存在句：漢語與英語的語意研究

Abstract

本篇論文主在討論英語與漢語存在句（locative inversion）的動詞。旨在找出動詞在存在句中出現的正確必要的語意條件。 一般的論述認為，存在句裡面出現的動詞都是非受格動詞（unaccusative verb），然而，我的分析是，除了典型的非受格動詞之外，一些非作格動詞（unergative verb）也有在英語存在句裡出現，而且非受格狀態變化動詞（verbs of change of state）是不能出現在存在句中的。借用衍生詞彙（The Generative Lexicon）的理論分析以上談到的這些動詞的詞彙表徵（lexical representation），我的主張是除了中島(2001)論述的狀態下位事象條件（state subevent condition）之外，為了解釋存在句之情景詮釋上所需要的非作格動詞以及置於動詞前方介詞組（PP）之間的結合構成（co-compositional operation），仍要分析置於動詞後方名詞組（NP）的詞彙表徵。 關於漢語存在句中出現的動詞，首先，我把這些動詞分類成幾個語意群，整理其分布上的特徵與論元結構（argument structure）。接著，在存在句中，「著」和「了」的相互置換性質部分是僅限於具有無中心（headless）下位事象結構（subevent structure）的動詞。這些動詞的性質顯示，到「過程下位事象」（process subevent）之終結點（endpoint）的同時，所產生無止點（atelic）狀態下位事象（state subevent）的。最後，分析漢語存在句動詞的詞彙表徵時，我證明了漢語存在句中動詞出現的兩個條件是：一、非作格動詞以及置於動詞前方處所名詞組（locative NP）之間的結合構成。二、置於非作格動詞後方名詞組的目的性╱功能性（TELIC role）和其動詞本身語意之間的一致性。

This thesis deals with locative inversion, focusing on verbs which occur in the construction of English and Chinese. The purpose of this thesis is to show a proper necessary condition for verbs to occur in locative inversion. Contrary to the prevailing argument that locative inversion is an unaccusative diagnostics, I show here that some unergative verbs, as well as prototypical unaccusative verbs, are found in locative inversion of English, and in addition, that verbs of change of state, which are among unaccusative, cannot occur in the construction. Examining the lexical representations for these verbs along the lines of the Generative Lexicon, I propose that besides the state subevent condition proposed by Nakajima (2001), it is also necessary to examine the lexical representations for the postverbal NPs in order to explain the co-compositional operation between some unergative verbs and the preverbal PPs for the circumstantial interpretation. As for verbs which occur in locative inversion of Chinese, firstly, I present their distributional characteristics and argument structures, classifying these verbs into some semantic groups. Secondly, regarding some issues related to the interchangeability between –zhe and –le in locative inversion, it is proposed that the interchangeability is possible only when attainment to the endpoint of the process subevent gives rise to the atelic homogeneous state subevent at the same time in the headless event structure of the verb. Lastly, examining the lexical representations for verbs in Chinese locative inversion, I present some conditions for unergative to occur in the construction: i.e. co-compositional operation between unergative verbs and preverbal locative NPs, and the relation of the TELIC role for the postverbal NP being identical with the meaning of the verb itself.