A Study On The Semantic Functions Of Adverbs In Contemporary Chinese Language

Adverb is a hot topic in Chinese grammar which is yet to be further explored. Inspite of the achievements of previous research findings, there are a lot of issues onthis topic still need to be studied further. On the basis of previous researches, anexhaustive analysis of a subtype of an adverb is a considerable approach. Thus, wechoose a subcategory of adverbs in Chinese language as a special study topic----adversative adverb.The whole paper describes the adversative adverbs systematically from both amacroscopic and microcosmic view. Meanwhile, we use modern linguistic theory toanalysis and explain the semantic and functional aspects of the adversative adverb.The whole paper is divided into nine parts.The introductory part includes the object, scope and research methods. It mainlydeals with the following questions: firstly, the definition of relevant concepts. Itpoints out that the adversative adverbs we are talking about refer specifically to asmall amount of adverbs which means adversative. The semantic features of them canbe categorized as [-convention], and [+accident]. Accordingly, we filtrate17typicaladversative adverbs. Secondly, according to the classification of adverbs, we form ouropinion of the sub-categorization of adverbs, i.e. the sub-categorization of adverbs interms of semantics has its rationality. Thirdly, it states the development of the presentresearch and the relation between the research and previous research findings.The first chapter gives a detailed description about the semantic features of eachadversative adverb and defines their core meaning, on basis of which, the lowerposition classification of adversative adverbs can be classified into two sub-categories as “accidental meaning” and “reverse meaning”. Further, the differences of the twosub-categories are analyzed from semantic background and semantic orientation.Then we analyze the adversative adverbs from aspects of affirmation and negation,“+shi” and “+you”. We conclude that, firstly, from the perspective of semanticorientation, accidental adversative adverb tends to be poly-referent, while reverseadversative adverb tends to be mono-referent. Secondly, when added “shi” and “you”,accidental adversative adverb tend to add “shi”, while it feels unnecessary to add“you”.On the basis of the first chapter, a further discrimination of elements ofadversative adverbs is carried out and the common semantic structures of them areestablished. Then, according to the degree of approximation of their meaning thedistinction of each element are described within several groups. From the perspectiveof the collocation of adversative adverbs, it focuses on figuring out which adversativeadverbs can be combined and which are not.The following chapters mainly talks about the pragmatic functions of adversativeadverbs.Chapter three focuses on the functions of style distribution and moodexpressions of adversative adverbs. They can be analyzed from oral styles and writingstyles, thus to achieve the distribution of the adverbs. The mood expression functionis mainly embodied in the “indicative mood, interrogative mood, imperative moodand exclamatory mood”. Besides, there is a distinction between mood and modality.The major difference lies in the expressive gradability of mood and modality: theexpressions on sentence level are mainly achieved by mood, while the detailedexpressions of sentence are mainly achieved by modality. There are only four moods:indicative, interrogative, imperative and exclamatory. But modality includes manytypes such as affirmative, negative, hesitated, active, unsatisfied and angry etc.The presupposition analysis of adversative adverbs is discussed in chapter four. Presupposition is the speaker’s view on things. Only when the hearer accepts the viewcan he understands the meaning of the sentence. The chapter mainly explains thecontextual presupposition. There are direct disclosure and indirect disclosure ofpresupposition. It is found that adversative adverbs are [-convention]. Then thepresupposition difference of “bing” and “you” is analyzed and indicates that “bing” isnegative mono-presupposition and “you” is negative double-presupposition.The subjective expressive function of adversative adverbs is discussed in chapterfive mainly on the aspects of “subjectivity” and “inter-subjectivity”.“Subjectivity” isto describe a subject consciousness or a behavioral agent. It is the subjectivity of thespeaker and the self-confession of subject behavior. Examples of analysis is “Pian”and “Pianpian”, of which, modal types and subjective distinctions are exemplified.Another example is the subjectivity of “hai” and “qishi”. Inter-subjectivity usuallymeans the subjectivity of the speaker and the hearer.“Dao” is the most acceptableexpression from the view of consideration degree in inter-subjectivity.“Ke” is thesecond. Then,“Jing”,“Jingran”,“Pianpian” and “Juran” is the least acceptable. Otherexpressions run between the two extremes.Chapter six illustrates the focus function and discourse expressive function.“Focus” is opposite to “background”.“Focus” has the property of [+prominent] onthe background of in-sentence elements, while the focus on the background ofouter-sentence elements or cognitive elements has the property of [+comparison]. InChinese, the use of marking phrases to mark elements is the major syntactic methodin indicating comparative focuses. The realization of focus function of adversativeadverbs and the prominent of focus function need several means. Other issues like thefocus functional analysis of some adversative analysis, textual cohesive functions andthe distribution of individual cases.Chapter seven talks about the rhetoric expression function of adversative adverbs.The combination of adversative adverbs with rhetoric principles embodies two features: novelty and newsiness. Thus several figures of speech are generated such ascontrast, exaggeration, and irony.The last chapter is the summary of the whole dissertation which summarizes thecontents, the logical development and induces research findings. It also includes thelimitations and future research potentials.