名词转动词的语义基础--从动词视角到名词视角

Semantic motivations of noun-to-verb conversion:From verb-perspective to noun-perspective

名词转动词研究经历了从动词视角到名词视角的拓展,前者关注名词在动词的论元结构中担当什么论元角色,而后者关注动词在名词的物性结构中担当什么物性角色。本文探讨了引入名词视角的意义和两种视角之间的关系。名词视角可以揭示什么样的名词易于转用为动词,也可以揭示名词与动词之间的语义映射关系,尤其是事物功用与事件目的之间的互通性;这一视角具有跨语言的普适性,不仅适用于名转动,在含动词化词缀的名源动词中也有表现;还有利于解释名源动词的意义泛化、多义性、不同语言间的共性与差异以及动转名等问题。两种视角互为补充,名转动是物性结构与论元结构互动的结果:动词化是物性结构驱动的,但哪个物性角色被激活以及如何实现为动词义受制于论元结构。

Studies on denominal verbs have undergone a transition of perspective from verbal semantic structure to nominal semantic structure.The previous studies focuse on the argument structure of denominal verbs,while the latter argues for the qualia structure of parent noun as the semantic basis of verbalization.This paper demonstrates that the new perspective sheds a great deal of light on the issue with respect to verbalization and has many advantages.First of all,a noun-oriented study will show what kinds of nouns tend to be verbalized,hence simplifying the classification of denominal verbs.Secondly,it reveals the mapping relation between qualia roles and the meaning of denominal verbs,which makes the interpretation of these verbs more natural.Thirdly,the noun-perspective is also applicable to affixed denominal verbs,and to analogous cross-linguistic data as well.Furthermore,this study suggests that these two perspectives are not conflicting but complementary,since verbalization is the consequence of interactions between qualia structure and argument structure.More specifically,though verbalization is driven by qualia structure,it is the argument structure that determines which quale is activated and how it is incorporated into the meaning of the denominal verbs.