基于关联理论的商务英语阅读研究

论文摘要

本论文旨在运用关联理论对商务英语阅读进行探讨。通过分析讨论,关联理论比其他阅读模式和图式理论在更好地了解商务英语阅读方面的优越性得到论证;中国读者在阅读原版商务英语材料时出现困难的原因得到更好地解释。历史上,三种阅读模式（自下而上模式,自上而下模式和相互作用模式）以及图式理论都曾对阅读研究发挥过重要的作用。但是三种阅读模式以及图式理论各自所存在的局限性阻碍了其更好地对商务英语阅读进行探讨。商务英语阅读是一个复杂的心理过程,对其充分地探讨不能不涉及认知。因此,从认知的角度探讨人类交际的关联理论能够更好地了解商务英语阅读。其优越性体现在从某种程度克服了三种阅读模式以及图式理论的局限性并着重地从认知的角度对商务英语阅读进行探讨,这是三种阅读模式和图式理论所不能比拟的。基于关联理论,本论文分析得出商务英语阅读是一个明示-推理的过程。作者提供明示,而读者试图找寻最佳关联以求理解。基于与三种阅读模式和图式理论的比较,本论文展示了关联理论的优越性。其优越性体现在:相比自下而上和自上而下的阅读模式,关联理论从宏观上探讨了商务英语阅读;相比相互作用模式,关联理论关注了作者在商务英语阅读中的重要性;相比图式理论,关联理论给予文本和读者的背景知识应有的关注以及更深入地阐释了在阅读商务英语材料时出现的成功阅读,困难和失败的原因。在本论文中,中国读者在阅读原版商务英语材料时所遇到的困难从关联理论的角度出发,通过分析西方作者和中国读者相对狭窄的相互认知环境得到解释。由于原版商务英语阅读材料的目标读者是西方读者,而且西方读者和作者的相互认知环境较大,因此很多有利于阅读理解的信息被作者省略不谈。作者认为这些省略的信息可以很容易地被目标读者所补充,原因是目标读者和作者享有的相互认知环境较大。但是这些省略的信息却给中国读者在阅读原版商务英语材料时造成了困难。由于中国读者和西方作者享有的相互认知环境较狭窄,被省略的信息可能没能被中国读者成功地补充。本论文着重从缩写和百科知识这两方面入手,通过对来自原版商务英语阅读材料例子的讨论和分析对此观点进行解释。基于分析讨论的结果,本文提出一些有助于中国读者有效地阅读原版商务英语材料的建议。例如:关注商务英语原版阅读材料中出现的缩写以及缩小与西方作者在认知环境中共享的百科信息的差距。

论文目录

• 摘要
• Abstract
• Contents
• List of Figures
• Chapter 1 Introduction
• 1.1 Research topic
• 1.2 Rationale
• 1.3 Research questions
• 1.4 Organization of the thesis
• Chapter 2 Literature Review
• 2.1 Previous studies on the bottom-up model
• 2.1.1 The introduction of the bottom-up model
• 2.1.2 Comments on the bottom-up model
• 2.2 Previous studies on the top-down model
• 2.2.1 The introduction of the top-down model
• 2.2.2 Comments on the top-down model
• 2.3 Previous studies on the interactive model
• 2.3.1 The introduction of the interactive model
• 2.3.2 Comments on the interactive model
• 2.4 Previous studies on the schema theory
• 2.4.1 The introduction of the schema theory
• 2.4.2 Comments on the schema theory
• 2.5 The influence of the reading models & schema theory on business English reading
• 2.6 Previous studies on domestic business English reading
• 2.7 Summary
• Chapter 3 Theoretical Framework
• 3.1 Communication as an ostensive-inferential process
• 3.1.1 Ostension
• 3.1.2 Inference
• 3.2 Cognitive environment and manifestness
• 3.2.1 Cognitive environment
• 3.2.2 Mutual cognitive environment
• 3.2.3 Manifestness
• 3.3 Relevance
• 3.3.1 The definition of relevance
• 3.3.2 The principle of relevance
• 3.4 Summary
• Chapter 4 Application of Relevance Theory to Business English Reading
• 4.1 The general introduction of business English at home and abroad
• 4.1.1 The general introduction of business English abroad
• 4.1.2 The general introduction of business English at home
• 4.2 The superiority of Relevance Theory in business English reading
• 4.2.1 The excellence of Relevance Theory in business English reading
• 4.2.2 The superiority of Relevance Theory over other reading models and the schema theory in business English reading
• 4.2.3 Summary
• 4.3 The illustration of Relevance Theory to explain the reading difficulties for the Chinese readers when reading original business English materials
• 4.3.1 From abbreviations
• 4.3.2 From the encyclopedic part
• 4.3.3 Summary
• Chapter 5 Suggestions to Improve the Reading of Original Business English Materials
• 5.1 Attending to the abbreviations in the original business English reading materials
• 5.1.1 Preparing a notebook to collect the abbreviations
• 5.1.2 Systematically mastering the abbreviations
• 5.2 Bridging the gap of encyclopedic information in the cognitive environment
• 5.2.1 Reading the relevant business materials in Chinese
• 5.2.2 Taking courses or reading books on the introduction of western countries
• 5.2.3 Reading the original business English materials constantly and consistently
• 5.3 Summary
• Chapter 6 Conclusion
• 6.1 Conclusion of the thesis
• 6.2 Limitations of the thesis
• 6.3 Suggestions for further studies
• References
• Acknowledgements