TY - JOUR

T1 - Native and nonnative English abstracts in contrast

T2 - a multidimensional move analysis

AU - Xiao, Richard

AU - Cao, Yan

PY - 2013

Y1 - 2013

N2 - This article takes a composite approach that combines move analysis and multidimensional analysis to a contrastive study of textual variations in discourse moves between native (NS) and nonnative (NNS) English abstracts, focusing on the biology discipline. Based on move analysis of NS and NNS research article abstracts in the biology discipline, this study provides an in-depth interpretation and a systematic comparison of the communicative functions of various moves in NS and NNS abstracts on the basis of a seven-dimension multidimensional analysis model established in Cao and Xiao (2013). The results show that NS and NNS abstracts differ significantly at both dimension and move levels, which are discussed with reference to possible reasons and suggestions for English abstract writing in China.

AB - This article takes a composite approach that combines move analysis and multidimensional analysis to a contrastive study of textual variations in discourse moves between native (NS) and nonnative (NNS) English abstracts, focusing on the biology discipline. Based on move analysis of NS and NNS research article abstracts in the biology discipline, this study provides an in-depth interpretation and a systematic comparison of the communicative functions of various moves in NS and NNS abstracts on the basis of a seven-dimension multidimensional analysis model established in Cao and Xiao (2013). The results show that NS and NNS abstracts differ significantly at both dimension and move levels, which are discussed with reference to possible reasons and suggestions for English abstract writing in China.

U2 - 10.1075/bjl.27.06xia

DO - 10.1075/bjl.27.06xia

M3 - Journal article

VL - 27

SP - 111

EP - 134

JO - Belgian Journal of Linguistics

JF - Belgian Journal of Linguistics

SN - 0774-5141

IS - 1

ER -