一、題目

Some people think the government should save minority language from dying out completely. Others say it is a waste of financial resources. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

二、解析

這是一道語言政策類的觀點型題目。題目要求采用平衡式雙邊討論的思路。筆者是語言學(xué)專業(yè)出身，所以這個題目可以說是駕輕就熟，十分友好。贊成保護小語種的理由是：促進語言的多樣性、保護少數(shù)族裔的文化和傳統(tǒng)；語言是思維的載體，對一種語言的保護就是對一種思維方式的維護；反對投入小語種保護的理由是：小語種使用人數(shù)較少，保護的意義不大；語言是交流的手段，通用語比小語種更值得推廣；政府有更緊迫的地方，比如教育、醫(yī)療、貧困等問題需要解決。說起小語種，我馬上想到了世界語的推廣問題、中國華南地區(qū)流行的語言活化石—粵語、以及愛斯基摩人的上百種描述雪花的詞語、中國少數(shù)民族如藏族、維吾爾族、蒙古族等民族使用的語言以及英國威爾士地區(qū)使用的威爾士語和美國印第安人使用的本土語言。我的觀點是政府應(yīng)該投資保護小語種，因為保護小語種就是對人類文明和文化的傳承、發(fā)揚和延續(xù)，是有利于千秋萬代的大事。

三、一稿撰寫

1、開頭段

We have thousands of languages in the world according to linguists, but many of the minority languages are gradually diasappering from our world. What should we do? Should the government take measures to prevent this thing from happening? There are opposing views towards this issue. In the following passage, I’d like to examine both sides and? present my own position in the end. （這一段我開門見山，直入主題，之后對題目進行了轉(zhuǎn)述，最后引出下面的主體段落。）

二、主體#1段

First, those people who advocate the preservation of minority tongues usually argue that language spoken by minority groups of people representing their tradition and culture. By protecting their language from dying out is just a way to conserve their culture and promote the diversity of the world. Second, language is believed not only a way of communication but a way of thinking and perception of the world, therefore protecting a language is equal to the protection of documenting and observing the world. Take for example, the language of Eskimos, a minority group of people living in the Antarctic region has more than a hundred ways to describe the snow flakes which offer tremendous value for snow study. Third, many minor languages possess a great deal of cultural and historical value. For instance, the native language of the local folks of some places like Guangdong Province of China which is officially known as the Cantonese inherit a huge host of features of language spoken by people in the Tang Dynasty of ancient China. If people use spoken Cantonese to recite Tang Dynasty poems, they can usually get a melodious rhyme which sounds very pleasant to the ears. On the other hand, if we recite the poems with? modern spoken Manderin the appealing sound delight? is lost completely. （我在這段集中討論了保護小語種的意義。）

三、主體#2段

While people who oppose the investment of minority languages by the government maintain that minority languages are only spoken by a small crowd of people, so it’s not so valuable to utilize the public resources to save them. Language is just a way of exchanging information and ideas, a Linga Franca like English or Manderin Chinese are better worth investment to serve the purpose. On top of that, the government more often than not has many other more pressing matters to deal with, like poverty, famine, education, medical care, they simply don’t have enough financial resources to devote to this field.

四、結(jié)尾段

In conclusion, there are both pros and cons preserving minority languages as listed in the above two paragraphs. To my mind, we should protect minority languages because protecting languages spoken by the minority group of people is just the same as preserving the culture, tradition and civilization of the whole human race and an endeavor to benefit decedents of the distant future.

五、晨間寫作中場休息

范文比對和原稿修改稍后我會在下一篇簡文里發(fā)給大家。各位同學(xué)請稍候。