语言学个人陈述

1申请专业：语言学(当代语言学方向)IhavefoundgreatenjoymentinlanguagelearningforanumberofyearsandmypassionforbothFrenchandGermangoesmuchfurtherthantheA-Levelsyllabus.IhopethatthestudyofModernLanguagesatuniversitycanhelpsatisfymyappetitefortheparticularaspectsofFrenchandGermanthatIfindthemostinteresting.IhavebeenfortunateenoughtobeabletolearnabouttheGermanOccupationofFranceandtheliteraturerelatingtothisperiod;atopicthathasinterestedmeallthemorethroughthestudyofbookssuchas“LeSilencedelaMer”and“UnSacdeBilles”.InGerman,readingthenovel“AmkuerzerenEndederSonnenallee”,setinEastGermany,hasmotivatedmetoresearchthechangeindialectsduringtheperiodofGermanSeparation.IperceivemystudyoftwosciencesubjectsatA-LeveltobeadifferentiatingfeaturebetweenmanyothersapplicantstoaLanguagesdegree.Studyingthesesubjectspromotesadifferentapproachtothesametask;thekindoflogicthatitencouragesiscertainlyusefulwhenundertakingtranslationexercises.Themoreadvancedknowledgethatstudyingthemhasprovidedmewithmeansthatbecomingatranslatororinterpreterinthescientificfieldisanachievablegoal.IamveryfortunatetohavefamilywholiveinGermany,asIamabletospendagreatdealofmyholidaysthere.DuringthesummerIworkedinahotelforafortnight,whichwasanunforgettableexperience.Itgavemetheopportunitytobesubmergedintoanothercultureandforcedme,asitwere,tospeakGermanfortheentiretyofmystay.Itwascertainlyadifficultexperience,albeitarewardingone,anexperiencethatexposedmetoadifferentdialectofGermantotheoneIwasused.Iam,atpresent,lookingforwardtothevisitofafamilyfriendfromFrance,whoiscomingtostayforthreemonthswhilstshecompletesherworkexperienceatalocalridingschool.ThiswillprovidemewiththeopportunitytospeakalessformalandmoreconversationalFrench,whichiscertainlyachancethatIappreciate.BeingchosenasaPrefecthasgivenmemanyopportunitiestocomeintocontactandhelpyoungerstudentsintheAcademy.IhavebeenpartofthePairedReadingScheme,withwhichIcommittedasmallamountoftimeduringtheweekinordertohelpaYear7studentbecomemoreconfidentwithreading.Thisyear,IwillbehelpingstudentstolearnhowtoreadusingtheBowringCode;asystemcreatedbyateacherattheAcademywhichusescolourstoshowlettersounds.IhavefoundusingtheCodeafascinatingexperienceandseeingitseffectshasconvincedmeofitsusefulnessinhelpingpeopletolearntoread.TheCodeisalsoausefulimplementinteachingForeignLanguagesandIwouldhopethatitisadoptedonalargerscale.IwasalsoprivilegedenoughtobeabletohelpagroupofYear10LeadershipandManagementstudentsimprovetheirpublicspeakinganddebateskills.IhavealsoworkedhardtoraisemoneytheUhuruMinistries,acharitythatcaresfororphanedchildreninKenya.Thisnotonlyhasmeanttakingpartinsponsored2events,buthelpingwiththeorganisationofsucheventsandwiderschoolseventssuchastheSummerFete.ProgressingtobecomeEditoroftheAcademyTimeshas,too,beenafantasticexperience.IthasmeantthatIhavebecomewellorganisedandhasalsoinvolvedmeorganisingateam,whichIfindextremelyrewarding,especiallywhenonecanseethefinishedproduct.Insummary,Ibelievethatmypassionandenthusiasmforforeignlanguagesgivemethepotentialtosucceed.IalsobelievethatIhaveagreatdealtogivebacktotheinstitutionthathelpsmetorealisemylinguisticpotential.PERSONALSTATEMENT(语言学专业)InconnectionwithmyapplicationforacceptanceintoyourPh.D.program,Iamenclosingthefollowingstatementconcerningmylife,professionalactivities,andtentativefutureplans.IwasborninXiamen,FujianProvinceinChinaonNovember8,1969.Later,myfamilymovedtoBeijingwhereIgrewup.Iamfromafamilyofacademics.MyfatherisaprofessoroflinguisticsandChiefoftheUniversityJournalAgencyofBeijingLanguageandCultureUniversity(formerlyBeijingLanguageInstitute).MymotherisaprofessoratthesameuniversityandteachesChineseasaforeignlanguage.From1991to1993,mymothertaughtChineseatWittenbergUniversity,OhioandIndianaUniversityatBloomington.SheencouragedmetoapplyforadmissiontoadvancedprogramsintheU.S.Igraduatedfromhighschoolin1988,andreceivedthehighestscoresinmyschoolattheNationalEntranceExaminationforUniversities.Thismademean“HonorStudent”atthenationallevel.UponacceptancetoBeijingLanguageandCultureUniversity,mymajorbecameEnglish,withminorsinlinguistics,Frenchandcomputerscience.Iwasawardedconsecutivescholarshipsforallfouryearsincollege.Duringmycollegeyears,Ibecamemoreandmoreinterestedinlinguistics.Mysenioryearwaslargelydevotedtotopicsinlinguistics,andmyrequiredthesisworkfocusedontheinfluenceofculturalandeducationalfactorsupontheChineseandEnglishlanguages.Aftercollege,BeijingScience&TechnologyUniversityemployedme.ForthefirstyearandahalfIwasassignedtoaprojectaimedatcreatingimprovedcomputerprogramforidiomaticEnglish-Chinese&Chinese-Englishtranslations.Thisprojectprovedmewithconsiderableexperiencelinguistics,andfurtherimprovedmyunderstandingofthesubtletiesofbothEnglishandChinese.Sincetheprojectcompletion,IhavebeenteachingintensiveEnglishcoursesatBeijingScienceandTechnologyUniversity.SinceJulyof1993,IhavetaughtEnglishlisteningcompre3hensionatBeijingLanguageandCultureUniversity.ThelatterclassesarepartofaprogramthatprovidesadultChineseprofessionalswithopportunitytoimprovetheirEnglish.Myinterestinlinguisticsisinitiallybasedonmy