禅宗会话中否定性言语行为的语用学研究

Pragmatics of Negative Speech Acts in Zen Dialogues

文章以Verschueren的语言适应论为理论框架,从语用学的角度研究禅宗会话中的否定性言语行为,试图探索禅宗会话中禅师们频繁实施否定性言语行为的原因。通过对语料的定性分析发现:禅宗会话中的否定性言语行为通常通过描述性短语、陈述句、反问句、祈使句等语言手段得以实施;否定性言语行为的频繁使用是语言适应的结果,其适应的语境因素主要存在于心智和社交世界;禅宗会话中的否定性言语行为是通过语义和语用层面上的否定来适应禅宗的语境因素的。通过语义或语用否定,针对徒弟在习禅过程中的心智困惑,否定性言语行为破除了徒弟向外寻求佛法的执着和徒弟对师傅的依赖,从而适应了禅的宗旨和师徒关系等心智和社交层面上的语境因素。

Within the theoretical framework of Verschueren＇s linguistic adaptation theory, this research analyzes negative speech acts （NSAs for short） in 178 dialogues between Zen masters and disciples. The study has found that NSAs in Zen dialogues could be realized at the levels of words, propositions and sentences. The linguistic devices used by Zen masters to implement NSAs include descriptive phrases, declarative sentences, rhetorical sentences, imperative sentences, etc.. Meanwhile, it is found that the NSA is a result of linguistic adaptation. It is the contextual correlates in Zen contexts that impel the Zen masters to choose NSAs as a pragmatic strategy. This study has also revealed the major contextual correlates of Zen that NSAs adapt to. Finally, the study has found that it is by means of negations that NSAs can be realized as ad- aptation to Zen contexts. These negations in Zen dialogues are actualized at the semantic and pragmatic level. By means of semantic and pragmatic negations,NSAs either broke the disciples＇ obsessiveness in searching from the outside or in meditation, or negated their dichotomous way of thinking or their reliance on the Zen masters. Thus they were adapted to the contextual correlates in the mental and social world of Zen.