Studies On Subjective Notion Quantity Of Numeral-quantifier Structure

Abstract:Not only things have distinction in quantity,but also actions and characters have differences in quantity.In modern Chinese,we usually use numerals,quantifiers,and quantitative phrases to explain quantity objectively and accurately,such as'have a handful of',‘a book',‘three days',etc.However,some quantity structure hasn't accurately and objectively expressed the quantity,which is becoming more and more reliable to subjectivity of speakers,and is expressing more or less subjective notion quantity than actual quantity.Such as,‘bantian(??)',‘a full table of dishes',‘a pile of dirt',etc.Based on abundant corpus,this paper discusses subjective notion quantity's expressions of special quantity phrases from the angle of subjectivity.This paper can be divided into five chapters.The introduction had a review of conducted researches of subjective notion quantity to raising existing problems and determining research idea of this paper.Chapter one introduces relative conceptions and theories,including category of quantity,subjectivity and subjective notion quantity.The most important is that make clear the relationship between subjectivity and subjective notion quantity,which provides theory basis for the research of quantitative structure's subjective notion quantity.Chapter two takes‘half a day'as an example,studying the subjective quantities expressed by time-quantity and quantity.‘bantian(??)'has two meanings,one is‘half of daytime',and the other is‘quite a long time'.The former expresses the objective quantity called‘bantian 1',and the latter expresses subjective notion quantity called‘bantian 2'.This chapter reveals features of‘bantian 2'expressing subjective quantities,and analyzes source of subjective notion quantity of‘bantian 2'by making comparison of the two's differences in syntax and semantics.Chapter three studies the subjective quantities' expressions of ‘yi(?)+ quantity' structure.Such as ‘a sweat',‘a rebuff',‘a roomful of people'.This chapter analyzes features of ingredient,source of subjective quantities,semantic base of subjectivization,and subjectivity of ‘yi(?)+ quantity' structure.Chapter four studies the subjective quantities of ‘number + adjective + quantity'.For instance,‘a large sheet of paper',‘a long piece of wire of iron'.This chapter reveals features of this structure expressing subjective quantities by analyzing structure of number,adjective and quantity.The structure of ‘number + adjective + quantity' not only could express subjective quantities,also have expressive function.It improve subjectivity of this structure.From the perspective of subjectivity,this paper studies subjective quantities expressed by quantity structure of three types.They have their own features both in syntactic function and semantic function,but they are becoming more and more reliable to the subjectivity of speakers,which makes them the expressions of subjective quantities.The subjective quantities they express is not only the result of comparison of expected quantity and actual quantity,but also the result of speakers' exaggeration and emphasis of the quantity.Not only expressing speakers' evaluation and thoughts of quantity,but also highlighting the emotion and attitude of speakers.Speakers' subjectivity plays a very important role in the process of quantity phrases' expressing subjective quantities.