浅论现代汉语的程度表达

A Preliminary Study of Degree Expressions in Modern Chinese

本文试将程度状语与程度补语联系起来,从参照物的角度来考察现代汉语程度表达的分类与体系,并在此基础上分析现代汉语程度表达的语义和语法特征。通过考察我们发现,现代汉语的程度表达可以分成两类,一类是不管是有否特定的参照物,语义焦点在于表达主体事物的程度上(A类),另一类的语义焦点则在于表达主体事物与参照物之间存在程度差距上(B类)。但是这两类同样都存在程度状语和程度补语两种情况。A类程度状语可以表达程度的不同层次,具有客观叙述性,此类程度补语却只能用于表达程度高的情况,带有很浓的主观性;B类程度状语主要表达"主体事物的程度比参照物高",此类程度补语主要表达"主体事物的程度和参照物之间具体存在多少差距"。

Why are there degree expressions serving both as adverbial and complement in modern Chinese？ Based on a study of degree adverbials and degree complements, this paper examines the classification and the system of degree expressions from the angle of referent. Moreover, it analyzes their semantic and syntactic characteristics. It is found that degree expressions can be classified into two groups. In the first group, or Group A, as we call it, the semantic focus is on the degree of the subject, no matter a specific referent is available or not. In the other group, or Group B, the semantic focus is on the difference in degree between the subject and the referent. However, the two can function both as adverbial and complement. The adverbials in Group A, which are objective statements, express different levels of degree in the subject, whereas the complements in Group A, which are subjective in nature, can only express a comparatively higher degree. On the other hand, every adverbial in Group B mainly indicates that the degree of the subject is higher than the referent, while the complements in this group indicate how many differences in degree there are between the subject and the referent.