【作者】 胡水亮；

【导师】 常晓梅；

【作者基本信息】 山东大学 ， 英语语言文学， 2011， 硕士

【摘要】 语言之所以成为语言,是因为它承载着各种功能；人际元功能便是其中最为重要的一种。M.A.K Halliday(1994)指出：语言的人际元功能在人们的日常交往中发挥着十分重要的作用,人们借助于人际元功能来表达自己的观点、态度、身份、角色及意图等,以此建立和维持特定的社会和人际关系。毕业典礼致辞是公共演说的一种,是校园文化不可分割的组成部分之一。在国内外,不同领域的学者从各种不同视角对其进行了研究。然而,这些研究多侧重于剖析演讲技巧、篇章结构或语言风格等,从语言的人际元功能视角进行解读的很少。本研究以Halliday的系统功能理论为基础,并借鉴了李战子的人称理论和J.R.Martin的评价理论,选取比尔·盖茨在哈佛大学毕业典礼上的致辞作为分析语料,构建了一个多维的立体分析框架,并综合运用了定性描述和定量分析手段,对其中的人际元功能及其实现方式进行了详细解读。本研究发现：第一,毕业典礼致辞中的主要人际关系与政治演讲不同：演讲者一般不会刻意暗示自己的身份、权势或领导者地位以影响听众接受其政治观点或立场。相反,演讲者主要试图构建友好、和谐的人际关系,以便于听众乐于接受其建议或期望。第二,在比尔·盖茨的毕业典礼致辞中,人际元功能通过多种方式在不同层面得以实现。第三,比尔·盖茨演讲中第一人称代词(I和We)使用最频繁,比例高达64.33%,第二人称代词次之,第三人称代词比例最低。“I”表明比尔·盖茨是最主要的信息提供者,并愿意为其所言承担责任。Inclusive "We"拉近了与听众的距离,密切了联系。Exclusive "We"故意疏远与听众的距离,以彰显演讲的客观性和可信度。第四,低值和中值情态词(主要是"can"、"will"和"would")使用频率高于高值情态词,表明比尔·盖茨努力使其演讲减少争议性,增加其可接受性和说服力。第五,陈述语气使用最频繁,高达87.27%,主要用来提供各种信息以增强演讲的说服力和可信度。一般现在时是最主要的时态,表明比尔·盖茨更加关注当前而非过去或将来。第六,直接引语和态度评价是人际元功能在篇章层面的主要实现手段。直接引语将多重声音引入演讲中,加强了多维互动。比尔·盖茨的肯定态度多于否定态度,意在激发学生对将来的希望和信心；其态度或明或暗,以引导听众作出不同的态度回应。本研究的理论意义在于一定程度上拓展了Halliday的人际元功能分析框架,为毕业典礼致辞提供了新的研究视角。实践意义在于加深了人们对西方大学文化及公共演说的理解,帮助人们在公开演讲、辩论及写作中取得佳绩。教学意义在于帮助教师提高教学水平和技巧,帮助学生在英语听说及写作中取得进步。更多还原

【Abstract】 Language is what it is because it has to serve a variety of functions. Interpersonal function is one of the most important functions of language.M.A.K Halliday (1994) points out that interpersonal meta-function plays a crucial role in people’s daily communication, which enables the speaker/writer to express his point of view, attitudes, status, role and intentions so as to set up and maintain certain social and interpersonal relationships.Commencement address, as a particular genre of public speech and an inseparable part of campus culture, has been studied from different perspectives in China and abroad. However, few of the previous studies have been carried out from the perspective of interpersonal meta-function theory.Based on Halliday’s systemic functional theory, Li Zhanzi’s study on English personal pronoun system and J. R. Martin’s appraisal theory, the present study attempts to explore the interpersonal meta-function and its realization in Bill Gates’ Harvard commencement address. The author of the present study tries to establish a multidimensional analytical framework (from word, sentence and discourse level respectively), and both qualitative description and quantitative analysis are carried out simultaneously in this thesis. The major findings can be summarized as follows:Firstly, the primary interpersonal relationship in a commencement address is different from that in a political speech. Different from in a political speech, the speaker in a commencement address usually does not intend to emphasize his power, authority or leadership in order to persuade the audience to accept his political stance or ideological ideas; instead, he mainly attempts to establish a friendly and harmonious relationship with the audience so as to persuade them to follow his suggestions and expectations.Secondly, the interpersonal meta-function has been realized on different levels and through various resources in Bill Gates’Harvard commencement address.Thirdly, in Bill Gates’Harvard commencement address, the first person pronouns (I and We) are used most frequently, accounting for 64.33% of the total; what follows is the second person pronoun (You); and the third person pronouns (They, He, She) take the least percentage. First person singular "I" implies that Bill Gates plays the dominant role of providing information, and he is willing to be responsible for what he says in the address. Inclusive "We" shortens the distance and helps to maintain the intimate relationship between Bill Gates and his listeners. Exclusive "We" keeps a deliberate distance from the audience to guarantee objectivity and credibility.Fourthly, it is found that low and median value modal auxiliaries ("can", "will" and "would") are used more frequently than high value ones in the address, indicating that Bill Gates tries to make his speech less controversial, more acceptable and more persuasive.Fifthly, declarative mood makes up an overwhelming percentage (accounting for 87.27%) of all mood types used in the selected address, and is employed mainly to give various information so as to realize the persuasive and instructive function of the speech. Of the three principal tenses, the present tense ranks the first indicating that Bill Gates is focusing on caring about the current situation and issues.Last but not the least, the direct speech proves to be a useful device for the speaker to present different simultaneous voices in his address. This provides a context in which multidimensional interaction is realized. It is found that there are more positive attitudinal evaluations than negative ones in Bill Gates’ address, indicating that Bill Gates intends to encourage the students and give them hope and confidence. Bill Gates’ attitude is expressed both explicitly and implicitly so as to elicit different attitudinal responses in his listeners.The present study has both theoretical and practical significance. Theoretically speaking, it broadens Halliday’s analytical framework of interpersonal meta-function to some extent and provides a new analytical perspective of commencement addresses. Practically speaking, it deepens our understanding of western campus culture and public speeches, which will help people to do a good job in delivering an appealing public speech, wining a heated debate or in writing an attractive composition. This study is also helpful for English teachers to improve their teaching techniques and for students to make great progress in English writing and speaking; therefore, the study also has its pedagogical significance.更多还原