Study Of Cognitive Models Of "Quantity" In Chinese Adjectives

This dissertation chiefly employs fundamental concepts and theories of Semantics and Cognitive Linguistics. On the basis of these two linguistic paradigms, it also uses the research method of descriptive semantic functions to discuss the cognitive structures of "quantity" -related adjectives in Mandarin Chinese. 1465 adjectives were examined on their static and dynamic syntactic functional properties and as a result, we were able to build relatively exhaustive cognitive semantic models and semantic structures of Mandarin Chinese adjectives. We then inquired into certain topics relative to "quantity"- related adjectives and deepened our understanding of syntactical functions of Chinese adjectives.This dissertation consists of seven chapters with 150, 000 Chinese characters.Chapter One introduces the object and significance of this present study and expounds the range of the research, background theories, research method and source of linguistic corpus employed.Chapter Two reviews previous studies on Chinese adjectives. This chapter consists of two parts. First part reviews the previous achievements in research of static properties of adjectives; second part reviews the previous achievements in research of dynamic properties of adjectives. The former covers five topics of relevant area which include the study of range of adjectives, subordinate categories of adjectives, study of "quantity"- related adjectives, study of adjectival negations and study of antonyms in adjectives. The latter covers four topics which include the review of various existing perspectives on dynamicity of adjectives, problems on categorizing part of speech of dynamic adjectives, investigation of measuring characteristics of dynamicity in adjectives and the syntactical functions of dynamicity of adjectives.Chapter Three mainly discusses the static cognitive models and subordinate categories of Mandarin Chinese adjectives. Based on different cognitive semantic traits and syntactic functions, we were able to obtain a few different static dimensions and establish cognitive schemata of static adjectives. According to these dimensions, weanalyzed definitions of 1465 adjectives and made induction to subordinat e categories of Mandarin Chinese adjectives. According to these criteria, the Mandarin Chinese adjectives were then divided into five subordinate categories such as jia, yi,bing, ding,wu.Chapter Four is the thorough study of cognitive models of dynamic adjectives in Mandarin Chinese. On the basis of cognitive models of static adjectives established in chapter three, it discusses the cognitive models of dynamic adjectives. After the investigation of semantic definitions of 1465 adjectives, we then build a relatively comprehensive and systematic grammatical hierarchy of Mandarin Chinese adjectives which combines both static and dynamic properties. The potential and marked sense of "change in property" in dynamicity of adjectives is activated under the specific linguistic environment. The nine markedness of dynamicity includes "le1, le2, zhe, guo, qilai, xialai, xiaqu" along with expressions which denote"temporal quantity" and "quantity of motion" following adjectives. The nine markedness of dynamicity can indicate eight cognitive senses: beginning of change; increase in degree; achievement of standard; maintenance after achievement of standard; homogeneous continuance; finish; duration of homogeneous continuance; event gestalt, etc. These are also the senses of eight cognitive windows which are brought in through markedness of dynamicity. However, six dimensions of static property of adjectives do not necessarily involve these eight kinds of dynamic cognitive senses. We obtained 38 cognitive dimensions of dynamicity from six types of static dimensions. Based on different sta tic cognitive dimensions of every subordinate group of adjectives, we then made inferences of various dynamic dimensions of collocations a nd induced syntactic structures of every dynamic semantic dimension. The specific quantity of dynamic dimensions of five subordinate adjectival groups involved are: jia type derived 22 dynamic dimensions from four kinds of static dimensions; yi type derived 21 dynamic dimensions from three kinds of static dimensions; bing type, derived 21 dynamic dimensions from three kinds of static dimensions; ding type derived 21 dynamic dimensions from three kinds of static dimensions (Due to the absence of comparison dimension of ding 2 type, only has 1 3 dynamic dimensions) ; wu type derived five dynamic dimensions from intrinsic property (since wu 2 type has comparison dimension, altogetherhas 13 dynamic dimensions ) . Finally, on the basis of meaning and nine kinds of dynamic markedness with collocation of 1465 adjectives, we categorized different susceptibilities of each subordinate group of adjectives against nine kinds of dynamic markedness.Chapter Five analyzes "bu + X" which expresses property with its main focus on the study of "bu + adjectives". However, certain verbs and patterns when appeared with "不" also express property, therefore, "bu + X" includes certain verbs and syntactic patterns. According to our discovery of divergence in the internal structure of "bu + X" and the difference in cognitive meanings, the "bu + X" pattern was divided into two types: case I of "bu +X" is the negation of degree of "X", case II of 'bu +X" is negation of property of "X" and belongs to the case II which has opposite property to "X". We found 455 "bu +X" patterns from various linguistic corpus, and conducted investigation from three dimensions:1) can be modified by adverbs of degree ; 2) can appear in a comparative sentence; 3) can add compliments of degree, direction, dynamicity and others frequently used in affirmative sentence structures. Through the analysis and examination of corpus, it became certain that "bu +X"has two types of syntactic senses and different syntactic representations. This also helps us take a first step towards affirming the on-going process of lexicalization of case II of "bu +X".Chapter Six tests and verifies the syntactic meaning of adjective with "guo". It can be divided into three main parts: One, when dynamic auxiliary "guo", appears in sentences, it can have derivative meanings. In other words, in the process of change of an event, two cognitive windows are opened: Cognitive window I, at the starting point "ti," the relative event is already over; Cognitive window II, at the starting point "ti," the relative event is not only over but is already recovered to the previous state "S1" prior to the event.Two, due to the intrinsic attributes of measure in adjectives, after the dynamic auxiliary "guo" enters the "adjective + guo +Nn" pattern, the representation of "quo" becomes even more complicated. In general, "guo" found in these patterns is"guo II", in other words S1=S2, but in this case, "guo does not negate the adjective itself but negates the difference in quantity indicated by "Nn". Relative to the recovering of these differences in quantity, it can fully recover to the original state S1or even more, it can also be partial recovery.Three, it is understood in general that unidirectional adjectives and conclusive adjectives do not collocate with the dynamic auxiliary "guo" but according to our survey, under the certain pragmatic conditions, these adjectives can also take "guo". In such cases, classified as "guo I". We took"guo I"and divided further into "guo II", which cannot re-"p" and"guo I2", which can re-"p". Considering the three types of semantic attributes such as [±follow-up event], [±plurality]/[low/equal/high numbers], [±existence of after p], through special referential mechanis m, we were able to ascertain the syntactic meaning of unidirectional a djectives and conclusive adjectives in collocation with "guo".Chapter Seven is the conclusion. It sums up and organizes thecontent and the main arguments of this dissertation. It also states theexisting insufficiency of present study and problems worth thoroughinvestigation and study in the future.