Abstract: The present study is an exploration of the cognitive mechanism of the meaning construction of yiqian and yihou, which can be used either individually or collaboratively in the same sentence or utterance. The conceptualization of the meaning of yiqian and yihou used individually or collaboratively should have a reference point, which can be the time of the utterance known to both the speaker and the hearer, or the time specified by the actual expressions in the utterance, or the time of the occurrence of the event explicitly expressed in the utterance. When used separately, yiqian in the sentence profiles the earlier event with the later event as the reference; and yihou in the sentence profiles the later event with the earlier event as reference. The sentence with yiqian and yihou used collaboratively profiles contrast or discrepancy between the earlier and later events, or locates the occurrences of the two events within the period of time bounded by yiqian and yihou. It is observed that the meaning of yiqian is the against-flow-of-time conceptualization of the period before the time of the utterance or the specified time, or the period before the onset of the event expressed in the utterance, with the starting-point of the time of the utterance or the specified time, or the onset of the event as the reference point. It is also observed that the meaning of yihou is the along-flow-of-time conceptualization of the period after the time of the utterance or the specified time, or the period after the close of the event expressed in the utterance, with the outset of the time of the utterance or the specified time, or the close of the event as the reference point. The conceptualization of the meaning of yiqian and yihou can be generalized into a Temporal Perception Principle, that is, the flow of time is unidirectional and the perception of time in language is bidirectional.

Keywords: yiqian; yihou; reference point; along-flow-of-time conceptualization; against-flow-of-time conceptualization

摘要： 本文从认知语言学视角探讨汉语“以前”和“以后”语义概念化的认知机制。“以前”“以后”既可以单用，又可以连用，即同时出现在一个句子或段落里。不管是单用的“以前”或“以后”，还是“以前”“以后”连用，其语义概念化都必须有一个时间参照点。这样的参照点可以是隐性的、交际双方默认的说话时间，还可以是显性的、句子中明确提到的某一具体时间或某一具体事件发生的时间。不同的是，“以前”和“以后”连用的句子可以选取相同或不同的参照点。“以前”“以后”单用，使用“以前”的句子是以后事件发生的时间为参照点，凸显先事件；使用“以后”的句子是以先事件发生的时间为参照点，凸显后事件。“以前”和“以后”连用的句子，常常凸显先事件和后事件的不同或对立，或是锁定两事件发生的时间区间。“以前”的语义概念化，是以说话时间或句子提及的时间的起点、句子提及的事件开始的时间为参照点，逆时间流动方向，将说话时间或句子提及的时间之前、句子提及的事件开始之前的时间感知为“以前”。“以后”的语义概念化，是以说话时间或句子提及的时间的终点、句子提及的事件结束的时间为参照点，顺时间流动方向，将说话时间或句子提及的时间之后、句子提及的事件结束之后的时间感知为“以后”。“以前”和“以后”语义概念化的认知特征可以抽象为具有一定普遍意义的“时间感知原则”，即时间的流动是单向的，语言对时间的感知可以是双向的。

关键词: 以前, 以后, 参照点, 顺时感知, 逆时感知