Functional Types and Formation of the Saying-Type Modal Particles in Chinese Dialects
In Chinese dialects,such as Wu,Xiang,Gan,Min,Hakka,Cantonese,Southwest Mandarin,Jianghuai Mandarin,and those spoken in Northwestern China,modal particles derived from SAY verbs are common.They include monosyllabic verbs like shuo(说),jiang(讲),hua(话),complex structures like huadao(话道),jiaosha(叫啥),yi jiang(伊讲),and sound combinations like wa(喎)and ka(咖).The functions of saying-type modal particles in Chinese dialects are numerous and varied.Based on data from 39 dialect points,this paper categorizes the functions of the modal particles into five types based on sentence types and semantic features:affirmative tone,mirative tone,confirmation tone,inquiry tone,and rhetorical tone.Subsequently,the paper examines these five functions from the perspectives of semantic function,sentence type distribution,core characteristics,and entailment,suggesting that affirmative and mirative tone represent the prototypical functions,while confirmation,inquiry and rhetorical tones are derived from these two prototype tones within other sentence types.The paper primarily discusses the formation of saying-type modal particles.The functions of mirativity and affirmation originate from the evidential function.There are two paths of subjectivization for saying-type evidential markers:when it conveys the information that the speaker knows in advance or expects,it develops into an affirmative modal particle;when it conveys the unexpected information that the speaker doesn't know in advance,it develops into a mirativity modal particle.These cognitive motivations underlie the evolution of saying-type modal particles.The formation mechanism is reanalysis under the influence of syntactic positions and context absorption.When conveying information that surprises or affirms the speaker,modal particles are not mandatory within sentences.Therefore,as the objectivity of evidential markers weakens,they are subsequently reanalyzed as affirmative or mirative mood particles,acquiring subjectivity.Affirmative and mirative tones can further develop into other tones,but their pathways differ.When affirmative tone enters imperative sentences,interrogative sentences,and rhetorical questions,it gives rise to confirmation,inquiry,and rhetorical tones.On the other hand,mirative tone in declarative sentences evolves through pragmatic shifts,giving rise to doubt and negation,i.e.,inquiry and rhetorical tones,respectively.Tones derived from affirmative tone like confirmation,inquiry,and rhetorical tones essentially maintain an affirmative function,while those developed from mirative tone like inquiry and rhetorical tones possess genuine questioning and rhetorical functions.
SAY verbmodal particleevidentialitymirativityaffirmation
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NSTL
万方数据
