基于对等性的极量触发结构研究

An Equivalence-Based Study on the Trigger of the Maximal Degree Construction

本文以当代汉语新兴程度极量构式"不能更X"为例,基于语法复制中的对等性因素论证其与英语"couldn’t be+X的比较级"之间的复制关系,并探讨该构式极量语义触发的条件及其类型学意义。从对等性来看,两个构式的结构和语义对等,存在语法复制关系的可能性。构式之外,can/could和"能"语义不对等。表示认知可能性是can/could的常规义项,因此"couldn’t be+X的比较级"可以表示不可能存在更高量,进而触发极量义;汉语"能"尚未发展出认知可能性这一义项,难以触发构式的极量义,其极量义复制于英语。可见,can/could和"能"是否表示认知可能性,是构式极量语义能否被触发的关键。跨语言调查结果进一步论证了构式极量语义触发条件的类型学意义。

Taking the emerging maximal degree construction"buneng geng X"in contemporary Chinese as an example, this paper aims to explore the maximal degree trigger of the construction and its typological significance on the basis of grammar replication between the construction in Chinese and"couldn’t be + comparative form"in English. Given their structural and semantic equivalence, there is the possibility of grammatical replication between them. Yet"can/could"and neng are not totally equal in meaning. In English, can/could has a sense of epistemic possibility, and"couldn’t be + comparative form"can express the meaning that a higher degree cannot possibly exist, thereby triggering the subjective meaning of maximal degree. In contrast, neng in modern Chinese cannot express epistemic possibility. Therefore, the maximal degree sense of"buneng geng X"is not triggered by neng, but replicates its English equivalent instead. It is further confirmed that epistemic possibility is the key trigger of the maximal degree construction.