Value Judgments Adverb Expressive Function Of The Anchoring Effect

Based on the theories of cognitive and functional linguistics, this paper studies the interior categories and typical case analysis of modern Chinese language modal adverbs. In the light of semantic types of modality, syntax distribution of modal adverbs and classes of subjectivity the paper firstly classifies modal adverbs and chooses the valuation category of modal adverbs as object of this research. In virtue of the Mandarin Corpus of Peking University this dissertation extracts 15 representatives from each sub-category of modal adverbs to analyze their semantic structure and functional expressions so as to grope for semantic commonness of each sub-categories these adverbs belong to.The main issues to be discussed in this dissertation include:The foreword part This part roughly introduces the motivation, the object of research, the scope of research, and the source of example sentences and the value of this research.Summarization of research This part presents a brief picture of the status quo of research on modal adverbs from the perspectives of macro and micro. Besides, this part also accounts for emphasis and perspective of research of this disquisition.Sub-categories of modal adverbs This part generalizes the property and typical characters of modal adverbs by discussing the relationship between theory of categorization, subjectivity and modal adverbs. Based on prevenient achievements about categorizing criterion of modal adverbs the paper brings forward its own all-around criterion, namely semantic types of modality, traditional research of Chinese mood, syntax distribution of modal adverbs and classes of subjectivity band toghter. Then we sum up 23 kinds of semantic type of mood. In accordance with it modal adverbs can be approximately divided into four sub-categories: possibility estimation, affirmance, valuation and utterance. Each category can be divided into several sub-categories with detailed description.Embodiment of anchoring effect in the valuation modal adverbs Firstly this part expatiates on basic concepts namely anchoring effect and category of general consent, then further expounds the relationship between the valuation adverbs and anchoring effect, category of general consent and anchoring value. A frame of reference is definitely needed when the addressor makes value judgment, which is called anchoring value and generally which is served by category of general consent. The addressor educes its own value judgment through referring to anchoring value. This is the anchoring effect, which is reflected in the semantic expressions of the valuation modal adverbs. Secondly this part concentrates on analyzing the semantic structure of fifteen typical modal adverbs such as "宁可", "幸亏 "and "反而" and we found that regarding category of general consent as frame of reference is the semantic commonness of the valuation modal adverbs. In the end, this part offers a diachronic explanation for semantic commonness of each sub-category these adverbs belong to. Referring to quantum of normality and from perspectives of direction and magnitude of quantum we reduce the 15 sub-categories of the valuation modal adverbs to 6 categories.Conclusion As a conclusion of the dissertation, this part sums up all the contents and basic conclusions.