Microsoft Word - GRHE-V3N2-p59 Global Research in Higher Education ISSN 2576-196X (Print) ISSN 2576-1951 (Online) Vol. 3, No. 2, 2020 www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/grhe 59 Original Paper Research on Ecological Development of Foreign Language Journals—Based on Foreign language Teaching and Research Zhao Shuo1,2* & Wang Siyu2 1 School of International Studies, Communication University of China, Beijing, China 2 School of Foreign Studies, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, China * Zhao Shuo, School of International Studies, Communication University of China, Beijing, China; School of Foreign Studies, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, China Received: March 6, 2020 Accepted: March 23, 2020 Online Published: April 28, 2020 doi:10.22158/grhe.v3n2p59 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.22158/grhe.v3n2p59 Abstract A foreign language journal is an ecosystem because each foreign language journal has different columns. This paper takes Foreign Language Teaching and Research as an example to analyze the ecological development of foreign language journals and give some suggestions on the future development of foreign language journals. Keywords Ecological development, foreign language, journals 1. Introduction Ecology is a branch of biology that studies the interactions among organisms and their biophysical environment, which includes both biotic and a biotic components. Topics of interest include the biodiversity, distribution, biomass, and populations of organisms, as well as cooperation and competition within and between species. Ecosystems are dynamically interacting systems of organisms, the communities they make up, and non-living components of their environment. The ecosystem of Foreign Language is a system related to economic, cultural and every aspects of society. A foreign language journal is an ecosystem because each foreign language journal has different columns such as applied linguistics, translation studies, literature, cross-cultural communication. Various columns constitute the ecosystem of a foreign language journal. The functions of journals can be concluded as follows. Firstly, journals of foreign languages should be a stage for teachers and researchers to exchange the latest research fruits. Secondly, they need to contribute to teacher education and teaching. Thirdly, they are supposed to meet the needs of foreign language enthusiasts and the public. Last but www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/grhe Global Research in Higher Education Vol. 3, No. 2, 2020 60 Published by SCHOLINK INC. not least, they are important resources for lifelong education. For example, the column of literature is not only a platform for researchers to exchange new thoughts but also a resource for literature enthusiasts to learn more about literature. Foreign Language Teaching and Research is a Chinese journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press which is attached to Beijing Foreign Studies University, formerly known as Western Languages. It is the first academic journal in foreign languages and was founded on June 1957 and becomes one of the best journals in foreign languages and literature. Foreign Language Teaching and Research is in line with international academic frontiers. The review system and editorial procedure are strictly in accordance with international conventions. Such famous Chinese scholars as Professor Wang Zuoliang and Professor Xu Guozhang, ever served as editorial reviewer of the journal. The journal has columns of Linguistics, Foreign Language Education, Translation Studies, Language Studies and Foreign Literature Studies, covering all major aspects of foreign language disciplines. Among them, linguistics and foreign language education are the brands and strengths of this journal. Among these columns, Linguistics Research is original research and commentary on various fields of linguistics and various marginal disciplines. Language Research is a separate study of language and culture that has a certain universal significance and a comparative study with Chinese language and culture. Foreign Language Education is mainly about research, experiments and investigation reports on theories and methods of second language acquisition and foreign language teaching. Translation Studies is about research on translation history, translation theories and methods. Foreign Literature Studies concludes analysis and commentary on foreign literary works and writers’ thoughts. And Book Review mainly publishes book reviews, notes, reports, interviews, etc. This paper will take Foreign Language Teaching and Research as an example to analyze the ecological development of foreign language journals and give some suggestions on the future development of foreign language journals. 2. The Ecological Development of Foreign Language Teaching and Research The journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Research has Linguistics, Foreign Language Education, Translation Studies, Language Studies and Foreign Literature Studies, covering all major aspects of foreign language disciplines. This paper searches all the articles published in the journal in the past five years, and collects articles of different disciplines in the past five years according to keywords. In terms of publishing quantity, papers in linguistics and language teaching research account for a large proportion. And research on literature and translation studies often overlaps with linguistics and language teaching. In the column of Linguistics, there are both research on specific linguistic problem and reviews of the latest foreign linguistic works, which is representative. However, some studies only stay at the theoretical level and cannot be applied in real life to generate value. The journal may select some more practical papers. www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/grhe Global Research in Higher Education Vol. 3, No. 2, 2020 61 Published by SCHOLINK INC. In the column of Foreign Language Education, there are both analysis and discussion on the existing language education topics and discussions on language education policies, as well as some specific topics in the language education process. They are influential on China language education. However, some suggestions are too broad to perceive and lack of operability. Therefore practical enlightenment of relevant papers for foreign language education will be focused in Chinese education. In the column of Translation Studies, a few articles on translation studies have been published, and most of these articles on translation studies are combined with other disciplines like linguistics and literature, which represents the latest research direction in translation. There are few articles on the comprehensive development of translation theory and translation practice. Therefore, the journal will reveal and present more translation theory as well as practice if it’s possible. As for the column of Foreign Literature Studies, the number of papers published on this journal is also authoritative and classical. Moreover, the literary works analyzed in the paper are representative but limited. It may select papers on more representative literary works that have profound meanings for today’s society. 3. Conclusion People live in a big ecological environment of international development, cross-cultural communication and multi-language development. Thus different foreign language journals should give full play to their educational function, teacher education function, and talent training function. This paper adopts the journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Research as an example to analyze the ecological development of foreign language journals. Articles of different disciplines published in the past five years are collected. Papers on Linguistics, Foreign Language Education, Translation Studies and Foreign Literature Studies have advantages and weaknesses. The articles collected by the journal are mainly focused on Linguistics and Language Teaching. And the interactions among these disciplines are well matched as well. However, there are also some shortcomings, that is, some of the articles are lack of practicality and operability. Since a foreign language journal is a complete ecosystem the setting of different columns should serve for the whole ecological environment. It is meaningful that the journal will balance different research area in language teaching and research to keep its academic guidance in talents cultivation. Acknowledgement 1) The research is supported by Higher Education Research Fund of NPU (SKJJZ2019003); 2) The research is supported by the innovative team project of Fundamental Research Fund for the Central Universities of China (3102019WGYTD03). www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/grhe Global Research in Higher Education Vol. 3, No. 2, 2020 62 Published by SCHOLINK INC. References Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press. (2020). Journal Introduction. Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Research. Retrieved from http://www.fltr.ac.cn/CN/column/column1.shtml Wikipedia. (2019). Ecology. The Free Encyclopedia.