英语间接条件句及其非语法化(上)

English indirect conditionals and their degrammaticalization

本文由上、下两篇组成。上篇主要根据奥斯汀和塞尔的言语举动理论对间接条件句进行重新界定,并根据格莱斯的会话原则和准则对早期现代英语的间接条件句进行分析和分类。本文作者提出,间接条件句的形式特征是只有前设句和间接论断句而没有直接论断句,其语义特征是在前设句和间接论断句之间不存在一般条件句所必需的依存关系。间接论断句经常是省略了言语举动前缀的言语举动。根据会话原则和准则,在早期现代英语里可以识别出说话人正确条件句、证据条件句、数量条件句、相关条件句、元语言条件句、称谓对象合作条件句和礼貌条件句。

This paper consists of two parts. Part One redefines indirect conditional sentences in accordance with the speech act theories of Austin and Searle and then analyses and classifies the indirect conditionals in Early Modern English in accordance with Grice's cooperative principle and maxims. The author of the paper observes that, formally, an indirect conditional sentence is characterized by a protasis and an indirect apodosis with a lack of a direct apodosis; semantically, there exists no contingency/dependency relationship between the protasis and the indirect apodosis. The indirect apodosis is often a speech act without a speech_act prefix. In accordance with Grice's cooperative principle and maxims, in Early Modern English can be identified conditionals of Speaker-correctness, Evidence, Quantity, Relevance, Metalinguistic Comment, Addressee-cooperation, and Politeness.