摘 要

商务英语的起源是普通英语，结合了普通英语与商务领域专业知识。因此，以商务英语为代表的经济学词汇除具有普通英语的语言学特征之外，又具有其独特性。经济学词汇主要有专业词汇与半专业词汇，专业词汇指专门用于经济学中的词汇，而半专业词汇通常还具有普通含义。随着认知语言学的发展，很多学者趋向于从认知的角度研究经济学词汇尤其是商务英语词汇中的半专业词汇，他们认为半专业词汇的其他义项都是由原型义经过隐喻和转喻的方式派生出来的。本文主要从隐喻与转喻这两种手段分析半专业词汇的专业含义与一般含义之间的关系，希望能对教师与学生在经济学词汇上的教学有一定启发。

关键词：经济学词汇；特殊用途英语；商务英语

Abstract

The origin of business English is general English, combining general English and business professional knowledge. Therefore, the economic vocabulary represented by business English has its uniqueness in addition to the linguistic features of ordinary English. The economic vocabulary mainly includes professional vocabulary and semi-professional vocabulary. Professional vocabulary refers to vocabulary that is used exclusively in economics, and semi-professional vocabulary usually has common meaning. With the development of cognitive linguistics, many scholars tend to study economic vocabulary, especially semi-professional vocabulary in business English vocabulary, from the perspective of cognition. They think that other meanings of semi-professional vocabulary are metaphorical and Yu's way is derived. This article mainly analyzes the relationship between professional meaning and general meaning of semi-professional vocabulary from the two means of metaphor and metonymy. It hopes to have some inspiration for teachers and students in economic vocabulary teaching.

Key Words: economic term; ESP; business English

Contents

1 Introduction 1

1.1 Background of the research 1

1.2 Purpose and significance of the research 2

2 English for Specific Purposes(ESP) 3

2.1 Background information of ESP 3

2.2 English for Specific Purposes and General English 4

3 Metaphorical words 6

3.1 Metaphorical words originated from nature 6

3.2 Metaphorical words originated from war 7

3.3 Metaphorical words originated from human natural attributes 7

3.4 Metaphorical words originated from industry 7

4 Metonymic words 9

4.1 Semantic metonymy 9

4.2 Form metonymy 9

5 Conclusion 12

References 13

Acknowledgements 15

A Study between General Meaning and Professional Meaning of English Words Based on Technical-term Dictionaries in Economics

1 Introduction

• 1. Background of the research

Business English vocabulary, as the basic unit of business English language, can be roughly divided into general vocabulary, semi-professional vocabulary and professional vocabulary according to its meaning and use. Ordinary vocabulary refers to the co-nuclear part of the language that is commonly used in all kinds of register, such as pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions, and so on. Semi-professional vocabulary is translated from familiar English vocabulary. These common English vocabulary words have changed in the specific business context and have their own "business characteristics." Professional vocabulary refers to the specific and fixed terminology that applies to the business field.

    With the development of cognitive linguistics, many linguists tend to study semi-professional vocabulary in business English vocabulary from the perspective of cognition. This kind of vocabulary occupies most of the business English vocabulary, appears frequently, and the vast majority are polysemy. Cognitive linguistics emphasizes the role of human cognition in the formation of concepts. Its research shows that polysemy is a process that extends from the central meaning or basic meaning of a word to other meanings through human cognitive means (such as metaphor and metonymy). It is the result of human cognitive category and conceptualization. Therefore, the translation from ordinary English vocabulary into business English vocabulary is not arbitrary, but based on metaphor or metonymic cognitive style. The following sections of this article will be organized in such a way: The second part introduces the relevant background knowledge of English for specific purposes, including the definition and classification of English for specific purposes. The third part analyzes words with distinct technical meaning to general meaning. In the fourth part, words with related technical meaning to general meaning will be first analyzed and then metaphorical phenomenon of economic news English vocabulary will be discussed extendedly. The fifth part concludes the whole paper.

On business English, Shi (2014) studies the features and natures of Business English Lexicology in the perspectives of Lexicology (narrowed meaning), Lexical Semantics and Lexicography contained by the general English Lexicology. Mei and Wang (2015) reveals the similarities and differences of economic metaphors used in Chinese and English economic discourse, which will help deepen the understanding of it.

• 1. Purpose and significance of the research

The purpose of the research of this paper is to discuss the relation between the general meaning and technical meaning of economic terms, especially the semi- technical words in order to give some inspiration for teachers and students in economic terms teaching and studying.

Teachers are supposed to determine the scientific teaching objectives and syllabus, achieving interdisciplinary teaching between language and economics through scientific and rational course installation and various teaching methods. ESP teaching, whose core objectives must comply with a broad consensus of needs analysis and "instrumentality" principles, is essentially a branch of language teaching and "specific goal-oriented" English teaching. By analyzing learners’ motivation, goals, and future professional language skills requirements, economic terms teaching can be targeted to the organic combination of language skills training and economics knowledge building to develop English language ability and consolidate professional economics knowledge.

2 English for Specific Purposes(ESP)

2.1 Background information of ESP

2.1.1 Definition of ESP

“English for specific purposes (ESP) refers to the teaching and learning of English as a second or foreign language where the goal of the learners is to use English in a particular domain (Paltridge amp; Starfield, 2016:2).”

Diverse versions of the definition of ESP with its evolution these years. "Even today there is a large amount of on-going debate as to how to specify what exactly ESP constitutes" (Branton, 2009: 2). Although no exact clear can be given, what ESP means has become clearer and clearer. To a certain extent, the characteristics of ESP have also become more specific general acceptance of learners' needs.

2.1.2 Classification of ESP

The classification of ESP, like its definition, is inaccurate. Instead, it has various versions. Carver divided ESP into three types: English as a restricted language, English for academic and occupational purposes and English with specific topics. He believes that these three types of ESP are different from ELT. Furthermore, he also claims that English for academic and occupational purposes is the core of ESP.

It is interesting that Hutchinson and Waters (1987) also represented the relationship between ESP and other ELT, but through the “ELT tree”. They point out that "ESP is only a branch of English as a foreign language/second language and is the main branch of English teaching" (Hutchinson and Waters, 1987). From the tree, it can be clearly seen that ESP includes three categories: EST (English for Science and Technology), EBE (English for Business and Economics) and ESS (English for Social Studies). They are differentiated from different disciplines and majors. In addition, each category is divided into two sub-categories: EAP (English for Academic Purposes) and EOP/EVP/VESL (English for Occupational Purposes/English for Vocational Purposes/Vocational English as a Second Language), which are classified by the needs of English as an academic research requirement and the needs of English for work or training.