从上下文线索推测词义_英语论文

How to Guess Word Meaning from Context

摘要

英语词汇学习与教学是英语学习和教育的重要内容。然而有关事实表明，英语词汇在语言教育中一直没有受到重视，我国英语词汇教学依然是个薄弱环节。一部分原因是因为过去的语言学研究特殊关注句法和语音，这些导致了词汇被认作第二语言学习中并不特别重要的因素。可喜的是近年来，语言学家研究的重点渐渐由语法转向词汇。另外，随着国际交流的发展，愈来愈多的人，特别是广大外语学习者，开始意识到有效的学习英语词汇的重要性。

猜测词义是英语阅读的重要技巧，是阅读能力的一个重要组成部分。大量文献资料阐明了在英语阅读中根据前后语境和单词的构词结构猜测词义，有助于锻炼分析问题、解决问题的能力，有利于扩大词汇量。实际上，阅读材料中的词汇与它前后的词语、句子或段落，甚至篇章都有着相互制约的关系。因此我们可以利用语境所给信息，推测判断文中生词的含义。本文通过梳理不同学者对如何在阅读中推测词义的研究，总结了推测词义的根本方法及具体方式。

关键词：词汇学习；猜词策略；上下文线索

Abstract

English vocabulary learning and teaching is an important part of English language learning and education. However, the facts show that small attention has been fastened on vocabulary for many years. And the teaching of English vocabulary in our country is still a week link. Part of the reason for this is because of the excessive attention to syntax and phonetics which may lead to the recognition that vocabulary is a less significant part in second language learning. But in recent years, linguists have gradually shifted their focus from grammar to vocabulary. Besides, with the development of international communication, more and more people, especially the foreign language learners realize   that vocabulary learning is the basic and indispensable component of foreign language learning and understand the importance of learning English vocabulary effectively.

  Guessing word meaning is an important skill in English reading and it is a significant   part of reading ability. The research results in this field indicate that inferring meanings of unknown words through contextual clues and word structure can improve the ability of analyzing and solving problems and enlarge learners’ word stock. In fact, the meaning of a particular word the reader comes across in his reading is conditioned by the other words around it, and is defined by its syntactic structure and the context. So we can use the clue which the context gives to speculate on the meaning of the new words in the text. This paper summarizes the basic and specific methods of guessing the meaning of the unknown words by sorting out the researches result in this field.

Key Words: vocabulary learning; guessing strategy; contextual clues

Content

1. Introduction 1

1.1 The Importance of Vocabulary and Context 1

1.2 The Importance of Guessing Strategies in English Vocabulary Learning 1

2. Literature Review 2

2.1 Studies of Guessing Strategies Abroad 3

2.2 Studies of Guessing Strategies in China 3

3. A Framework of Guessing Strategies 4

3.1 Lexical Context 5

3.1.1 Word-formation structure 5

3.1.2 Synonymous relation 5

3.1.3 Antonymous relation 6

3.1.4 Hyponymous relation 7

3.2 Syntactical Restrictions 7

3.3 Semantic or Logical Connections 8

3.3.1 Definition 8

3.3.2 Restatement 9

3.3.3 Exemplification 9

3.3.4 Cause-and-effect 10

3.3.5 Transition and concession 10

3.4 The Role of Topic Sentence 10

3.5 The Role of Background Knowledge 12

4. Nation’s Guessing Theory and a Reading Test 13

5. Conclusion 14

References 16

Appendix 1 17