Studies On Chinese Modality Adverbs Denoting Coincidence

Mood adverb is one category of the adverb which has the most complicated usage and is problematic in modern Chinese adverbs. The individuality of its members is much stronger than that of the commonness. It's hard to get a comprehensive understanding without detailed analysis, description and research of these adverbs one by one. Taking the 'coincidence'mood adverbs as its subjects, the paper makes a comprehensive research of the usage of these adverbs in respect of syntax, semantics and pragmatics. The paper consists of four parts: Part I, the introduction, gives a definition of 'coincidence'and divides 'coincidence'mood adverbs into three sub-categories, which are presented by 'Zhenghao', 'Zhengqiao'and 'Qiaqia'. The author also gives a literature review of the research on these adverbs. In Part II, the author analyses the syntactic functions of coincidence mood adverbs. Combined with quantitative phrases, the type of 'Zhengqiao'adverbs emphasize the coincidence, the type of 'Zhenghao'emphasizes a certain expectation, while that of 'Qiaqia'has no such usage; when combined with verbal phrases, for most of the time, the 'Zhengqiao'type modifies changeable verbs, that of 'Qiaqia'is often combined with verbs that express certain status,while the type of 'Zhenghao'can be used to both of these two sort of verbs. In addition, 'Zhenghao'type can be used in subjunctive sentences, while the other two cannot. In consideration of application, usually all these three categories are used in statement; 'Zhenghao'type can be used in interrogative sentences, 'Qiaqia'type can be used in special questions and interjectional sentences. Part III gives an analysis of the semantic functions of coincidence exclamation adverbs. 'Zhenghao'type can be used to express various relationship, e.g. continuity,causal, juxtaposition , supplement and explanation. The semantic relationships expressed by 'Zhengqiao'type are relatively simple. 'Qiaqia'type can only express juxtaposition, turning, but they can be divided into many different types and there is strong comparison within each type. Part IV focuses on the analysis of the pragmatic functions of this kind of verbs. The problem of coincidence is closely related to chanciness and subjectivity, under the influence of which the three sub-categories give different focuses: 'Zhengqiao'type is closely related to chanciness while the other two types are more related to subjectivity. The coincidence in the former is favorable for the addresser, while the other is on the contrary. The paper is concluded that 'coincidence'is related with two factors : chanciness, subjectivity, the usage of 'coincidence'mood adverbs is under the influence of those factor; Compare with the typical mood adverbs, the kind of adverbs can used for clause in object and attributive, and the 'Zhenghao'is consistent with indefinite-subject sentences. The 'Zhenghao'can used in subjunctivce mood sentences, express various semantic relation, and the 'coincidence'is favorable. The 'Zhengqiao'have not the prolepsis, the chief function of the 'Qiaqia'is to express exphasis.