英汉双宾结构的认知阐释

1、meaning and harmonious rhyme, disyllabic words are becoming inevitably abundantin Chinese. The abundance of disyllabic words in Chinese greatly solves the problemof ambiguity in monosyllables. In contrast, monosyllables can easily cause theproblem of ambiguity.The third reason is the influence of et

2、hical value. Different grammaticalmeanings of English and Chinese DOC reflect different conceptualizations betweenEnglish nation and Chinese nation which are ultimately determined by differentethical values. Individualism is highly valued in the English-speaking nations. Whenit comes to the transfer

3、ring action between individuals in DOC, people have coineddifferent verbs to express the different directions of the transferring object under theguidance of individualism; while Chinese nation value collectivism greatly: theyfocus more on the power of group; the transferring action between individu

4、als can beneglected sometimes. This low demand of the transferring verbs in DOC leads to theexistence of some verbs with the same semantic meaning but two opposite directionsin Chinese DOC.Conceptual domains involved in DOC are also analyzed and their content ispresented in the form of conceptual fr

5、ame. Domains associated with DOC are dividedinto four types with emphasis on the direction and result of the transferring object,that is, agent-gaining domain, agent-losing domain, recipient-gaining domain andrecipient-losing domain. All the domains put forward are analyzed in the form ofconceptual

6、frame which provides a clear-cut picture of the conceptual content oflinguistic structure. Among these four domains, English DOC has only two domains:agent-losing domain and recipient-gaining domain whereas Chinese DOC has all thefour.Three reasons for the different domains of English and Chinese DO

7、C areprovided: direction of transfer on the verb, flexibility of Chinese grammar, and theinfluence of English as the morphological type of language while Chinese as thesemantic type of language.This thesis focuses on the different grammatical meanings and domains ofconceptual content of English and

8、Chinese DOC, analyzing the difference withiiiemphasis on the direction and result of the transferring object in DOC withexplanations under the guidance of cognitive linguistic theories.Key words: double object construction (abbreviated as DOC); grammatical meaning;conceptual content; domain; concept

9、ual frameiv摘要双宾结构是一种较有特色的句式，其研究历来受到重视。本文从语法意义即语义方向性及概念域角度阐述英汉双宾结构的差别及其原因。英语双宾结构和汉语双宾结构的语法意义不同：英语中只有右向双宾而汉语存在双向双宾。汉语既允许右向动词（以“给”为代表）的双宾结构，也允许左向动词（以“拿”为代表）的双宾结构，同时也接受双向动词（以“借”为代表）的双宾结构。本文探讨了英汉语不同双宾结构产生的三个原因：汉语动补结构和带介词短语句式的广泛使用；汉语受双音化的影响；民族文化价值取向的影响。第一个原因是汉语动补结构和带介词短语句式的广泛使用。汉语中的动补结构的形成对汉语语法有深远的影响。汉语中存

10、在许多不同类型的动补结构。其中，“V 得”结构对汉语双宾结构有一定的影响。在“V 得”结构中， 得”是“得到”的意思，这在双宾结构中是固定的方向。汉语双宾结构的歧义也可以通过将句式改换成带介词短语句式加以解决。汉语中动补结构和带介词短语句式具有特定的语义方向，它们的广泛使用也使得汉语双向双宾结构在对比之下歧义明显。其次是汉语受双音化的影响。尽管汉语不是典型的音节语言，但在其发展过程中，汉语有双音化的趋势。而双音化这一趋势也对汉语双宾结构产生了一定的影响。双音词与单音节词相比语义明确，语音和谐，在汉语中已大量出现。而双音化的语言发展机制使得单音节词在双音节词的对比之下歧义明显。最后是民族文化价值

11、取向的影响。不同民族的不同概念化方式影响了英汉语双宾结构的不同结构意义。英语民族崇尚个性主义，因而对于物体在不同个体中的传递非常重视，体现在构词法上就是采取不同的动词来表达这种差别。而汉民族更为崇尚集体主义，更为注重团队的力量，因而会忽略在个体之间发生传递的某些动作，对于“物体转移”在某些动词形成中要求也相对较低，这就形成了汉语中既存在单向动词也存在双向动词的多元化格局。它们的共同存在使得汉语拥有右向、左向和双向结构这三种双宾结构。本文还从概念域角度阐述英汉双宾结构的差别及其原因。本文讨论双宾结构的概念特征，划分与之相关的四个概念域，用概念框架直观地描述英汉语双宾结构的不同概念内容，作进一步的

12、对比研究。按照物体方向性及结果从施事（动作v“的故意发起人)、涉事（动作的非主动参与人）的获得、损失这两个视角作了如下四种分类：施事获得域、施事损失域、涉事获得域和涉事损失域。上述划分的四个域在本文中用概念框架形象直观地分析其具体概念内容。英语的右向双宾结构只有上述四个域中的施事损失域和涉事获得域。汉语双宾结构则存在上述的四个域。本文讨论英汉双宾结构概念域有所不同这一现象的内在的三个深层原因：动词的传递方向性的影响；汉语语法的灵活性；英汉语不同语言类型的影响。本文从双宾结构中的传递宾语的方向和结果角度探讨了英汉双宾结构不同的语法意义和用概念框架表达的不同的概念域，并以认知语言学理论为基础提出了

13、解释这些不同的原因。关键词：双宾结构；语法意义；概念内容；概念域；概念框架viContentsAcknowledgements . iAbstract (English Version) .iiAbstract (Chinese Version) . vContents . viiiiChapter One Introduction. 11.11.21.31.4Origin of the study. 1Necessity and significance of the study . 2Objectives of the study . 3Organization of the thesis

14、 . 4Chapter Two Overview of the Study of Double Object Construction(DOC) . 52.1 Study of English DOC . 52.1.1 Generative approach . 52.1.2 Cognitive approach . 102.2 Study of Chinese DOC. 112.2.1 Traditional grammar approach . 122.2.2 Structuralism approach . 122.2.3 Generative approach . 132.2.4 Co

15、gnitive approach . 142.3 Comparative study of English and Chinese DOC. 152.4 Summary . 17Chapter Three Grammatical Meanings of DOC. 183.1 Grammatical meaning of DOC . 183.1.1 Single-directional construction in English. 193.1.2 Double-directional construction in Chinese. 200vii3.1.3 Comparison of Eng

16、lish and Chinese DOC . 233.2 Reasons for the different grammatical meanings of English and Chinese DOC. 253.2.1 Resultative construction and prepositional phrase. 263.2.2 Monosyllables and disyllabification . 283.2.3 Ethical value. 303.3 Summary . 32Chapter Four Domains of DOC in Conceptual Frame .

17、3334.1 Domain and conceptual frame . 3334.2 Domains of English DOC . 394.2.1 Agent-losing domain in conceptual frame . 394.2.2 Recipient-gaining domain in conceptual frame . 404.3 Domains of Chinese DOC . 414.3.1 Agent-gaining domain in conceptual frame . 414.3.2 Agent-losing domain in conceptual fr

18、ame . 434.3.3 Recipient-gaining domain in conceptual frame . 444.3.4 Recipient-losing domain in conceptual frame . 454.4 Reasons for the different domains of DOC. 464.4.1 Direction of transfer on the verb . 464.4.2 Flexibility of Chinese grammar . 494.4.3 Morphological type of language and semantic

19、type of language . 494.5 Summary . 50Chapter Five Conclusion . 525.1 Major findings of the study. 525.2 Implications of the study. 535.3 Limitations of the study and suggestions for further research . 53Bibliography . 55viiiPublications . 58Abbreviation:DOCdouble object constructionixChapter One Int

20、roductionChapter OneIntroductionAs a basic sentence pattern, double object construction (abbreviated as DOC) hasalways been in heated discussion among linguists. The research into DOC has beencarried out in many different angles by numerous scholars. This thesis is aninvestigation into the differenc

21、e between English and Chinese DOC from the anglesof grammatical meaning and domain of conceptual content in conceptual frame,aiming to identify the cognitive foundations responsible for the difference.1.1 Origin of the studyTraditionally, the clause patterns are defined in terms of the valency of ve

22、rbs.The analysis of clause patterns involves an outline of the major grammatical classes ofverbs. Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English (LGSWE) (Biber et al,1999) distinguishes between one-place verbs, two-place verbs and three-place verbs,and then introduces some major clause patterns to el

23、aborate the point that the centerof a clause pattern is the verb and its internal lexico-semantic structure. For instance:(1) a. Subjectverb phrase:We stayed (LGSWE, P141)b. Subjectverb phraseobligatory adverbial:Thesummer lasted into March. (ibid, P143)c. Subjectverb phrasesubject predicative:Hes A

24、merican. (ibid, P145)d Subjectverb phrasedirect object:Carssier kicked her (ibid, P146)e. Subjectverb phraseprepositional object:45,000 peopleapplied for refugee status.(ibid, P149)f. Subjectverb phraseindirect objectdirect object:I show them the sales figures. (ibid, P150)g. Subjectverb phrasedirec

25、t objectprepositional object:1Cognitive Analysis of English and Chinese Double Object ConstructionYou accused her of encouraging him? (ibid, P150)h. Subjectverb phrasedirect objectobject predicative:David considered it accurate. (ibid, P151)i. Subjectverb phrasedirect objectobligatory adverbial:You

26、could take it to the kitchen (ibid, P151)Though detailed and extensive this approach seems to be, this approach is a bitredundant and complicated.Some linguists define the term DOC differently. According to Kayne (1984:129),the double object frame involves a small clause constituent combining the fi

27、rst andsecond object. While for Bodomo, Lam and Yu (2003: 60), DOC is a ditransitiveconstruction with a single predicative and two contiguous objects.And in this paper, the term DOC is defined mainly after Goldbergs (1995)approach. Goldberg defines it as a form-meaning pair:Double ObjectX CAUSES Y T

28、O RECEIVE Z SubjVObjObjPatfaxed Billthe letter.In this paper, DOC refers to the kind of specific clausal construction which ischaracterized by two noun phrases following the verb phrase that denote entitiesrather than physical or social identifying features.(Goldberg, 1995)1.2 Necessity and signific

29、ance of the studyOne of the topics under heated discussion in the linguistic circle in China is onsimilarity and difference between English and Chinese DOC (Zhu Dexi, 1982; MaQingzhu, 1992; Zhang Bojiang, 1999; Shi Yuzhi, 2004; Wang Qi, 2005). Findingsfrom a contrastive study on English and Chinese

30、DOC show that the construction andits verbs are involved in different ways of interaction. Specifically, English DOC onlymeans giving, which is single-directional; whereas Chinese DOC motivates twosub-constructions,meaninggivingandtakingrespectivelywhichisdouble-directional. (Shi Yuzhi, 2004)As a ba

31、sic clause pattern, DOC has always received comprehensive analyses2Chapter One Introductionfrom many angles by many scholars in China and abroad. A lot of scholars, such asZhu Dexi (1982), Ma Qingzhu (1992), Zhang Bojiang (1999), Shi Yuzhi (2004), havecarried out the study of DOC from traditional gr

32、ammar approach, structuralismapproach, cognitive approach, and so on. However, few of them have studiedsystematically the grammatical meaning and the conceptual content associated with it.The present paper attempts to explore the different grammatical meanings of Englishand Chinese DOC and to provid

33、e reasons for the difference with the help of cognitivelinguistic theories. It also tries to discuss the conceptual content of DOC, presentingthe different domains of English and Chinese DOC in conceptual frame followed byexplanations for the differences.1.3 Objectives of the studyCognitive linguist

34、ics regards grammar as structuralization of words conceptualcontent, which presents the inseparable relationship between the grammaticalmeaning and grammar, and which can also be interpreted as that grammaticalmeaning determines grammar to some certain extent. (Langacker, 2000) Therefore,the differe

35、nt grammatical meanings of English and Chinese DOC will be analyzedand provided cognitive foundations responsible for the difference in this presentthesis.Furthermore, this paper aims to investigate the mutual realization between DOCand its conceptual content. According to cognitive linguistics, we

36、assemble ourknowledge around certain situation, which is defined by some linguists as frames. Aconceptual frame is a representation of the event that is shared by a group of clauses.Thus, a conceptual frame can be derived from a group of clauses which share onespecific event, which is connected with

37、 the brains cognitive systems like the motorsystem and the sensor system and can activate them or be activated by them. (ChengQilong, 2004)A conceptual frame consists of three parts: the process, which is the core of theframe and where the conceptual content of the event resides; the presupposition,

38、 and3Cognitive Analysis of English and Chinese Double Object Constructionthe inference, which are the outer extensions of the content. A conceptual frame isconnected with a group of clauses, which implies that they can be mutually activated.The frame can be realized as different grammatical structur

39、es, while any one of thelatter can activate part of the frame.Depending on where we direct our attention, we can select and highlightdifferent aspects of the frame, thus arriving at different linguistic expressions. Alinguistic clause may activate an event which possesses much richer conceptualconte

40、nt than the linguistic meaning of the clause. In this thesis, the different domainsof English and Chinese DOC will be presented in conceptual frame to illustrate thedifferent conceptual contents of English and Chinese DOC. By employing conceptualframe, the different domains of English and Chinese DO

41、C will be illustrated in astraight and effective way.1.4 Organization of the thesisAfter the first chapter of introduction to the thesis, Chapter Two will reviewprevious studies concerning English and Chinese DOC, including some comparativestudy of them. The major issues under discussion will be sum

42、marized and somecertain areas that need to be improved will also be pointed out.In Chapter Three, an elaborated analysis of the different grammatical meaningsof English and Chinese DOC will be provided. Three reasons for the difference willbe put forward.In Chapter Four, different conceptual content

43、 of English and Chinese DOC willbe discussed in detail. Different domains in conceptual frame will further elaboratethe difference between English and Chinese DOC. And three reasons for thedifference will be provided as well.In Chapter Five, the paper will be summarized and an outlook will be offere

44、d tofurther studies.4Chapter Two Overview of the Study of Double Object ConstructionChapterTwoOverview of the Study of DOCAs a major linguistic clause with its unique features, DOC has always attractedmany researchers attention. A large number of linguists have carried out the study ofDOC from many a