理解言语交际中的语用模糊：一个综合模型

论文摘要

模糊性是人类言语交际中的普遍现象。它经常被用来指诸多不同的语言现象。几个世纪以来,模糊性一直是学术研究的重要课题,以其独特的魅力使众多学者为之着迷。语言的模糊性可以从不同的方面展现出来,而学者们也从不同的视角对这一特性进行了研究。尽管已经有数量相当可观的文献对传统意义上的模糊性进行了讨论,但是迄今为止,对语用模糊的研究仍然不成气候。本论文的一项主要课题就是要构建一个新的语用模型,即CRAP模型。此模型综合了四个理论视角,即格莱斯(Grice)的合作原则、斯珀伯(Sperber)和威尔逊(Wilson)的关联理论、维索尔伦(Verschueren)的顺应论以及布朗(Brown)和莱文森(Levinson)基于“面子”的礼貌理论。我们的新模型受到这四个有着不同来源和取向的关于言语交际的理论的启发,但是,我们的模型对它们进行了修正和完善,并未全盘保留其各自所有特点。这一新模型被用于阐释语用模糊的话语的产生和理解过程。尤其是在理解这一方面,我们采纳了斯珀伯(Sperber,1996)的多重模块化的观点,将语用模糊的理解看作是多重模块化的心智结构中的一个非线性模块化的过程,并进行了相应的分析。为了达到以上主要目标,我们先完成了其他一些任务作为铺垫,例如,对语用模糊与语义模糊的区分。这两者之间的分野大致同日常语言哲学与理想语言哲学的区别相吻合。取自自然语言的例子证明语用模糊是我们可以加以利用的一种策略。对于自然语言(包括模糊语言)的探索也应该考虑语用层面,即语言使用者的意图以及该语言出现的场合。在语用模糊的分类问题上,我们迄今为止所能见到的只是五花八门的语言现象的杂乱、不系统的堆砌,例如,约略、含糊、笼统、歧义、比喻、弱陈、讽刺及夸张等。本文采用统一的标准,对语用模糊进行统一、合理的分类。我们在两个维度上对语用模糊进行分类:(1)模糊的发生层面;(2)模糊的产生方式。在此分类体系中,语用模糊发生在三个层面上,即质、量及关系。这三个层面源自德国哲学家康德的三个范畴。在每一个层面上,通过遵守或违反格莱斯合作原则的准则都可以产生语用模糊。

论文目录

• Acknowledgements
• Abstract
• 摘要
• List of Figures
• Chapter One Introduction
• 1.1 Object of the research
• 1.2 Rationale for the research
• 1.3 Significance of the research
• 1.4 Methodology and data
• 1.5 Organization of the thesis
• Chapter Two An Overview of Approaches to Vagueness
• 2.1 Introduction
• 2.2 Etymology of “vague”
• 2.3 Vagueness and the Sorites Paradox: a historical survey
• 2.4 The philosophical approach to vagueness
• 2.5 The semantic approach to vagueness
• 2.5.1 Vagueness, ambiguity, generality and epistemic failure
• 2.5.2 Definition of vagueness
• 2.6 The cognitive approach to vagueness
• 2.7 Summary
• Chapter Three Pragmatic Vagueness
• 3.1 Introduction
• 3.2 The pragmatic vagueness/semantic vagueness distinction
• 3.2.1 The pragmatics/semantics distinction
• 3.2.2 Pragmatic vagueness versus semantic vagueness
• 3.3 A taxonomy of pragmatic vagueness
• 3.3.1 Quality-based pragmatic vagueness
• 3.3.2 Quantity-based vagueness
• 3.3.3 Relation-based pragmatic vagueness
• 3.4 Functions of pragmatic vagueness
• 3.5 Summary
• Chapter Four A Review of the Pragmatic Literature on Verbal Communication
• 4.1 Introduction
• 4.2 Grice’s co-operative principle
• 4.2.1 The conversational maxims of co-operative principle
• 4.2.2 Observance of the conversational maxims
• 4.2.3 Nonobservance of the conversational maxims
• 4.3 Adaptation theory
• 4.3.1 Verschueren’s interdisciplinary perspective on language use
• 4.3.2 Perspective view of language
• 4.3.3 Linguistic choice-making and its key notions
• 4.3.4 Four angles of pragmatic investigation
• 4.3.5 Metapragmatic awareness
• 4.3.6 Strengths and weaknesses of adaptation theory
• 4.4 Relevance theory
• 4.4.1 Two models of communication
• 4.4.2 Relevance
• 4.4.3 Explicature
• 4.4.4 Implicature
• 4.5 Summary
• Chapter Five The CRAP Model for Explaining Pragmatic Vagueness
• 5.1 Introduction
• 5.2 An overview of the CRAP model
• 5.2.1 The CRAP model and its precursors
• 5.2.1.1 Grice’s co-operative principle
• 5.2.1.2 Sperber and Wilson’s relevance theory
• 5.2.1.3 Verschueren’s adaptation theory
• 5.2.1.4 Brown and Levinson’s theory of politeness
• 5.2.2 Constituents of the CRAP model
• 5.2.2.1 The “three worlds”
• 5.2.2.2 Assumptions set: contextual abstraction
• 5.2.2.3 The Co-operativeness Evaluator
• 5.2.2.4 The Politeness Evaluator
• 5.2.2.5 The Relevance Evaluator
• 5.2.2.6 Production and interpretation choices
• 5.3 The CRAP model: the production of pragmatically vague utterances
• 5.4 The CRAP model: the interpretation of pragmatically vague utterances
• 5.4.1 Mental structure as functional architecture: horizontal faculties
• 5.4.2 Mental structure as functional architecture: vertical faculties
• 5.4.3 Fodorian theory of cognitive modularity
• 5.4.4 Sperber and Wilson’s position on the modularity of mind
• 5.4.5 The interpretation of pragmatic vagueness: a massively modular approach
• 5.5 Summary
• Chapter Six Conclusion
• 6.1 Major findings of the research
• 6.2 Ramifications and Implications
• 6.3 Limitations of the Research and Suggestions for Further Work
• References