当代外语教育

随着人工智能技术的迅猛发展，外语与翻译教育面临前所未有的挑战和机遇。本文从语言的“术”与“道”两个维度分析了人工智能对外语学习和翻译行业的影响，指出尽管人工智能在语言的实用功能（“术”）方面取得了显著进步，但在理解语言背后的文化内涵（“道”）方面仍显不足。传统外语教育偏重外语工具性技能训练而忽视跨文化交际能力和创新能力等“软技能”培养，已难以适应人工智能时代的要求。本文以香港理工大学在外语和翻译教育领域的探索为例，探讨如何应对人工智能时代语言人才培养的挑战。文章指出，外语与翻译教育改革的关键是实现从“术”到“道”的转变，外语与翻译教育应加强学生的跨学科知识学习和复合型思维能力培养，重视其计算思维与编程能力、人机协作能力的提升，才能培养出具备深厚人文素养和前沿科技素养的复合型语言人才，应对人工智能时代的机遇与挑战。

With the rapid development of artificial intelligence technology, foreign language and translation education face unprecedented challenges and opportunities. This paper analyzes the impact of artificial intelligence on foreign language learning and the translation industry from two dimensions: “Shu” and “Dao” of language. It highlights that while significant progress has been made in “Shu”, the practical functionality of languages through AI, it still falls short in grasping the “Dao”, the cultural nuances behind languages. Traditional foreign language education, with its focus on instrumental language skills, often neglects the cultivation of “soft skills” such as crosscultural communication abilities and creative capabilities, which are increasingly crucial in the AI era. Using the explorations of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in the field of foreign language and translation education as a case study, the paper discusses how to address the challenges of cultivating language talents in the age of artificial intelligence. It points out that the key to reforming foreign language and translation education is to shift from “Shu” to “Dao”, the education should enhance students' interdisciplinary knowledge acquisition and complex thinking abilities, prioritize their computational thinking and programming skills, and improve human-machine collaboration capabilities to cultivate language talents with deep humanistic literacy and cutting-edge technological knowledge, thus preparing them for the opportunities and challenges of the AI era.