程度语义学视角下汉语结果结构的搭配限制研究

Selectional Restrictions on Mandarin Resultatives: A Degree Semantics Approach

  • 摘要: 本文考察汉语结果结构的搭配限制并探究限制来源。结果补语等级结构、主谓词的情状和补语指向等因素的调查以及与英语同类现象的对比表明汉语结果结构的搭配自由,各类补语均能与持续性或瞬间性的非状态、非终结性谓词搭配且补语指向影响甚小。过去研究面对这些情况解释不足,而本文从谓词情状、补语等级结构以及状态变化成分对补语的影响着手,在程度语义学视角下,提出补语与状态变化成分的结合蕴含测量变化函数,该函数所提供的固定比较标准及部分补语蕴含的等级上限能够为汉语结果结构的搭配限制提供解释。本文纠正了以往对汉语结果结构搭配的描写局限和偏差,运用程度语义学刻画汉语结果结构并对其搭配的自由度做出了合理的解释。

     

    Abstract: This study investigates the selectional restrictions on Mandarin resultatives and their underlying roots. The results of the investigation of the factors, including the types of resultative complement in terms of scales, the situation aspect of main predicates, and the direction of complements, together with a comparison of the same phenomenon in English, reveal that Mandarin resultatives exhibit fewer restrictions. Specifically, every type of complements can occur with non-stative and atelic predicates that are either durational or punctual, and the direction of complements seems to have little effect. Previous studies fail to explain this puzzle. This study addresses it by considering not only scale structures of both predicates and their complements but also the effect of elements with a change-of-state sense. Drawing upon degree semantics, it posits that the combination of complements and the elements with change-of-state sense generates a measure of change function, which provides a definite standard of comparison. This value and the maximal degree entailed by some resultative complements can explain selectional restrictions on Mandarin resultatives. In sum, this study reviews the problems in previous descriptions of Mandarin resultatives, formulates the semantics of Mandarin resultatives, and offers a reasonable account of their selectional restrictions under degree semantics.

     

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