An Analysis Of English Semantic Acceptability In Cognition

This dissertation makes a relatively explorative and comprehensive study on the semantic acceptability of English syntactic constructions through analysis of three explanatory devices from a cognitive perspective,namely, categorical prototypicality, cognitive normality and wide distribution.The aim of this dissertation is to throw light on our comprehension and command of the nature of English syntactic constructions.The shining points of this dissertation go as follows.Semantic acceptability of syntactic constructions is that the syntactic constructions of language accord with human beings's cognitive models.In another word,there is a certain correspondence between the syntactic constructions and human beings'experiences and thinking modes.Firstly, categorical prototypicality affects the semantic acceptability. The prototypical members in syntactic category have high semantic acceptability,while the of marginal members in syntactic category have low semantic acceptability.The author also use the theory of Figure-Ground Segregation and Immediate Scope to demonstrate that the higher the cognitive normality, the higher the semantic acceptability, and vice versa.The semantic acceptability are also affected by the wide distribution of syntactic constructions some extent. The syntactic constructions with high wide distribution have high semantic acceptability and can be duplicated infinitely with fewer restrictions, and they are with high structure transformation,analogy or productivity . It is creative as well as innovative to explore the categorical prototypicality, cognitive normality and wide distribution as three graded judgments for the semantic acceptability of English syntactic constructions.The dissertation consists of six chapters.The first chapter gives a brief introduction to the three basic approaches to semantic study, the concept of semantic acceptability and discusses the purpose of this dissertation.The second chapter briefly introduces the cognitive capabilities, which serve as a basis of the cognitive theories applied in the following chapters.Chapter Three is based on the theory of categorical prototypicality, revealing the conformance between prototypicality in syntactic category and semantic acceptability.Chapter Four is triggered by normality, demonstrating the correspondence between cognitive normality and semantic acceptability through Figure-Ground Segregation and Immediate Scope.Chapter Five is motivated by Markedness Theory, exploring the wide distribution of English transitive syntactic constructions and semantic acceptability.Chapter Six is the conclusion of whole dissertation in which the enlightenment of the cognitive approach to the semantic study and its correspondent effects on language learning and teaching ara expounded.