论语言表达的转喻特征

On the Metonymic Nature of Language Production

转喻是一种以此概念表达彼概念的手段,是多模态的。转喻可以体现在语言的词语、句子、篇章层面。概念系统是多模态的、立体的。语言表达是线性的,不可避免地带有“以小指大”“以点带面”“以部分代整体”等特点,因而表现出选择性、模糊性、经济性等特征。语言表达很大程度上是转喻性的。大部分的间接表达或者间接言语行为都是转喻。汉语由于其独特的构词方式、语法特征,以及倾向于间接表达和模糊思维等特点,是一种高度转喻性的语言。

Metonymy is a means of expressing one conceptual entity in terms of another.Metonymy is multimodal.Metonymy at the linguistic level can be words,sentences or discourses.Conceptual systems are multimodal and three-dimensional.Language expression is linear.Language expression inevitably carries the characteristics of“using the part to represent the whole”and“using a point to represent a surface”,thus exhibiting selectivity,ambiguity,economy,and other features.Language expression is largely metonymical.Most indirect expressions or indirect speech acts are metonymies.Due to its unique word formation,grammatical features,and tendency towards indirect expression and fuzzy thinking,Chinese is a highly metonymical language.