Research On Expression Of Quantitative Vagueness

This thesis is on the basis of Vague Language theory, and analyzes the expression of quantitative vagueness, which is directly related to numerals. Through this analysis, people can get a thorough understanding on expression of quantitative vagueness.The thesis classified the vague quantitative of numeral expression from the perspective of semantics. This classification is not like traditional linguistics which classified this expression as a subcategory of numerals, but defined as the use of a number of numerals.This paper is divided into two chapters. The first part is introduction. It introduced the scope of study, the theory of vagueness language ,the main context and significance of the study.The second part classified the expression of quantitative vagueness which is directly related to numerals.The first category is vagueness net. Although these quantitative don't have accurate upper boundaries and lower boundaries, they still have special range and have something worth precise number .there are several ways of expression net: one uses unquantitative numerals to express vagueness net. For example:"several""two"show the general number which is no more than ten: the other uses in conjunction with clinical or similar numerals to express vagueness net: such as"three or four""seven or eight days""one or two pieces"The third is numerals or quantitative phase add around boundary phrase to express vagueness net, such as"more than three hundred books""less than two persons""about twenty days".The second category is to use numerals to express inaccurate numbers. Although these phrase are not accurate and don't have connection with precise number any more. They express the quantitative concept of"more"or"less".We call it vagueness quantitative. The ways of expression are: one is to use numerals to express vagueness quantitative, including"one"to"ten","several""two""many""number"and"hundred""thousand""ten thousands". The other is to use fixed format to express virtual volume.This thesis also makes comparison with expression of quantitative vagueness in English, and some problems which must be paid attention to quantitative vagueness expression in teaching foreigner, and the relation between vagueness net and virtual volume which can transform in accordance with the degree of exaggeration.