汉语话题结构制约的认知语义与语用分析

A Cognitive Semantic and Pragmatic Account of the Constraints on Chinese Topic Constructions

本文从认知语义与语用角度对汉语话题结构的制约作出统一的解释。本文基于认知语法中关于参照点关系的理论,为汉语话题结构制定出一条总体的许可条件,即:话题必须与述题小句中的某个论元存在领属关系,从而确立话题与述题小句的参照点关系。这个总体条件可分化为三条具体条件:(1)话题与述题小句中的某个论元之间是"原型领属关系;"(2)话题与述题小句中的某个论元是"自我领属关系;"(3)话题与述题某个论元是"方位领属关系"。语用因素在话题结构中的作用是:(1)与话题建立领属关系的论元可以通过语用推理获得;(2)语用解读会阻断话题与述题之间的参照点关系,导致话题结构不合法。

This article outlines a unified account of the constraints on Chinese topic constructions from a cognitive semantic and pragmatic perspective. Based on the reference point theory in cognitive grammar, we propose a general licensing condition for Chinese topic constructions： there should be a possessive relationship between the topic and a certain argument in the comment clause. This condition has three sub-conditions： （ 1 ） there is a ＂ prototypical possessive relationship＂ between the topic and a certain argument in the comment clause; （2） there is a ＂self- possessive relationship＂ between the topic and a certain argument in the comment clause; （3） there is a ＂locative possessive relationship＂ between the topic and a certain argument in the comment clause. Pragmatics has twofold functions in the formation of Chinese topic constructions： （1） the argument that establishes possessive relationship with the topic can be gained from pragmatic inference; （2） pragmatic inference may block the reference point relationship between the topic and the comment, leading to the ill-formedness of the construction.