Cognitive Approach To Correlation Between English And Chinese Full-Quantity Nouns And Their Dimensions

Based on Image Schema theory,this thesis adopts a quantitative and qualitative research method to conduct a study of full-quantity nouns in English and Chinese.It focuses on three issues in six chapters: the animacy of full-quantity nouns in English and Chinese and their similarities and differences;the spatiality of full-quantity nouns in English and Chinese and their similarities and differences;the cognitive motivation of full quantification of English and Chinese nouns.The thesis aims to reveal the correlation between full quantification of English-Chinese nouns and their dimensions.It is found that the correlation between full quantification of English-Chinese nouns and their dimensions is largely similar but with minor differences.The similarities are reflected as follows: in terms of animacy of English and Chinese full-quantity nouns,the semantic domains of animate nouns are mainly human body and plant,between which nouns related to human body take a much greater percentage than nouns related to plants;inanimate nouns share three semantic domains and the grade of them is also the same: clothing,food,shelter and transportation > nature > economy.When it comes to the spatiality of full-quantity nouns in English and Chinese,strong spatial nouns share four semantic domains and grade of them is also the same: clothing,food,shelter and transportation > human body > nature > economy;the semantic domains of weak spatial nouns are human body and shelter,and the proportion of nouns concerning human body is even larger than that of nouns regarding shelter.The differences are shown in the following three points: Chinese nouns are more usually used in expressing full quantification than English nouns;English and Chinese animate nouns are more often utilized in conveying full quantification than inanimatenouns;English and Chinese strong spatial nouns are more easily employed in presenting full quantification than weak spatial nouns.The similarities and differences between full-quantity nouns and their dimensions are driven by Image Schema theory.First of all,influenced by the concept of jinqu zhushen,yuanqu zhuwu(????,????;getting inspirations by observing human bodies and the universe),people interact with the universe by starting from their most familiar parthuman body,and then continuously extending to external objects.Therefore,not only animate nouns but also inanimate nouns are able to convey full quantification;English and Chinese animate nouns are more often utilized in expressing full quantification than inanimate nouns.Then,any object occupies a certain space.Consequently,both strong spatial nouns and weak spatial nouns are capable of expressing full quantification.Moreover,it is found that the stronger spatiality of nouns is,the more easily they are used to present full quantification.Strong spatial nouns are in line with“Container Schema”,while weak spatial nouns correspond to“Attachment Schema”.Thus,English and Chinese strong spatial nouns are more easily employed in presenting full quantification than weak spatial nouns.