How A is NP句式中A的标记性研究

The Markedness Feature of “A” in “How A is NP”

在HowAisNP句式中 ,A为可分级反义词对中的无标记项 ,其词汇意义应是“中性化”了的 ,即不带极的偏向性。语言事实表明 ,具有这种“中性化”能力的词极其有限。本文特别说明 ,过去认为在HowAisNP中A应是“无标记成分”的提法太笼统。本文通过对可分级反义词的标记特征作出精细的描写 ,指出反义词中的无标记项其意义要能“中性化” ,必须满足两个条件 :( 1)必要条件 :其语义特征反映了客观事物的自身属性 ;( 2 )充分条件 :其语义特征能覆盖该对反义词两极所在的整个概念范围。这些限制性条件实质上是事物客观规律在语言运用中的投影 ,即这里的语法规则和语义范畴是现实规则通过思维作为媒介向语言的投影。这也反映了句法学中一个基本原理 :词语的语义范围的大小同其句法活动能力的强弱呈正比例关系。

In the question form of “How A is NP', the role “A' is taken by the unmarked member in a gradable antonym pair, the meaning of which is not committed to either end of a semantic scale. Linguistic data shows that the number of gradable antonyms which can neutralize the contrast when positioned as “A' is very limited. This paper argues that the statement that “A' in “How A is NP' is usually “unmarked members' is too general and vague. On the basis of a review of the markedness features of gradable antonyms, this paper explores the motivation of neutralization of the limited antonyms and forwards two conditions for the fulfillment of the neutralization, one being necessary condition: the semantic feature of the antonym should reflect the natural properties of things concerned; the other being sufficient condition: its semantic feature should be able to cover the full semantic scale of the antonym pair concerned. These limiting conditions are in fact the mappings of rules in reality onto language use, to be specific, grammatical rules and semantic categories are the mappings of the rules in reality onto language through the medium of human thinking, which reflects a basic principle of syntax: the semantic coverage of words remains in direct proportion to their syntactic functions.