Journal of Beijing International Studies University ›› 2014, Vol. 36 ›› Issue (10): 24-.

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Spatial Frames of Reference and Topological Descriptions in Chinese Discourse

Liu Lijin   

  1. Guangdong University of Foreign Studies,Guangzhou 510420,China
  • Received:2014-06-27 Online:2018-03-20 Published:2014-10-30

汉语空间参照系和拓扑关系表达

刘礼进   

  1. 广东外语外贸大学外国语言学及应用语言学研究中心 广东广州 510420
  • 作者简介:刘礼进,男,研究兴趣:语篇分析、语用学、认知语言学、英汉对比。
  • 基金资助:
    本文受教育部人文社会科学研究规划基金项目(批注号13YJA740033)资助。

Abstract: With the theories of spatial language by some Western scholars,this study explores how Chinese describes the location and orientation of a static entity in space by way of reference frames and topological relations. In light of the data drawn from natural discourses, the article has analyzed in detail the uses of spatial frames of reference and topological descriptions in Chinese. The findings show that:firstly, spatial frames of reference and topological relations are the basic ways of describing the locations or places of objects,and comparatively topological descriptions are more commonly used,probably due to the fact that in context it is easier to know where a Figure is when a nonprojective topological description is used. Secondly,it is often the case that ‘object-centered reference’ is a most frequent frame of reference and that ‘relations of contact,proximity,and inclusion’ are the more commonly coded topological relations. Thirdly,there are two general patterns in Chinese for describing the location and orientation of an entity in space:(1)Ground-Figure sequence,namely You/Shi-sentence pattern ‘prepositional Zai + Ground + Locative + You/Shi + Figure’ ;(2)Figure-Ground sequence,namely Zai-sentence pattern ‘Figure + Zai + prepositional Zai + Ground + Locative’ .Finally,the You/Shi-sentence patterns are by far the more prevailing in discourse,which results from the ‘Ground preceding Figure’ principle at work. This study has important implications for language acquisition and language teaching.

Keywords: spatial frame of reference; topological description; You/Shi-sentence; Zai-sentence; ‘Ground preceding Figure’ principle

摘要: 本文借助国外空间语言理论探讨现代汉语怎样使用参照系和拓扑关系表达空间物体方位。根据采集的自然语料,本文对汉语空间参照系和拓扑表达式做了较详细的分析。分析结果显示:(1)空间参照系和拓扑关系是表达物体方位的基本方法,相比而言拓扑表达更常见,因为在给定语境中使用非投射的拓扑方法表达目标物位置,较有利于其识解;(2)“物本参照”是最常用的空间参照系,“接触、接近、包含关系式”是较常见的拓扑表达;(3汉语有两种表达物体方位的方式:①由“参照物”到“目标物”,即“有/是”句子结构:(介词)在+参照物+方位词+有/是+目标物;②由“目标物”到“参照物”,即“在”字句结构:目标物+在+(介词)在+参照物+方位词;4)“有/是”句子结构在语篇中具有压倒性优势,这是“参照物先于目标物”原则的作用使然。本文研究对语言习得和语言教学具有重大意义。

关键词: 空间参照系, 拓扑表达, “有/是”字句, “在”字句, “参照物先于目标物”原则