用扩展意义单位理论分析“Enhance”

Analyzing “Enhance” with the Theory of the Extended Unit of Meaning

近年来,语言研究越来越注重科学化,讲究真实性和可应用性,运用扩展意义单位理论并借助语料库进行语言研究日益成为广受认可的语言研究方式。本研究借助美国当代英语语料库(COCA),以实义动词“Enhance”为节点词来研究扩展意义单位,分析了该词的搭配词和类联接特点及搭配词的语义倾向,以及该词结合语境所体现的语义韵信息。研究发现,动词“Enhance”能与名词、形容词和副词等词性进行不同的类联接。该词的搭配词体现了社会发展和个人素养提升的语义倾向,该语境体现了“Enhance”积极的语义韵。此研究有助于深化对语言单位形式和意义相互作用的理解,从而更好地揭示语言的使用规律和意义建构机制。另外,此研究过程不仅能为英语教师提供词汇教学启示,也能为英语学习者提供词汇学习新思路。In recent years, the study of language has become more and more scientific and applicable. The theory of extended unit of meaning combining with linguistic corpora has become a widely accepted approach to language research. This research employs the Contemporary American English Corpus (COCA) and uses the concrete verb “Enhance” as a keyword to explore the extended unit of meaning. It analyzes the collocates and colligations of the word, as well as the semantic preference of its collocates and the semantic resonances that emerge in different contexts. The study finds that the verb “Enhance” can connect with various parts of speech, including nouns, adjectives, and adverbs, demonstrating different colligations. The collocates associated with this word reflect a semantic preference towards social development and personal improvement, indicating a positive semantic prosody for “Enhance”. This research deepens our understanding of the interplay between the form and meaning of linguistic units, thereby better revealing the patterns of language use and the mechanisms of meaning construction. Additionally, the research process can provide English teachers with insights into vocabulary instruction and offer learners new approaches to vocabulary acquisition.