中国学生对英语色彩词短语理解的研究——短语类型，学生水平及上下文的作用
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摘要
本论文主要研究了中国学生对英语色彩词短语的理解。通过对比中英文色彩词文化内涵和表面形式的异同，本文将英语色彩词短语分为五类病进行大规模色彩词短语理解测试和单独的实时口头报告。本论文通过定量分析和定质分析，调查了短语类型，学生水平，和上下文等因素在中国学生对色彩词短语的理解中所起的作用。
参加测试的共有122名英语专业的学生。其中61人为中等水平(一年级)学生，61人为高水平(四年级)学生。31名高水平学生和30名中等水平学生参加了色彩词短语测试。测试包括25个不同类型的色彩词短语，其中每类短语各五个。学生被要求写出短语的中文意思。实时口头报告分别调查了4名高水平和4名中等水平的未参加短语理解测试的学生对15个不同类型的色彩词短语的理解。学生被要求在理解给出短语的同时说出他们的思维过程。
通过对大规模短语测试成绩的定量统计分析和对学生口头实时报告的定质分析结果发现不同类型的短语对于中国学生理解造成的难度不同。其中，英语色彩词短语是否存在与中文相同的色彩词内涵成为影响理解的关键。对有相同内涵的短语的理解要大大易于色彩内涵不同的短语。不同水平的学生在理解的正误率上差别不显著，但高水平学生能够更好的运用恰当的知识和策略以获得正确答案。
调查的结果显示中国学生理解色彩词短语的过程是一个探索式求解的过程。学生尝试使用不同的策略和不同的现有知识来完成理解任务。在此过程中，影响理解的主要因素为是否存在共同文化内涵，是否存在共同表面形式等。学生的英语水平影响他们对策略的选择和使用。通过对各个因素的综合分析，本论文提出一个色彩词短语理解的模式以描述中国学生对英语色彩词短语理解的过程。
This paper reports on the study of the comprehension of English color idioms by Chinese EFL learners. Five types of English color idioms were identified through comparative analysis of similarities and differences of English and Chinese color connotations. The general comprehension performance of English color idioms was examined through an idiom comprehension test and the mental processes of using comprehension strategies were observed through on-line verbal reports. Then the effects of idiom type, learners' proficiency level and supportive context were investigated.
Sixty-one advanced English learners and sixty-one intermediate English learners participated in the investigation. Among them thirty-one advanced learners and thirty intermediate learners took the idiom comprehension test, in which they were required to give the meaning of twenty-five English color idioms, five for each of the five identified idiom types. Four advanced students and four intermediated students were selected from those who did not take the comprehension test to participate in a think-aloud task in which they were required to verbalize their thoughts when comprehending 15 English color idioms. The results of the comprehension test were subject to statistical analysis, and the on-line verbal reports were analyzed qualitatively.
It was found that different types of idioms generally pose different degrees of difficulties on learners. The existence of shared cultural connotation between L1 and L2 makes the greatest difference in the degrees of difficulty. Idioms with shared connotations were much easier than those without shared connotations. Proficiency level generally does not play a significant role in either the idiom comprehension test or the strategy choice in on-line processing. Yet advanced learners generally outperform intermediate learners by drawing upon more proper types of knowledge or by making better use of the contextual clues.
The findings of the study revealed that the comprehension of L2 color idiom is generally a heuristic process in which learners employ different strategies in a
"trial-and-error" manner. However, the comprehension processes are influenced by the existence of shared cultural connotations, equivalent linguistic forms. Learners' preferences of comprehension strategies also differ with proficiency levels. A tentative model of L2 color idiom comprehension is proposed to describe the general pattern of behaviour that learners tend to follow in comprehending L2 color idioms.
参加测试的共有122名英语专业的学生。其中61人为中等水平(一年级)学生，61人为高水平(四年级)学生。31名高水平学生和30名中等水平学生参加了色彩词短语测试。测试包括25个不同类型的色彩词短语，其中每类短语各五个。学生被要求写出短语的中文意思。实时口头报告分别调查了4名高水平和4名中等水平的未参加短语理解测试的学生对15个不同类型的色彩词短语的理解。学生被要求在理解给出短语的同时说出他们的思维过程。
通过对大规模短语测试成绩的定量统计分析和对学生口头实时报告的定质分析结果发现不同类型的短语对于中国学生理解造成的难度不同。其中，英语色彩词短语是否存在与中文相同的色彩词内涵成为影响理解的关键。对有相同内涵的短语的理解要大大易于色彩内涵不同的短语。不同水平的学生在理解的正误率上差别不显著，但高水平学生能够更好的运用恰当的知识和策略以获得正确答案。
调查的结果显示中国学生理解色彩词短语的过程是一个探索式求解的过程。学生尝试使用不同的策略和不同的现有知识来完成理解任务。在此过程中，影响理解的主要因素为是否存在共同文化内涵，是否存在共同表面形式等。学生的英语水平影响他们对策略的选择和使用。通过对各个因素的综合分析，本论文提出一个色彩词短语理解的模式以描述中国学生对英语色彩词短语理解的过程。
This paper reports on the study of the comprehension of English color idioms by Chinese EFL learners. Five types of English color idioms were identified through comparative analysis of similarities and differences of English and Chinese color connotations. The general comprehension performance of English color idioms was examined through an idiom comprehension test and the mental processes of using comprehension strategies were observed through on-line verbal reports. Then the effects of idiom type, learners' proficiency level and supportive context were investigated.
Sixty-one advanced English learners and sixty-one intermediate English learners participated in the investigation. Among them thirty-one advanced learners and thirty intermediate learners took the idiom comprehension test, in which they were required to give the meaning of twenty-five English color idioms, five for each of the five identified idiom types. Four advanced students and four intermediated students were selected from those who did not take the comprehension test to participate in a think-aloud task in which they were required to verbalize their thoughts when comprehending 15 English color idioms. The results of the comprehension test were subject to statistical analysis, and the on-line verbal reports were analyzed qualitatively.
It was found that different types of idioms generally pose different degrees of difficulties on learners. The existence of shared cultural connotation between L1 and L2 makes the greatest difference in the degrees of difficulty. Idioms with shared connotations were much easier than those without shared connotations. Proficiency level generally does not play a significant role in either the idiom comprehension test or the strategy choice in on-line processing. Yet advanced learners generally outperform intermediate learners by drawing upon more proper types of knowledge or by making better use of the contextual clues.
The findings of the study revealed that the comprehension of L2 color idiom is generally a heuristic process in which learners employ different strategies in a
"trial-and-error" manner. However, the comprehension processes are influenced by the existence of shared cultural connotations, equivalent linguistic forms. Learners' preferences of comprehension strategies also differ with proficiency levels. A tentative model of L2 color idiom comprehension is proposed to describe the general pattern of behaviour that learners tend to follow in comprehending L2 color idioms.
引文
Adkins, P., 1968, Teaching Idioms and figures of speech to non-native speakers, Modern Language Journal 52: 148-52
Bobrow, S. & Bell, S., 1973, On catching on to idiomatic expressions, Memory and Cognition 1: 343-46
Boers, F., 2000, Metaphor awareness and vocabulary retention, Applied Linguistics 21/4: 553-71
Boers, F. & M. Demecheleer, 2001, Measuring the Impact of Cross-cultural Differences on Learners' Comprehension of Imaginable Idioms, ELT Journal 55/3 255-62
Boers, F. & M. Demecheleer, 1998, A cognitive semantic approach to teaching prepositions, ELT Journal 52/3: 197-204
Bowers, R., 1992, Memories, metaphors, maxims and myths: language learning and cultural awareness, ELT Journal 46/1: 29-38
Charteris-Black Jonathan, 2002, Second language figurative proficiency: A comparative study of Malay and English, Applied Linguistics 23/1: 104-33
Cooper, T., 1999, 'Processing of Idioms by L2 Learners of English', TESOL Quarterly 33/2: 233-62;
Cooper, T., 1998, Teaching Idioms and figures of speech to non-native speakers, Foreign Language Annals 31: 255-66
Cronk, B. and Schweigert, W.A., 1992, The Comprehension of Idiom: the Effects of Familiarity, Literalness, and Usage, Applied Psycholinguistics 13: 131-46
Deignan, A., D. Gabrys, and A. Solska, 1997, Teaching English metaphors using cross-linguistic awareness-raising activities, ELT Journal 51/4: 352-60
Deng Yanchang & Liu Runqing, 1989, Language and Culture, Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press
Ellis, Rod, 1994, The study of second language acquisition, Oxford: Oxford University Press
Fernando Chitra, 1996, Idioms and Idiornaticity, Oxford: Oxford University Press
Gibbs, R. W., 1980, Spilling the beans on understanding and memory for idioms in conversation, Memory and Cognition 8: 149-56
Gibbs, R. W., Jr., 1994, The poetic of mind, figurative thought, language, and understanding, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Gibbs, R. W. & Nayak, N. P., 1989, Psycholinguistic studies on the syntactic behavior of idioms, Cognitive Psychology 21: 100-38
Gibbs, R. W., Nayak, N. P. & Cutting, C., 1989, How to kick the bucket and not decompose: Analyzability and idiom processing, Journal of Memory and Language 28: 576-93
Gibbs, R. W., Nayak, N. P., Bolton, J.L.and Keppel, M.E., 1989, Speakers' assumptions about the lexical flexibility of idioms, Memory and Cognition17: 58-68
Gluckberg, S., 1993, Idiom meanings and allusional content, In C. Cacciari & P. Tabossi(Eds.), Idioms: Processing, Structure and interpretation pp. 3-26 Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Hoffman, R. R., 1983, Recent research on metaphor, Semiotic Inquiry, 3: 35-62
Irujo S., 1986a, Don't Put Your Leg in Your Mouth: Transfer in the Acquisition of Idioms in a Second Language, TESOL Quarterly 20/2 287-304
Irujo S., 1986b, A piece of cake: learning and teaching idioms, ELT Journal 40/3: 236-42
Kellerman, E., 1979, Transfer and non-transfer: Where we are now, Studies in Second Language Acquisition 2: 37-57
Kellerman, E., 1978, Giving learners a break: native language intuition as a source of predictions about transferability, Working papers in Bilingualism 15: 59-92
Kellerman, E., 1983, Now you see it, now you don't. In S. Gass & Selinker(Eds.), Language transfer in language learning (pp.112-134)., Rowley, MA: Newbury House.
Koveeses, Z. & Szabo, P., 1996, Idioms: A view from cognitive semantics, Applied Linguistics 17/3: 326-55
Lakoff, G., and M. Johnson, 1980, Metaphors We Live By, Chicago: University of Chicago Press
Lazar, G, 1996, Using figurative language to expand students' vocabulary, ELT Journal 50/1: 43-50
Lennon, P., 1998, Approaches to the Teaching of Idiomatic Language, IRAL VOL ⅩⅩⅩⅥ/1 11-30
Littlemore, J., 2001, Metaphoric Competence: A Language Learning Strength of Students With a Holistic Cognitive Style?, TESOL Quarterly 35: 459-91;
Low, G., 1988, On teaching metaphor, Applied Linguistics 9/2: 125-47
Nattinger,J.R.& DeCarrico, J.S., 1992, Lexical phrases and language teaching, Oxford: Oxford University Press
Nippold, M. A., 1991, Idiom interpretation in isolation versus context: A developmental acquisition difficulties, Language of Speech and Hearing Services in Schools 22: 100-106
Schweigert, W.A., 1986, The comprehension of familiar and less familiar idioms., Journal of Psycholinguistics Research 15: 33-45
Seliger, H.W. & Shohamy, E., 1990, Second Language Research Methods,Oxford: Oxford University Press
Simpson, R. & D. Mendis, 2003, A Corpus-Based Study of Idioms in Academic Speech, TESOL Quarterly 37:/3 419-41
Swinney, D. A. & Cutler, A., 1979, The access and processing of idiomatic expressions, Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior 18: 523-34
Tabossi, T. & Zardon, F., 1995, The activation of idiomatic meaning, In M. Everaert, E. Van der Linden, A. Schenk, & R. Schreuder(Eds.), Idioms: Structural and psychological perspectives(pp.283-99). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum
Titone, D. A. & Connine C.M., 1999, On the compositional and noncompositional nature of idiomatic expressions, Journal of Pragmatics 31: 1655-74
Yandell, M. D., & Zints, M.V., 1961, Some difficulties Indian children encounter with idioms in reading, The Reading Teacher 14: 256-59
Yang Yonglin, 2002, A Socio-Cognitive Study of Chinese Students' Color Codability in English, Beijing: Tsing Hua University Press
Zhang Ande & Yang Yuangang, 2002, A comparative study of English and Chinese cultures in word expressions, Hubei Education Press
冯建文&刘晓晖，2003，谈英汉基本颜色词的文化伴随意义，社科纵横，2003年6月，总第18卷第3期，p81-83
邵志洪，1997，英汉语研究与对比，上海：华东理工大学出版社
Long man Dictionary of Contemporary English, 2003, Essex: Person Education Limited
The American Heritage~(R) Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth
Edition, 2000
Cambridge International Dictionary of Idioms, online dictionary http://dictionary.cambridge.org/default.asp?dict=I
当代英语习语大词典，秦秀白主编，1999，天津科学技术出版社／外语教学与研究出版社
现代汉语词典，中国社会科学院语言研究所词典编辑室，2002，外语教学与研究出版社
英汉大词典，陆谷孙主编，1993，上海译文出版社
Bobrow, S. & Bell, S., 1973, On catching on to idiomatic expressions, Memory and Cognition 1: 343-46
Boers, F., 2000, Metaphor awareness and vocabulary retention, Applied Linguistics 21/4: 553-71
Boers, F. & M. Demecheleer, 2001, Measuring the Impact of Cross-cultural Differences on Learners' Comprehension of Imaginable Idioms, ELT Journal 55/3 255-62
Boers, F. & M. Demecheleer, 1998, A cognitive semantic approach to teaching prepositions, ELT Journal 52/3: 197-204
Bowers, R., 1992, Memories, metaphors, maxims and myths: language learning and cultural awareness, ELT Journal 46/1: 29-38
Charteris-Black Jonathan, 2002, Second language figurative proficiency: A comparative study of Malay and English, Applied Linguistics 23/1: 104-33
Cooper, T., 1999, 'Processing of Idioms by L2 Learners of English', TESOL Quarterly 33/2: 233-62;
Cooper, T., 1998, Teaching Idioms and figures of speech to non-native speakers, Foreign Language Annals 31: 255-66
Cronk, B. and Schweigert, W.A., 1992, The Comprehension of Idiom: the Effects of Familiarity, Literalness, and Usage, Applied Psycholinguistics 13: 131-46
Deignan, A., D. Gabrys, and A. Solska, 1997, Teaching English metaphors using cross-linguistic awareness-raising activities, ELT Journal 51/4: 352-60
Deng Yanchang & Liu Runqing, 1989, Language and Culture, Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press
Ellis, Rod, 1994, The study of second language acquisition, Oxford: Oxford University Press
Fernando Chitra, 1996, Idioms and Idiornaticity, Oxford: Oxford University Press
Gibbs, R. W., 1980, Spilling the beans on understanding and memory for idioms in conversation, Memory and Cognition 8: 149-56
Gibbs, R. W., Jr., 1994, The poetic of mind, figurative thought, language, and understanding, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Gibbs, R. W. & Nayak, N. P., 1989, Psycholinguistic studies on the syntactic behavior of idioms, Cognitive Psychology 21: 100-38
Gibbs, R. W., Nayak, N. P. & Cutting, C., 1989, How to kick the bucket and not decompose: Analyzability and idiom processing, Journal of Memory and Language 28: 576-93
Gibbs, R. W., Nayak, N. P., Bolton, J.L.and Keppel, M.E., 1989, Speakers' assumptions about the lexical flexibility of idioms, Memory and Cognition17: 58-68
Gluckberg, S., 1993, Idiom meanings and allusional content, In C. Cacciari & P. Tabossi(Eds.), Idioms: Processing, Structure and interpretation pp. 3-26 Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Hoffman, R. R., 1983, Recent research on metaphor, Semiotic Inquiry, 3: 35-62
Irujo S., 1986a, Don't Put Your Leg in Your Mouth: Transfer in the Acquisition of Idioms in a Second Language, TESOL Quarterly 20/2 287-304
Irujo S., 1986b, A piece of cake: learning and teaching idioms, ELT Journal 40/3: 236-42
Kellerman, E., 1979, Transfer and non-transfer: Where we are now, Studies in Second Language Acquisition 2: 37-57
Kellerman, E., 1978, Giving learners a break: native language intuition as a source of predictions about transferability, Working papers in Bilingualism 15: 59-92
Kellerman, E., 1983, Now you see it, now you don't. In S. Gass & Selinker(Eds.), Language transfer in language learning (pp.112-134)., Rowley, MA: Newbury House.
Koveeses, Z. & Szabo, P., 1996, Idioms: A view from cognitive semantics, Applied Linguistics 17/3: 326-55
Lakoff, G., and M. Johnson, 1980, Metaphors We Live By, Chicago: University of Chicago Press
Lazar, G, 1996, Using figurative language to expand students' vocabulary, ELT Journal 50/1: 43-50
Lennon, P., 1998, Approaches to the Teaching of Idiomatic Language, IRAL VOL ⅩⅩⅩⅥ/1 11-30
Littlemore, J., 2001, Metaphoric Competence: A Language Learning Strength of Students With a Holistic Cognitive Style?, TESOL Quarterly 35: 459-91;
Low, G., 1988, On teaching metaphor, Applied Linguistics 9/2: 125-47
Nattinger,J.R.& DeCarrico, J.S., 1992, Lexical phrases and language teaching, Oxford: Oxford University Press
Nippold, M. A., 1991, Idiom interpretation in isolation versus context: A developmental acquisition difficulties, Language of Speech and Hearing Services in Schools 22: 100-106
Schweigert, W.A., 1986, The comprehension of familiar and less familiar idioms., Journal of Psycholinguistics Research 15: 33-45
Seliger, H.W. & Shohamy, E., 1990, Second Language Research Methods,Oxford: Oxford University Press
Simpson, R. & D. Mendis, 2003, A Corpus-Based Study of Idioms in Academic Speech, TESOL Quarterly 37:/3 419-41
Swinney, D. A. & Cutler, A., 1979, The access and processing of idiomatic expressions, Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior 18: 523-34
Tabossi, T. & Zardon, F., 1995, The activation of idiomatic meaning, In M. Everaert, E. Van der Linden, A. Schenk, & R. Schreuder(Eds.), Idioms: Structural and psychological perspectives(pp.283-99). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum
Titone, D. A. & Connine C.M., 1999, On the compositional and noncompositional nature of idiomatic expressions, Journal of Pragmatics 31: 1655-74
Yandell, M. D., & Zints, M.V., 1961, Some difficulties Indian children encounter with idioms in reading, The Reading Teacher 14: 256-59
Yang Yonglin, 2002, A Socio-Cognitive Study of Chinese Students' Color Codability in English, Beijing: Tsing Hua University Press
Zhang Ande & Yang Yuangang, 2002, A comparative study of English and Chinese cultures in word expressions, Hubei Education Press
冯建文&刘晓晖，2003，谈英汉基本颜色词的文化伴随意义，社科纵横，2003年6月，总第18卷第3期，p81-83
邵志洪，1997，英汉语研究与对比，上海：华东理工大学出版社
Long man Dictionary of Contemporary English, 2003, Essex: Person Education Limited
The American Heritage~(R) Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth
Edition, 2000
Cambridge International Dictionary of Idioms, online dictionary http://dictionary.cambridge.org/default.asp?dict=I
当代英语习语大词典，秦秀白主编，1999，天津科学技术出版社／外语教学与研究出版社
现代汉语词典，中国社会科学院语言研究所词典编辑室，2002，外语教学与研究出版社
英汉大词典，陆谷孙主编，1993，上海译文出版社