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【摘要】世界上任何一种语言都有其最基本的句子模型和句式。这些最基本的句型和句式可以视为一个语言系统。在这个系统中,有符合人们认知规律的句式,其主语、谓语等都出现在通常的位置上,表现最一般的句子语序。此时,句子的形式和意义是一致的。与此相对应的,变式句偏离了人们的认知常识,表现出句子形式和意义的偏离。英语句子在一定条件下会由常式句转变为变式句,这是在英语语言系统中客观存在的现象,其背后有语用原因值得分析和研究。
【关键词】英语常式句 变式句 语用分析
【中图分类号】G64 【文献标识码】A 【文章编号】2095-3089(2015)07-0132-01
英语常规句式会在一定的条件和语境中发生变化。导致英语句式发生变化的语用原因值得进一步挖掘和探索。通过研究英语中的句式变化发现,在人们口头交际或书面表达中,发生句式变化的语用原因包括:语义焦点转移、语境变化、表达意外或惊叹,话题的导入和延续等。在语言的实际运用中,常式句正是由于以上诸多语用因素的影响和干预而发生变化成为变式句的。研究英语句式变化的语用因素不仅有益于英语教学,而且对于英汉互译也有一定价值。
1.语境作为句式变化的依据
语境是动态的不是静态的。从广义来讲,它是不断变化的、能够让参与者在交流过程中互动,并且交流过程中的语言表达是可理解的。胡壮麟(1994)提出了三种语境:语言学语境、情景语境和文化语境。不论哪种语境,当它发生变化时,对于句型的选择一定会产生影响。比如:
1)In his place rose a dark, angry cloud of bees.
2)A dark, angry cloud of bees rose in his place.
3)From the soldiers came yells of anguish, of sorrow, and of despair.
4)Yells of anguish, of sorrow, and of despair came from the soldiers.
以上例句中,2)和4)句属于常式句,1)句和3)句是倒装句,或者说是2)和4)的变式句。尽管它们有着相同的语义,但在以下语境中,倒装句是符合语境需要的。
5)Dumble vanished and in his place rose a dark, angry cloud of bees. They flew straight at the soldiers’ faces, and from the soldiers came yells of anguish, of sorrow, of despair.
在上句中,“Dumble vanished”和 “the soldiers’ faces”是语境信息的起点,紧接着这样的起点用倒装句 “in his place rose......”和 “from the soldiers came......”在信息传达方面就起到很好的衔接作用。如果在此两处用正常的句式,信息的传达就会模糊不清。见句6)
6)Dumble vanished and a dark, angry cloud of bees rose in his place. They flow straight at the soldiers’ faces, and yells of anguish, of sorrow, of despair came from the soldiers.
通过5)句和6)句的对比,可以看到由于语境的需要,常式句会转变为变式句,以实现信息的流畅、自然表达。
2.尾重作为句式变化的依据
从构建信息的角度看,句子的尾重原则与句尾信息焦点是一致的。新信息通常需要被细致描述,因此相对“又长又重”的句式结构就会被采用。当交流者想要强调某事物,他就会采用某些方法达到强调的目的。尾重是方法之一。句式变化常常可以达到尾重的效果。比如:
7)That the governor will formally announce the new sales tax bill is likely.
8)It is likely that the governor will formally announce the new sales tax bill.
9)That income tax is to be lowered was on the news.
10)It was on the news that income tax is to be lowered.
以上句子中,8)和10)为变式句,7)和9)句为常式句。8)和10)句与7)和9)句的不同之处在于,前两者把信息焦点置于句尾,体现尾重原则,以此把新信息置于焦点位置。
3.出于表达惊讶或引起惊奇
Gray(1974)曾做过研究,该研究表明说话者(或作者)为了使听话者(或读者)感到惊讶,常常会把名词短语置于句尾。例如:
Keith Sebastian had given me detailed instructions on how to find his house; he was to meet me there with the money. I drove up driveway and got out of my car. Just as the car door closed, I heard the main door to the house open. 11){Keith Sebastian}/{The sheriff} stepped out of the house.
12)Out of the house stepped {Keith Sebastian*}/{the sheriff}.
如果接续的是正常句式的11)句,那么整篇文章没有特殊的语用色彩,故事叙述平淡无奇。如果作者要表示“我”的惊讶,那么应接续句式为倒装句的12)句:Out of the house stepped the sheriff. 此处如用Keith Sebastian做主语,那么是违背前两句所给的信息的。根据前两句所给的信息,Keith Sebastian走出房门是正常的,“我”是不应该奇怪的,所以“Keith Sebastian走出房门”不应该用倒装句式表达。因此,Grey认为倒装句12)句中Keith Sebastian做主语是不可接受的。
4.篇章衔接和连贯的需要
从语篇语言学角度来看,语篇的衔接与连贯也会影响英语句式的选择。变式句是实现语篇衔接和连贯的重要手段。例如:
13)He looked around, and A) not far off, behind a clump of bushes, rose a thin column of smoke. He put the diamond in the pocket, and walked towards the smoke. Soon he saw a queer little hut, and B)at the door, upon the ground, sat a man without any legs...he did not need any trousers, for he had no legs to put them on, as I have told you. C) In front of him was a fire, and D) over the fire was a spit, and E) on the spit was a young kid roasting.
此段童话故事有五个倒装句。在A)和B)倒装句里,前置成分都可以通过之前的句子信息得出,即A)和B)中的前置成分与前句联系是十分紧凑紧密的。C)、D)、E)三句中,前置成分都是已知信息。每句中的倒装句主语都是由前置成分引出的新信息。这样,形成了连贯、流畅的一个语篇。
5.结语
综上所述,英语句式变化是有各种语用依据的。了解了这些语用依据,英语教学者在教学、写作或者翻译工作中就可以选择正确的英语句式来表达正确的语义,从而体现正确的英语语体和风格。
参考文献:
[1]胡壮麟.Linguistics语言学教程.北京:北京大学出版社,1998.
[2]金立鑫.语法的多视角研究[M].上海:上海外语教育出版社, 2000.
[3]何自然.信息理论与英语结构[J].现代外语,1987.
[4]Celce-Murcia, M.英语教学语法[M].北京:北京大学出版社, 2002.
【关键词】英语常式句 变式句 语用分析
【中图分类号】G64 【文献标识码】A 【文章编号】2095-3089(2015)07-0132-01
英语常规句式会在一定的条件和语境中发生变化。导致英语句式发生变化的语用原因值得进一步挖掘和探索。通过研究英语中的句式变化发现,在人们口头交际或书面表达中,发生句式变化的语用原因包括:语义焦点转移、语境变化、表达意外或惊叹,话题的导入和延续等。在语言的实际运用中,常式句正是由于以上诸多语用因素的影响和干预而发生变化成为变式句的。研究英语句式变化的语用因素不仅有益于英语教学,而且对于英汉互译也有一定价值。
1.语境作为句式变化的依据
语境是动态的不是静态的。从广义来讲,它是不断变化的、能够让参与者在交流过程中互动,并且交流过程中的语言表达是可理解的。胡壮麟(1994)提出了三种语境:语言学语境、情景语境和文化语境。不论哪种语境,当它发生变化时,对于句型的选择一定会产生影响。比如:
1)In his place rose a dark, angry cloud of bees.
2)A dark, angry cloud of bees rose in his place.
3)From the soldiers came yells of anguish, of sorrow, and of despair.
4)Yells of anguish, of sorrow, and of despair came from the soldiers.
以上例句中,2)和4)句属于常式句,1)句和3)句是倒装句,或者说是2)和4)的变式句。尽管它们有着相同的语义,但在以下语境中,倒装句是符合语境需要的。
5)Dumble vanished and in his place rose a dark, angry cloud of bees. They flew straight at the soldiers’ faces, and from the soldiers came yells of anguish, of sorrow, of despair.
在上句中,“Dumble vanished”和 “the soldiers’ faces”是语境信息的起点,紧接着这样的起点用倒装句 “in his place rose......”和 “from the soldiers came......”在信息传达方面就起到很好的衔接作用。如果在此两处用正常的句式,信息的传达就会模糊不清。见句6)
6)Dumble vanished and a dark, angry cloud of bees rose in his place. They flow straight at the soldiers’ faces, and yells of anguish, of sorrow, of despair came from the soldiers.
通过5)句和6)句的对比,可以看到由于语境的需要,常式句会转变为变式句,以实现信息的流畅、自然表达。
2.尾重作为句式变化的依据
从构建信息的角度看,句子的尾重原则与句尾信息焦点是一致的。新信息通常需要被细致描述,因此相对“又长又重”的句式结构就会被采用。当交流者想要强调某事物,他就会采用某些方法达到强调的目的。尾重是方法之一。句式变化常常可以达到尾重的效果。比如:
7)That the governor will formally announce the new sales tax bill is likely.
8)It is likely that the governor will formally announce the new sales tax bill.
9)That income tax is to be lowered was on the news.
10)It was on the news that income tax is to be lowered.
以上句子中,8)和10)为变式句,7)和9)句为常式句。8)和10)句与7)和9)句的不同之处在于,前两者把信息焦点置于句尾,体现尾重原则,以此把新信息置于焦点位置。
3.出于表达惊讶或引起惊奇
Gray(1974)曾做过研究,该研究表明说话者(或作者)为了使听话者(或读者)感到惊讶,常常会把名词短语置于句尾。例如:
Keith Sebastian had given me detailed instructions on how to find his house; he was to meet me there with the money. I drove up driveway and got out of my car. Just as the car door closed, I heard the main door to the house open. 11){Keith Sebastian}/{The sheriff} stepped out of the house.
12)Out of the house stepped {Keith Sebastian*}/{the sheriff}.
如果接续的是正常句式的11)句,那么整篇文章没有特殊的语用色彩,故事叙述平淡无奇。如果作者要表示“我”的惊讶,那么应接续句式为倒装句的12)句:Out of the house stepped the sheriff. 此处如用Keith Sebastian做主语,那么是违背前两句所给的信息的。根据前两句所给的信息,Keith Sebastian走出房门是正常的,“我”是不应该奇怪的,所以“Keith Sebastian走出房门”不应该用倒装句式表达。因此,Grey认为倒装句12)句中Keith Sebastian做主语是不可接受的。
4.篇章衔接和连贯的需要
从语篇语言学角度来看,语篇的衔接与连贯也会影响英语句式的选择。变式句是实现语篇衔接和连贯的重要手段。例如:
13)He looked around, and A) not far off, behind a clump of bushes, rose a thin column of smoke. He put the diamond in the pocket, and walked towards the smoke. Soon he saw a queer little hut, and B)at the door, upon the ground, sat a man without any legs...he did not need any trousers, for he had no legs to put them on, as I have told you. C) In front of him was a fire, and D) over the fire was a spit, and E) on the spit was a young kid roasting.
此段童话故事有五个倒装句。在A)和B)倒装句里,前置成分都可以通过之前的句子信息得出,即A)和B)中的前置成分与前句联系是十分紧凑紧密的。C)、D)、E)三句中,前置成分都是已知信息。每句中的倒装句主语都是由前置成分引出的新信息。这样,形成了连贯、流畅的一个语篇。
5.结语
综上所述,英语句式变化是有各种语用依据的。了解了这些语用依据,英语教学者在教学、写作或者翻译工作中就可以选择正确的英语句式来表达正确的语义,从而体现正确的英语语体和风格。
参考文献:
[1]胡壮麟.Linguistics语言学教程.北京:北京大学出版社,1998.
[2]金立鑫.语法的多视角研究[M].上海:上海外语教育出版社, 2000.
[3]何自然.信息理论与英语结构[J].现代外语,1987.
[4]Celce-Murcia, M.英语教学语法[M].北京:北京大学出版社, 2002.