A Study Of Cognitive Mechanism On Generation And Interpretation Of Bu Shi X De X Construction

This thesis aims to study bu shi X de X construction in modern Chinese.“bu shi X de X”is a special language phenomenon, which is used frequently and has its own specific features.It is a kind of modifier-head constructions in Chinese grammar, such as “bu shi女人de女人”,“bu shi美好de美好”,“bu shi办法de办法”,“bu shi玩具de玩具” and so on. Inthis construction, the negation form of “X” modifies “X” itself and the structure auxiliaryword “de”(in Chinese “的”) cannot be eliminated. It first negates “X” then affirms “X”, thisform is paradoxical in the superficial level, but the deeper meaning of it is special and isn’tcontradictory. Moreover, it expresses a meaningful sense by a very simple form. There arefew studies on this language phenomenon. The preceding studies on the construction of “bushi X de X” are mainly from perspectives of syntax, semantics and rhetoric. However, fewresearches have paid attention to the generative mechanism of “bu shi X de X”. Therefore, ourpresent study intends to make a systemic analysis on “bu shi X de X” from the cognitiveperspective. Professor Xu Shenghuan’s Inheritance of Denotation and Connotation Theorywill be applied to interpret the generative mechanism of bu shi X de X construction.This thesis regards “bu shi X de X” as a construction, for its form and function are notstrictly predictable from its components. It makes an analysis of the compositions of thisconstruction and what constituents can enter this construction also explained. On the basis ofthe analysis on our data collection, this study classifies the construction into three kinds froma perspective of categorization. The first type is that the statement objects of this constructionand X pertain to different categories, but the statement object shares some main properties ofX. This kind is a metaphor. The second type is that statement object is a subcategory of X category. The third type is that statement object and X belong to an identical category.Moreover, statement object is a peripheral member of the category and this kind alwaysexpresses a meaning of reluctance or “have to do”.Then, the thesis investigates the construction meanings of “bu shi X de X” on the basisof classifications that have been mentioned above. Construction meaning one is the salienceof the property of X that the statement object shares in some specific context. Constructionmeaning two highlights the opposite-directional relation between “X” and “bu shi X de X”.Construction meaning three puts stress on the concessive relation between the typical andatypical members of X category.Based on the above analysis, this thesis takes application of Inheritance of Denotationand Connotation to interpret the generative mechanism of “bu shi X de X” construction: why“X” is “bu shi X de X”. The generative process of construction meaning one is the inheritanceof properties between “X” and “bu shi X de X”. The generative process of constructionmeaning two is opposite-directional inheritance of connotations between “X” and “bu shi Xde X” by virtue of proximity relation. And the construction meaning three is the concessiveinheritance of connotation between “X” and “bu shi X de X”.This thesis consists of six parts:Chapter one is a general introduction to the present study, which introduces the object,research questions, methodology, data collection and purpose of the study, as well as theorganization of the thesis.Chapter two is a literature review which gives a detailed survey on previous studies andrelated studies on the construction of “bu shi X de X”. This chapter tries to discuss theircontributions, as well as points out their limitations which this thesis aims to solve.Chapter three is the theoretical framework, in which Xu Shenghuan’s Inheritance ofDenotation and Connotation theory will be elaborately elucidated and explained. Moreover, based on the theory, our interpretation framework of bu shi X de X construction will also beillustrated.Chapter four is the systematic illustrations of the features of “bu shi X de X”construction. The compositions of this construction and what constituents can enter thisconstruction are discussed. What’s more, the classification and the construction meaning of“bu shi X de X” are also elaborately interpreted.Chapter five is the cognitive analysis of “bu shi X de X” construction. This chapter willgive a detailed and specific analysis on the generation mechanism of this construction basedon Inheritance of Denotation and Connotation theory.Chapter six is the conclusion of the thesis with the findings, limitations and implications.