范畴化:语义虚化渐变的认知动因

Categorization:The Cognitive Motivation behind Gradience in Semantic Bleaching

本文从范畴化视角探讨“V死”中“死”语义虚化渐变的认知动因,认为其语义虚化程度与动词V的语义类型有关。在Langacker动词图式理论观照下,本文设置异质性、有界性和瞬时性三个参数,将动词V分为四类,与“死”组构为状态类复合动词、活动类复合动词、达成类复合动词和瞬成类复合动词。语料分析发现“V死”的语义虚化程度由高到低表现为:状态类复合动词>活动类复合动词>达成类复合动词>瞬成类复合动词。“死”的虚化程度与动词V的三个参数赋值呈反比,虚化动因在范畴化:无论是概念结构形成的纵向示例化还是横向组合性,范畴化的延伸关系使“V死”具备不稳定性,易触发语义虚化。

The article explores the cognitive motivation behind gradience in semantic bleaching of“sǐ”within“V + sǐ”compound verbs from the perspective of categorization and argues that its bleaching degree is related to the semantic type of“V”.In the light of Langacker's Verb Schema,three parameters(i.e.heterogeneity,boundedness and punctuality) are set to classify“V”into four types,resulting in four corresponding kinds of “V + sǐ” compound verbs:state,activity,accomplishment and achievement.Data analysis yields the following top-down gradience within the compound verbs:state > activity > accomplishment > achievement.The degree of semantic bleaching of “sǐ” is in reverse proportion to the value of the three parameters in “V”.Drawing on categorization,bleaching is triggered off semantically in that extension in categorization makes“V +sǐ”unstable either in instantiation of the paradigmatic relations or in compositionality of the syntagmatic relations.