The Drama of Doctrine: A Canonical Linguistic Approach to Christian Theology – Kevin J. Vanhoozer

Book reviewed:
The Drama of Doctrine: A Canonical Linguistic Approach to Christian Theology , Kevin J. Vanhoozer, Westminster John Knox Press 2005 (0-6642-2327-3), xv + 487 pp., $25.00     

English for Bible and Theology: Understanding and Communicating Theology Across Cultural and Linguistic Barriers

This article introduces English for Bible and Theology (EBT), an inherently interdisciplinary field that merges English language learning with the content of biblical and theological studies in a context that is, by nature, cross‐cultural. Within this collaboration there exists the possibility not only to enable theological study, but also to enhance it through a focus on personal meaning and its communication, both of which are foundational to the communicative language classroom. That is, EBT seeks both to aid students worldwide in attaining the specialized language and cultural proficiency necessary to access English theological resources and to provide a community in which students can connect theological content to their lives. It is this second aim that provides EBT its relevance across a range of theological contexts, as native English‐speaking students likewise stand to benefit from the application of EBT's principles.     

语言背后的心理——群体间的语言偏见

不同群体间普遍存在着语言偏见, 表现为人们倾向于使用抽象度较高的词语对内群体成员的积极行为和外群体成员的消极行为进行描述, 而对内群体成员的消极行为、外群体成员的积极行为则使用抽象度较低的词语进行描述。社会认同需要和认知预期倾向是它产生的两大心理机制, 其影响因素包括社交情境、群体和个体等方面, 同时它会对群体刻板印象及语言主体间的社会关系产生重要的影响。后续研究需要进一步探讨语言偏见的其他表现形式、研究方法及本土化研究等问题。     

Language Use and Persuasion: Multiple Roles for Linguistic Styles

Language is the most common medium for persuasion. Stylistic variations in how individuals communicate can influence a number of processes and outcomes in a persuasion setting. This article reviews previous research on a number of commonly studied language styles and their influence on persuasion and provides suggestions for future research. First, we provide a review of some of the commonly studied stylistic features and their relation to persuasion. We then use a common multi‐process model of persuasion (i.e., the elaboration likelihood model; Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 1986, New York: Academic Press) to provide an overview of how linguistic styles can influence persuasion. In the final section, we discuss directions for future research on linguistic styles and persuasion.     

The Effects of Linguistic Devices on Consumer Information Processing and Persuasion: A Language Complexity × Processing Mode Framework

People—be they politicians, marketers, job candidates, product reviewers, or romantic interests—often use linguistic devices to persuade others, and there is a sizeable literature that has documented the effects of numerous linguistic devices. However, understanding the implications of these effects is difficult without an organizing framework. To this end, we introduce a Language Complexity × Processing Mode Framework for classifying linguistic devices based on two continuous dimensions: language complexity, ranging from simple to complex, and processing mode, ranging from automatic to controlled. We then use the framework as a basis for reviewing and synthesizing extant research on the effects of the linguistic devices on persuasion, determining the conditions under which the effectiveness of the linguistic devices can be maximized, and reconciling inconsistencies in prior research.     

Minority Language Education in Unbalanced Bilingual Situations: A Case for the Linguistic Interdependence Hypothesis

This paper is placed in the linguistic and sociocultural context of Eastern Aragon, a region of Spain where two contact languages (Spanish and Catalan) coexist in an unbalanced situation favoring Spanish. The research was prompted by the regulation for the teaching of Catalan in that area, by means of the Cooperation Agreement signed by the Spanish Educational Ministry (MEC) and the local autonomous Cultural and Educational Department of the Diputación General de Aragon in November 1986. A comparative analysis is made between Eastern Aragon students' linguistic competence in Catalan and Spanish; a further comparison is established between these students and others living in bilingual Catalonia and in monolingual Aragon. We conclude by pointing out that the Linguistic Interdependence Hypothesis accounts for the results obtained in the study.     

第二代解放神学——草民神学管窥

本文通过对阿根廷神学家斯坎诺内著作的分析,讨论了解放神学的基本脉络,特别指出六八年世界范围内的革命这一事件对解放神学的重大意义,在教会内部则是有着长久历史的社会教义传统本身可以提供对解放神学的支持,这在解放神学的方法论问题上尤为重要,而在方法论上的不同使得第二代解放神学有别于第一代解放神学.最后笔者吁请关注六八年,关注拉丁美洲.     

The Linguistic Territoriality Principle — A Critique

In this essay, I develop a critique of the linguistic territoriality principle, which states that, for reasons related to the value of language identity, language groups should be territorially accommodated. While I acknowledge the desirability of implementing a linguistic territoriality principle in some specific cases, I claim that this principle is in general inappropriate for the ‘post‐Westphalian’ linguistic world in which we live. I identify, analyze and reject two distinct justifications for the linguistic territoriality principle: the Linguistic Context justification and the Language Survival justification. Finally, I argue for different means of giving political recognition to the fact that most people value their language as an importance source of identity. This alternative theory sets out to officially recognize multiple languages in a given territory.