very well.The second reason is that some young drivers recklessly violate traffic regulations，such as driving when drunk，going the wrong direction，etc.The third reason is that sometimes something goes wrong with vehicles，so that the drivers lose control of them at a critical moment.Eor all this，the main cause of the road accidents is due to carelessness.

It is high time that something were done about it.Eor example，drivers should be educated to see the importance of complying with traffic regulations and the terrible consequences of violating them.The motor vehicles should regularly be put through strict tests for safety.In addition，traffic facilities should be improved so as to make drivers safer on the roads.All these measures will certainly reduce the number of traffic accidents.

此语篇第一段提出问题，第二段分析原因，第三段提出解决问题的办法。

(3)对照-匹配型(Matching-Pattern）

英语常用这种模式构成对比语段，比较两种事物的异同点。它往往存在于较长的语篇中，与“概括-具体型”一起组成更复杂的语篇模式。例如:

The American car of the 1980s is quite different from its old models.The most striking difference is the size.While the old models were large and spacious，the newer ones are smaller and more compact.In the past，cars were also constructed of heavier materials.Nowadays light-weight aluminum and plastic have replaced the heavy-weight metals of yesterday.Engines are now more fuel efficient.Ten years ago，the average American car got ten miles per gallon to compete in the market.Many of these differences are advantageous to today’s driver，but unfortunately these smaller，lighter cars are not as safe if an accident occurs.

这一语篇分别就汽车的体积、重量、节能以及潜在的安全问题等方面进行了比较。

从以上各例可以看出，英语语篇的三种模式均具有“先抽象，后具体;先综合，后分析;先概括，后细节”的特点。换句话说，英语语篇的组织和发展呈“直线型”，它通常以一个主题句(topic sentence）开头，直截了当地点明语篇的中心思想，然后在以后各句中发展这一中心思想。(www.xing528.com)

对于许多学习英语的中国学生来说，尽管已经掌握了一定的英语词汇及语法规则，但因为缺乏对英语语言文化和语篇结构的认识，他们常常会无意识地把汉语的语篇结构规则应用在英文写作的过程当中，因而造成了不符合英文语篇结构规律的问题。而这些学生虽然使用英文写作，他们的作文却表现出典型的中国式思维惯式。这两种思维模式的差异造成了中国学生进行英文写作时的最大问题，即把汉语的思维模式应用在英文写作中。尽管用的是英语的词汇及语法，表现出的却是中国式思维。因此，中国学生最需要英文思维模式的训练。

通过以下两篇文章，可以具体讨论英语和汉语文章，尤其是英汉议论文的语篇结构的区别。

Sample 1

Topic：Today PC games are very popular among teenagers.But some parents consider that these games are not instructive and that teenagers should be kept away from them.What do you think？

As one of the products of modern technology，PC games have definitely become an indispensable part of most teenagers’lives.Statistics show that teenagers are spending more time and money on entertainment items such as PC games than they did ten years ago.However，in my opinion，although PC games have certain positive effects such as giving teenagers relaxation and activating their imaginations，they have certain negative effects.

Eirst，PC games occupy the time when teenagers should be sitting in the classroom or studying in the library.The colorful pictures and vivid characters of PC games are far more exciting than the dull black letters in textbooks.Therefore，addiction to PC games is often accompanied by poor academic work.

Eurthermore，far from being instructive，some PC games contain violence and pornography，which are extremely harmful for the healthy growth of teenagers.It is said that most juvenile delinquents commit crimes just because their PC game heroes do so in a virtual-reality world.

In addition，speaking from the physical aspect，PC games have contributed a lot to failing eyesight among teenagers in recent years.

To sum up，despite their entertainment and relaxation values，PC games interfere with the education of teenagers.It would be better if teenagers could use such games in a more rational and controlled way，perhaps under the supervision of their parents.

这篇例文是一篇雅思范文，文章采用很典型的直线式思维结构。

首先，这篇文章的结构符合英文写作中最普遍的直线式思维模式。文章提出了问题，并且在第一段就阐述了作者看法。作者先把要表达的思想概括成全文的立证句(thesis statement）However，in my opinion，although PC games have certain positive effects such as giving teenagers relaxation and activating their imaginations，they have certain negative effects.

然后每段以主题句(topic sentence）开始，例如:

Eirst，PC games occupy the time when teenagers should be sitting in the classroom or studying in the library.（Paragraph 1）

Eurthermore，far from being instructive，some PC games contain violence and pornography，which are extremely harmful for the healthy growth of teenagers.（Paragraph 2）

In addition，speaking from the physical aspect，PC games have contributed a lot to failing eyesight among teenagers in recent years.（Paragraph 3）

接着在每一段中举例说明或交代细节。

其次，文章的讨论方式符合英语的习惯。在典型的英文写作中，作者习惯采用非此即彼的思维及表达方式。对于一个问题，他们的答案要么是yes要么是no而不会模棱两可、含混不清地回答问题。这篇文章的作者在第一段即明确指出:“they（PC games）have certain negative effects.”

最后，文章具有明确的观点和论据，以及详尽的论证过程。因此，这篇文章符合英语的思维习惯，在本质上，文章采用了英语的篇章结构。

Sample 2

Should Students Do Business or Not？

In recent years，doing business is very popular on campus.More and more college students spend more time doing business.This phenomenon causes a lot of hot argument.Is it right or not？In my opinion，we can not say it is right or wrong directly because the reason is complex.On the other hand，many students do business in order to reduce the burden of their families because their families have not enough money to support them.So doing business is reasonable for them.We can not say it is not right.As to those students whose families are not very poor，some of them doing business just want to practice in the society and gain some experience.Earning money is not their main purpose.We can not say it is not right，either.

这篇例文是一位中国大学生写的文章，是很典型的迂回式思维结构。

首先，这篇文章的结构与英文写作中最普遍的直线式思维迥然不同。文章提出了问题，却没有在一开始就阐述作者看法，而是亦此亦彼地给出模糊的答案，令读者费解—“We can not say it is right or wrong...”.

其次，文章的讨论方式也与英语的习惯截然不同。本文的作者试图维护两种截然相反的观点，其态度模棱两可，含混不清。这与英文写作中常见的非此即彼的明确态度形成鲜明的对比。

最后，文章没有明确的观点和论据，更没有论证的过程。因此，这篇文章虽然使用英文写成，但它显然不符合英语的思维习惯。本质上文章采用的仍是汉语的篇章结构。这样的文章显然无法达到英语国家考官的要求。

如前所述，英语写作能力是英语交际能力的重要体现，是英语学习者必须掌握的技能之一。越来越多的大学生已经意识到英语写作的重要性。近年来，我国大学生的英语写作水平虽有所提高，但是由于深受汉语语篇模式的影响，加之大部分学习者不甚了解英语文化和语篇模式，所以他们写出的英语文章，即使不存在遣词造句问题，也找不出严重的语法错误，但读起来总觉得不太地道、纯正。比如:阐述一个论点时，迟迟不切入主题，拐弯抹角，缺少地道英文直截了当的特点;或总是围绕所议的主题进行论述，缺少地道英文观点明确和主题突出的特点。许多中外学者也都注意到了这一点。例如王墨希先生在其《中国学生英语语篇思维模式调查》一文中说道，“中国学生的思维模式具有隐伏性的特点”。他对六个组(非英语专业中没有学过英语写作的本科生、硕士生和学过一些英语写作的本科生和硕士生，英语专业中一年级、三年级和四年级学生)180篇中国学生的英语作文分析，其中有66．11%的作文属于隐伏性，即“阐述时不从主题入手，直接说明，而是用各方面的情况和问题给予暗示或明示”。Andy Kirkpatrick也研究了中国学生写的40封英文信，认为中国学生的英文书信写法不能紧扣主题、直截了当。而这些词法、句法、语篇的差异都是受到了中西方文化的影响，文化的差异势必会导致思维方式的不同。这种思维模式上的差异所引起的汉语思维方式的负迁移正是中国学生英语写作中的常见错误的根源所在。

显然，要切实提高英文写作水平，学习者就要多多分析、探索英语词句字面下的深层文化内涵，并多了解西方谚语、俚语或名言警句。总而言之，作为文化的载体，语言显然不能脱离文化而独立存在，要精通英文并要写好英语作文，除了通过系统地学习英语语言知识打好语言基本功底外，更要了解语言的文化背景，拓展文化视野，养成良好的语言文化素质。