漢語「V一下」格式的探索

Abstract

This thesis examines the V yi-xia construction in Chinese. It aims to explore the polysemous meanings of the sequence yi-xia in the V yi-xia construction and to show that there exists a common semantic core among the instances of the V yi-xia construction, which can be explained via grammaticalization. The diverse senses of yi-xia can be semantically divided into three types. It can not only refer to 'once' or 'a short period of time', but even function as a downtoner with its semantic meaning bleached. The phenomenon that the sequence yi-xia possesses various meanings suggests that different stages of grammaticalization are preserved in Modern Chinese. In addition to the examination of the sequence yi-xia from a semantic perspective, we have examined the verbs in the V yi-xia construction and made clear that semelfactive, activity and state verbs are allowed to accompany yi-xia while accomplishment and achievement verbs cannot appear in the V yi-xia construction, which is related to the function the sequence yi-xia possesses when interacting with verbs. We have also point out that the V yi-xia construction has developed the function of trivializing the event. We also have a thorough discussion on the syntactic position of the NP in the V yi-xia construction when the verb is transitive. To account for the syntactic distribution of the NP, we have provided several contributing factors, such as the length of the NP, whether the NP is a pronoun, whether the NP is generic, and whether the NP is the focus of the sentences. Lastly, the distinction between the verbal classifier ci and xia is made. We have pointed out that these two apparently similar verbal classifiers are actually different. Besides, a comparison between the V yi-xia construction and the have a V frame in English has been made, which leads us to conclude that the English have a V frame can be regarded as a close counterpart to the V yi-xia construction in Chinese.