现代汉语形容词否定的意义与功能

The Negation of Adjectives in Mandarin Chinese:Its Meaning and Functions

现代汉语中可否定的形容词包括限域、渐变和极值形容词三类,其中限域形容词的否定式表达与肯定式相反、互补的属性状态;渐变形容词的否定式可以表达与肯定式相对的属性状态、一般水平或者属性程度低等量度意义;而极值形容词的否定式表示极值状态不成立或者说达不到极值程度。从语用功能来看,形容词否定结构既可以用来反驳听话人可能秉持的观点,也可以用来表达说话人的评价,还与礼貌原则紧密相关。

The adjectives in Mandarin Chinese that can be negated fall into three types,i.e.limit adjectives,scalar adjectives and extreme adjectives.The negation of limit adjectives designates the contradictory attribute vis--vis the attribute denoted by their affirmative counterpart.The negation of scalar adjectives may indicate the contrary attribute,the average degree,or a low degree of the property.The negation of extreme adjectives designates the attribute less than the extreme value.In terms of pragmatic functions,negating adjectives could be used to deny the beliefs that are assumed to be held by the hearer,or advance the speaker's evaluation.Moreover,the politeness principle may have a bearing on the grammaticality and felicity of adjective negation in actual use.