从英语名词看语言的有界与无界

The Analysis of Boundedness and Unboundedness from English Nouns

认知语言学主张通过语言分析来研究人类思维过程及认知策略。在认知语言学家看来,语言是认知的表征,英语语法研究中存在着两个基本概念:有界与无界,有界与无界这对概念是在认知领域内进行的。普通名词分为有界名词和无界名词两类,英语中的数范畴是区别有界名词与无界名词的一种语法手段。有界名词有单数和复数,无界名词为不可数名词,限定词在约制名词的数量和范围时就会产生不同的情况,掌握有界与无界概念,会增强对语言的理解能力。

Cognitive linguistics advocates that the human’s thought process and cognitive strategies should be studied by language analysis.Cognitive linguists consider language as the characterization of cognition.There are two basic concepts in English grammar:boundedness and unboundedness.They are also carried out in a certain cognitive domain.Common nouns are classified into bounded nouns and unbounded nouns,and number category is a means to distinguish them.Bounded nouns include singular countable and plural countable,while unbounded nouns are all uncountable,so different situations appear when determiners are used with nouns to limit the number and range.Making clear about boundedness and unboundedness will improve the understanding toward English language.