A Study On "Xiao X Yi Xia"Construction

In recent years a new type of oral expression:"xiao X yi xia "("X" can be verbs, adjectives, nouns) is popular in network. referring to the construction grammar theory, we can call it as a Construction. The article try to demonstrate the prototype of the " xiao X yi xia ", summarize its constructional meaning, analyze its component features, then explore the mechanism and cognitive motivation which develop this construction. Finally, we comparatively analyze "xiao X yi xia" and its similar structure "X yi xia". This article has three parts:introduction, body and conclusion.The introduction mainly concern about the research status quo at home and abroad, the purpose and significance of choosing this topic, the study’s object and theoretical methods.The main part include chapter two, chapter three and chapter four.The second chapter is the focus of this article, we make a more comprehensive study on "xiao X yi xia" in this chapter, like revealing its prototype of the entire construction constructional meaning, analyzing its constructional meaning and the characteristic of the "X". We believe that "xiao X yi xia" is never created from whole cloth, but have something to do with "xiao X" and "X yi xia"."xiao X yi xia" has its special constructional meaning which is independent from each component:playfully and intentionally light. From the perspective of the components, the only variable of this construction is "X", and it can be a verb, a adjective or a noun. If it is a verb, generally they should have the semantic feature [+variable], and it can be either positive verb or negative verb; either monosyllabic verb or two-syllable verb. If it is an adjective, first it must be nature adjective. Second, the adjectives which are able to enter this construction show such a rule "commendatory term≈derogatory term> neutral term". If it is a noun, this noun should also has its special implication, the vivider implication, the more easily accept.Chapter Ⅲ is on the basis of chapter two, further proof the mechanisms and cognitive motivations of "xiao X yi xia". The mechanisms of the construction are truncated combining and analogy, and the Cognitive Motive include thinking hybridity, metonymy and metaphor. Truncated combining and analogy cross a role in the two paths of the "xiao X yi xia". In path1, structure "xiao V" and "V yi xia" truncatedly combined into "xiao V yi xia", then the sub-structure "xiao A/N yi xia " is analogized by the already formed sub-configuration "xiao V yi xia". In path2,"xiao A/N "and "A/N yi xia" are respectively analogized by the "xiao V" and "V yi xia", then the already formed structure "xiao A/N" and "A/N yi xia" truncatedly combined into "xiao V yi xia". The hybridity of cognitive thinking and the metonymy mapping which a concept can be on behalf of another concept make truncated combination become inevitable during its evolution; although "A/N" and "V" represent different areas but they has the same semantic features, which is in line with the basic conditions of metaphorical mapping, therefore analogy turns up during the evolution.In the fourth chapter, we mainly compare the "xiao x yi xia" and its related structures "X yi xia" in semantic, syntactic, pragmatics three angles. In semantics, although subjective reduction is those two structures’same semantic connotation, their subjective degree of reduction is not the same. In syntax, we mainly compare the sentence function of "xiao X yi xia" and "X yi xia". We find they have a very similar sentence function. Both of them can be independently used as the title and also can be used inside of a sentence as predicate or non-predicate, where the predicate acts as a main ingredient. But the difference is that "xiao X yi xia" is more easily to used as the title than "X yi xia". In pragmatically, we mainly compare their use crowd and the applicable context. We find"xiao X yi xia" is mainly applied in young women, but in the network platform, it is more and more used by male, and are generally used in informal occasions, such as those friendly, relaxed or casual topic. However,"X y xiai" has no the tendency of age and sex, can be used in a very broad context.The last chapter is the conclusion of this article. We sum up our research about the "小X一下" and also come up with some shortcomings of this writing and areas which need a further study.