体现汉语韵律特征的分联小段

Prosodically Divided Minor Segments in Chinese

本文从韵律句法学的角度分析汉语小段大量存在这一语法现象,通过对比汉语和英语的音步结构,说明汉语小段得以生成的原因和条件。文章指出,汉语音步的结构特点为间断与韵律、语法成分边界的契合提供了可能性,而这种契合便是小段的基本成因。与汉语不同,英语音步构成过程中,轻音节的前向自然脱离导致韵律成分与语法成分的大量错位,使间断不易发生。同时,文章阐述小段与正段之间的分联形式,并分析小段作为不同种类的附加语和作为过程参与者成分的不同功能。

This paper presents an analysis of the common phenomenon of minor segments in Chinese from the viewpoint of prosodic syntax. By a comparison between the foot structure of Chinese and that of English, the article elaborates how and why minor segments are easily produced in Chinese. It is indicated that the frequent occurrence of minor segments in Chinese is caused by the structural characteristics of foot, which make pauses in speech more likely to coincide with the boundaries of prosodic and grammatical constituents. In con- trast to Chinese, the weak syllables of an either grammatical or lexical constituent in English will naturally move forward into the preceding foot in speech, reducing the chances of boundary coincidence between prosodic and grammatical constituents, and rendering explicit pauses difficult to happen. The paper also describes the divisional combination between minor and major segments, and analyzes the functions of minor segments of both adjunct and participant types.