A Contrastive Study Between English And Chinese Adjectives Based On Decategorization Theory

The rapid development of cognitive linguistics provides new explanations for many linguistic phenomena, especially those that are traditionally regarded as abnormal, and quite a number of research outcomes have appeared. Studies of metaphor, categorization, iconicity, have produced great impacts upon traditional linguistics and provided new prospects for linguistic research. Linguists from different countries have done lots of cognitive research on different languages, among which English and Chinese have attracted more attention. In-depth research on major word classes in English and Chinese has been fruitful, such as that of Quirk, Lakoff, Leech, Liu Zhengguang, Gui Shichun, Shi Yuzhi and so on. Compared with noun and verb, research on adjectives is far from being satisfactory due to the fact that it is done less quantitatively and more from semantic point of view. Currently more linguists begin to analyze adjectives in terms of its syntactic functions and deepen the understanding of adjectives, by exploring some special adjectives such as non-attributive adjectives, non-predicative adjectives and so on. However, they fail to provide a systematic or united explanation and generally focus on a single language, whether it is English or Chinese or else. Contrastive studies between English and Chinese adjectives are rare, particularly from a cognitive viewpoint.Based on decategorization theory, this thesis presents a contrastive study according to the syntactic functions of adjectives, combining respective features of English and Chinese, demonstrates the rationale and importance of decategorization theory, and provides a new outlook for the contrastive studies of English and Chinese adjectives. According to prototype categorization theory, there are typical members and peripheral members in the adjective category. This thesis, based on the features and functions of adjectives category, points out that English attributive and predicative adjectives and Chinese quality and state adjectives are typical members. Other adjectives, such as attributive-only adjectives, adverbial adjectives and so on, are peripheral members, since they partly present features or functions of adjectives category, and even some features or functions of other categories. In other words, they are decategorized. A common trend of decategorization is found in members of the adjective category in both English and Chinese, distributing differently according to the features they possess. If the typical members locate in the centre, attributive-only adjectives, non-attributive adjectives and non-predicative adjectives distribute in the first layer, due to the fact that they are connected with the main syntactic function; A-series adjectives, adverbial adjectives, dynamic adjectives and situation adjectives, due to the fact that they possess some features of other categories, distribute in the second layer, which manifests an open interface between adjectives category and other categories.This thesis is composed of five chapters structured as follows: Chapter 1 provides a brief introduction to the background, purpose and significance of the present study; Chapter 2 gives a general review of categorization theory and decategorization theory, together with previous studies of English and Chinese adjectives; Chapter 3 introduces some special adjectives in English and Chinese, which provides a basis for discussing the decategorization trend; Chapter 4 adopts decategorization theory to explain the contrastive results, and discusses the relationship between typical members and peripheral members in English and Chinese adjective categories; Chapter 5 is a conclusion of this thesis, in which the major findings are summarized and the limitations of the present study are also pointed out.