Narrative Functions Of English Syntactic Constructions And Their Cognitive Motivations

This dissertation makes a relatively explorative and comprehensive study on the narrative functions of English syntactic constructions through analysis of three branches from a cognitive perspective, namely, Verb (+Complement) (+Adjunction) construction, Preposition+Complement construction and Adverbial( +Adverbial) construction.The aim of this dissertation is to throw a light on our comprehension and command of the nature of English syntactic constructions. The shining points of this dissertation go as follows. The author locates "narration" on the entire expression level, puts forward the concept that English syntactic constructions have strong narrative functions; and sets forth the view that the narrative functions of English syntactic constructions are closely interdependent with the way we construe the world. On the basis of Figure-Ground Segregation, the author proves that syntactic constructions emphasize something and omit or neglect something else; and this kind of choice decided by cognitive embodies the narrative functions. It is the requisite proposed by social culture, habits and custom, personal likeness and dislike, etc. By the analysis of Frame theory, the author points out that narration is the description from the angle of certain component of a frame, and various components lead to the variant kinds of expressions. What need to be noticed is we can trace back the narrator's motivation of choosing certain angle by judging from certain expression. The author also combines the Even-frame and Windowing of attention with narrative function to investigate the importance of adverbial construction. This dissertation is original to explore the narrative functions of English syntactic constructions, and this brand-new perspective is cognitively plausible in that it finds its motivation through the figure-ground segregation, the frame and attention theory respectively.The dissertation consists of six chapters. The fist chapter explains the purpose and construction of this thesis and gives a brief introduction to the research methods. The second chapter briefly introduces the cognitive motivation of the thesis, and demonstrates the necessity and superiority of the cognitive approach. Chapter Three, Chapter Four and Chapter Five are the most significant and original parts. Chapter Three focuses on the verbal construction, which set out from the angles of prominence, motion, manner and cause. The motivation of this part is embodied in the Frame Theory. Chapter Four analyses the prepositional relations and metaphorical extensions of prepositional construction on the basis of figure-ground segregation. In Chapter Five, the author explores the narrative function of adverbial construction according to the theories of Event-frame and Windowing of attention. Chapter Six is the conclusion of the whole dissertation, where the significance of the cognitive approach to the narrative function study and its correspondent effects on language learning and teaching are expounded.