功能词隐喻意义习得中的语境效应

Contextual Effects on the Acquisition of the Metaphorical Uses of Functional Words and Its Implications on Second Language Teaching and Learning

隐喻是人类日常生活中必不可少的语言现象,也是语言学习(尤其是二语习得)中非常重要的一个方面。虽然已有研究表明上下文(co-text)对实词(lexical word)隐喻意义的习得有一定的作用,但关于语境效应对功能词(functional word)隐喻意义理解作用的研究却不多。该文通过理论研究,实验调查等方法就语境效应如何作用于对功能词隐喻意义的理解这一问题进行了调查。结果发现上下文中附加信息的增减,事件发生顺序的改变等因素对情态动词本体域与认识域之间的投射,并列连词对称及不对称用法,"if"的条件/让步用法等隐喻意义的理解产生影响。最后,该文为二语教师、二语学习者及语言测试机构提供了一些实践性的建议。

Metaphor is a common linguistic phenomenon in our daily life. Also, it’s an important aspect in SLA studies. Although there are studies showing the role of co-text in the acquisition of the metaphorical uses of lexical words, there are few relevant studies of how contextual effect works on the comprehension of the metaphorical uses of functional words. In order to answer the question, this paper conducts a survey and finds that a) the change of adjunct information in the surrounding co-texts will cause the change of interpretation of the metaphorical uses of modal verbs from obligation and permission uses to those of possibility and probability; b) different co-texts and the change of sequences of event will cause different interpretations of coordinations---'and', 'but', and 'or'; and c) the change of adjunct information in the co-text will change the interpretation of 'if' within normal conditional or concessive uses. Finally, we provide some pragmatic suggestions for second language (SL) teaching and learning.