“正”和“在”:情态与体貌之分

Zheng(正)and zai(在):The distinction between modality and aspect

本文认为现代汉语副词“正”和“在”的根本区别在于表达情态和体貌之分。“正”表契合情态,强调人或事物恰好契合某种身份、性质、状态等,或强调两个相关的事物、事件或情形在某方面(包括在时间上)恰好契合。“在”则表进行体,表示动作行为活动变化处于持续进行或持续发生的状态。而“正在”既表情态又表体貌,但其句法功能并不只是“正”和“在”的功能交集,而是相对于“正”和“在”既有所收窄,又有所突破。

This paper proposes that the fundamental difference between zheng(正)and zai(在)in Chinese should be that the former is an expression of modality,and the latter of aspect.Zheng expresses the modality of coincidence,and it stresses that the person or thing is just coincidental with a kind of identity,quality,state,etc.,or that two relevant things,events or situations are just coincidental on some points(including time).Zai is a marker of the progressive aspect of the verbs regarding action,change,etc.Zhengzai(正在)expresses both modality and aspect based on the meanings of zheng and zai,but its syntactic functions,compared with those of zheng and zai,are not limited to the intersection of the functions of the two words,but are narrower or broader under different circumstances.