| Generally speaking, numerals in modern Chinese cannot modify noun phrases directly unless they become quantifiers when combined with classifiers, which is the great difference between numerals in English and Chinese. Modern Chinese grammar prescribes that a noun can have not more than one quantifier modifier and that the noun should be the head word in a modifier-noun phrase. When modifiers of a noun phrase (NP for short) are composed of a quantifier (shortened as Q) and other attribute(s), there are usually two optional sequences: Q+Attribute(s) +NP; Attribute(s) +Q+NP.This thesis analyzes a different sequence, that is, the structure of一个+Attribute1+一个+(Attribute2)+NP. In the structure, the two"Yi Ge"both modify the NP and are separated by Attribute1; and Attribute2 is not obligatory. Attribute1 refers to all the attributes that occupy that position, no matter how many. So does Attribute2."Yi Ge"can appear in the shortened form of"Ge"under certain conditions (cf. Chapter Four) when the emphasis is not on number. Observation of the forty samples shows that either of the two"Yi Ge"can be in the shortened form"Ge"but not at the same time. It is more common for"Yi"in the first"Yi Ge"to be omitted. Sometimes other quantifiers (made up of"Yi"and other classifiers) like"Yi Zhi","Yi Dao", and"Yi Tiao"can present themselves in the structure by replacing one of the two"Yi Ge". And demonstrative pronouns also have access to such structure as has been mentioned by LüShuxiang (1984). The structure in most samples follows the predicate verbs or prepositions functioning as their objects and only two (demonstratives in the structure) of them play the role of subject.The acquired materials reveal that only several Chinese scholars and linguists have ever studied this linguistic phenomenon, among whom are LüShuxiang (1984), Cui Yingxian (2002), Zhang Bojiang & Li Zhenming (2002), Liu Anchun (2004) and Shen Jiaxuan (2006). But their studies are not systematic, many of which use this structure only to testify their viewpoints. Liu Anchun (2004) proposes that the two"Yi Ge" perform different functions. But this thesis takes the two"Yi Ge"as a whole and names the structure Double"Yi Ge"Construction.Linguistic expressions usually convey intentions of the language users through the form and/or meaning of the expressions with the help of certain devices, of which the most effective is to indicate the most salient constituent with focus markers. Focus refers to the element that is emphasized most in a sentence. Based on the analysis of intentionality, salience and focus, this thesis puts forward a salience-intended model to account for the Double"Yi Ge"Construction. A conclusion is drawn by the author that the Double"Yi Ge"Construction is employed to put emphasis on Attribute1 rather than ungrammatically used, whose constructional meaning is to show salience and emphasis."一个…一个"structure can be regarded as a focus marker to pinpoint the focus Attribute1 and make the focal element salient. In addition, it is of no necessity to classify focus and all the focuses can be generalized under the name of intentional focus since focus and markers of the focus are closely related to intentionality. At the end of Chapter Five, the ungrammatical usage of"like"will be exploited to test whether the salience-intended model still works in English spoken language. As a pragmatic marker,"like"introduces and indicates the newest information, which can be given a reasonable explanation within the salience-intended model.This thesis falls into the following six chapters:Chapter One is an introduction to the motivation and scope of the research, followed by the research questions and arrangement of the thesis.Chapter Two provides a literature review, which introduces previous studies on this linguistic phenomenon and points out the problems they haven't solved or this thesis aims to answer.In Chapter Three the author integrates intentionality, salience and focus into a salience-intended model, laying the theoretical groundwork for the discussion and analysis of Double"Yi Ge"Construction in the subsequent chapters.Chapter Four elaborates a detailed classification of the samples for Double"Yi Ge" Construction on the basis of prototype theory and family resemblance theory. The forty samples collected can be divided into three groups: prototypical, less prototypical and peripheral group.Chapter Five is the main part of this thesis, in which the salience-intended model is applied to interpreting the Double"Yi Ge"Construction, leading to a conclusion that the construction is employed for salience and emphasis and"一个…一个"in the construction can be taken as a focus marker to make Attribute1 salient. The salience-intended model also offers a reasonable explanation for the special usage of"like"functioning as a pragmatic marker which introduces and emphasizes the newest information.Chapter Six is the conclusion. From what has been discussed in the previous chapters, the author concludes that the integrated salience-intended model is reasonable and acceptable. The employment of Double"Yi Ge"Construction is to make salient the element the addresser intends to emphasize, that is, Attribute1 in the construction. In addition, focus is not always the new information and all the focus can be generalized as intentional focus. Furthermore, it is also hoped that this thesis will arouse other's interest in Chinese linguistic phenomena and contribute to researches on Chinese quantifiers in the future.
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