本研究探討遠東高中英文讀本一至四冊裡的232個動詞片語和慣用語,以檢驗它們與COCA語料庫裡真實英語的契合度。中英文定義的差異以及例句都經過審查,以了解這些例句是否能反映口說語料的典型度。 本研究使用質性與量化雙重方法分析動詞片語與慣用語的頻率,然後找出頻率達500及以上者做進一步定義與例句的分析。 本研究顯示:在受檢的232個動詞片語與慣用語當中,就整體語料而言,90%落在頻率0-9,999,10%落在25,000-159,999之間。就口說語料而言,87%的動詞片語與慣用語落在0-4,999,13%落在5,000-59,999。由此可見,遠東高中英文讀本中大部分動詞片語和慣用語並非最常出現在COCA語料庫中。 在所有受檢的232個動詞片語與慣用語當中,有125個達到頻率500及以上;有25個定義或例句或搭配詞發現有問題,因而接受更仔細的審查。本研究顯示:教科書中不完整或不正確的定義、例句或搭配詞用來教導學生,容易造成英語的混淆及錯誤。
This study explores 232 phrasal verbs and idioms in Volumes 1 through 4 of the Far East English Reader for Senior High Schools textbooks to determine the extent they conform to authentic use of English according to the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA). Definitions were examined for discrepancies between the Chinese and English definitions, and sample sentences were examined to determine if the usage reflected their typicality in the spoken corpus. A mixed qualitative/quantitative approach was used to analyze the frequency of the phrasal verbs and idioms, and those with a frequency of 500 and above were then identified for further analysis of definitions and sample sentences. The study reveals that of the 232 phrasal verbs and idioms examined, 90% have a frequency range of 0-9,999 for the corpus overall, with 10% falling within the ranges of 25,000 to 159,999. For the spoken corpus, 87% of the phrasal verbs and idioms fall within the range of 0-4,999, with 13% occurring within the 5,000 to 59,999 ranges; therefore, the majority of the phrasal verbs and idioms are not the most frequently occurring in the COCA. In all there were 125 phrasal verbs and idioms with a frequency of 500 and above. Twenty-five were determined to have problems with definitions, sample sentences, or collocations and were examined in more detail. The study reveals that incomplete or incorrect definitions, sample sentences, or collocations are presented to students in textbooks, leading to confusion and inaccuracies in English.