黔东苗语的话题结构

Topic Structure of the Qiandong Hmu Language

黔东苗语的基本结构受信息结构的制约,是一种话题凸显型语言,在信息结构的框架下,最容易识别的句子结构关系是话题与述题。诸多语义角色如施事、受事、与事、工具、处所、时间等均可充当话题。黔东苗语的话题可通过语法手段、韵律标记、句法标记三种手段来标记,这三种标记手段属于非强制性话题标记,常出现在口语中。

Qiandong Hmu language is a topic⁃prominent language,whose basic structure is restricted by pragmatics.This article attempts to provide a description on topic structure of Qiandong Hmu Language based on the framework of information construction.Several semantic roles such as agent,patient,recipient,instrument,location,time can all function as topics.Topic and comment can be easily recognized within a sentential construction,because the topic can be marked by three means:grammatical means,prosody marks,and syntax marks,which are optional topic markers and often appear in spoken language.