Pervasiveness/Non-Pervasiveness Semantic Structure: A Contrastive Study In English And Chinese Language

Under the guidance of applied linguistic general theory and with the help of the structuristic methodology, this paper compared the similarities and differences on the pervasiveness and non-pervasiveness expressions between English and Chinese from the syntactic, semantic and pragmatic perspectives. This paper is divided into five chapters.The first chapter is introduction, which frames the research purpose, methods, survey and scope.The second chapter analyses the conceptions of the pervasiveness/non-pervasiveness and the relations between the pervasiveness/non-pervasiveness and its relative elements. Pervasiveness means that N fills, pervades or occupies the whole NL, which reflects the concept of "whole". It closely relates to the finishing state of actions .The number of N is not necessarily mentioned, but the NL must be definite reference. Non-pervasiveness means N occupies an NL partly, which reflects the concept of "part", or it means that actions have not been finished but are still continuing.In English, "NL+V/(be+Adj/p.p.)+with/of+N",etc. and words such as "all over , throughout" etc. can express pervasiveness . In Chinese so can "NL+V+满/遍+N" or 满/遍/全/-+NL"etc. or words such as "全部,浑身"etcThe third chapter contrasts the syntactic structures of the pervasiveness / non-pervasiveness in English and Chinese. In English , the structures of the pervasiveness are ( 1 ) V+NL+with/of+N; ( 2 ) NL+V(be+Adj/p.p.)+with+N; ( 3 ) V+N+all over/through(out)/....+NL; (4 ) N+V+NL. Most correspond to the Chinese structure "NL+V+满t+N" . While in Chinese, the structures of pervasiveness are ( 1) NL+V+ 满+N; (2 ) N+V+满/遍+NL; (3 ) NL+N+V+满/遍; (4 ) [ V+满+NL/N 的 ] +N/NL.Most correspond to the English structure "NL+V(be+Adj/p.p.)+with+N". In English , the structures of the non-pervasiveness are ( 1) V+N+prep(on/in/....)+NL; ( 2 ) N+V+prep+NL , while in Chinese the structure of the non-pervasiveness is "NL+V+N" . Structures of the non-pervasiveness in English and Chinese can correspond to each other.The fourth chapter mainly classifies verbs or adjectives. In both English and Chinese , the pervasiveness demands verbs or adjectives which possess the semantic property [ +fill ] , [ +spread ] or [ +move ] . But in Chinese , part of verbs which do not possess the semantic property [+fill] or [+spread ] can also be used with "满" to express pervasiveness .In English , part of verbs with the semantic property[ +move ] can be used with the progressive , but there is no such case in Chinese . In English , Pattern EA' demands verbs or verbal phrases with the semantic property[ +remove ] , there are no such verbs which can be used with "满/遍" in Chinese . The fifth chapter discusses the ellipsis and implication of N or NL. In both English and Chinese pervasiveness structures, there is ellipsis and implication of N. In Chinese, NL can be left out and implied, but it has not been found that NL can be left out and implied in English.