英语层级性反义词:隐含比较和明示比较

English Gradable Antonyms: Implicit Comparison and Explicit Comparison

英语层级性反义词是指语义反对但语势可变的词对。这类词基本表现为偏袒性,而在比较级中有时呈现的公允性则是附加的、有条件的。层级性反义词原级的使用通常预设比较。其校标是暗含默许的,具有相关性、游移性、主观性和文化特异性。在比较级使用中,比较对象通常明示,其校标与比较局域的语义汇合。对这类反义词可以给出认知和语用解释。

Gradable antonyms are pairs of opposites with variable degrees in semantic strength. Syntactically, they can be modified by intensifiers like ″very ″ and ″too ″ and can be used in the comparative. Semantically, one term of an antonymic pair is opposed to the other, with a fuzzy boundary. This quality is referred to as committedness, and its reduction in semantic strength impartiality. Occurring in some gradable antonyms in the comparative, impartiality can be considered an additional and conditional property. Semantically-defined impartiality is distinguished from pragmatically-defined unmarkedness in that the latter describes a neutralized state without any committedness.The use of gradable antonyms in the positive degree presupposes a comparison. The calibration for comparison is set by the nominal with which the antonym co-occurs. This implicit calibration bears the features of relativity, uncertainty, subjectivity and cultural variation. These variations can sometimes result in failure in interpersonal communication, especially in cross-cultural communication. However, gradable antonyms are usually associated with the comparative sentences, where, against the comparison domain introduced by ″than ″, a comparison is overtly made by means of a gradable antonym in its comparative degree. In such sentences, the calibration and comparison domain converge semantically.Gradable antonyms can be viewed and explicated from the cognitive perspective. When people perceive a certain property, such as a state, sensation, the most effective and efficient way is to bisect this property and coin two words contrary in meaning to represent the sub-properties, each of which is positioned towards one end of the scale opposite the other with a gray middle ground in between. Hence, gradable antonyms came into being and are used frequently. The use of antonyms in the positive degree is motivated by the economy principle in language, while an explicit comparison involving an antonym with a comparison domain is pragmatically motivated.It is obvious that, in the comparative, both terms of a polar antonymic pair and the positive term of an overlapping antonymic pair are impartial, while the negative term of an overlapping antonymic pair and both terms of an equipollent antonymic pair remain committed. This distribution of impartiality is not arbitrary but cognitive and pragmatic rule governed. Polar antonyms represent the properties which can be evaluated objectively and calibrated in terms of everyday conventional measurements. The relative quantity of such properties is more important than their presence or absence. Thus, each term of the pair is allowed to cover the part of the scale usually denoted by the other. As the properties of equipollent antonyms are typically associated with sensations or emotions, our instincts tell us that they are concepts of great incompatibility. In use, each term of the pair is allowed to move about only within the part of the scale denoted by the term in question in its positive degree. As a result, the two opposed terms do not overlap any part on the scale, even in the comparative. Overlapping antonyms denote subjective evaluation of a certain property, with one term commendatory and its counterpart derogatory. The use of these antonyms is colored by the entrenched optimistic attitude towards life, described by the Pollyanna Principle, which makes the positive term frequently used and widely distributed. Therefore, the positive one is semantically impartial in the comparative and pragmatically unmarked, while the negative stays committed and marked.