On Cognitive Semantics And C-E Translation Of Verb-Directional Construction “V Kai” From The Perspective Of Macro-Event

As one of the complex structures in Chinese,verb-directional construction has always been a hot topic in language research.Previous researches have made detailed discussions on “V Shang”,“V Xia” and “V Lai” in the verb-directional construction from the perspective of construction grammar,semantics,pragmatics and so forth,which have achieved fruitful results.However,scholars’ attention paid to the different types of verb-directional construction is relatively unbalanced.“V Kai” is one of the eleven typical verb-directional constructions,but the related researches primarily centers on its semantic extension and image-schema,and its relevant studies lack comprehensiveness and systematicity.Based on the tenets of macro-event theory in cognitive semantics,this study is committed to investigating the semantic features and C-E translation of the verb-directional construction “V Kai”,with an integrated methodology of qualitative and quantitative research.Firstly,according to the difference of conceptual domains involved in the core-schema of verb-directional construction “V Kai”,the semantic types are figured out.Afterward,the semantic features of macro-event represented by the verb-directional construction “V Kai” are analyzed in detail based on the Shaoxing University’s Pool of Bilingual Parallel Corpora of Chinese Classics.Finally,in accordance with the diversity of semantic features of the verb-directional construction “V Kai”,the corresponding translation strategies are put forward.The research findings are as follows:(1)according to the different concept domains involved in the core-schema of “V Kai”,five types of semantic meanings are observed in polysemy verb-directional construction “V Kai”,namely the directional meaning,state meaning,realization meaning,temporal meaning and correlating meaning.Five types of semantic meaning correspond respectively to motion event,state change events,realization events,temporal contouring events and action correlating events in macro-event.(2)Semantic features are presented distinctively in the five types of the verb-directional construction “V Kai”.(1)Figural entity: the selection of figural entity is unique,and in five semantic types of the verb-directional construction “V Kai”,the figural entity can appear or be hidden in the sentences.In directional meaning and correlating meaning the figural entity is objective and physically movable,but the figural entity in the other three types of meanings can be abstract.(2)Activating process and co-event: in the verb-directional construction “V Kai”,both the activating process and co-event can be integrated into the verb and different semantic types have different requirements of verbs.(3)Association function: in five types of semantic meaning of the verb-directional construction,the association function is represented by satellite “Kai”.In directional meaning and correlating meaning,the association function refers to the path,which is objective and concrete,while in state meaning,realization meaning and temporal meaning,it represents the abstract psychological or temporal concept.(4)Ground entity: in the polysemous verb-directional construction“V Kai”,the ground entity has the same features as the figural entity,which can appear or be hidden in sentences.Besides,in the directional meaning and the correlating meaning,the ground entities are objective and specific objects,while in the state meaning and realization meaning,it refers to the features of change and the process of acting respectively,which is an abstract concept in psychological cognition.In temporal meaning,the ground entity is the framework of time,which is abstract.(3)According to the semantic features of the verb-directional construction “V Kai”,three translation strategies are put forward,namely,integration representation,independent representation and recombination representation.To sum up,by investigating the semantic features of the verb-directional construction “V Kai”,this thesis expands the semantic research of this structure.Meanwhile,it also systematically analyzes the cognitive semantic translation strategies of the verb-directional construction “V Kai”,shedding some light on the Chinese-English translation of this verb-directional construction.Furthermore,it provides some theoretical guidance for foreign Chinese teaching and helps foreign students to comprehend complex Chinese structures,promoting the foreign exchange of Chinese.