侧显化视角下英语名词源于动性词根的成因分析

A cognitive profiling perspective on the verbal nature of many English nouns from PIE roots

探索语言的特质需从其基因寻觅究竟,因语言基因造就语言的特质和差别。原始印欧语是英语的祖先语言,其基因流淌于英语的血液中。本文聚焦于英语名词,考察其原始印欧语词源,首先对调查样本《通用英语词表》中的英语名词进行词源统计,发现大多数英语名词源自原始印欧语动性词根,然后借助认知语法所讨论的侧显化认知机制,检视英语名词与对应的原始印欧语动性词根之间的语义关系及其认知基础,进而挖掘英语"名源于动"所体现的英语民族的概念化和思维方式,旨在从英语名词的词源这一角度论证英语的时间性特质。本文主要发现有二:1)侧显化认知机制是英语名词与其对应的原始印欧语动性词根之间语义关系的认知基础;2)英语把动性词根作为语言构词的根基反映了英语民族对世界的经验和观察倚重于行为动作,注重行为动作便是注重时间性。本文从英语名词的词源这一角度进一步佐证了英语的时间性特质。

The probe into the trait of a language calls for the investigation of its genes since these genes can lead to the formation of the peculiarities of a language.The Proto-Indo-European(PIE)is the ancestral language of English,and its genes flow in the latter’s blood.The present paper concentrates on English nouns and examines their PIE origin.Taking statistical evidence for the PIE origin of English nouns from the sample of A General Service List of English Words,we find that most English nouns are derived from PIE verbal roots.From the perspective of the cognitive mechanism of profiling observed in Cognitive Grammar,the paper digs into the semantic relationship between these English nouns and their PIE verbal roots and the cognitive basis of this relationship.It also looks into the conceptual and thinking patterns to justify the temporal nature of English nouns.Our two findings are:1)The cognitive mechanism of profiling is the cognitive basis of the semantic relationship between English nouns and their PIE verbal roots.2)This lexical link reveals that the English nation tends to focus heavily on the action in their experience and observation of the world.Emphasis on the action means the stress on temporality.