名物化在醫學期刊「摘要」與「背景」的語用分析

Abstract

本文探討學術寫作中，名物化的分佈與功能。以文步分析作為理論架構，我們檢視由動詞轉化而來的事件性名物化，在兩本醫學期刊摘要與背景部份的使用情況。 量化方面，我們發現名物化的頻率在摘要部份中的結論文步為最高。第二高者為摘要中的背景文步，接著是摘要中的方法文步，而頻率最低者為摘要中的結果文步。在背景部份中，名物化頻率最高者為文步一-建立領域，其次是文步二-建立利基，而名物化頻率最低的則是文步三-呈現本文。名物化的分佈可由新舊資訊的含量作出解釋。 就語用分析而言，名物化有三個主要的功能符合了各別文步的溝通目的。這三個語用功能為認知功能、文本功能，以及互動功能。切確地說，認知功能把過程和事件視為抽象名詞，進而包裝更多的資訊。文本功能維擊文章中的凝結性。 互動功能傳達非個人化語氣並表達作者的立場。 本論文探討了學術文章摘要與背景裏名物化的使用與文步溝通目的之間的關係。本文的研究成果不僅能讓我們更加瞭解，特定學科裏語言特徵在修辭組織中的角色，也對英文學術寫作之教學做出貢獻。

English Abstract This thesis investigates the distribution and functions of nominalization in academic writing. Using move analysis as our framework, we examine the usage of deverbalized eventive nominalization in the abstract and background sections in two medical journals. Quantitatively, we found that the frequency of nominalization in the CONCLUSION of the abstract section was the highest, followed by BACKGROUND, METHOD, and RESULT. In the background section, the frequency of nominalization in Move 1 ESTABLISHING A TERRITORY was the highest, followed by Move 2 ESTABLISHING A NICHE, and Move 3 PRESENTING THE PRESENT WORK. The distribution of nominalization can be explained with regard to the amount of new information. In terms of the pragmatic analysis, three main functions were found to serve the communicative purpose of the move where the nominalization occurred. These pragmatic functions are cognitive, textual and interactional functions. Specifically, cognitive function treats processes and events as abstract nouns and packs more information into a given clause. Textual function maintains cohesion in texts. Interactional function conveys an impersonal tone and expresses the author’s stance. This thesis uncovers the use of nominalization with regard to the communicative purposes of the moves in the abstract and background sections of research articles. The findings should not only contribute to the understanding of discipline-specific linguistic features regarding rhetorical organization in journal articles but also carry pedagogical implications for academic English instruction.