A Cognitive Semantic Study On Chinese Reduplicate Verbs In The Form Of AABB And ABAB

Reduplication is an important grammatical method in language.Reduplicate verbs in the form of AABB and ABAB are peculiar to Chinese.The objective of this thesis is to explore semantic meanings of such reduplicate verbs from the perspective of image schema theory and cognitive salience theory.The reason why two theories are adopted as the theoretical foundation is that there exists a great explanatory complementarity in the two theories in exploring semantic meanings of AABB and ABAB.Besides,this complementarity is not coincident but inevitable.The research question of this thesis is that what semantic contents can be concluded under the combination of the two theories?First of all,semantic meanings of AABB,under SCALE schema,can be generally summarized as an increase either in action duration or the times of repetition.Specified through PATH and CYCLE,semantic meanings of some AABB indicate a lasting action process or an action state while some others indicate actions of a cycling mode.Other schemas give elaborations on the inner structure of AABB.Some AABB center on one of its reduplicant A or B,which attracts the other to reach an agreement semantically in general.There is also a semantic containment between A and B.In this way,the use of such AABB forms an inner semantic overlap,which makes a more specified description of an action state perceptible.Cognitive salience theory stands from a salient perspective to view the proceeding of action events.Under this theory,the use of AABB profiles a lasting or cycling action process.Some AABB take on a feature of "deverbalization" to highlight a description or modification of the state of the agents of the actions.Secondly,in the analysis of ABAB from the perspective of image schema theory,a special kind of ABAB are discussed through PATH and CONTAINER schema.This kind of ABAB are used as verbs but their base AB are originally adjectives.These class-transferring ABAB indicate a transfer of base AB from adjective category into verb category,which demonstrates a dynamic mental experiential process that will be ended when the agent enters into an AB-state.Semantic meanings concerning action duration,times of repetition as well as action intensity are explained through SCALE schema.A.BA.B,which possess an inner stress rule,indicate the action conducted with less force with a shortened duration;honorific ABAB emphasize the level of being polite and respectful in social conversations;transient ABAB suggest multi-repeated actions.POCESS is applied to A.BA.B to explain how they indicate an action process less in duration;FORCE schema applied to ABAB with a causative force is presented as well.Interpreted from the perspective of cognitive salience theory,class-transferring ABAB profile the changes in the proceeding of mental experience.The process of such a mental experience is intensified gradually as the action proceeds.In addition,process-salient AABB can be classified into a prolonged process(examples are transient ABAB),a shortened process(examples are A.BA.B)and an intensified process(examples are class-transferring ABAB).The user's intentions are highly emphasized through ABAB.Examples supporting the salient intentions are(1)A.BA.B,indicating a less in duration and force,suggest a mild and polite tone when used in imperative sentences so as to make requests accepted more easily;(2)honorific ABAB,profiling intentions in interpersonal communications in which a respectful attitude and a modest tone are highly emphasized so as to achieve a higher level of politeness and esteem.Changes in semantics of AABB and ABAB,compared to their reduplicants,are mostly reflected on the notion of "amount".Both AABB and ABAB can express a sense of"an increased amount" in actions in terms of duration or times of repetition;ABAB,on the other hand,can indicate "reduced amounts" in the aspect of duration and force level.Some AABB possess a feature of "deverbalization";some others undergo a semantic evolution by applying metaphor or metonymy.ABAB,on the contrary,do not possess the property of"deverbalization",nor do they express any metaphorical meaning.