存在句中的概念隐喻——基于SFG及物性新模式的认知研究

Conceptual Metaphors in Existential Clauses——A Cognitive Study Based on the New Transitivity Model of SFG

本文在系统功能语法(SFG)及物性新模式框架下,综合运用语法隐喻和认知隐喻理论,探讨了英语存在句的概念隐喻系统。作为一种表层结构式,存在句可以表征物质和心理两种经验,同时编码作为或关系两种识解方式。研究表明,存在句一致式there-be结构是用来表征"物质-关系"经验的,但可以被映射到"物质-作为"、"心理-作为"和"心理-关系"目标域上而产生概念隐喻。本文认为,存在句一致式there-be结构向其他结构式的映射是由存在构式的句法、语义特征,加之认知隐喻共同促动的结果。

This paper attempts to investigate into the conceptual metaphor systems of English Existential Clauses from the per- spective of the new transitivity model of Systemic-Functional Grammar（SFG）. More specifically, it aims to make a systematic study upon the underlying semantic categories of English Existential Clauses with the reference to Grammatical Metaphor Theo- ry and Conceptual Metaphor Theory. Functioning as a surface clause pattern in the new transitivity model of SFG, the existen- tial clause construes material and mental experience on one hand, and encodes operational and relational characteristics on the other. It is found that the congruent form of existential construction - there-be structure, is utilized as the source domain to map onto the material-operational, mental-operational and mental-relational as the target domain, thus generating various types of transitivity metaphors （Halliday＇ s Grammatical Metaphors）. It is also found that the conceptual mappings of there-be struc- ture onto material-operational, mental-operational and mental-relational constructions are engendered by the syntactic-semantic features of the whole construction, together with the conceptual metaphors PROCESS AS ENTITY, QUALITY AS ENTITY in Lakoffan＇ s idea.