A Study On The Synergy Of Constructions From The Perspective Of Syntactic Function

A STUDY ON THE SYNERGY OF CONSTRUCTIONS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF SYNTACTIC FUNCTIONZhang JingyuConstruction grammar represents a general theory of syntactic representation for cognitive linguistics. The past three decades have witnessed the rapid development of this theory from a tentative exploration on idioms to a school embracing different branches. Goldberg, among others, is the leading figure of great influence in the field. This thesis, chiefly under the guidance of the thoughts expounded in her book Construction: A Construction Grammar Approach to Argument Structure, aims to further the theoretical exploration on constructions from the perspective of syntactic function.Based on the bottom-up and top-down methodology, this thesis begins with a critical review of Cognitive Construction Grammar by Goldberg. It shows that the argument structure-centred approach fails to cover the field of the non-argument structures and the syntactic level of the pairs of form and function, which leaves me a space. Thus, a theoretical framework is proposed. It includes the definition of syntactic function, the criteria for identifying syntactic function and the mechanism of the syntactic synergy. Then, the applicability of the theoretical framework is tested by three kinds of constructions in the English and Chinese languages which include the (V+NPi)+NP2 construction, the N1+N2 construction and the "GO" serial verb construction.The contributions of the thesis can be chiefly concluded into three aspects. Firstly, the form-centered approach, the syntactic function-centered approach to be exact, offers a new perspective to the study of constructions. The marriage of the form-centered approach and the semantic-centered approach makes the study of construction a two-dimensional whole. Secondly, the elaboration on inheritance reveals three features, that is, the partial inheritance, the hierarchy of inheritance links and diversity of inheritance. Thirdly, the Override Principle on Syntactic Function, with reference to Michaelis'study, is proposed to contribute to the fusion of lexical items and constructions.Recognizing the significance of constructions at the syntactic aspect, we can have a new way to discuss the relation among constructions and also the existence of certain constructions.