An Analysis of Chinese Tag Questions with a Cross-Linguistic Comparison to English Tags

Abstract

本研究分析中文之附加問句，並與英語附加問句做比對。英語附加問句以 句法為基底，中文之附加問句則以言談為基底，而且問句動詞的選擇也主 要是由說話者的言談動向為依歸，例如，要求對母句命題的認同、尋求對 方同意邀請、或是提出對母句的反駁等。中文之附加問句是由問句動詞組 成問話型態，也就是 V-不-V，V-嗎，不-V-嗎的型式，再加上一個與前面母 句完全相同的空號型式 CP 組成。問句動詞的三種型式展現說話者心理存有\\r 定見的程度。問句動詞則包含常見的對陳述句反問的對、是、有，對命令 句反問的好、行、可以等，有些情態動詞如應該、可能，以及一些言談評 論動詞例如怪、讚、酷、神等，也會偶而做附加問句動詞。由此跨語言的 比較可得知，對於學習者，英語之附加問句應更難於中文之附加問句，因 為英語的典型附加問句要求複雜之句法規則，而非典型附加問句又多了不 規律部分。

This study analyzes Chinese tag questions in contrast to English tag questions. Whereas English tags are syntax-based, Chinese tags are more discourse-based and the choice of tag verbs is decided mainly according to the speaker’s discourse intentions, such as asking for an agreement of the host proposition, seeking consent of an invitation, making a refutation, etc. The Chinese tag question comprises a tag verb in the interrogative form, namely V-not-V, V-particle, or Neg-V-particle, and a null pro of CP, which is identical with the host sentence. The various interrogative forms of the tag verb display varied degrees of presupposition from the speaker. Tag verbs include mostly the declarative tags of dui, shi, you, etc. and imperative tags of hao, xing, keyi. Some epistemic modals such as yinggai, keneng and some discourse commentary verbs such as guai, zan, ku, sheng, etc. can also be tag verbs, though in relatively low frequency. From the cross-linguistic comparison, it is concluded that English tags might be harder for Chinese EFL learners to acquire than Chinese tags for English CFL learners due to the syntactic complexity of canonical tags and irregularity in formation in non-canonical tags.