语域-功能研究法框架下的学术英语语法复杂度研究

doi:10.12002/j.bisu.571

摘要/Abstract

摘要：

Biber等学者开创的语域-功能（RF）研究法强调语域情景特征和交际目的对语法复杂度的解释力，其主要贡献是在语料库研究的基础上确立了短语修饰语在学术英语中的重要地位，并提出了英语语言发展次序假设。本文介绍了RF研究法的理论基础及优势，回顾了10余年来英语写作领域的RF研究法相关研究和最新动态，并提出未来RF研究法发展的5个方向：①细化语言发展次序假设中的词汇语法结构的功能和意义；②开展更多个案研究，考察短语复杂度的（非）线性发展轨迹；③综合使用自动化工具扩展RF研究法研究主题；④在基于源文写作的课堂上探究提升短语复杂度使用的教学模式；⑤开展其他语言的RF研究法研究，构建适用于语言独特性的复杂度特征体系。同时，结合国内英语教学和研究的实际情况，本文提出了推动国内RF研究法研究的3个突破口。

关键词: 语域-功能研究法; 学术英语; 语法复杂度; 短语修饰语

Abstract:

The Register-Functional (RF) approach, pioneered by Biber and his colleagues, highlights the importance of the situational characteristics and the communicative purposes of a register that account for its grammatical complexity. The major contribution of this approach includes the identification of phrasal modifiers that contribute to grammatical complexity in academic English and the proposal of hypothesized language developmental stages based on corpus research. In this paper, I present an introduction to the theoretical foundation of RF and its advantages, and provide a review of the development of English writing over the past decade using the RF approach as the framework. Based on a synthesis of the existing research, five aspects are recommended for future research, namely subcategorizing the functions and meanings of the lexico-grammatical patterns that are included in hypothesized language developmental stages, encouraging more case studies that investigate the linear/non-linear developmental trajectory of phrasal complexity features, integrating the use of automatic tools to diversify RF research methods, exploring the most effective modes for teaching phrasal complexity features in source-based writing classes, and applying the RF approach to other languages to establish a system for complexity features that can be adapted to different languages. Taking the characteristics of teaching English in China and research into account, three specific directions are recommended to advance research using the RF approach.

Keywords: Register-Functional approach; academic English; grammatical complexity; phrasal modifiers

中图分类号:

H319

林生淑, 袁周敏. 语域-功能研究法框架下的学术英语语法复杂度研究[J]. 北京第二外国语学院学报, 2025, 47(1): 142-156.

Lin Shengshu, Yuan Zhoumin. Grammatical Complexity of Academic English Under the Framework of the Register-Functional Approach[J]. Journal of Beijing International Studies University, 2025, 47(1): 142-156.

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