英汉特殊疑问句差异的优选论分析

An OT Analysis of the Differences between English and Chinese Wh-Questions

优选论作为生成语法的一个分支,起初应用于音系学领域,随后逐步扩展到句法、语用和语法可学性等其他语言问题的研究中。优选论通过对一系列普遍的、可违背的制约条件进行排列,体现语言的普遍性和特殊性。运用优选论分析英汉特殊疑问句的生成过程,结合句法和语用两范畴内的制约条件,指出制约条件层级排列的不同造就了英汉特殊疑问句的不同,为解释两者之间的差异提供了新的立足点。

As a branch of generative grammar,optimality theory(OT)was first applied in the field of phonology,and then it has led to important work in syntax,pragmatics and grammatical learnability.Optimality theory manifests the universality and particularity of language by ranking a series of universal and violable constraints.Based on the theory of optimality,this paper analyzes the derivation process of English and Chinese wh-questions,and points out that the differences between English and Chinese wh-questions lie in the different hierarchy rankings,which gives the traditional syntax a new impulse.