大规模语言测试翻译任务内容效度研究
2023-10-24徐鹰邓雅玲
徐鹰 邓雅玲



[摘要] 翻译任务是我国大规模语言测试的重要组成部分,但相关效度研究匮乏。本文基于Bachman和Palmer所提出的任务特征模式,以2017-2021年大学英语四、六级翻译任务为样本,从语篇输入和预期回答两个维度探究该任务的内容效度。研究结果表明,四、六级翻译任务整体内容效度较高,但同时也存在题材分布不均、体裁单一、六级翻译难度偏低以及考试构念表征不充分等问题,以上发现对进一步提高翻译任务质量具有重要参考意义。
[关键词] 大规模语言测试;翻译任务;内容效度;语篇输入;预期回答
[中图分类号] H319[文献标识码] A[文献编号] 1002-2643(2023)03-0026-12
Examining the Content Validity of Translation Task in Large-Scale
Language Tests: A Case of CET
XU Ying1DENG Yaling2
(1. School of Foreign Languages, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641,
China; 2. Longteng School, Shenzhen 518131, China)
Abstract: The translation task is an important part in the large-scale language tests in China, but there is a paucity of empirical research on its validity. Based on the framework of language task characteristics proposed by Bachman and Palmer, this paper aims to examine the content validity of CET-4 and CET-6 translation tasks from both characteristics of the input and characteristics of the expected response by using CET translation tasks from 2017 to 2021 as samples. The results show that the translation tasks of CET have a fairly high degree of content validity. However, there still exist some problems including the uneven distribution of subjects, the lack of genre diversity, the low degree of difficulty of CET-6, and the under-representativeness of the stated construct. The results could be useful for improving the quality of translation tasks in large-scale language tests.
Key words: large-scale language test; translation task; content validity; characteristics of the input; characteristics of the expected response
1.引言
翻译测试作为评估学生翻译实践能力的一种重要方法(吕晓轩,2016),已广泛应用于各类外语考试。但目前对于翻译测试的研究仍然不足,尤其缺乏理论探讨和实证研究(杨冬敏、穆雷,2016:48)。鉴于此,本文拟探究以大学英语四、六级考试(以下简称为四、六级)为代表的大规模语言测试翻译任务内容效度,以期为提高翻译测试质量提供參考。
四、六级是教育部主办、教育部考试中心主持和实施的一项大规模标准化考试。根据《全国大学英语四、六级考试大纲》(2016年修订版)(全国大学英语四、六级考试委员会,2016)(以下简称为《考试大纲》),其考试目的为参照《大学英语教学指南》(教育部高等学校大学外语教学指导委员会,2015)(以下简称为《教学指南》)设定的教学目标对我国大学生英语综合运用能力进行科学的测量,并“为用人单位了解我国大学生英语水平提供参考依据”。……
