The Expression Study Of Subjective Quantity On The Combination Of The Degree Adverb And The Negative Adverb In Mandarin Chinese

The past study on the combination of the Degree Adverb and the Negative Adverb in Mandarin Chinese mainly focused on the ontic descri ption,such as the word order of the combination,the collocation of headword,t he roles of syntax and semanteme,but that is not enough to focus and study on the expression of the subjective quantity of the combination structure.This paper will analyze the expressive methods/expressive mechanisms/expressive fu nctions through the subjective quantity of the combination structure,in order t o explain the motive of the transformation of this combination structure.Three methods could be used for expressing the subjective quantity in the combination,they are word method/word order method/pronunciation method.The word method is that by varied vocabularies to express the subjective quantity; The word order method is that combines differently the Degree Adverb and the Negative Adverb to express the different results;The pronunciation method is that puts the stress on the different component part of the combination to express the different subjective quantity.These three methods can be applied in the same sentence,but under the static analysis we only discuss the first two combinations in this paper.There is a regular combination in two kinds word orders:Degree Adverb+Negative Adverb/Negative Adverb+Degree Adverb.Degree Adverb includes that Relative Degree Adverb and Absolute Degree Adverb.And we take typical on es from varied levels of Degree Adverb into all kinds word order sentences.W e take “Bù/Méi(y�'u)” which are the most typical Negative Adverb into the st udy.We can make different conclusions about the mechanism of express of su bjective quantity.(1)Degree Adverb+Negative Adverb:(1)All the Degree Adverb can apply “Second Plus Quantity” and “Subjective Plus Quantity” to express t he subjective quantity in this combination;(2)All the Relative Degree Adverb a pply mainly the Second Plus Quantity and apply secondly the Subjective Plus Quantity to express the subjective quantity in this combination;(3)All the Abs olute Degree Adverb apply mainly the Subjective Plus Quantity and apply sec ondly the Second Plus Quantity to express the subjective quantity in this com bination.(2)Negative Adverb+Degree Adverb:(1)All the Relative Degree Adverb can not appear with Negative Adverb together;(2)All the Absolute Degree Ad verb appearing with the Negative Adverb can only be the high level quantity of it.The rules above all have something to do with the subjectivity and obje ctivity of Degree Adverb itself,and with the combination principles/economy p rinciple/manner principle.The expressing functions of the subjective quantity of this combination in clude two types that adjust the degree quantity and express the subjective mo od. The structure of “Degree Adverb+Negative Adverb” can express speakers’ subjective evaluation and enhance the level of attitude.The structure of “Negat ive Adverb+Degree Adverb” can express politely the subjective view and redu ce the level of attitude.