普遍语法与象似性的界面:理论概述

The Theory of a New Interface between Universal Grammar and Iconicity

普遍语法是形式理论的代表,象似性则是功能理论的一个核心元素。本文介绍一个新的界面理论,旨在论证这两者之间存在相互作用,并为之建立了一个具有可操作性的具体理论模型。在语言学界,该界面理论也成为融合形式和功能学派的首次系统性尝试。界面的机制包含两条普遍原则,分别确定象似性在何时以及用什么方式参与普遍语法的造句过程。按照理论的基本架构,普遍语法中至少存在两个功能性空缺,而象似性的作用是通过百分之百可预测的方式填补这些空缺来辅助普遍语法完成造句任务。文章通过连动式、并列式、语义和外论元等语法现象展示这个界面理论的解释力。

This article introduces the theory of a new interface between Universal Grammar(UG)and iconicity,the former being the representative of the formal theory of language,and the latter a key element of the functional theory.The first of its kind,the interface theory attempts to integrate the formal and functional approaches into a single model concrete enough for empirical assessments.It is composed of two general principles which regulate when and how iconicity interacts with UG.Two functional voids are identified in UG,with iconicity called in to help out in fully predictable manners whenever such a void is encountered in the process of sentence-generation by UG.Grammatical phenomena such as the serial verb construction,coordination,and the various properties of the external argument,etc.are analyzed and explained via this UG-iconicity interface.