The Discovery And Application Of The Theory Of Combination Between Adverbs Of Degree And Valence About Verbs In Modern Chinese

The grammar of valence was put forward by French linguist Lucien Tesniere in 1950s. Its ideology was introduced in the field of Chinese grammar in late 1970s and has greatly succeeded up to now: there are sufficient studies on valence about verbs, and studies on valence about adjectives, nouns, and prepositions have been referred. However, the problem of valence about adverbs in Modern Chinese hasn't been mentioned yet. Therefore, the author attempts to explore the theory of valence about adverbs of degree and verbs. The adverb of degree is one of categories used commonly. It's generally believed that, the adverbs of degree often modify adjective of quality. In addition, they may also modify part of verbs on psychology and a few nouns. However, how is the arrangement between the adverbs of degree and verbs on psychology on earth? Up to now, no one draws a conclusion.The scientific inductive method is adopted in the careful study of combination between adverbs of degree and verbs. First, according to the achieved research results, the author sorted out the first-class verbs in The Vocabulary Outline of Chinese Level and Chinese Characters Band (revised edition) and on the basis of the situation of valence, the author also divided all the adverbs in Modern Chinese into two parts: relative adverbs and absolute adverbs. Moreover, based on the differences between their comparative relation and measure degree, the two kinds of adverbs are also divided into four degrees. Finally, the author combined the adverbs of degree with verbs one by one; then the author discovered there was regularity in combination between adverbs of degree and valence about verbs. According to this, the author concluded four general rules, they are: rule one, the adverbs of degree in Modern Chinese do not match with single valence verbs; rule two, the adverbs of degree in Modern Chinese match optionally with double valence verbs; rule three, the adverbs of degree in Modern Chinese do not match with three valence verbs; rule four, the match of adverbs of degree and verbs about action in Modern Chinese is prohibited generally. In order to clarify these four general rules, the author also concluded seventeen sub-rules and ten more rules under these sub-rules. These rules are detailed explanation of the content of general rules. These rules specifically stated the regularity of combination between adverbs of degree and valence about verbs in Modern Chinese. In short, according to classification of valence about verbs known, the author discovered the regularity of the combination between adverbs of degree and valence about verbs, that is, the verbs can be modified by adverbs of degree are mostly of double valence; the verbs of single and three valence can not be modified by adverbs of degree.Then, through exploration of semantic stratification, the author found the basic cause why the combination regularity can be tenable. That is, only verbs which contain the meaning of shape and properties, the quality of motionless can be modified by the adverbs of degree. Among these verbs, some are because the word-formation contains adjective morphemes which possess the meaning of shape and properties, while some are because they possess the meaning of shape and properties themselves. And these verbs are mainly double valence verbs that possess the meaning of quality and sense estimation. Therefore, the author proved the semantic basis of regularity of valence about adverbs of degree. Grounding in the classification of valence about verbs and based on semantic theory, the author explained the regularity of choice existing in adverbs of degree and the verbs modified.In order to prove the rules mentioned above, and apply to the Chinese teaching as a second language, the author also attempted to combine the verbs of second and third class with adverbs of degree and the result the author got accorded with the four general rules and those sub-rules. This proved that the combination valence rules about adverbs of degree in Modern Chinese discovered by the author was right, and also proved that the rules concluded by the author can directly help students to master the application of combination between adverbs of degree and verbs.The function words play a very important role in Chinese teaching as a second language, especially the adverbs. The teaching of adverbs is both importance and difficulty not only because of its quantity but also because of degree of complication. The regularity of combination between adverbs of degree and valence about verbs has been put forward. It means the beginning of theoretical and applicative research about regularity of valence about adverbs in Modern Chinese. This has profound significance in both Modern Chinese grammar and Chinese teaching fields.The appendix analyzes the valence about first class verbs referred in The Vocabulary Outline of Chinese Level and Chinese Characters Band (revised edition). These are the basis materials which are used in proving and raising the theory of combination between adverbs of degree and valence about verbs in Modern Chinese.