【作者】 李亚；

【导师】 彭芳；

【作者基本信息】 曲阜师范大学 ， 外国语言学及应用语言学， 2023， 硕士

【摘要】 英语主语it-外置结构的研究由来已久,由于其句法、语义及语用功能的独特性和复杂性,一直广受国内外学者的关注。近年来,随着构式语法的兴起,已有学者将该语言现象纳入构式的范畴进行研究,但是为数不多。此外,语言学界已经出现实证定量的研究转向。构式搭配分析法是一种将语料库语言学与认知语言学相结合的科学实证方法,主要用于计算某一构式与其内部某一槽位上出现的词位的语义关联度。因此,有学者运用基于语料库的构式搭配分析法分析了英语主语it-外置结构中两种常用构式,即it be ADJ that构式和it be ADJ to V构式的语义特征,然而,鲜有学者注意到语域因素对该构式与其内部某一槽位中出现的词位之间的语义互动的影响。本文以英国国家语料库中的学术、会话、小说和报纸四个子语料库为数据来源,对英语主语it-外置结构中具有代表性的it be ADJ that构式和it be ADJ to V构式进行实证研究,旨在深入分析语域因素对目标构式实际使用的影响。本文提出以下三个研究问题:1)不同语域中与it be ADJ that构式存在显著吸引关系的形容词具有怎样的语义特征?2)不同语域中与it be ADJ to V构式存在显著吸引关系的形容词具有怎样的语义特征?3)两个目标构式的语域分布特征有何异同?为了回答上述问题,本文基于构式语法理论与语域理论,运用构式搭配分析法的子方法,即多项显著共现词位分析法,以R软件为分析工具,计算四种语域中it be ADJ that构式和it be ADJ to V构式对各自形容词槽位上的词位的偏好程度。然后,根据Dixon对形容词的分类方法并结合具体语境对各语域中与构式存在显著偏好关系的形容词进行语义分类,在此基础上分析总结两种构式在每个语域中的语义特征。最后,对这两种近义构式在不同语域的分布特征进行比较分析。本文得到以下三点研究发现。首先,it be ADJ that构式在不同语域中倾向于表达不同的评价义。学术语域中该构式与“定性”类形容词有很强的语义关联,构式主要表达对事件的真实性和可能性的评价;会话语域中该构式与“定性”类和“价值”类形容词密切相关,主要是对一件事情的合理性、重要性进行评价;小说语域中该构式与“定性”类形容词有很强的语义关联,主要是对一件事情的真实性、可能性、合理性进行评价;报纸语域中该构式与“定性”类和“价值”类形容词密切相关,主要是对一件事情的正确性、重要性、惯常性进行评价。其次,it be ADJ to V构式在不同语域中倾向于表达不同的评价义。学术语域中该构式与“价值”类和“定性”类形容词有很强的语义关联,构式主要表达对行为动作的重要性、必要性、合理性的评价;会话语域中构式与“定性”类和“人类倾向性”类形容词密切相关,主要是对某行为的正确性进行评价和表达对某行为做出的积极情感反应(如愉快);小说语域中构式与“人类倾向性”类和“价值”类形容词有很强的语义关联,主要表达对某行为做出的消极情感反应(如悲伤、遗憾)和对行为动作的益处进行评价;报纸语域中构式与“人类倾向性”类和“定性”类形容词密切相关,主要表达对某行为做出的积极情感反应和对行为动作的合理性进行评价。最后,两种构式皆在学术语域中使用频率最高,在报纸语域中零星使用,在会话和小说语域中极少使用。总体上,两种构式在报纸语域中对与两构式存在显著偏好关系的形容词的语义限制最少,主要体现在形容词的语义类型较多,部分形容词具有积极或消极的情感义;在学术语域中对与两构式存在显著偏好关系的形容词的语义限制最多,主要体现在形容词的语义类型少且语义上更为中立客观。这种差异可以归结为报纸语域和学术语域之间的语场和语旨的差异。此外,两种构式均与“价值”类、“定性”类和“人类倾向性”类形容词存在较强的语义关联,但it be ADJ to V构式还与“难度”类形容词存在较强的语义关联,而it be ADJ that构式还与“定性”类中的“明确”子类形容词密切相关,这主要归结为不定式从句的“非时态性”和限定性从句的“时态性”之间的差异。本研究具有以下意义:第一,本文将认知语言学、语料库语言学和功能语言学相结合,在构式语法的框架内对真实语料进行实证定量分析,探讨语域因素对构式与其特定槽位上词位的语义互动的影响,拓宽了构式研究的多维视角。第二,基于语料库的研究使结果更加客观和具有说服力,进一步明确了语域因素对构式实际使用的影响,即语域的语场、语旨和语式限制特定语义特征的词位出现在构式中,使构式表达特定的含义。第三,本研究对语言学习也有一定的价值,使语言学习者了解到词汇和语法形式的使用受到语域因素的影响和限制,有利于加深对语言的认识和掌握。更多还原

【Abstract】 Due to its complexity at the level of syntax,semantics and pragmatics,English subject it-extraposition structure has drawn the attention of researchers both at home and abroad.A few researchers conduct the studies within the framework of Construction Grammar,specifying its form-function correspondence.With the turn of empirical and quantitative approaches in linguistic research,a few scholars abroad investigate the semantic features of the two most frequently used constructions of subject it-extraposition structure,namely,it be ADJ that-construction,it be ADJ to V-construction,with the methodology of corpus-based Collostructional Analysis.Collostructional Analysis is a scientific empirical method that combines corpus linguistics and cognitive linguistics and is mainly used to calculate the degree of semantic association between one construction and the lexemes in a given slot.However,few scholars have noticed the effect of the register factor on the semantic interaction between the construction and the lexemes in a given slot.Given the aforementioned situations,the thesis conducts an empirical investigation on the two representative sub-constructions of English subject it-extraposition structure,that is,it be ADJ that-construction,it be ADJ to V-construction.To explore register-specific features of the two constructions,the thesis selects the academic,conversation,fiction and newspaper sub-corpus of British National Corpus(BNC)as the data sources,aiming to make a comprehensive and fine-grained analysis of the effect of register factor on the usage of the target constructions.The following three research questions are intended to be answered:1)What are the semantic characteristics of adjectives distinctively attracted by it be ADJ that-construction in four registers?2)What are the semantic characteristics of adjectives distinctively attracted by it be ADJ to V-construction in four registers?3)What are the similarities and differences of register-specific features between it be ADJ that-construction and it be ADJ to V-construction?With the framework of Construction Grammar combined with Register Theory,this thesis uses multiple distinctive collexeme analysis,a sub-method of Collostructional Analysis,with R software as an analytical tool to calculate the preference degrees between the lexemes that occur in the adjective slot of both constructions in four registers respectively.The semantic categories of distinctive adjectives significantly attracted to each construction in each register are explored based on Dixon’s classification approach and the specific meaning of the adjective within a particular context.Then the semantic features of two constructions in each register are summarized.Ultimately,a systematic comparison of these two synonymous constructions is made.The findings are listed as follows.First of all,it is illustrated that it be ADJ that-construction in different registers tends to express distinct meanings of evaluation.Specifically,the target construction in the academic register is strongly associated with the adjectives of the QUALIFICATION category,denoting the evaluation of a state of affairs or an event regarding its factivity and probability.The target construction in the conversation register is closely related to the adjectives of QUALIFICATION and VALUE categories,evaluating an event’s appropriateness and importance.The target construction in the fiction register is strongly associated with the adjectives of the QUALIFICATION category,mainly assessing an event’s factivity,probability and appropriateness.The target construction in the newspaper register is closely related to the adjectives of QUALIFICATION and VALUE categories,mainly evaluating an event’s correctness,importance and normality.Furthermore,it is demonstrated that it be ADJ to V-construction in different registers is inclined to express distinct meanings of evaluation.Specifically,the target construction in the academic register is strongly associated with the adjectives of VALUE and QUALIFICATION categories,denoting the evaluation of an action regarding its importance,necessity and rationality.The target construction in the conversation register is closely related to the adjectives of QUALIFICATION and HUMAN PROPENSITY categories,evaluating an action’s correctness and expressing positive emotional responses to an action,especially happiness.The target construction in the fiction register is strongly associated with the adjectives of the HUMAN PROPENSITY and VALUE categories,mainly making negative emotional responses to an action,especially sadness and pity,and assessing an action based on its benefits.The target construction in the newspaper register is closely related to the adjectives of HUMAN PROPENSITY and QUALIFICATION categories,principally expressing positive emotional responses to an action and evaluating the appropriateness of an action.Last but not least,both constructions are frequently used in the academic register,sporadically in newspaper registers,and rarely in conversation registers and fiction registers.Overall,the two constructions impose the least semantic restrictions on the distinctive adjectives co-occurring with them in the newspaper register but impose the most semantic restrictions on the distinctive adjectives co-occurring with them in academic registers.Specifically,the distinctive adjectives in academic registers fall into two semantic categories,i.e.,VALUE and QUALIFICATION,and are more neutral and objective.Whereas the distinctive adjectives in newspaper register mainly fall into three semantic categories,i.e.,VALUE,QUALIFICATION and HUMAN PROPENSITY,some adjectives even convey positive or derogatory emotions.These discrepancies can be attributed to the differences between the two registers in the dimensions of field and tenor.Besides,both constructions can significantly attract the distinctive adjectives of the VALUE,QUALIFICATION and HUMAN PROPENSITY semantic categories,whereas it be ADJ to V-construction is further more associated with the adjectives of DIFFICULTY category.By contrast,it be ADJ that-construction is additionally related to the adjectives of the subcategory of QUALIFICATION,i.e.,DEFINITE subcategory.It can be attributed to the semantic differences between the non-tensed to-clauses and tensed that-clauses.There are three implications of this study.First,the thesis makes a corpus-based register-specific analysis of two sub-constructions of English subject it-extraposition structure,with the framework of Construction Grammar combined with corpus linguistics and functional linguistics.The research findings are hopeful to shed light on the semantics and functions of the target constructions and the methodology employed in the thesis is expected to expand theoretical visions.Second,the results of this study are more objective and convincing based on the data abstracted from the corpus.This study further elucidates how the register factor affects the actual usage of constructions.Specifically,the three variables of register,i.e.,field,tenor and mode,impose some semantic restrictions on the adjectives occurring in constructions to express definite meanings.Last but not least,this study is also valuable for language learning,i.e.,making the language learners realize the use of vocabulary and grammatical forms is affected and restricted by registers to deepen the understanding of language.更多还原