A Study Of Probabilistic Modal Adverbs In Modern Chinese

This paper discusses the semantic features,syntactic combination and pragmatic functions of modem Chinese probabilistic modal adverbs from semantic,syntactic and pragmatic aspects.On the basis of the former classification,we further subdivide the probabilistic modal adverb subcategory into“Xu Xi(‘许’系)”,“Yue Xi(‘约’系)”,“Kong Xi(‘恐’系)”and“Xiang Xi(‘像’系)”.As members of the department of“Xiang Xi(‘像’系)”,“Xiang(像)”,“Hao Xiang(好像)”,“Fang Fu(仿佛)”and“Si Hu(似乎)”ownership has been controversial,this article focuses on their property characteristics and compares them in terms of syntactic function.First of all,we summarize the characteristics of probabilistic modal adverbs and classify them again.The semantic features,syntactic combination and pragmatic function of probabilistic modal adverbs are investigated as a whole,and it is concluded that the semantic features of probabilistic modal adverbs are [+subjectivity],[+speculation],[+distortion],[+quantification] and[+euphemism].There are positional,predicate,flexible,dynamic and prepositional properties in syntax.Pragmatics has the functions of information reference,communication selection and discourse cohesion.At the same time,on the basis of previous studies on the classification of probabilistic modal adverbs,we re-divide them into four categories: “Xu Xi(‘许’系)”,“Yue Xi(‘约’系)”,“Kong Xi(‘恐’系)” and “Xiang Xi(‘像’系)”.“Xu Xi(‘许’系)”:Xu许,Yexu也许,Huoxu或许,Xingxu兴许“Yue Xi(‘约’系)”:Yue约,Dayue大约,Yuemo约莫(约摸),Dagai大概“Kong Xi(‘恐’系)”:Kong恐,Pa怕,Kongpa恐怕“Xiang Xi(‘像’系)”:Xiang像,Haoxiang好像,Fangfu仿佛,Sihu似乎Secondly,we investigate the property characteristics of“Xiang Xi(‘像’系)”,which are“Xiang(像)”,“Haoxiang(好像)”,“Fangfu(仿佛)”and“Sihu(似乎)”.(一)The semantic,syntactic and pragmatic features of the probabilistic modal adverb“Xiang(像)”are mainly investigated.In the aspect of semantics,through summarizing the meanings of probabilistic modal adverb“Xiang(像)”in five books such as《Modern Chinese Function Word Dictionary》(Hou Xuechao)and《Modern Chinese Function Word Dictionary》(Wang Ziqiang),we summarize that the semantic features are[+subjectivity],[+speculation],[+distortion],[+quantification]and[+euphemism].In the aspect of syntactics,we focus on the syntactic position of probabilistic modal adverb“Xiang(像)”,the use of the verbs and adverbs,the co-occurrence rules with the analogous particle.Then we conclude that probabilistic modal adverb“Xiang(像)”can appear in the middle and the beginning of a sentence,which is mainly in the middle of a sentence.It can be used with relational verbs,psychological verbs and modal verbs.Both relational verbs and modal verbs are postpositioned,and only a few psychological verbs are prepositioned.It can be used with modal adverbs and non-modal adverbs such as correlative adverbs,negative adverbs,time adverbs,frequency adverbs,repetition adverbs,degree adverbs and range adverbs.And non-modal adverbs and modal adverbs are mainly in front of probabilistic modal adverb“Xiang(像)”.It can co-appear with the auxiliary words“Yiban(一般)”,“Side(似的)”and“Yiyang(一样)”to form a comparative structure,in which“Yiban(一般)”,“Side(似的)”and“Yiyang(一样)”are mainly distributed in small sentences,the end of small sentences and the end of whole sentences.In the aspect of pragmatics,by exploring stylistic usage and distribution of sentence types,we find that probabilistic modal adverb“Xiang(像)”can be used in both spoken and written language,but mainly in written language.Mainly distributed in statements and questions.(二)This paper discusses the semantic,syntactic and pragmatic features of probabilistic modal adverbs“Haoxiang(好像)”,“Fangfu(仿佛)”and“Sihu(似乎)”.In semantic ways,the semantic features of probabilistic modal adverbs“Haoxiang(好像)”,“Fangfu(仿佛)”and“Sihu(似乎)”are summed up by the definitions of probabilistic modal adverbs“Haoxiang(好像)”,“Fangfu(仿佛)”and“Sihu(似乎)”in ten dictionaries such as《800 Words of Modern Chinese》(updated edition)(edited by Lv Shuxiang)and《Chinese Function Words Dictionary》(edited by Li Kedi),which are[+subjectivity],[+speculation],[+distortion],[+quantification]and[+euphemism].In syntactic ways,it mainly explores the syntactic position of“Haoxiang(好像)”,“Fangfu(仿佛)”and“Sihu(似乎)”,the ues of verbs and adverbs,the co-occurrence rules of analogous particle.Then we draw a conclusion that the probabilistic modal adverbs“Haoxiang(好像)”,“Fangfu(仿佛)”and“Sihu(似乎)”mainly appear in the middle of sentences,and are slightly less at the beginning of sentences.It can be combined with relational verbs,psychotropic verbs and modal verbs.And relational verbs,modal verbs and most of the psychotropic verbs are postpositioned.It can be used with modal adverbs and non-modal adverbs such as correlative adverbs,negative adverbs,time adverbs,frequency adverbs,repetition adverbs,degree adverbs and range adverbs.It can co-appear with the auxiliary words“Yiban(一般)”,“Side(似的)”and“Yiyang(一样)”to form a comparative structure,and the auxiliary words are mainly distributed in small sentences,the end of small sentences and the end of the whole sentence.In terms of pragmatics,we mainly discuss the stylistic usage and the distribution of sentence types of the probabilistic modal adverbs“Haoxiang(好像)”,“Fangfu(仿佛)”and“Sihu(似乎)”,and find that the three are often used in written language,but less in spoken language.At the same time,mainly distributed in statements and questions.In addition,by examining the property characteristics of the probabilistic modal adverbs“Xiang(像)”,“Haoxiang(好像)”,“Fangfu(仿佛)”and“Sihu(似乎)”,we find that their semantic features and pragmatic features are very similar,and the difference is mainly reflected in the syntactic aspect.Therefore,we conduct a comparative study of the two groups of“Xiang(像)”,“Haoxiang(好像)”and“Haoxiang(好像)”,“Fangfu(仿佛)”,“Sihu(似乎)”from the syntax point of view.It focuses on comparing the differences between“Xiang(像)”and“Haoxiang(好像)”in conjunction with verbs,adverbs,and co-occurrence with analogous particles;the emphasis is on the analysis of“Haoxiang(好像)”,“Fangfu(仿佛)”and“Sihu(似乎)”in the use of relative verbs,psychotropic verbs,modal verbs,correlative adverbs,negative adverbs,time adverbs,frequency adverbs,repetition adverbs,degree adverbs,range adverbs,modal adverbs and the co-occurrence of the auxiliary words“Yiban(一般)”,“Side(似的)”and“Yiyang(一样)”.Finally,this paper mainly reviews the contents of this paper,especially the syntactic comparison of two groups of probabilistic modal adverbs:“Xiang(像)”,“Haoxiang(好像)”and“Haoxiang(好像)”,“Fangfu(仿佛)”,“Sihu(似乎)”.At the same time,reflect on the inadequacies of this paper.