A Study On The Construction Of The Adverb Zai In Modern Chinese

No matter in the spoken or written part in contemporary Chinese, Zai as an adverb is frequently used and is very complicated of the meanings in different occasions. Therefore, we will discuss about the constructions of Zai conducted by the related theory of cognitive linguistics in order to find some way to analysis its subjectivisation. This paragraph is divided into six chapters.Chapter One is the introduction. Chapter Two tries to analysis every part of the construction “Zai A Ye B” so that we can deeply discover the features in syntax,semantics and pragmatics. In Chapter Three, we made a new definition of the meaning of the construction, also discussed about the contextual relevance, the expected function of discourse,discourse expression. Chapter Four is written both from the synchronic aspects and the diachronic approach to find the motivation in the developments of the construction “Zai A Ye B”. Chapter Five talks about the lexicalization of “Zaiye C” and its relationship with the construction “Zai A Ye B”.Chapter Six is the conclusion of the whole paragraph.