Exploring learners’ understanding of technical vocabulary in Traditional Chinese Medicine

IF 3.7 1区文学 Q1 LINGUISTICS

Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching Pub Date : 2021-03-29 DOI:10.14746/SSLLT.2021.11.1.4

Cailing Lu, F. Boers, Averil Coxhead

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引用次数: 1

Abstract

This study explores English for specific purposes learners’ understanding of technical words in a previously-developed technical word list in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The principal aim was to estimate what kind of technical terms pose problems to TCM learners and might therefore merit special attention in instruction. Of particular interest was the question whether there is a divergence in the understanding of technical vocabulary in TCM between Chinese and Western background learners. To achieve these aims, a combination of word association tasks and retrospective interviews was implemented with 11 Chinese and 10 Western background TCM learners. The data showed that both Chinese and Western learners encountered certain difficulties in understanding technical vocabulary in their study. However, their sources of difficulty were different. Comparisons of typical word associations between Chinese Cailing Lu, Frank Boers, Averil Coxhead 72 and Western learners indicated that there was a degree of divergence in the way these two participant groups understood TCM terms.

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探讨学习者对中医专业词汇的理解

本研究探讨了专用英语学习者对《中医》专业词汇表中专业词汇的理解。主要目的是估计什么样的技术术语对中医学习者构成问题，因此可能值得在教学中特别注意。特别令人感兴趣的问题是，中西方背景的学习者对中医技术词汇的理解是否存在分歧。为了实现这些目标，我们对11名中国和10名西方背景的中医学习者实施了单词联想任务和回顾性访谈的组合。数据表明，中西方学习者在技术词汇的理解上都存在一定的困难。然而，他们的困难来源是不同的。比较中国的蔡玲、Frank Boers、Averil Coxhead 72和西方学习者的典型词汇联想表明，这两个参与者群体在理解中医术语的方式上存在一定程度的差异。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching LINGUISTICS-

CiteScore

5.30

自引率

2.90%

发文量

审稿时长

12 weeks

期刊介绍： Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching (ISSN 2083-5205) is a refereed journal published four times a year by the Department of English Studies, Faculty of Pedagogy and Fine Arts, Adam Mickiewicz University, Kalisz, Poland. The language of publication is English. The journal is devoted to reporting previously unpublished highest quality theoretical and empirical research on learning and teaching second and foreign languages. It deals with the learning and teaching of any language, not only English, and focuses on a variety of topics ranging from the processes underlying second language acquisition, various aspects of language learning in instructed and non-instructed settings, as well as different facets of the teaching process, including syllabus choice, materials design, classroom practices and evaluation. Each issue carries about 6 papers, 6000-8000 words in length, as well as reply articles and reviews. At least one of the four issues per year is a special focus issue devoted to a particular area of second language learning and teaching, sometimes with a guest editor who is an expert on a specific topic.