Pragmatic coherence in the English writing of Chinese college students

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pragmatics英语解释

Pragmatics is a subfield of linguistics that studies how context and social factors contribute to meaning in language. It looks at how language is used in real-life situations and how it can be interpreted beyond its literal or grammatical meaning. Pragmatics also examines howmunicative acts are performed and understood, including the role of speaker intentions, assumptions, and presuppositions inmunication.1. Definition of PragmaticsPragmatics is the study of how context influences the interpretation of language. It focuses on the use of language inmunication, taking into account the speaker's intentions, the context of the conversation, and the social and cultural factors that may impact meaning. Unlike semantics, which deals with the literal meaning of words and sentences, pragmatics looks at the implied or inferred meaning of language in use.2. Key Concepts in Pragmaticsa. Speech ActsOne of the central concepts in pragmatics is speech acts, whichrefers to the actions performed by speakers through their utterances. These actions can include making requests, giving orders, making promises, or expressing opinions. Speech acts are not just about the words themselves, but also the intentions and effects behind them.b. Grice's MaximsGrice's conversational maxims are another important concept in pragmatics. These maxims, proposed by philosopher H.P. Grice, outline the principles that guide cooperativemunication. They include the maxims of quantity, quality, relevance, and manner, which suggest that speakers should be informative, truthful, relevant, and clear in theirmunication.c. ImplicatureImplicature refers to the inferred meaning that arises from an utterance, beyond its literal meaning. The study of implicature is central to the understanding of how context and pragmatic principles affect the interpretation of language. For example, when someone says "It's cold in here," the implicature might be a request to close a window or turn up the heat.3. Applications of PragmaticsPragmatics has implications for various areas of language use, including language teaching, cross-culturalmunication, and discourse analysis.a. Language TeachingIn language teaching, an understanding of pragmatics is crucial for learners to effectively use language in real-world situations. Teaching pragmatics involves helping learners understand the appropriate use of language in different contexts and how to interpret the implied meanings and intentions inmunication.b. Cross-Cultural CommunicationPragmatics also plays a significant role in cross-culturalmunication. Different languages and cultures may have varying pragmatic norms and conventions, leading to potential misunderstandings or mimunications. By understanding the pragmatic differences between languages, individuals can navigate cross-cultural interactions more effectively.c. Discourse AnalysisIn discourse analysis, pragmatics is used to examine how language is used to achievemunicative goals in different contexts. This includes studying the patterns of interaction, power dynamics, and politeness strategies in discourse, as well as how context influences the interpretation of language in specific settings.4. Challenges and Controversies in PragmaticsDespite its importance, pragmatics also faces several challenges and controversies in its study. These include issues related to the cultural and context-specific nature of pragmatic meaning, the difficulty of establishing universal pragmatic principles, and the role of pragmatics in language processing and understanding.a. Cultural and Context-Specific NatureOne challenge in pragmatics is the recognition of the cultural and context-specific nature of pragmatic meaning. Differentcultures may have unique norms and conventions formunication, leading to variations in pragmatic interpretation. This makes it difficult to establish universal rules for pragmatic understanding.b. Universal Pragmatic PrinciplesAnother controversial issue is the search for universal pragmatic principles. While some scholars argue for the existence of cross-linguistic and cross-cultural pragmatic principles, others emphasize the diversity and variability of pragmatic norms across languages and cultures. This ongoing debate reflects theplexity of studying pragmatics on a global scale.c. Pragmatics and Language ProcessingThe relationship between pragmatics and language processing is another area of contention. Some researchers argue that pragmatics is an essentialponent of language understanding, while others m本人nt本人n that it is secondary to the processing of grammatical and semantic information. Resolving this issue has implications for the study ofmunication disorders and the development of natural language processing systems.5. ConclusionIn conclusion, pragmatics offers valuable insights into theplex nature of language use and interpretation. By examining the role of context, social factors, and speaker intentions inmunication, pragmatics enhances our understanding of how language works in the real world. Despite the challenges and controversies it faces, the study of pragmatics continues to be an important and dynamic field within linguistics, with implications for language teaching, cross-culturalmunication, and discourse analysis. As we strive to better understand the multifaceted nature of language andmunication, pragmatics rem本人ns a crucial area of investigation.。

Pragmatic Differences Between English and Chinese Polite Language in Cross—cultural Communication

Pragmatic Differences Between English and Chinese Polite Languagein Cross—cultural CommunicationAbstract：Politeness is an indispensable part of speech performance which helps to maintain and promote harmony in social intercourse. In intercultural communication，participants always have their respective cultural backgrounds，and they tend to judge other people’s verbal behaviour according to their own criteria，which makes it easy to lead to misunderstanding between each other，resulting in communication failure. Therefore，we should attach great importance to culture in order to conduct an effective cross-cultural communication.KEY WORDS：Cross-cultural communication，Politeness Principle，Pragmatic difference1.IntroductionCross-cultural verbal communication refers to the verbal communication which people in social intercourse conduct by using non-native languages. Under this circumstance，the second language people use，more or less，carries the features of their mother tongue. Due to different cultures，there exist the diversity and complexity of polite expressions and criteria for politeness. Whereupon，being aware of pragmatic differences between English and Chinese polite language is indispensable to realize tactful and effective intercultural communication.2.Pragmatic Differences Between English and Chinese Polite LanguageAt the beginning of the 20th century，western linguists began to study the politeness，such as Politeness Principle of Leech（1983）. Six maxims of Leech—Tact Maxim，Generosity Maxim，Approbation Maxim，Modesty Maxim，Agreement Maxim，Sympathy Maxim—generalizes English politeness principle thoroughly. Gu Yueguo，our Chinese scholar，has revised and developed politeness principle of Leech to make it in accordance with the requirements of Chinese society. The politeness principle proposed by Gu Yueguo includes Self-denigration and Others-respecting Maxim，Address Maxim，Elegance Maxim，Conforming Maxim，and Virtue，Speech，and Behaviour Maxim.2.1 Differences in GreetingsThe propositional content of English greetings is often constrained. The most common ones are “Hello”，“Hi”，“Good morning”，etc. However，in Chinese greetings，the propositional contents are diverse，much less constrained. The expression of Chinese greetings changes according to the speaker-hearer relationship，different contexts，or different psychological states they are in.Apart from the common greetings “你好（Hello）”，Chinese usually greet each other with words of judgement. For instance，such greetings as “吃了吗（Have you eaten）”，“出去吗（Are you going out）”，“下班啦（You’ve been back from work，haven’t you）” are very common expressions among Chinese，although the speaker may not need an exact answer to these questions.。

关于turn的英语作文

关于turn的英语作文Title: The Concept of "Turn" in English: A Comprehensive Exploration。

The notion of "turn" is a fundamental concept in the English language, permeating various aspects of communication and daily life. From its use in language structure to its significance in social interactions, "turn" holds multifaceted meanings and implications. Inthis essay, we delve into the diverse dimensions of "turn," exploring its linguistic, pragmatic, and cultural significance.Linguistically, "turn" is central to the structure of discourse. In conversation analysis, turn-taking refers to the orderly exchange of speaking opportunities among participants. It involves recognizing when to speak, when to yield the floor, and how to transition smoothly between speakers. The coherence and fluidity of dialogue rely heavily on participants' ability to manage turnseffectively. Linguists have studied various turn-taking mechanisms, such as adjacency pairs and turn-constructional units, to understand the intricacies of conversational interaction.Moreover, "turn" plays a crucial role in the syntax of sentences. In syntactic analysis, a turn often signifies a change in subject, mood, or perspective within a sentence. For instance, in the sentence "He turned the corner and saw a bright light," the word "turned" marks a shift in the protagonist's action and perception. Understanding these syntactic nuances enhances one's proficiency in both spoken and written English.Beyond its linguistic dimensions, "turn" holds significant pragmatic implications. Politeness and social etiquette dictate the appropriate timing and manner of taking turns in conversation. Interrupting someone's turn may be perceived as rude or disrespectful, whereas yielding the floor demonstrates attentiveness and respect forothers' contributions. Cultural norms and context heavily influence these pragmatic considerations, highlighting thedynamic nature of turn-taking practices across different communities and settings.Furthermore, "turn" extends beyond verbal communication to encompass actions and events. In sports, for instance, a "turn" refers to an individual's opportunity to perform, compete, or act within a game or match. The concept ofturn-taking is evident in various sports, where players alternate between offense and defense or take sequential attempts to achieve a goal. Understanding the concept of "turn" in this context is essential for strategic planning, teamwork, and fair play.In addition to its linguistic and pragmatic dimensions, "turn" holds symbolic and metaphorical significance in English idiomatic expressions and literary devices. Phrases such as "turn a blind eye," "turn the tide," or "take a turn for the worse" convey metaphorical meanings that transcend their literal interpretations. These idiomatic usages enrich the language, allowing speakers to convey abstract concepts and emotions with vivid imagery and nuance.Moreover, the concept of "turn" is central to narrative structure and plot development in literature and storytelling. Writers strategically employ plot twists, turning points, and cliffhangers to captivate readers' attention and propel the narrative forward. The artful manipulation of turns keeps audiences engaged, invitingthem to anticipate and speculate about the unfolding events.In conclusion, the concept of "turn" in English encompasses a rich tapestry of linguistic, pragmatic, cultural, and symbolic dimensions. From its role in structuring discourse to its significance in social interactions and storytelling, "turn" permeates various aspects of language and communication. By understanding and mastering the complexities of "turn," individuals can navigate conversations, express themselves effectively, and appreciate the richness of the English language in all its forms.。

写一篇关于从语篇连贯角度探索英语写作能力的提高的文献综述

写一篇关于从语篇连贯角度探索英语写作能力的提高的文献综述Title: Exploring the Enhancement of English Writing Proficiency through Coherence in DiscourseIntroduction:Effective communication in written form is an essential skill in today's globalized world. It is widely recognized that coherence in discourse plays a crucial role in improving English writing proficiency. This literature review aims to provide an overview of various research studies and approaches that have been employed to explore how coherence can significantly enhance English writing ability.1. Defining Coherence in Discourse:Coherence refers to the logical and meaningful connection among ideas and information in a text. It ensures that the content flows smoothly, allowing readers to understand the author's intended message. Understanding the different aspects of coherence, such as textual, structural, and pragmatic coherence, is fundamental to improving English writing proficiency.2. Cohesion and Coherence:Cohesion focuses on the grammatical and lexical devices that create links between sentences, while coherence deals with the overall unity and organization of ideas in a text. Studies have shown that strong cohesion alone cannot guarantee coherence, as coherence requires the interplay of various linguistic and rhetorical features, such as the appropriate use of transition words, topic sentences, and the logical arrangement of paragraphs.3. Explicit Teaching of Coherence:Educators have recognized the importance of explicitly teaching coherence in writing instruction. Research has shown that strategy training, including pre-writing planning, outlining, and revising, can significantly improve the coherence of writing. Explicit instruction on coherence devices such as connectors, conjunctions, and logical connectors can also aid students in creating coherent and well-organized texts.4. Discourse Markers and Cohesion:Discourse markers, such as "however," "therefore," and "in addition," act as signposts that guide readers through the text. Proper use of these markers enhances coherence by indicating shifts in ideas, contrasting or supporting information, and progression of arguments. Language learners should be explicitly taught how to use discourse markers to improve coherence in their writing.5. Text Structure and Organization:The logical arrangement of ideas and information within a text significantly impacts its coherence. Various research studies have investigated the effects of utilizing different text structures, such as problem-solution, cause-effect, and compare-contrast, on improving coherence. Teaching learners to use appropriate organizational patterns can enhance their ability to convey ideas effectively.Conclusion:This literature review highlights the central role of coherence inimproving English writing proficiency. The understanding and application of coherence devices and strategies, including cohesive devices, discourse markers, and text organization, play a crucial role in enhancing students' writing abilities. Educators should employ explicit instruction and training methods to enable learners to develop coherent texts that effectively convey their intended messages. Further research can explore other relevant factors contributing to coherence in English writing, such as cultural and rhetorical differences.。

cohesion in english 读书笔记

cohesion in english 读书笔记Cohesion, as an important aspect of language, plays a crucial role in making English texts coherent and understandable. It refers to the grammatical and lexical relationships that hold sentences and paragraphs together. In this article, we will explore different types of cohesion and their applications in English writing.1. Referential CohesionReferential cohesion involves the use of pronouns, demonstratives, and nouns to refer back to previously mentioned elements. It helps readers understand the relationships between different parts of a text. For example, in the sentence "John bought a new car. He loves driving it," the pronoun "he" and the demonstrative "it" refer back to "John" and "car" respectively, creating cohesive ties.2. SubstitutionSubstitution is another way to achieve cohesion. It involves replacing a word or phrase with another element, often a pronoun or a nominal group. This technique allows writers to avoid repetition and make the text more concise. For instance, instead of saying "I went to the park. The park was beautiful," we can use substitution: "I went to the park. It was beautiful."3. EllipsisEllipsis refers to the omission of a word or phrase that can be inferred from the context. It is commonly used in conversation and informal writing. For example, instead of saying "I enjoy watching movies, and my sisterenjoys watching movies too," we can use ellipsis: "I enjoy watching movies, and my sister does too."4. ConjunctionConjunctions are essential for creating cohesion in both spoken and written English. They are used to link words, phrases, and clauses together, indicating logical relationships. Common conjunctions include "and," "but," "or," "however," and "although." They help clarify the connections between different ideas and maintain coherence within a text.5. Lexical CohesionLexical cohesion relies on the use of words that are related in meaning. Techniques such as repetition, synonymy, hyponymy, and collocation contribute to lexical cohesion. By using these devices, writers can create a strong connection between different parts of a text. For example, in the sentence "She wore a beautiful dress. The dress was made of silk," the repetition of the word "dress" establishes lexical cohesion.6. ParallelismParallelism, also known as parallel structure, involves using similar grammatical structures to express related ideas. It adds rhythm and clarity to the text, making it more cohesive. For instance, in the sentence "I like swimming, running, and hiking," the parallel structure of verb + -ing form enhances cohesion.7. Semantic CohesionSemantic cohesion focuses on the relationship between the meanings of words and phrases in a text. This can be achieved through the use of synonyms, antonyms, hypernyms, and hyponyms. By using words with related meanings, writers can ensure that their text flows smoothly. For example, instead of repeating the word "clean," one might use the synonym "tidy" or the antonym "dirty" to maintain semantic cohesion.In conclusion, cohesion is crucial for effective English writing. By employing techniques such as referential cohesion, substitution, ellipsis, conjunction, lexical cohesion, parallelism, and semantic cohesion, writers can create texts that are cohesive, coherent, and easy to understand. Understanding these principles of cohesion will greatly enhance one's ability to produce well-structured and engaging English writing.。

Pragmatic Competence and English Teaching 语用能力与英语教学

语用能力与英语教学Pragmatic Competence and English TeachingAbstractMore and more researchers in ESL/EFL acquisition are convinced that successful language acquisition involves not only linguistic accuracy, but also pragmatic fluency. To help second language learners master the pragmatic usages and enable them to carry on smooth communication with native speakers is gaining its importance. However, despite the abundant researches on grammar and linguistic accuracy, researches on pragmatic competence of Chinese EFL learners and classroom pragmatic teaching strategies have long been ignored in China. This paper aims at providing concrete teaching ideas to those who are unsure of how to incorporate these pragmatic forms into their regular instructional programs. First we dealt with teacher analysis of speech acts, then we come to cognitive awareness skills, next the receptive/integrative skills and controlled productive skills, last, we come to a free, integrated practice.Key words: pragmatic competence; teaching strategies; pragmatic forms摘要英语教学学者相信只有将语言准确性与语用能力相结合的教学, 才能全面提升外语学习学生的沟通和交际能力。

Pragmatic Failure in the Cross-Cultural Communication 跨文化交际中的语用失误

3.1.3The difference of the thought…………………………………………..9
3.1.4The difference of the religion beliefs……………………………..........9
3.1.5The difference of the customs……………………………….................9
3.1.1The influences of the pragmatic negative transfer in the cross-cultural communication………………………………………………………………………...6
3.1.2The difference of the values…………………………………………8
CharterThreeMeasurements and Implications…………………………………..16
1.The Measurements of Avoiding the Pragmatic Failure in the Cross-Cultural Communication………………………………………………………………………..16
Acknowledgment…………………………………………………………………….22
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.Introduction
When people of different cultures communicate with each other, the first barrier is“language barrier”,especially when they don’t share the same mother language ,even if they share the same mother language ,the language barriers are still exist in various aspects ,so it is common when the culture conflicts occur in the cross-cultural communication,this kind ofconflicts usually reflects on the language, and it is accompanied with the pragmatic failure ,which sometimescausingunnecessary understandingsand confusions.The English linguist Thomas（1983）divided the pragmatic failure into two categories: pragmalinguistic failure and sociapragmatic failure ,the former one refers to the speakerswhodon’t follow the native-speakers’ habit ,they express the words in a wrong way ,or they don’t know the right way to express, some of them eveninfluencedby the mother language (e.g. Chinglish).The later one refers to the speakers whodon’t knowor neglect the culture background of the target language, whichleads tothe pragmatic failure .In the most occasions ,the pragmatic failure during the cross-cultural is caused by the different social and culture backgrounds. Language as the keystone of culture is tightly intertwined with culture .Learning a language is inseparable from learning its culture .When learning a foreign or second language ,the learners shouldnot only learn the mere imitation of the pronunciation ,grammar ,words ,and idioms, but also learn to understand the ideas ,customs, and behavior of that society ,learn to understand their “language of the mind”. That is to say, the speakers need to learn enough about the language’s culture so that wecan communicatein the target language properly to achieve not only the linguistic competencebut also the pragmatic or communicative competence as well.

广东外语外贸大学高等教育自学考试商务英语专业论文参考选题

广东外语外贸大学高等教育自学考试商务英语专业论文参考选题一、专业介绍本专业培养具有良好职业道德，掌握一定经贸理论知识、熟悉国际商务操作规程，具备扎实的国际经济和国际贸易理论基础，掌握国际经济与国际贸易的基本知识与基本技能，具有较扎实的英语听、说、读、写、译能力，较好的英语沟通能力的应用型英语人才。

毕业后能在外贸、文化教育、旅游（酒店）等行业从事翻译、外贸实务、教学和涉外文秘等工作。

主要课程：高级英语，综合英语，商务英语听说，商务英语翻译，国际贸易实务，外刊经贸知识选读。

二、选题要求1、论文选题必须是属于本专业方向范畴以内的，可参考本文所列的论文选题，但不仅限于本文所列的论文选题。

2、本文所列论文选题主要用于指引论文写作可选择的研究方向，不可照抄本文论文选题作为题目。

3、考生可选用本文论文选题中的关键词（红色字体），结合自己的写作思路或研究方向确定论文写作题目。

三、论文选题：Translation related topics:1.The Influence of Cultural Factors on Translation of idioms in Business English试论文化因素对经贸领域中习语翻译的影响2.Lexical Features of Business Contract English and Its Translation经贸合同英语的词法特征及其翻译3.The Characteristics of Foreign Trade English Translation经贸英语的翻译特点4.Influence of Contextual factors on Business English Translation经贸英语翻译中语境因素的作用5.On the Translation Criteria of Business English 试论经贸英语翻译的标准6.Understanding and Translation of the Divisional Phenomena in BusinessEnglish Contracts英语经贸契约分隔现象的理解与翻译7.On Abbreviations in Business English谈经贸英语中的缩略语现象8.On the Characteristics of Business English Vocabulary经贸英语的词汇特点9.Diction in Economy and Trade Translation经贸翻译的词义选择10.Multi-discipline motivations of the Business English Vocabulary论商务英语词汇的多学科性11.On the linguistic/ cultural Features of Business English E-mails浅谈商务英语电子邮件的写作特点12.Analysis of the Stylistic Features of the Contract English浅析合同英语的文体特点13.Translation of English Advertisement in Cross-cultural communication跨文化背景中的广告英语翻译14.Translation of Dates, Amount and Numbers in the Business English Contracts浅析商务合同中日期、金额和数字的翻译15.On Translating Strategies of Modern Business English现代商务英语的翻译策略16.On the Principle of Faithfulness in C-E Business Translation浅谈商务英语英汉翻译的"信"原则17.Methods and Principles of Trade Mark Translation商标翻译的方法及应遵循的基本原则18.The Linguistic Characteristics and Translation Strategies of EnglishAdvertisement广告英语的语言特点及翻译策略Linguistic aspects：19.A Study of the syntactic features in English Business Contracts 试谈英语经贸合同的句法特点20.On the Accuracy of Business English Translation浅析商务英语翻译的准确性21.On the Rhetorical Features and Translation strategies of Advertising English浅析广告英语的修辞特点及翻译方法22.Translation of Metaphor in Business English 浅谈商务英语中的隐喻翻译23.On "Faithfulness" and "Innovation" in Business English Translation外贸英语翻译的"忠实"与"变通"24.The Strategies of Domestication and Dissimulation on Advertising EnglishTranslation广告英语翻译的"归化"和""异化"策略25.Cross-cultural Factors i n Advertising English Translation广告英语翻译中的跨文化因素26.On the Rhetoric and Translation Approaches in Advertising English论广告英语的修辞艺术和翻译方法27.The Function of Fuzzy Language in Business English Writing论模糊语言在商务英语写作中的作用28.The Application of Polite Principles in Business English Writing 礼貌原则在商务英语写作中的应用29.On the Preciseness of Business English Contracts论商务英语合同语言的严谨性30.How to Achieve Consideration in Business E-mails如何实现商务电子邮件中的“consideration”31.An Analysis of the Rhetorical Devices in Advertising English广告英语的修辞方法探析32.On the Translation Principles of Trademarks in Business English浅析商务英语中的商标翻译33.On Functions of Business English Abbreviations 浅析商务英语中缩略语的功能34.Influence of Cultural differences on the Translation of Business English文化差异对商务英语翻译的影响35.On the Writing Features of Business English Letters 浅析商务英语信函的写作特点36.On Linguistic features of Business English Correspondence 商务英语信函的语言特征Culture related topics:37.The Influence of Cultural Elements on the Translation of idioms in BusinessEnglish 浅析文化因素对商务英语习语翻译的影响38.A Pragmatic Analysis of Long Sentences in Business English Contracts商务英语合同中的长句语用分析39.The Lexical Features of E-commerce English 电子商务英语的词汇特征分析40.A Study of the Cross-cultural Factors in Business Negotiation 商务谈判中的跨文化因素研究41.Functions of Non-verbal Communication in Business Negotiation 非语言交际在商务谈判中的功能研究42.A Study of Cultural Factors in Sino-American Business Negotiation中美商务谈判中的文化因素研究Business English teaching related topics:43.The Application of Case Study in Business English Teaching案例教学法在商务英语教学中的应用44.The Application of Situated Teaching Theory in Business English Teaching 情境教学理论在商务英语教学中的运用45.On Fostering Communicative Competence in Business English Teaching 试论商务英语教学中语言交际能力的培养46.The Application of Task-based Teaching in Business English Teaching 任务教学法在商务英语教学中的应用47.Cultivation of Cross-cultural Communication competence in BusinessEnglish Teaching 商务英语教学中跨文化交际能力的培养温馨提示：如《英语教育》专业本次以新专业《英语》申请学位，请参考旧专业《英语教育》论文选题。

Enhancing Coherence in English Technical Writing

Enhancing Coherence in EnglishTechnical WritingIntroductionEffective communication is crucial in technical writing, especially when it comes to conveying complex information to diverse audiences. Coherence, the logical and smooth flow of ideas, plays a vital role in ensuring that readers can understand and follow the content. This article explores various strategies to enhance coherence in English technical writing, focusing on the organization of ideas, the use of transitional devices, and the importance of clear and concise language.Organization of IdeasOne key aspect of enhancing coherence in technical writing is organizing ideas in a logical and systematic manner. This can be achieved by adopting a clear structure, such as the introduction, body, and conclusion format commonly used in academic writing. By providing an overview in the introduction, presenting detailed information in the body, and summarizing key points in the conclusion, readers can easily follow the progression of ideas.Additionally, the use of headings and subheadings can further enhance the organization of ideas. These headings act as signposts, guiding readers through different sections of the document. For instance, in a technical report discussing the development of a new software application, headings such as "Methodology," "Results," and "Discussion" help readers navigate through the content and locate specific information of interest.Transitional DevicesAnother effective way to enhance coherence in technical writing is through the use of transitional devices. These devices serve as bridges between sentences, paragraphs, and sections, helping to establish connections and maintain a smooth flow of ideas.Examples of transitional devices include conjunctions (e.g., "however," "therefore"), transitional phrases (e.g., "on the other hand," "in conclusion"), and linking words (e.g., "additionally," "similarly").By incorporating these transitional devices, writers can clearly indicate the relationships between ideas, such as cause and effect, comparison, and contrast. This not only improves the overall coherence of the text but also assists readers in understanding the logical progression of the information presented.Clear and Concise LanguageIn addition to organizing ideas and using transitional devices, employing clear and concise language is essential for enhancing coherence in technical writing. Technical documents are often dense with information, and using overly complex or convoluted language can hinder comprehension.To ensure clarity, it is important to use precise and specific terminology that is commonly understood within the field. Avoiding jargon or explaining technical terms when necessary can help readers from diverse backgrounds grasp the concepts being discussed. Furthermore, using active voice and avoiding excessive passive constructions can make the writing more direct and easier to follow.Conciseness is also crucial in technical writing. Eliminating unnecessary words and phrases, avoiding repetition, and using bullet points or numbered lists for presenting information can help streamline the text. By presenting information concisely, readers can quickly extract the key points and understand the main message without being overwhelmed by excessive details.ConclusionCoherence is a fundamental aspect of effective technical writing. By organizing ideas in a logical manner, using transitional devices to establish connections, and employing clear and concise language, writers can enhance the coherence of their English technical writing. By doing so, they can ensure that readers can easily follow and understand the information presented, thereby facilitating effective communication in the technical field.。

英文写作的coherence cohesion

英文写作的coherence cohesionCoherence and cohesion are essential elements in English writing that contribute to the overall clarity and effectiveness of a piece of writing. Coherence refers to the logical and smooth flow of ideas, while cohesion focuses on the effective use of linguistic devices to establish connections between sentences and paragraphs. Here are some strategies to enhance coherence and cohesion in English writing:1. Organize your ideas logically: Start with a clear introduction that presents the main idea or thesis statement, followed by well-structured body paragraphs that support the main idea, and finally, conclude by summarizing the main points. This logical organization helps readers follow your thoughts easily.2. Use transitional words and phrases: Transitional words and phrases such as "however," "therefore," "in addition to," and "as a result" help connect ideas and create coherence between sentences and paragraphs. They provide a smooth transition from one point to another, making the writing more cohesive.3. Maintain consistent verb tenses: Consistency in verb tenses is crucial for coherence. Switching between past, present, and future tenses without a clear reason can confuse readers. Stick to one tense unless there is a legitimate shift in time.4. Repeat key terms or concepts: Repeating important keywords or concepts throughout the writing helps reinforce ideas and create coherence. However, avoid excessive repetition to maintain variety and engaging writing.5. Use pronouns and referencing: Pronouns such as "it," "they," and "this" can be used to refer back to previously mentioned nouns. Additionally, employing referencing techniques, like using "the former" and "the latter," can help connect ideas and make the writing cohesive.6. Employ cohesive devices: Cohesive devices include conjunctions (e.g., "and," "but," "or"), conjunctional phrases (e.g., "in contrast to," "on the other hand"), and linking words (e.g., "thus," "moreover," "consequently"). These devices create logical connections between sentences and paragraphs, enhancing overall cohesion.7. Use parallel structure: Parallel structure involves using consistent grammatical patterns in a sentence or series of sentences. This technique not only improves clarity but also contributes to overall coherence. For example, "She likes hiking, swimming, and reading" demonstrates parallel structure.Remember, coherence and cohesion work hand in hand to create well-structured, organized, and easily understandable writing. By implementing these strategies, you can enhance the coherence and cohesion of your English writing. With practice, your writing will become more fluid, engaging, and effective.。

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Pragmatic coherence in the English writing of Chinese college students＊　WANG Sheng-li(School of Foreign Studies, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China)Abstract: An integrated coherence should be demonstrated in the aspects of syntax, semantics, register and pragmatics. On the basis of the relationship between text and pragmatic coherence, and between writing and pragmatic coherence, the paper analyzes the necessity of pragmatic coherence in writing, explores the conditions and strategies of the realization of pragmatic coherence, and applies them to college students’ compositions to help them write fluently and naturally.Key words: English writing; coherence; pragmatic1. IntroductionAfter years of study, Chinese learners are capable of writing an English composition with few grammatical or spelling mistakes, but the overall coherence is still not satisfactory. According to L I Ying-chao and ZHANG Wen-peng, lacking coherence is one of the major weaknesses in Chinese students’writing (LI & Z HANG, 2003). ZHANG Rui-jun (2003) observes that due to lack of awareness of textual coherence, Chinese students’English writing is featured as high frequency of repeating one single sentence pattern, loose structure, and inadequacy to express the author’s real intention. At the same time, our traditional teaching methodology of writing is also to blame, for it emphasizes linguistic mistakes instead of cultivation of students’skills in establishing texture in writing (LI & ZHANG, 2003). Along with the increasingly important status of writing, as one aspect of communicative competence, the problem of enhancing coherence in Chinese English learners’English writing has become more and more prominent.Concerning coherent writing, the contention of a hundred schools of thought and the difficult condition of teaching and learning practice set me into thinking about the possibility of applying different theories of coherence, especially pragmatic coherence to practice. This paper argues only in this way can we have a full picture of coherence in writing, and propose more complete and feasible strategies for cultivating the students’awareness of textual coherence and improving the quality of their English writing. This thesis aims to propose effective ways for enhancing pragmatic coherence in Chinese English learners’writing by combining the theories about pragmatic coherence with writing practice.2. Writing and pragmatic coherenceText, writing and coherence are inherently related with each other. As a basic channel of communication, writing is to produce a text in order to fulfill certain communicative purpose. As coherence is an essential*This research is financed by the Project of Philosophy and Social Sciences in Henan Province (No. 2005CYY004) and by the Project of Soft Science in Henan Province (No. 0724********).WANG Sheng-li (1970- ), male, Ph.D. candidate of College of English Language and Literature, Shanghai International Studies University, visiting scholar of English Department of Peking University, associate professor and vice dean of Foreign Languages Department, School of Foreign Studies, Henan Agricultural University; research fields: applied linguistics, contrastive linguistics.1characteristic of text, coherence is also of great value to writing. Coherence needs to be maintained if communication is to be successful. Quite o ften a failure to properly deal with textual coherence results in an ambiguous or even unintelligible writing. Coherent writing means that all the ideas in a paragraph flow smoothly from one sentence to the next. With coherence, the reader has an easy time understanding the ideas that you wish to convey.In the writing section of College English Test Band Six (CET-6), one of the most widely acknowledged English tests in China, test takers are required to “write a short article of 150 words under the specified title or instruction, with coherent contents, without serious grammatical mistakes”. From the standard of perfection for the writing tasks in CET-6, we can see that along with a higher and higher degree of coherence in the standard of perfection “disorganized language?poor coherence?barely coherent?coherent?relatively good coherence”, the score increases accordingly. It is evident that coherence has become an important criterion for writing evaluation and a challenging goal for a writer to attain. The important status of coherence in writing provides a solid theoretical foundation for coherence studies in writing.With regard to researches on coherent writing, one merit of the studies conducted abroad is to explore in a full way the relationship between cohesion and the quality of writing and to testify that the former determines the latter. Foreign studies also suggest that cohesion should be only one aspect of coherence. Domestic studies shed light on the features of textual cohesion and types of cohesive errors in Chinese English learners’writing, and make the conclusion that Chinese English learners’limited knowledge of cohesion leads to the low quality of their compositions. However, both domestic and foreign studies overemphasize cohesion, which is only coherence at the syntactic level, without further exploring pragmatic coherence in writing. The major reason for the focus on cohesion in writing is that most of the researchers based their studies on the widely acknowledged theory of cohesion suggested by Halliday and Hasan, who almost made no difference between cohesion and coherence.Pioneers made a beneficial exploration into coherent writing from different levels, but their discoveries are still not satisfactory enough to provide any substantial help for our students, especially from the angle of pragmatics. Therefore, we can see that the study on the concept of coherence and that on coherent writing are incommensurate, for the former is much more mature than the latter. The concept of coherence has been discussed from pragmatic level, leading to a relatively thorough and profound general understanding of pragmatic coherence. In contrast, the study of coherent writing lags behind, in that both foreign and domestic scholars confine their research to coherence at syntactic level. This prevents further development in the study of teaching and learning of English writing. As a result, enlightened by the study of theoretical coherence, we would adopt a pragmatic view of coherence in writing, and take it as a pragmatic coherence.3. Realization of a pragmatic coherence in textRealization of pragmatic coherence depends on the reader’s mastery of contextual information and pragmatic knowledge. Although pragmatic coherence is coherence in the readers’perspective, it is still up to the writer to produce text to be perceived so. Thus, on the part of the writer, in order to produce text with pragmatic coherence, he should manipulate contextual information and pragmatic knowledge in suc h a way that even if there are missing links on the surface text, the reader can still decode the text as coherent. To be specific, the writer should: (1) make sure that the implied contextual information is known to the reader, otherwise it should be told explicitly in text; (2) make sure that the illocutionary act and the “conversational implicature”of the whole text serve his2communicative purpose, and the text conforms to conventions of language use.Textual coherence includes two aspects: coherence i n side text and coherence between text and context. Strictly speaking, interior coherence alone is incomplete, for the meanings realized by contextual factors are not taken into consideration, leading to gaps in the entire meaning (ZHANG De-lu, 2003, p. 83). As a result, in actual communication, the addressee needs to resort to the context from time to time in order to understand the text as coherent.Context is the total environment in which a text unfolds, and it goes beyond what is said or written. Malinowski introduced two notions that he called the context of situation and the context of culture: and both of these, he argued, were necessary for the adequate understanding of a text. By context of situation, he meant the immediate environment in which the text unfolded; by context of culture, he meant the whole cultural history behind the immediate context of situation (Halliday & Hasan, 1985, p. 7). Both context of situation and context of culture play a part in the interpretation of the meanings of a text. HU Zhuang-lin (1994, p. 182) developed Malinowski’s viewpoint by suggesting that the concept “context”should be used with three connotations: linguistic context or co-text, which refers to the interior environment of text; situational context, which refers to the surrounding condition, the time, the place, and the manner of the text, the nature of the event, and the relationship between the participants; and cultural context, which refers to the history, the culture, and the customs of the language community the writer himself belongs to, and understandable to everybody from the same language community. All of them help the reader understand the meaning and the communicative purpose of the text, so as to interpret the text as coherent. Z HANG De-lu (2003, pp. 84-86) classified contextual meanings similarly into meanings of presupposition, meanings of situational context, and common knowledge of communication participants.In the process of retrieving “missing links”, apart from contextual information, the reader also needs pragmatic knowledge to realize pragmatic inference. Pragmatic knowledge consists of communicative principles and conventions of language use. And typical communicative principles include Speech Act Theory and Cooperative Principle (CP).Austin (1962) and Searle (1969) are among the first to make a difference between “sentence meaning”and “utterance meaning”. Sentence meaning is the surface meaning of the sentence, while utterance meaning is the real intention of the speaker. They further put forward Speech Act Theory, the main point of which is that people always purposefully perform certain acts through language. The speaker respectively performs a locutionary act when he undertakes a communicative activity, an illocutionary act when he intends the hearer to realize his real intention, and a perlocutionary act when what he says has a consequence on the hearer.Grice (1975) argued that to make conversation move on smoothly, the participants should cooperate with each other to make themselves understood. For this reason, both of them should observe some basic principles. Grice adopted a dialectic view toward the function of cooperative principles, in that he not only believed that conversation participants nearly always observed the CP, but also admitted that they often flouted the CP purposefully, giving rise to “conversational implicature”. When conversation participants violate the CP, the surface meaning of conversation will become incoherent. However, if the addressee has the knowledge o f CP, he will naturally take the flouting as an indirect way of expressing and infer the conversational implicature, which is the addresser’s real intention. In this way, the addressee will still perceive the conversation as coherent. The process of working out the conversational implicature is actually the process of establishing pragmatic coherence by means of communicative principles. The CP can also be applied to a whole written text. Thus, if there is3violation of the CP at the text level, pragmatic coherence depends on the condition whether the aroused “conversational implicature”of the whole text serves the writer’s purpose of communication.However, Speech Act Theory and CP after all have more inspiration for understanding a text than for writing a text, and for understanding conversational exchange than for understanding written discourse. In contrast, Widdowson adopted a pragmatic approach to the coherence involved in nearly every kind of discourse. Widdowson regarded coherence as the relationship between illocutionary acts. According to him, a discourse with pragmatic coherence will be the one which can most readily be processed by the reader as a combination of illocutionary acts which constitutes an appropriate unit of communication, such as a description, a technical report, a legal brief, an explanation, and so on.4. Strategies for realizing a pragmatic coherence in writingThe above theoretical discussion on the conditions for realizing a pragmatic coherence in text is revealing, but too abstract to serve as guidance for our writing practice. Thus, it is necessary to concretize the abstract conditions into workable strategies, which are believed to have more inspiration for producing coherent writing.The general strategy is that when we put pen to paper or revise the drafts, we should always create coherence with consideration from the pragmatic coherence. We are also expected to employ strategies that are particular to pragmatic coherence, to which the rest of this thesis will be devoted.Our study is confined to Chinese college students’English writing. As their mother tongue usually serves as the language of instruction in education and communication, learners attempt to transfer the features of their mother tongue to the English language. When the two languages are different in structures, negative transfer or interference would occur and results in errors (Lado, 1957).It cannot be denied that coherence in English and Chinese differs both in degree and in form. With an analytic and reasoning mind, English people attach more importance to coherence. As far as form of coherence is concerned, English differs from Chinese at nearly every level of coherence. However, Chinese learners’writing in English is always produced through a process of C hinese way of thinking and Chinese-English translation (ZHANG Rui-jun, 2003). Thus, the following strategies involve a contrastive analysis of the English and Chinese language and avoidance of the possible negative transfer from Chinese in English writing.4.1 Recognition of the reader’s identityIn writing, in order to produce text with adequate contextual information, the writer is expected to judge whether the reader is familiar with the culture and the times in his writing. Let’s take “Blood, sweat and tears”for example:On Friday evening last I received from His Majesty the mission to form a new administration. It was the evident will of Parliament and the nation that this should be conceived on the broadest possible basis and that it should include all parties.I have already completed the most important part of this task. A war cabinet has been formed of five members,representing, with the Labor, Opposition and Liberals, the unity of the nation.(“Blood, sweat and tears”Winston Churchill, May 13, 1940)As part of the famous public speech “Blood, sweat and tears”delivered by Winston Churchill in 1940, this passage is not equally coherent for everyone, because particular contextual information is needed to retrieve such missing links as, who is “His Majesty”and what is “Parliament”about. The passage is coherent only for the author’s British contemporaries who share the same culture and live in the same era as the author, or those who4have enough knowledge of World War II, for they bridge the gaps in meaning either with information from their context or with their pre-knowledge. However, the same passage may not be coherent for Chinese and even modern Englishmen without much historical and cultural knowledge, so the author had b etter make the implied meanings explicit for them.Thus, in writing, it is sensible for Chinese English learners to find out before writing the reader’s identity, including cultural background, life background and level of knowledge. If the reader comes from a different culture, the author should avoid making his writing excessively loaded with Chinese culture. On the contrary, if the reader is judged to be a native person, the author should avoid spoiling his writing as a result of blindly seeking exoticism.4.2 Acquaintance with language conventionsTo produce text with pragmatic coherence, apart from providing enough contextual information, the students should also make the language conform to normal language use, and keep the sequence of illocutionary acts in accordance with known conventions.The inspiration for teaching methodology is that the students should be taught all the necessary knowledge, including both knowledge of the world and knowledge of the language, the latter of which includes both the general interpretative strategies the reader brings to bear for making sense of text and the strategies for the writer to produce various types of discourses. The general interpretative strategies may be: assume that the writer has something informative to convey; assume that if one thing is said after another the two things are related in some way; assume that something expressed in a subordinate sentence is intended to be less prominent than something expressed in a main clause, and so on. As for the strategies for production, the students should master both how language in general works and how a particular kind of discourse works, so as to make their discourse representative of normal language use. The general knowledge of language use includes the ways of carrying out various conducts, how interactions are managed, and basic assumptions upon which communication crucially depends, which may be, for example, meanings are not explicitly stated in sentences but have to be inferred. The more specific knowledge associated with particular kinds of discourse may be certain common patterns of discourse development, from question/answer sequences, to simple narrative sequences, to factual accounts, and later to the writing up of experiments, and so on.Generally, teachers should teach English as a means of communication, so that students could use the language as if in a real situation and thus pragmatic coherence in writing is achieved.5. Pragmatic coherence in the English writing of Chinese college studentsThe idea of pragmatic coherence can be applied to the English writing, as both manifestation of the process of its practical use and confirmation of its effect in producing coherent writing. The author collected college students’English compositions of the same topic“It Pays to Be Honest”. The compositions manifest the typical syndrome of incoherence, in that the information flow is not smooth and the reader has difficulty in understanding the ideas that the author intends to express. Now the following are two compositions to make a comparison.(1) With the development of modern economic and industry, competitive is becoming more and more obvious. Atthe same time, the performance of dishonest is becoming more and more clearly.Nowadays, there are many dishonest performances in our society. For example, some people found that he saled goods had past the perservation date. Not throw them away, they revised the perservation date, and saled them again after several days. Another case in the point, a pair of shoes was made from goat. However, in order to sale at a high price, the5salers would say they were made from cow which has good quality.From the foregoing, we can see that dishonest does not only harm to yourselves but also harm to others. And it is no use only realise the harmness of dishonest. We should be honest from now on and be honest in our daily life. It is only that people all over the world are honest then our country will be beautiful and wealthy.(2) Although honesty is believed to be a virtue, there are still, dishonest people in our society. For example, somebusinessmen sell fake product to their consumers; some students cheat in the exams.Dishonest people are short-sighted. Those who sell fake products may make money at first, but consumers won’t buy their products any more. As a result, they will lose their fortune or even be sent to prison. By contrast, honest people gaina lot. Those who always tell truth or keep to their promise not only let others trust them but gain respect from otherpeople as well. Such persons are sure to have a lot of good friends. Because they are trustable and respectable, everyone is eager to make friends with them. Besides, it is easier for a person with a good record to get a good job. Generally speaking, every employer wants his employees to be honest. So we can say that anyone who is honest will be paid back later.In a word, honesty wins trust, respect and honour. So it is important that we should be honest.After checking, we find that the second writing is much better than the first one. The major problem of the first composition lies in lack of pragmatic coherence. With examination from every aspect of a pragmatic coherence, all the incoherent compositions are successfully made into coherent ones, from which the syndrome of incoherence is removed.6. ConclusionWhen coherence is realized through the interplay of contextual information and pragmatic knowledge at the pragmatic level of text, it is called pragmatic coherence. We achieve pragmatic coherence by providing enough contextual information, making the illocutionary act and the “conversational implicature”of the whole writing serve our communicative purpose, and keeping the writing in accordance with conventions of language use.Since English and Chinese differ from each other in many ways, it is necessary to incorporate the differences as an indispensable part of the discussion. As a result, the strategies for realizing a pragmatic coherence in Chinese English learners’English writing consist of, for the most part, avoidance of negative transfer from Chinese in the application of cohesive devices and generic structures. To be more specific, to realize pragmatic coherence, we should provide adequate contextual information by recognizing the reader’s identity and conform to conventions of language use by employing interpretive and productive strategies.Finally, the application of pragmatic coherence to revision of Chinese students’incoherent English writing confirms that production of coherent writing involves consideration from the pragmatic aspect, and inadequacy in any aspect would lead to incoherent writing.References:Austin, J. L. 1962. How to do things with words. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.Brown, G. & Yule, G. 1983. Discourse analysis. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.de Beaugrande, R. & Dressier, W. 1981. Introduction to text linguistics. London: Longman.Grice, H. P. 1975. Logic and conversation. In: Cole, P. & Morgan, J. L. (Eds.), Syntax and semantics3: Speech acts. New York: Academic Press.Halliday, M.A.K & Hasan, R. 1985. 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