Chinese Noun-noun Compounds: An Integrated Approach Based On Conceptual Blending Theory And Qualia Structure Theory

As a highly productive linguistic form,Chinese N-N compound has always been a focus of linguistic research.Previous studies about Chinese N-N compounds are mainly from the perspective of syntax,semantics,and generation,whereas researches on the meaning construction mechanism of Chinese N-N compounds have not made much progress.Besides,the existing cognitive studies usually adopt Conceptual Blending Theory alone to analyze the meaning construction mechanism of Chinese N-N compounds,researches based on the combination of Conceptual Blending Theory with Qualia Structure Theory is rare.The core part of the thesis approaches an in-depth analysis of the conceptual blending and qualia structure of Chinese N-N compound so as to capture its meaning construction mechanism.In the first place,the collected data are given statistical analysis based on Qualia Structure Theory so as to capture the five types of qualia modification relations involved in Chinese N-N compounds,which are formal modification,constitutive modification,telic modification,agentive modification as well as multi-qualia modification.In the second place,the four basic blending networks in Conceptual Blending Theory,i.e.,simplex networks,mirror networks,single-scope networks as well as double-scope networks,are applied to analyze the meaning construction of Chinese N-N compounds under the guidance of Qualia Structure Theory.From the analysis,the following conclusions are reached:1)The most common type of qualia roles involved in Chinese N-N compounds is constitutive role,followed successively by telic role,formal role,agentive role,and multi-qualia roles.2)Within each type of qualia modification relation,there are several subtypes of productive semantic compounding patterns.For instance,within the various values of formal roles,shape qualia and color qualia are more salient than the other;constitutive modification is mostly related with material,and typical member-category relation;telic role is mainly involved in “used-for” relation;agentive role often presents a target-source relation;multi-qualia modification is usually connected with the semantic compounding pattern of N1 constitutive-N2 formal.3)The meanings of Chinese N-N compounds are most commonly constructed via simplex networks,followed successively by single-scope networks,mirror networks,and double-scope networks.4)The meanings of Chinese N-N compounds are constructed in the following ways: the meaning of some subordinate N-N compounds in which the two components display a restrictive relation can be constructed via simplex networks;the meaning of some coordinate N-N compounds can be constructed via mirror networks;the meaning of certain subordinate N-N compounds which involves property metaphor can be derived from single-scope network;the innovative meaning of some N-N compounds,which can't be deduced directly from either meaning of the two constituents,can be constructed via double-scope network.This thesis probes into the meaning construction of Chinese N-N compounds from an integrated approach of Conceptual Blending Theory and Qualia Structure Theory,the significance of which lies in three aspects.First,a more in-depth comprehension of the meaning construction mechanism of Chinese N-N compounds can be acquired.Second,the powerful explanatory ability of Conceptual Blending Theory and Qualia Structure Theory are verified.Besides,this thesis paves a way for the application of the two theories to researches about the other types of linguistic forms.