英语介词界标的隐现机制研究(三)——以IN在隐喻域里的用法为例

Exploring the Cognitive Mechanism of Covert Landmarks of English Prepositions(3)——Taking the Usage of IN in the Metaphorical Domain as an Example

基于认知语法的突显观,利用BNC语料库,探究介词IN在隐喻域中的界标隐现规律是一种有益的尝试。研究表明,IN用来表达时间、感情、状态、职业活动、色彩、形状等语义时,其后的界标必须明示,不可隐藏;IN表达流行的、重要的、起作用等语义时必须隐匿界标;表达自反语义的IN必须隐匿界标。界标语义越抽象,越需要明确的语词表达。当突出强调射体的作用以及射体与界标同一时,界标必须隐匿。隐喻域里,认知突显度仍是决定界标隐现的主要因素,语境亦起到辅助作用。

Based on the Prominence View in Cognitive Grammar and with the help of BNC, this paper discusses the regular patterns of overt and covert landmarks of preposition IN. The research indicates that the landmark is lexical when IN is used to express time, emotion, state, professional work, color and shapes; the landmark is sub-lexieal when IN is to express popularity, importance or function, or when IN is part of the intransitive ＂V ＋ IN＂ construction. The more abstract the meaning of landmark is, the more obligtory it is to code the landmark overtly. Cognitive salience is the essential factor to decide whether a landmark should be covert or not while the context plays an assisting role.