An Analysis of Liberal Education in Western Culture

人文社科科技信息又要避免哕嗦，以及在原文基础上用自已的思想代替讲话者的思想。指导性,比如记忆的训练.笔记的记录以及译语表达等技巧。总之,释可见,语言表达能力的训练,对于口译工作极为重要。若是无法清晰完意派理论对口译理论系统完整的阐述,对我们的口译学习和实践意义整的表达.前面过程中的所有努力就只能功亏一篑。重大。可见， 口译过程不仅仅是“代码转移”的过程.而是译员在理解原语之后,脱离原语语言外壳,即摆脱原语的外在形态和语言结构等形式上参考文献的束缚,获取原语要传递的交际意义,以译语的形式表达出来的复杂过[1]刘和平.口译技巧[M].北京:中国对外翻译出版公司,2001.程。[2]许钧,袁筱一.当代法国翻译理论[M].武汉:湖北教育出版社,综上所述,起始于上世纪60年代末的巴黎释意派翻译理论,在口2001.译实践的基础上做了大量的理论研究。这些研究，改变了传统翻译理[3]王斌华.口译即释意?一关 于释意理论及有关争议的反思[J].论对口译的理解.同时也对口译实践和口译教学起到了重要意义。另.外语研究2008.(5).外通过对释意理论的简单了解,作者发现其对口译技巧也具有重要的[4]周红虹释意派理论对口译的启和[j].广西大学学报,2009.(4).An Analysis of Liberal Education in Western Culture渭南师范学院外国语学院刘景[ Abstract]Through an analysis of liberal education' s definitions and characteristics in westerm culture, some suggestions towards China ' shigher education are put forward in the end of the paper, with the hope that improvement and innovations would occur in the Chinesehigher leaming system.[Key Words ]liberal education wisdom high quality higher educationThe popularity of Pragmatism and Uilitarianism in the 20th. centuryhas affected higher education dramatically around the world. To cater for influence and restriction by his family background, personal experiencespeople ' s job-hunting and wealth -obtaining purposes, colleges and universi- and social reality; the one who can improve himself into a height where heties employ the curricula that relate closely to industry and technology. Yet, and nature can live harmoniously.too much stress on material benefts that higher education may bring has fi-3. Enlightenment for the Higher Education in Chinanally resulted in a humanism loss among younger generation. In such a situ-Actually, the spirit of liberal education has existed in China' s educa-ation, liberal education is once more advocated, especially in western coun: -tional philosophy long time ago. Chinese ancestors valued liberal arts train-tries.ing high. The purpose of leaming is stated clear in the Great Leaming:“the1. What is "Liberal Education"way of the great learning involves manifesting virtue, renovating the people,Liberal education has a long tradition in westerm civilization. The be-and abiding by the highest good. ”However, in moderm timnes, bearing pres-ginnings of this educational philosophy can be traced back as far as to an-sures coming from the national desire for quick economice development andcient Greece. Plato once suggested that education in the highest sense wasparents' hope for considerable investment return, universities and collegesphilosophy. And philosophy was quest for wisdom or quest for knowledge re-in China have been geared toward early specialization aimed at producinggarding the most important, the highest, or the most comprehensive things.‘ job- -ready" graduates. Yet, since liberal education is necessary for a na-He believed such knowledge was virtue and happines. In medieval times,tion' ' 8 cohesion and continuous development, it seems some reforms shouldthe tiviumn (granmar, rhetorie, and logic) and quadivium (arithmetie, geom-be carried out in China ' s higher education system.etry, astonomy, and music) were the main subjects of liberal education.First, promote the liberal educational spirit and make it understood andWhile in Renaissance, some social sciences were included. In the 19th. cen-accepted by people.tury, John Henry Newman, a Roman Catholic priest and cardinal, argued:Second, involve the liberal arts subjects into the curricula of higher ed-"This process of training, by which the intelleet, instead of being formed orucation.sacrificed to some particular or accidental purpose, some specific trade orThird, change the conventional standard for the able- -person assess-or science, is disciplined for its own sake, for the percep-t and stress thicance of high-quality men.tion of its own object, and for is own4. Conclusionusioncation; and though there is no one in whom it is carried as far as is conceiv-Liberal education is an important segment of westerm culure. It sur-able, yet there is scarcely any one but may gain an idea of what real training vived challenges of various educational thoughts in certain historical timesis, and at least look toward it, and make its true scope, not something else, and today is valued higher and higher. The core of it一to help people ob-his standard of excellence (qtd. in Kirk)." In modern times, Professor Leo tain wisdom, high quality and complete personality, has been well appreciat-Strauss”in his speech explained“What is Liberal Education" . He stated: ed by many universities and colleges in most developed countries. Though it"Liberal education consists in reminding oneself of human excellence, of hu- was advocated in ancient China, to make it a key part in the present Chineseman greatness." Influenced by him, his student Allan Bloom called for a uni-educational ideology, there is still a long way to go.versity that stood "intransigently for humane learning." In his book ThClosing of the American Mind, Bloom said:“Education in our times must tryNotesto find whatever there is in students that might yearm for completion, and to①Leo Strauss (September 20, 1899- - October 18, 1973) was a Ger-reconstruct the leaming tthat would enable them autonomously to seck thatman-bom American politial philosopher who specialized in cassical polit-ical philosophy. He spent most of his career as a professor of politial sci-In fact, no matter what definitions the liberal education may have in dif-ence at the University of Chicago, where he taught several generations offerent historical times, its core has not been changed-- to help people ob- students and published 15 books.tain wisdom, high quality and complete personality.2. Characteristics of Liberal EducationReferencesToday, liberal education is emphasized as the opposition of professional[1] Bloom, Allan. “The Closing of the American Mind (extracted)."education. With the quick economic repayment as their goal, colleges andReadings in Weatern Culure. Ed. Du Ruiqing. xi' an: Northwestermtheir students now pay too much attention to the job- needed knowledge andPolytechnical University Press, 1997.skills, which, according to some critics and educationalists, brings our soci-[2] Kirk, Russell. “The Conservaive Purpose of a Liberal Educa-ety many visible and invisible problems. Different from that, the purpose oftion." The Classical Teacher Spring (2007). 23 March 2008 .基金项目:本文系陕西省教育厅人文社科研究项目,编号:1JK0403。作者简介:刘景(1982-),女，陕西省大荔县人,陕西省渭南师范学院外国语学院讲师,英语语言文学硕士,研究方向为英语国家研究。-215-