从指元状语的语义指向规律透视汉英时空性特质差异

The Idiosyncratic Traits of Chinese Spatiality and English Temporality Revealed by the Semantic Orientation of Argument-oriented Adverbials

汉语指元状语的句法分布具有单一性,但其所指论元却具有多元性,因此其指向方向具有多向性,对其语义解读需打破时间和语言形式的线性特征,通过整体扫描得以实现;整体扫描的视窗较大,静态性较强。而英语指元状语的句法分布具有多元性,其所指论元却具有单一性,因此其指向方向具有一维的单向性,借助顺序扫描便可实现;顺序扫描的视窗小,动态性强。汉英的这些特征差异昭显出汉语具有强空间性特质,英语具有强时间性特质。

Chinese argument-oriented adverbials can be distributed only in one syntactic position, while the types of argument they point to are multiple, which results in the multidirectionality of its semantic orientation. The semantic interpretations of Chinese argument-oriented adverbials require the breaking of the linearity of both time and language expressions, which can only be achieved through summary scanning. In this scanning mode, the window of attention is large and the event is construed in a stative manner. In contrast, English argument-oriented adverbials can be distributed in a rich array of syntactic positions, while the types of argument they point to are much fewer, which makes its semantic orientation unidirectional. These facts suggest English argument-oriented adverbials are the products of sequential scanning, in which the window of attention is small and the event is more dynamically viewed. In conclusion, Chinese is spatiality-prominent and English is temporality-prominent.