“是”字存在句与“是”字判断句的差异及其概念化原因

The Differences Between“Shi(是)”Existential Sentences and“Shi(是)”Judgmental Sentences and Their Causes of Conceptualization

现代汉语的“A是C”结构可以分为“存在句”与“判断句”两种句式,它们在结构形式与语义功能上都有较大差异,前者结构上为“NP_(处所)+(是)+*(数量词)+NP_(主体)”,语义上表示“某处存在某实体”(实质上是一种空间包含关系——有无存在物),语用上构成“背景+主体”聚焦式表达;后者为“NP_(事物)+*(是)+(数量词)+NP_(范畴)”,表示“某物具有某属性”(实质上是一种匹配关系——是否同属性),构成“实体+属性”扫描式表达。这种差异源于对不同认知活动的概念化,前者反映的是对“有无”的认知,其意象图式为容器式;后者则是对“是非”的认知,其意象图式为链接式;此外,还与其中名词的“有界”“无界”有关。

The sentence structure of“A is C”in modern Chinese can be divided into two types:“existential sentence”and“judgmental sentence”,which differ greatly in structure form and semantic function.The former is structurally“NP_(place+is)+*(Quantity words)+NP_(subject)”,semantically denotating“There is an entity somewhere”(essentially a spatially contained relationship——Whether there is anything present),pragmatically forming the focused expression of“background+subject”;The latter is structurally“NP_(sth.)+*(is)+(Quantity Words)+NP_(category)”,denotating“Something has some attributes”(essentially a matched relationship——whether it is the same property),forming“entity+attribute”the scanned expression.This difference stems from the conceptualization of different cognitive activities.The former reflects the perception of“to have or not to have”,and its image schema is a container;the latter reflects the perception of“to be or not to be”,and its image schema is a claim.In addition,it is also related to the term“bounded”and“unbounded”of the nouns.