Textual Cohesive Function Study Of Modern Chinese Adverb"Ye" And "You"

This paper mainly studies on the cohesive function of modern Chinese adverb "Ye" and "You". It is based on the Event Semantics and Textual Cohesion theories. The adverb "Ye"’s basic meaning is similarity, based on which its superaddition meaning takes shape. Ranging sentences with dominant markers from sentences with no dominant markers,"Ye"’s "similarity" meaning weakens and its "superaddition" meaning become dominant gradually. The adverb "You" has three different meanings:repetition, succession and accumulation.According to the result summarized from the authentic material,"Ye" have the function of connecting coexist events while "You " not only can connect coexist events but also can connect chronological events. What is more, comparing the cohesive function of the two adverbs, the similarity is that both of the two adverbs can connect at least two coexist events showing the meaning of superaddition.From the perspective of event relationship, logical relationship, the basic meaning and the different meanings they show in connecting events, the paper discusses the different cohesive functions between the two adverbs. The adverb "You" have the function of connecting independent events, while "Ye" only can connect events that are similar to each other. Under the circumstances that both "Ye" and "You" can be used in connecting events, it can be divided into two parts. One part is when there are dominant markers of similarity in the events, the main meaning of "Ye" is similarity while the meaning of "You" is accumulation. The other part is when there is no dominant markers of similarity in the events, the main meaning of "Ye" is superaddition while the meaning of "You" is accumulation. When adverb "You" connects events that are similar to each other, it emphasis the similar part which can show disappointed, negative and complaining emotions.