形容词反义词的可分级性与互补性的关系

Gradability and complementarity in adjective antonyms

因受Sapir(1944)“隐性比较”观的影响,语言学界存在着一种思维定势,即认为形容词反义词的可分级性和互补性彼此互不兼容,因此,形容词反义词往往被分为可分级且非互补的“可分级反义词”和互补且不可分级的“互补反义词”。本文经过分析发现,可分级的形容词反义词实际上包括三个子类别:程度反义词、具有非互补性的性质反义词和具有互补性的性质反义词。Sapir提出的“隐性比较”观并不适用于后两类。具有互补性的性质反义词的存在,更是否定了“不兼容”观。

According to Sapir's (1944) Implicit Grading or Implicit Comparison theory, gradable adjectives are actually implicit comparative forms in comparison with some implicit norm. One logical conclusion from the Implicit Grading view is that each pair of gradable adjective antonyms is incomplimentary in that the implicit norm of the pair is their intermediate. The powerful influence of the Implicit Grading view leads to a consensus in the classification of antonyms that gradability and complementarity are 'incompatible'. However, a close examination of different kinds of antonyms reveals that there are in fact three groups of gradable adjective antonyms: 'incomplementary degree antonyms', 'incomplementary qualitative antonyms', and 'complementary qualitative antonyms'. Sapir's Implicit Grading theory applies only to the first group. Unlike the first group which refers to an attribute's relative value of degree and is therefore relative in nature, the other two groups are not implicit comparative forms since they refer to absolute values of attributes and have no implicit norm as the basis for comparison. The fact that the third group is characterized by both gradability and complementarity and abounds in language disconfirms the view that gradability and complementarity are incompatible in adjective antonyms.