A Study Of Selective Conditions Of Adjective-noun Collocations

In language study and research, adjective-noun collocation plays an important part. Essentially, adjective-noun collocation is an embodiment of selective conditions, however, selective conditions between adjectives and nouns are quite complicated, which are determined and confined by many factors. In the course of studying adjective-noun collocation, most of us have undergone some perplexing moments, due to a lack of systematic research and comprehension of selective conditions underlying adjectives and nouns in the course of our study and acquisition of adjective-noun collocation. Hence, it results in difficulties, errors and deviations in selective judgment. Meanwhile, adjective-noun collocation really confuses a number of learners taking English as a foreign language. Learners are apt to commit errors in collocation, owing to the fact that the collocation of lexical items is too flexible. Out of the flexibility of collocation, learners find it quite difficult for them to make a right decision. Therefore, the research on selective conditions of adjective-noun collocation attracts my interest and attention.Within the main theoretical framework of semantic feature and cognitive semantics, combined with theory of context, this thesis is intended to carry out a systematic study and analysis of adjective-noun collocation to explore the selective conditions underlying adjective-noun collocation. On the basis of collecting a number of concrete language materials, this thesis adopts descriptive, explanatory, analytic and inductive methods to probe into the selective conditions underlying adjective-noun collocation in English and Chinese from the angles of semantic features of adjectives and nouns, context, culture, conceptual structure, etymology, and the like.Through detailed research on concrete language materials, this thesis draws a conclusion that when an adjective chooses a noun as its collocate...