英语缩略语的应用与传播分析_英语论文

Analysis of the Application and the Spread of English Abbreviations 

摘要

英语缩略语如今被广泛地应用于方方面面，包括生活、学习和工作。这得益于英语是目前世界上被使用最为广泛的语言，也因为英语缩略语本身具有简洁、方便、省时间等诸多因素。英语缩略语具有极强的传播性，即使不会说英语的人也在用英语缩略语。比如，有些中国人不会说英语，他们也知道CCTV是中国中央广播电视台的简称；OK一词的广泛应用也反映了缩略语具有极强的传播性。

本文从认知心理学角度对英语缩略语的使用和传播进行研究。首先，通过在学校图书馆和知网数据库中查阅到的相关资料，本文对英语缩略语出现的原因及其广泛传播的原因进行分析和总结，结合《英语缩略语词典》中英语缩略语的使用范围，对人们在使用英语缩略语这一行为背后反映的心理和动机进行分析。人类接受事物的能力是有限的，因此人们主要基于经济原则使用英语缩略语，对新生事物的追求和多元化的传播途径也是英语缩略语得以广泛使用和快速传播的主要原因。其次，本文通过对英语缩略语的语用价值的研究，分析了其对中西方文化的影响。英语缩略语丰富了英语的语言表达形式，由于其广泛的传播，英语缩略语很好地传播了西方的文化。在中国，很多人甚至不知道一些被广泛使用的英语缩略语的中文是什么，或者只知道中文，但是没有相应的中文缩略语来代替它，比如，我们暂时没有一个标准的、简便的中文名称来表示PM2.5。因此，英语缩略语的使用在一定程度上降低了中文在相应词语上的创新性。

关键词：英语缩略语、应用、分类、成因、传播

Abstract

English abbreviations are broadly used in various aspects of our life, including daily life, study and work, which is, to some extent, because English is the most broadly used language in the world and also because of the many features of English abbreviations, such as conciseness, convenience, timesaving, etc. English abbreviations have strong transmissibility which leads people who do not speak English to use English abbreviations. For instance, some Chinese who do not speak English know that CCTV is the abbreviation of China Central Television. The broad use of OK also shows the popularity of abbreviation. 

   This paper conducts a research of the use and spread of English abbreviations from the aspect of Cognitive Psychology. Firstly, by analyzing the materials consulted in school library and CNKI, this paper combines the reasons of the appearance and the reasons of the wide spread of English abbreviations with the application scope of English abbreviations in An English-Chinese Dictionary for Abbreviations and Acronyms and analyzes the psychological reasons and motivations behind the behavior of using English abbreviations. People’s ability to receive new information is limited. Thus, people use English abbreviations mainly based on Principle of Economy. And the pursuit of newly sprouted things and the diversified ways of spread are also important reasons of the broad use and spread of English abbreviations. Secondly, this paper concludes the influence English abbreviations have on Chinese and Western cultures by analyzing the linguistic values of them. English abbreviations enrich the express form of English and help to spread Western cultures because they are easily spread. They are prevalent in China. But many Chinese do not know the Chinese meaning of them. For example, at present, we do not have a standard or relatively convenient name of PM2.5. Thus, English abbreviations, to some extent, weaken the innovation of relevant Chinese words.

Key words: English abbreviation; application; category; spread

Contents

Acknowledgements  i

Abstract  ii

摘要  iii

Contents iv

Chapter 1   Introduction  1

Chapter 2   Literature Review  2

Chapter 3   Theoretical Framework and Method  4

Chapter 4  The Appearance of Abbreviation  6

    4.1 Reasons of the Appearance of Abbreviation  6

       4.1.1 Pursuit of briefness and convenience  6

       4.1.2 Pursuit of newly sprouted things  7

       4.1.3 Result of the development of society  7

    4.2 Application of English Abbreviations  8

Chapter 5   Spread of English Abbreviations 10

    5.1 Reason of the Spread of English Abbreviations  10

       5.1.1 Spread of English Itself  10

       5.1.2 Principle of Economy  10

    5.2 Form of the Spread of English Abbreviations  11

    5.3 Influence of English Abbreviations 12

       5.3.1 Linguistic Value of English Abbreviations  12

       5.3.2 Influence of English Abbreviations on Western Culture  13

       5.3.3 Influence of English Abbreviations on Chinese 13

Conclusion  13

References  16