The Study On The Chinese Modal Adverb Based On The Prototype Theory

Modal adverbs are adverbial particles which show the speaker's subjective comment and attitude to sentence proposition. This thesis focuses on the definition and the typical kind of modal adverbs in modern Chinese. After discussing the distribution of modal adverbs, we put forward several criterions of identification of modal adverb through prototype principles.The thesis makes a research on the previous achievements and discusses the term and definition of modal adverbs. After a simple comprehensive study of the literature on mood and modality, the author considers that it is better to give a broad definition to mood. On the basis of that, a definition to modal adverbs is brought out.One criterions for judging different sorts of modal adverbs is discussed in this essay, i.e. the modal adverb can whether distribute in only one categorization of sentence patterns or not. If it does, it can be categorized as"特定句类语气副词"；ifnot,it is"非特定句类语气副词".The former ones can fall into three categorizations: declarative modal adverb, exclamatory adverb and interrogative adverb.The thesis also analysis orders when a modal adverb is using with another.On the base of the formal discussion, the thesis discusses the distribution of modal adverbs' in declarative sentences, exclamatory sentences as well as interrogative sentences. The modal adverb which can distribute in only one categorization of sentence patterns is more typical than which can not.Modal adverbs'distributions in different sentence structures are also investigated in this paper. In conclusion, the modal adverb which can distribute in the "MA (,)+NP+VP" structure is more typical than which can not.Based on the formal analysis, the thesis gives seven rules for judging typical modal adverbs, that is:a. Only or often distribute in one kind of sentence patterns, fairly distribute in other kind of sentence patterns;b.Can distribute in the "MA (,)+NP+VP" structure; c. Hardly distribute in phrases; d. Can be followed by "是" (shi);e. Cannot distribute in negative aspect; f. Cannot be followed by "地"(de); g. Cannot be duplicated.