A Contrastive Study Of The Syntactic Functions And Distribution Of English And Chinese Quantity Groups

Through the SFL lens,this thesis contrasts the syntactic functions and the distribution characteristics of the English quantity group with those of the Chinese quantity group.The study is intended to address two questions:(1)What syntactic functions do the English and the Chinese quantity group serve at the level of clause?(2)How are the functional elements of the English and the Chinese quantity group distributed at the level of group?The purpose is to uncover the intrinsic differences between the English and the Chinese quantity group.The study finds that in terms of syntactic functions,the distribution ratios of subjects,adverbials,and complements in English and Chinese clauses are contrastable.However,English quantity groups can fill the main verb or main verb extension,while Chinese quantity groups cannot.As for internal distribution,the differences between English and Chinese quantity groups come into prominence.To be specific,though the amount appears in front of the adjustment in both English and Chinese,the phenomenon is relatively common in Chinese.Also,the amount is more often placed ahead of the quantity finisher in English,while the situation is the opposite in Chinese.In English,the adjustment is mostly found before the quantity finisher,while things are different in Chinese.Through the analysis of the results,this thesis claims that at the clausal level,from a linguistic perspective,English shows the characteristics of an analytical language and has a "hard" grammar;Chinese,on the other hand,shows the attributes of a comprehensive language,and its syntax is "soft".From a cognitive perspective,English is an "agent-oriented" language,and Chinese is a "patient-oriented" language.From the standpoint of thinking patterns,English emphasizes rational,abstract,and individual thinking patterns,whereas Chinese values perceptual,figurative,and integration thinking patterns.From a cultural perspective,English reflects the characteristics of Gesellschaft culture,and values rules.The Chinese show the attributes of a Gemeinschaft culture,and advocates flexibility in accord with the feelings and reasons.At the phrasal level,from a linguistic perspective,English shows the linguistic qualities of "small-head-and-big-tail",while Chinese shows the linguistic characteristics of "big-head-and-small-tail".From a cognitive perspective,English tends to know the world from "graphic" to "background" information,while Chinese is inclined to follow the sequence from "background" to "graphic"information,and also takes the logical development of things into account.From the perspective of thinking patterns,English focuses on analytical thinking,which puts core information in the first place,while Chinese emphasizes comprehensive thinking and gives background information priority.From a cultural perspective,the English-speaking nation conforms to the ethos of respecting "right" and the language shows the characteristics of "right branching".The Chinese language nation has been influenced by the culture of respecting the "left",and reflects "left branching" in the Chinese language.