话语语调的关联与认知透析

A Relevance-Theoretic Account of English Discourse Intonation

关联理论观照下的话语理解强调自动理解程序的启动,释话者遵循自动理解程序并形成关于发话者意义的假设,获取足够的语境效果满足其关联期待。针对语调的两大子系统——调核确定系统和声调意义系统,从关联及认知视角可以剖析调核确定的统一原则和声调意义的区分标准。也就是说,关联性是决定话语调核位置的统一本源,而"信息焦点"或"关注焦点"之说则有失偏颇。声调意义的确定可以依据统一的认知概括,即话语是否隐含发话者所持的"判断保留"态度。含有丰富语调特征的语言输入越是凸显,就越有可能促进发话者意义的表达,并为释话者提供线索,触发其关联理解程序的运行,使话语产生足够的关联性。

Relevance Theory highlights the operation of automatic comprehension procedure by which an interlocutor follows the procedure and forms a hypothesis about a speaker＇s meaning. In this process, she/he tries hard to derive enough cognitive effects to satisfy her/his expectations of relevance. This paper explores the tonicity of tone in the English intonation system from the perspectives of relevance and cognition. We will suggest that nucleus placement in tonicity is determined by the optimal relevance achieved between interlocutors, rather than by the principle of ＂information focus＂ or ＂focus of interest＂, and argue that the identification and distinction in meaning of tone can be attributed to the presence or absence of a speaker＇ s reservation of judgment. Utterances with a variety of intonational features may help highlight certain parts of the utterances, which in turn, provide cues for the listener to activate their automatic comprehension procedure for the achievement of optimal relevance.