募捐信函的人际意义研究

论文摘要

美国2005年募捐2830亿美元,2006年募捐2950亿美元。根据施惠基金会的统计,其中76%来自普通人,即千百万普通人每月几美元、几十美元的固定小额捐款。其实,经常性的小额募捐的意义不仅在于能筹集到数额多大的款项,更重要的是通过这种捐助活动调动社会成员的怜悯心,唤起人与人之间的关爱,引导社会对贫弱群体等的关注。募捐信函,作为募捐最主要的方式,不仅要客观地描述募捐的目的,募捐活动的现状等,更要唤起潜在捐助者的同情心,从而使其自愿的参与到捐助的活动中。目前国内的研究主要是从法律和审计学等领域开展的对规范募捐行为的探讨,很少有人从语言学的角度对募捐信函,尤其是对其人际意义进行研究。作为功能语言学划分的语言的三个元功能之一,人际意义指的是讲话者在语篇中通过语言手段表达其态度,并试图影响他人的态度和行为。系统功能语法为分析人际意义的语言实现手段提供了一个基本的框架。本文试图运用这个框架,从人称系统、语气和情态三个方面对募捐信函的人际意义展开全面分析,旨在揭示募捐者如何通过募捐信函影响潜在捐助者参与到捐助活动中来。研究发现,通过对不同的人称的使用,促进了募捐者与潜在捐助者之间的平等协商和拉近两者之间的距离;对语气系统的选择使语气通过其非传统的方式来实现言语角色,增强了对潜在捐助者的吸引力,劝说力并缓和了语气,从而强化了他们之间的互动;通过情态的使用,募捐者恰当的表达了其观点,从而展示了其协商,礼貌和富责任感的态度,由此促进了募捐者和潜在捐助者之间的协作和交流。

论文目录

• 摘要
• Abstract
• List of Figures
• Introduction
• 0.1 Motivation and significance of the present research
• 0.2 The reasons for adopting a systemic functional grammar approach
• 0.3 Data collection and approaches to date analysis
• 0.3.1 Data collection
• 0.3.2 Approaches to data analysis
• 0.4 Organization of the present research
• CHAPTER 1 Theoretical Background
• 1.1 Literature Review
• 1.1.1 Notion of interpersonal meaning
• 1.1.2 Different approaches to study interpersonal meaning
• 1.2 Theoretical Framework
• 1.2.1 Person system
• 1.2.2 Mood
• 1.2.3 Modality
• 1.3 Summary
• CHAPTER 2 Person System in the Discourse of Fundraising Letters
• 2.1 Person system and its interpersonal meaning
• 2.2 Distribution and frequencies of person system in fundraising letters
• 2.3 Interpersonal meanings of person system in fundraising letters
• 2.3.1 Interpersonal meanings of the first person pronouns
• 2.3.2 Interpersonal meanings of the second person pronouns
• 2.3.3 Interpersonal meanings of combining the first person pronouns and the second
• 2.3.4 Interpersonal meanings of the third person pronouns
• 2.3.5 Interpersonal meanings of the proper names
• 2.3.6 Interpersonal meanings of the referential switch
• 2.4 Summary
• CHAPTER 3 Mood in the Discourse of Fundraising Letters
• 3.1 Introduction to mood
• 3.1.1 Speech roles
• 3.1.2 Speech functions and mood structures
• 3.2 Interpersonal meanings of mood in fundraising letters
• 3.2.1 Interpersonal meanings of mood in two basic speech roles of fundraising letters
• 3.2.2 A sense of “dialogue”in fundraising letters
• 3.3 Summary
• CHAPTER 4 Modality in the Discourse of Fundraising Letters
• 4.1 Introduction to modality
• 4.1.1 Types and expressions of modality
• 4.1.2 Orientations in modality
• 4.1.3 Three values of modality
• 4.2 Interpersonal meanings of modality in fundraising letters
• 4.2.1 Types of modal expressions and their interpersonal meanings in fundraising letters
• 4.2.2 Frequencies of modal expressions in terms of types, orientations and values in fundraising letters
• 4.2.3 Modality as politeness strategies in fundraising letters
• 4.3 Summary
• Conclusion
• Notes
• References
• Acknowledgements
• Appendix A: website of samples
• Informative Chinese Abstract
• Résumé and Publications since Entering the Program