从“扶手椅”到“实验室”:级差含义研究的实证转向与困境

From the"Armchair"to the"Lab":The Experimental Turn of Scalar Implicature Studies and Its Dilemma

级差含义((1))兼具规约意义和会话含义特征,被视作回答语义语用界面之争的“试金石”。其意义本质和加工属性引发长久的理论争鸣,进而促进该领域的实证转向,使级差含义研究从“扶手椅”走向“实验室”。本文梳理“扶手椅”上的理论争辩,总结“实验室”里的实证进展,发现:级差含义实证研究虽在实验语用学等语用学交叉领域取得较多成果,但仍面临着实证对理论的验证程度和角度有限、实证结果不一致等困境。最后,文章从语义语用界面问题的理论本质、实证结果分歧的解决路径,以及理论与实证的互动3个方面针对如何引导实证研究规避新的“僵局”展开思考。

Scalar implicature possesses properties of both conventional meaning and conversational implicature and therefore serves as a testing case of semantics-pragmatics interface controversies.A longtime debate on its meaning essence and processing properties leads scalar implicature studies to an"experimental turn"which moves from the"armchair"introspection to experiment evidence.The present paper reviews both the theories from the"armchair"and developments in the"lab".We have found that empirical research on scalar implicature is facing with practical dilemma with regard to limited power and perspective of testing hypotheses,and inconsistant findings,though great empirical achievements have been recognized in various interdisciplinary field such as experimental pragmatics.In the end,the reflections are provided from the perspective of the theoretical essence of semantics-pragmatics interface,the ways of dealing with inconsistant findings,and the interaction between theories and experiments as part of the efforts to lead empirical research to avoid new deadlock.