客語中形式與功能之錯配---詞彙語意、構式語意及事件結構

Abstract

事件結構中動詞詞彙語意所要求的參與角色及事件情態類型包括時貌、及物性、終點性等等多重因素在語言的體現牽涉許多複雜的句法及語意的互動，特別是在實際語言使用時，由於語言使用者基於溝通的目的及功能而對語言形式有所選擇，而造成語言體現的構式往往存在錯配的現像。事實上，形式與功能的「錯配」現象在各個語言中比比皆是，例如Jackendoff (2008)分析英文NPN 構式，發現此結構的句法形式與語意功能之間展現了不對稱的搭配關係，他認為這些錯配現象說明了句法與語意表現了某種程度之自主性；Boas(2008a)則檢視英文AHTY 構式，認為構式之形式與功能並非嚴格的一對一對應關係，同一個句法形式並不一定蘊含單一語意功能，分析構式時應更為深入地檢視構式成分，構式中不同的動詞語意類型往往會帶來精細的構式語意差別。另外， Michaelis (2003a, b)亦提出，當構式成分的詞彙語意與構式之句法形式不相容時，往往可藉由詞彙語意之「強制轉換」，解決形式與功能間之錯配問題。事件結構是語法中很核心的研究議題，事件結構中的錯配現像更是牽涉句法、語意、及語用等的互動議題，在英語及其他語言已有不少研究，許多錯配的現象從構式語法的觀點能提出比較周延的解釋。雖然語言中錯配的現象在漢語體系的語言也常常存在，研究卻相對的比較少，客語的研究更是不足。本計畫即擬從詞彙語意及構式語意融合的觀點探討客語的事件結構中語言錯配的現象，期能為客語語法勾勒面貌。計畫分三年進行，前兩年聚焦於動詞語意框架要求的參與角色與構式形式及功能錯配的關係，第一年處理非限定零形式體現之構式包括「特質描述構式」「中動構式」及「習慣構式」等的泛型、主語或賓語隱現及必要附加修飾語的出現等議題，第二年探討限定零形式體現包括「祈使構式」、「主題構式」「潛能補語構式」及「有N 好V 構式」等的句法、語意及言談功能以及這些構式在言談中論元角色的隱現之制約條件及語用功能，第三年則著重於事件結構的情態時貌類型，包括動詞詞彙、時貌標記及情境類型的互動如何進行時貌轉換及如何與構式互動以符合整體之事件情態等議題。

Grammatically relevant elements of event structures involve several semantic features including transitivity, participant roles, telicity, boundedness and the like. Since speakers often choose the best linguistic expressions for communicative purposes, linguistic reifications of the grammatically relevant elements often induce mismatches that in turn trigger issues pertaining to interactions of syntactic structures, semantic and pragmatic functions. Among previous studies, Jackendoff (2008), for instance, tackles NPN constructions in English and claims that such a family of constructions demonstrates incongruent correlations between their syntactic structures and semantic functions. Such mismatches in a sense illustrate some degree of linguistic autonomy. Another example is illustrated by the AHTY constructions studied by Boas (2008a). While similar to the caused-motion construction, such a construction shows its own syntactic and semantic peculiarities that are closely related to the lexical elements of the construction. Michaelis (2003a, b) also claims that construction meanings can often coerce lexical meanings when conflicts between them occur. While studies related to mismatches in event structures and event conceptualizations are found in English and other languages, those in Chinese are not many, and those in Hakka are even scanty. This three-year project hence takes up Hakka phenomena of mismatches in event structures from the viewpoint of the interaction of lexical semantics and constructions. The first year handles indefinite null instantiations happening in characterizing constructions, middle constructions and habitual constructions. Issues regarding genericity, implicit subjects and objects, obligatory adjuncts and the like will be tackled. The second year handles definite null instantiations happening in larger discourse including imperative constructions, topic constructions, potential complement constructions and relative-clause constructions. Issues regarding the cognitive statuses of zero forms and the pragmatic and cognitive motivations behind their suppression in discourse will be tackled. The third year handles the aspectual features in an event structure. Issues regarding the interaction of verbal features, aspectual markers, and constructional meanings and the mechanism of coercion will be tackled. It is hoped that the implementation of this project can better capture the Hakka phenomena observed in real usage and can hence better depict the holistic picture Hakka grammar.