A Cognition-Theoretic Approach To "Chi(吃)+NP"

The dynamic and complex features of the collocation of verbs and their following noun phrases(NPS)have given rise to bustles and hustles in the academic circle.Previously scholars have conducted a large number of studies on post-positioned-verb NPs from the perspectives of either cognitive linguistics or generative syntax,and have generated fruitful results,but some controversial issues are still worthy of attention.For example,no consensus has been made regarding the naming and classification of the post-verb NPs and no single theory so far is capable of interpreting all the derivatives of the construction "verb +NP",none has focused on the phenomenon of "true" and "false" agent in the derivatives of the construction "Chi +NPs".In view of the above reasons,this study specifically explores Chi(吃)"eat",one of the high-frequency characters in modern Chinese within the quantitative and qualitative research tradition of diachronic comparison,corpus and typology comparison and so on.Guided by Mark Johnson’s Embodied Philosophy Theory,the Schema of Compulsion Force and Pustejovsky’s Generative Lexicon Theory,this paper proposes a Cognition Theoretic Framework through a close examination of the current collocation situation,typological evidence,derivative paths,true and false agent,generative mechanisms,permitting conditions and unified interpretation of “Chi(吃)+NPs” from multiple perspectives.The major findings of this study includes:First,all non-edible [-food] NPs after “Chi”(吃)are based on edible [+food] NPs,with metonymy as its first and core path.Their meanings are derived from center to periphery following the path of metonymy → the mixture of metonymy and metaphor →metaphor.Second,according to the directional characteristics of the Compulsion Force Schema,the collocation of verb Chi and its’ following NPs can be divided into two categories: the right-oriented collocation or Agent → Patient type and the left-oriented collocation or Patient ← Agent type.The right-oriented or Agent → Patient type is the proto compulsive force schema while the left-oriented or Patient ← Agent type is a derivative of the prototypical Agent → Patient schema.In right-oriented collocations,the agent is the one who causes the force,rendering it the true agent.In left-oriented collocations,the agent is the one who has the force,and hence the fake agent.Third,the selection of subsequent argument NPs by Chi not only follows the three mechanisms advocated by the Generative Lexicon Theory: Type Matching,Accommodation Subtyping,and Argument Coercion.Its collocation is also based on their rich semantic representation of Chi.Under the co-operation of the three mechanisms,each element of the two semantic representations activates each other and builds the intersection point.The emergence of this intersection point is both the sign of successful match and the permissible condition of NPs after Chi.Fourth,NPs after Chi include eight types,i.e.quantity,method,source,place,time,purpose,tool and passivity.The classification of these eight types demonstrates the characteristics of dichotomy: from the lexical level,NPs after Chi can be divided into food and non-food;from the syntactic level,NPs after Chi can be divided into objects and non-objects,complements and adjuncts.Cognitive linguistics can only explicate the first five types of NPs(metonymic object)after Chi,such as the quantity,method,source,place and time,while generative grammar can explain the last six types of NPs(non-objects or adjuncts)after Chi,for example the source,place,time,purpose,tool and passivity.However,neither can explain it independently.Thereby,an approach of coordinating the two sides is proposed in this study to account for all the derivativs of "Chi+NPs" listed above.In sum,it is evident from our study that the“Generative School”and“Cognitive School are not completely opposite,but complementary.Building on the concept of combing generative syntax with cognitive linguistics,Cognition-Theoretic Approach,is of interpreting all the derivatives of"chi+NP".More importantly this approach is expected to offer an applicable account for all other controversial collocations in Chinese such as hanlou(喊楼)"Shouting building",majie(骂街)"scolding street",xi liangshui(洗凉水)"washing cold water",xie maobi(写毛笔)"writing brush"and so on.