人称代词在中外医学作者撰写的英文医学科研论文前言部分中的使用

 

Application of personal pronouns in introduction section of English medical research articles

【Abstract】 AIM: To investigate and contrast the personal pronouns used in introduction sections of English medical research articles written by Chinese medical writers (CMWs) and native English speaking medical writers (NMWs). METHODS: The personal pronouns used in 50 introduction sections written by CMWs and 20 ones by NMWs were investigated and compared using ESP genre analysis and the contrastive approach. RESULTS: The first personal pronouns were found mainly used in their plural forms in subjective cases and more favorably used in the introduction sections written by NMWs (85%) than those by CMWs (54%) (P%26lt;0.05). CONCLUSION: Chinese medical writers use significantly less the first personal pronouns than their native English speaking counterparts which may in some way result from their difference in thought pattern and culture transfer.

【Keywords】 English; medical research article; introduction; personal pronouns; ESP genre analysis; contrastive analysis

【摘要】 目的：探讨和对比人称代词在中外医学作者撰写的英文医学研究性论文前言部分中的使用情况. 方法：采用ESP体裁分析法以及对比研究法对50篇和20篇分别由中国医学作者和母语为英语的外国作者所撰写的英文医学研究性论文前言部分中的人称代词使用情况进行统计、对比、分析研究. 结果：两个语料库中英文医学研究性论文前言部分使用的人称代词主要为第一人称代词复数主格形式we. 英语为母语的外国医学作者使用第一人称远远高于中国医学作者 具有显著性差异. 结论：中外作者在思维方式、文化和语言的迁移方面存在差异.

【关键词】 英文;医学论文;前言; 人称代词; ESP体裁分析法; 对比研究分析

0引言

科学研究通常被认为具有客观性，因此科研报道也通常被人们认为必须是客观的、非人称的［1］. 但作为研究者本人，在其科研报道中，除了客观地报道其科研成果、成就之外，他们还须一方面表明其研究的意义以及其研究对这一学科所做出的贡献，另一方面他们又要谦虚地吸引编辑和他们的读者，也就是他们要得到编辑和读者的赞同和接受，以达到研究者本人同编辑和读者之间的交流［2］. 从语言学角度来说，医学作者的这一交际目的可通过运用一些礼貌策略、信息构成以及具体的词汇、语法结构，比如说人称代词来实现. 我们认为某一人称代词的选用通常能揭示作者如何看待自己以及表明作者同读者、同行的关系［2］.

本研究探讨了人称代词的使用是如何表明作者在研究中的作用、中外学术作者所撰写的英文医学研究性论文前言部分中人称代词使用的差异及原因.

1材料和方法

1.1材料我们建立了两个英文医学科研论文前言部分的数据库，即中国作者撰写的前言部分语料库（CMW）和英语为母语的外国作者所撰写的前言部分语料库（NMW）. CMW由中国出版的10种核心期刊及源期刊英文版随机选出的50篇最新的英文医学研究性论文前言部分组成；NMW由美国及英国出版的4种最具权威的期刊中随机选出的20篇最新医学研究性论文前言部分组成. 所选外国期刊为：The Journal of the American Medical Association (J1) The New England Journal of Medicine (J2) The Lancet(J3) The British Medical Journal (J4). 中国期刊英文版为: Chinese Journal of Traumatology (J5) Chinese Medical Journal (J6) ACTA Pharmacologia Sinica (J7) ACTA Biochimica et. Biophysica Sinica (J8) Science in China Ser. C Life Sciences (J9) Chinese Medical Science Journal (J10) World Journal of Gastroenterology (J11) Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics (J12) Asian Journal of Andrology (J13) Cell Research (J14).

1.2方法我们采用ESP体裁分析方法(语步-步骤法)［3］和对比研究定量分析方法［4］通过上下文分析分别找出中外医学作者所撰写的前言部分每个语步中的人称代词，并分别记录它们出现的频数，并计算出它们在前言部分所有词中使用的千分比将两个语料库中所得出的结果用卡方进行对比分析研究. 我们采用ESP体裁分析方法（语步-步骤法）和对比定性分析方法，分别找出中外医学作者所撰写的前言部分每个语步中的人称代词，计算人称代词在中外作者所撰写的50篇和20篇中使用的百分比 将两个语料库中所得出的结果用卡方进行对比分析研究.

2结果

中外医学作者在两个数据库中共使用了66个第一人称复数的主格、宾格和所属格形式 其中主格占绝对多数；未发现第一人称代词单数和第二、三人称代词单复数形式; 中外医学作者每千字分别使用了2.37和3.81第一人称代词复数的主格形式，具有显著性差异(P%26lt;0.05). 在中外医学作者所写50篇和20篇前言中，分别有27篇(54%)和17篇(85%)使用了第一人称代词复数的主格形式，注：‰: 第一人称代词复数在由5251词所组成的NMW和由13918词所组成的CMW中的千分比；NMW：外国医学作者撰写的前言部分语料库；CMW：中国医学作者撰写的前言部分语料库.

在中外医学作者撰写的前言中 第一人称代词复数we后接动词的主动语态为前言部分中主要的使用形式. 作者在语步3中通过提出研究理论或方法、陈述研究的目的以及报告其研究结果或发现 来说明作者自己在研究中做了哪些工作. 例如：We investigated differential expression of these genes in various tissues and under various stresses or conditions allowing us to develop a greaternderstanding of the importance of the PI pathway. (J14?7)We used the full?length HPO (15ku) fused to GAL4 DNA?binding domain as bait in the yeast two?hybrid system to creen a human testis cDNA library. (J12?2) We designed a series of primer pairs based on the equences of the conserved regions of the rat and monkey homolous gene cDNA. (J8?3) We ompared the hormonal patterns in volunteers participating in a contraceptive trial with levonorgestrel implants and testosterone endcannoate injectable at an aim to identify possible factors contributing to the differences in spermatogenic suppressionbetween esponders and non?responders in Chinese men. (J13?1) In this study we observed the clinical efficacy of CVVH in the treatment of acute necrotizing pancreatitis. (J6?2)We developed a fluorescent polymerase chain reaction ethod according to the published genome sequence of the SARS?associated coronavirus. (J6?3)We examined a number of local populations of D. lacertosa almost covering the known geographic range of this pecies. (J14?5)Here we report the results ofthe second planned interim analysis which we are releasing in accordance with the recommendation of the independent data and safety onitoring committee. (J2?1) We present a review of OSAS children diagnosed between January 1997 and December1998 and their outcomes. (J6?4) In this study we identified a novel human testis specific gene TSP1 which encodes a putative bHLH?Zip transcription factor. (J13?4) We conducted a case?control study using data from the Massachusetts Department ofpublic Health?s Complaint and Incident Reporting System and from MDs assessments to provide a broad examination of the types of injuries that result from resident?to?resident violent incidents. (J1?3) We present new data on the health insurance coverage characteristics of adolescents …. We assess the health insurance status of dolescents …. We then examine trends in adolescent health care coverage …. (J1?4) We prospectively studied a large community?based sample of persons in whom plasma ariuretic peptide levels were routinely measured and who were followed for the occurrence of major cardiovascular events and death. (J2?5)We have found this technique particularly useful where traditional fixation techniques are inadequate because of trochanteric comminution or deficient bone stock. (J8?5)