Chinese netizens' English language attitudes in the context of College Entrance Examination reform

Abstract

This paper explored Chinese netizens’ English language attitudes in the context of the 2014 college entrance examination reform. Appraisal-based discourse analysis was conducted on netizens’ comments collected from Tecent News. Findings suggest: the majority of netizens expressed negative attitudes towards English; emphasis of the instrumental values of English and concerns about cultural identity loss when learning English are two salient features of Chinese netizens’ English language attitudes. However, signs are clear that some netizens have gone beyond the dichotomous opposition between 'instrument' and 'culture'. To these netizens, the role of English is no longer limited to a tool, but has become an essential link connecting Chinese people to various global communities of practice. Such a positive shift in netizens’ English language attitudes suggests the possibility of constructing a new discourse of English learning which is aimed at facilitating sustainable development of English education in contemporary China.

以評價理論為話語分析方法,收集騰訊網民對2014年高考英語改革的評論為語料,探索并呈現中國網民的英語語言態度。研究發現,大部分網民的語言態度比較消極;對英語工具性價值的強調和英語威脅母語文化認同的擔憂是網民英語語言態度的重要特征。然而有跡象表明,部分網民超越了'工具'與'文化'二元對立的思維方式。對他們而言,英語的價值不再局限于工具,而是參與全球實踐共同體的必要紐帶。鑒于網民英語語言態度的積極轉變,研究呼吁建構英語學習新話語,以促進中國英語教育的長足發展。