Studies in medical anthropology and health sociology have shown the intensification of exchanges between Chinese and Western medicine. However, there is a lack of literature exploring this phenomenon from the human communication perspective. To fill this gap, this study aims to analyze patterns and processes taking place during the interaction between Chinese and Western medicine by inquiring into professional identity of the Chinese medical practitioners. To implement this goal, a qualitative exploratory research was conducted in the Yusheng Chinese Medical Clinic, employing the methods of participant observation and interviewing. Drawing on the communication theory of identity and applying positioning as an analytical tool, it was found that professional ideology, adherence to Chinese medical theory, and sociohistorical situatedness were the most salient factors determining positional shifts in the discourses with Western medicine. In some discursive practices, the relationship between the two medical systems was dichotomized. In other ones, it was perceived in terms of partnership or even unification. Accordingly, the complex and dynamic picture of professional identity was captured. The shift from emphases on being a good physician to being a good Chinese medical physician, as well as discrepancies between perceived professional self and enacted professional self, were observed. Based on the findings, this study calls for the discussions on the relevance of the yin-yang mode in interpreting the interaction between Chinese and Western medicine in the context of globalization.

本文旨在以學習者定位的角度切入，探討小留學生在求學各階段會遭遇到的優勢與挑戰。研究對象為兩位曾經於童年時期在加拿大求學的台灣小留學生，研究方法主要包含研究對象所撰寫之英語學習歷程、口述英語學習歷程與半結構式訪談，目的在於了解研究對象在人生各階段的經歷、自我定位與他者定位，透過「整體 — 內容」分析法，研究結果顯示小留學生在回到母國之後，經常受到他者的正向定位，因而獲得許多優勢，如獲得許多師長、同儕的讚揚、較多參與英語相關活動機會、英語課上獲得老師特別給予的自由、以及在面對大學與研究所課業上相對較少的負擔。而這些小留學生享有的特權也與台灣「英語瘋」的現象息息相關。不過這些小留學生也面臨許多挑戰，如在出國初期遭遇許多語言障礙產生的挫折、回台灣後相當不適應以考試為導向的教學、人際關係上遭遇挫折與國文科目的挑戰。同時交叉分析個案後，顯示出家長在確保小留學生未來學習順利與否，扮演相當關鍵的角色。最後於文末提出給予老師、家長與小留學生的建議，以及未來研究建議方向。 / This study aims to reveal the advantages and challenges that early study abroad students face through exploring the positioning of two Taiwanese students who studied abroad at a young age at different stages of their lives. The study adopts a qualitative research method with written narratives, oral narratives and semi-structured interviews as data and the data collected is analyzed using a holistic-content approach. The research findings indicate that the two early study abroad students positioned themselves and were positioned positively after they returned to their own country and enjoyed various privileges, such as peers’ admiration and teacher’s encouragement for their superior English skills, ample opportunities to participate in many English-related activities in school, freedom granted by teachers in English classes, and less schoolwork burden in university or graduate school. Nevertheless, the participants also face unique challenges. Both of the participants suffer from great frustration at the beginning of their study abroad experiences and were not used to the test-oriented English education after returning to Taiwan. In Jessica’s case, difficulties in learning the Chinese subject and troubled interpersonal relationships also existed. The findings also reveal the importance of parents’ role in facilitating these early study abroad students’ sustained English development. Suggestions for teachers, parents, early study abroad students and implications for future research are provided at the end of the thesis.