英语附加问句在口语中的演变及其社会语言学意义

Radical Changes of Tags in Oral English from a Sociolinguistic Perspective

英语附加问句在书面语的结构系统内复杂而又完善,但人们在日常口语中所表达出来的结构则呈现简单化、单一性的特点。这种变化不仅与使用者的社会阶层、年龄、性别等因素相关,而且还与人们思维的普遍习惯有关。跨语言对比研究显示附加问句的变化符合语言的普遍发展规律。

Tags possess a uniquely complicated system in written English, but ironically, relevant data demonstrate that tags are being simplified in spoken language. In addition to the social stratifications, age and gender, such changes are also related to the universal habit in the user＇s way of thinking. A cross-linguistic analysis reveals that the shifts in tags comply with the general law in the language evolution.