Journal of Beijing International Studies University ›› 2020, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (6): 44-67.DOI: 10.12002/j.bisu.308

• Linguistic Studies • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Cross-Linguistic Attributive Possession Encoding Devices

Ge Nana()   

  1. School of Foreign Languages, Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai 201418, China
  • Received:2019-03-27 Online:2020-12-30 Published:2020-12-30

跨语言名词性领属结构的编码方式

葛娜娜()   

  1. 上海应用技术大学外国语学院,上海 201418
  • 作者简介:葛娜娜,上海应用技术大学外国语学院,201418,研究方向:语言类型学、外语教学。电子邮箱: genn2007@163.com
  • 基金资助:
    本文为上海应用技术大学“博士启动资金项目”(39120K196036-A06);文科工程项目“领属范畴的类型学研究”的研究成果(391100190016036-A21)

Abstract:

This article investigates attributive possession encoding devices from a cross-linguistic perspective. The analysis groups attributive possession encoding devices into two categories: “simple method” and “complex method”, according to whether additional morphemes need to be added to express the relationship between possessor and possessed. The “simple method” category includes juxtaposition and tone inflection. The “complex method” includes possessive affixes, which are the most common method for expressing possession in the world’s languages. Languages that do not use affixes to express possessive structure typically use possessive pronouns or possessive adjectives. The findings are as follows: if a language encodes a distinction between alienability and inalienability, inalienable possessive relations are generally shown with an affix, while alienable possessive relations usually add other morphemes. Among possessive affixes, the majority are suffixes, most likely because the use of prefixes makes information processing more difficult. Some languages also use other methods to express possessive structure, such as locative, dative, and comitative case on nouns. The least frequent type of possessive is possessor classifiers, which are determined by the characteristics of the possessor. In most languages, there is no distinction between the possessive relation classifier and the possessum classifier. This is for two reasons: one is the close relationship between the possessum’s intrinsic features and its possessed ways; the other is the restriction of economy principle.

Keywords: attributive possession; encoding device; affix; possessive classifier

摘要:

本文从跨语言视角考察了名词性领属结构的编码方式。根据是否需要额外添加语素来表达领有者和被领有者的关系,本文将名词性领属结构的编码方式分为两类:简单方式和复杂方式。简单方式使用简单并置和音调变化,复杂方式使用领格附缀、领属代词、领属形容词以及领属分类词。研究发现:如果一种语言有可让渡与不可让渡的区分,那么一般不可让渡的领属关系倾向于使用附缀形式,而可让渡的领属关系通常需要添加其他语素。领属附缀以后缀居多,因为前缀的使用会增大信息处理难度。有些语言也用其他格形式(如处所格、与格以及伴随格)来表达领属结构。领有者的特征决定了领属分类词中领有者分类词的使用频次最低。核心名词的领有方式与内在特征密切相关,加上经济性原则制约,大部分语言不再区分领有关系分类词和被领有者分类词。

关键词: 名词性领属结构, 编码方式, 附缀, 领属分类词

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