一词多义现象与英语一词多义的演变机制研究——基于原型范畴理论视角

Research on the Polysemy Phenomenon and the Evolution Mechanism of Polysemy in English——Based on the Perspective of Theory of Prototype Category

人类语言中的一词多义现象普遍存在,文章从认知语言学视角出发,应用原型范畴理论对英语中的一词多义现象进行解构,分析一词多义产生的根源、逻辑,并以"soft(软)""paper(纸)""climb(爬)"为例,探究了英语中多义词词义之间的关联与演变,指出英语中的多义词通常与原型有着相似性或部分共同特征。这一认知,对于学习者主动建立词义之间的桥梁、构建英语多义词动态家谱有着重要的现实意义。

Polysemy is prevalent in human language. From the perspective of cognitive linguistics,the theory of Prototype Category was applied in this study to deconstruct the polysemy phenomenon in English,and to analyze the origin and logic of polysemy appearing in English. Taking words of soft, paper, climb as examples, this paper explores the relation and the evolution among meanings of English polysemous words, and points out that English polysemous words have similarity or some same characteristics as the prototype. The above cognition has important practical significance for building up dynamic family tree for English polysemous words.