语言演变研究的系统功能模式——以古英语使役构式和古汉语动结构式分析为例

The Systemic Functional Framework for Language Change: A Study Focusing on Causative Constructions in Old English and Resultative Constructions in Old Chinese

在语言演变研究中,语法化理论长期占据主导地位,逐渐暴露出诸多问题。本文针对这些问题,依托系统功能语言学提出语言演变研究的全新模式。该模式重视语言演变中形式和意义的互动关系,强调在词汇语法层和语义层同时展开分析。为此,该模式中的词汇语法分析和语义分析分别包含两套机制,共同揭示语言演变进程中的诸多特征。为检验新模式的有效性,本研究以古英语使役构式和古汉语动结构式为分析对象,展示了语言演变研究中两套机制的实际操作。

Grammaticalization has been the predominant theory in the research on language change during the past five decades, although it gives rise to many well-known unsolvable problems.This study attempts to establish a new framework for the analysis of language change on the basis of Systemic Functional Linguistics, aiming to overcome the inherent problems of grammaticalization. The framework focuses on the interaction of form and meaning in language change, providing two sets of analytical mechanisms respectively at the lexico-grammatical level and the semantic level. In order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework,the study analyzes the change of causative constructions in old English and resultative constructions in old Chinese by deploying the two sets of analytical mechanisms in the framework.