甘青语言区域汉语方言的“宾动式”再探

The Object-verb Structure of Chinese Dialects in Gansu-Qinghai Linguistic Area Revisited

“宾动式”是甘青语言区域汉语方言句法的显性特征,一直是学界关注的研究课题。本文认为,本区域汉语方言的“宾动式”作为一种强势语法格式,是当地汉语方言在藏语、蒙语、撒拉语等语言的影响下,经不同历史时期的语码转换和语言接触而逐渐固化的结果。这是句法现象而非词法现象。“宾动式”的存在,一方面是语言底层的映射,另一方面跟语义、语用的制约密切相关。语义方面具体表现为宾语的有定与无定,语用方面则与否定式判断句、疑问句和祈使句有关。通过对临夏方言口语近二十年的跟踪调查,我们发现,动宾式的说法越来越普遍。在普通话的强势影响下,本区域汉语方言的“宾动式”预计将逐渐式微。

The Gansu-Qinghai linguistic area(hereafter referred to as the “Gan-Qing linguistic area”) is a region connected to the southwest of Gansu province and the southeast of Qinghai province. Due to the unique geographical and linguistic environment, the Chinese dialects in this area also show some characteristics, such as the object-verb structure. As a dominant syntactic feature of Chinese dialects in the Gan-Qing linguistic area, the object-verb structure has always been a research topic of interest. On the basis of previous studies, this paper makes a systematic definition and analysis of the scope and internal situation of the Gan-Qing linguistic area and discusses the possible sources of the object-verb structure in the local Chinese dialects as well. It is believed that the object-verb structure in this area, as a strong grammatical format, has a considerable influence on the syntactic system and is the result of the gradual solidification of the local Chinese dialects through code switching and language contact in different historical periods under the influence of Tibetan, Mongolian and Sarah languages.This paper also analyzes and discusses the characteristics of the object-verb structure of the Chinese dialect and holds that the object-verb structure of Chinese dialects in this area is a syntactic rather than lexical phenomenon. In the context of proverbs, two-part allegorical sayings, riddles and other relatively stable formats, the verb-object structure is still predominant, but the object-verb structure appears in large numbers in oral language, thus we only need to study it at the syntactic level, especially in the oral context. Moreover, the use of the object-verb structure in the Chinese dialects in this area is restricted by semantic and pragmatic factors: the semantic aspect is reflected by the definiteness and indefiniteness of the object, while the pragmatic one is related to the negative assertion, interrogative and imperative sentences.In addition, through the follow-up survey of the spoken Linxia dialect for nearly 20 years, we found that the verb-object structure is more and more pervasive. The object-verb structure is almost not a format that must be complied with, and there is a trend of further transformation toward the verb-object structure. It can be predicted that under the strong influence of Putonghua, the object-verb structure of Chinese dialects in this area will gradually decline.