The Emergence and Rationale of the Reminder-Emphasis Construction "N是用来V的" in Chinese
Keywords:
N是用来V的, Reminder-Emphasis, Construction Emergence, Rationale of ConstructionAbstract
This paper primarily investigates the emergence process of the reminder-emphasis construction“N是用来V的” (N is used to V). The formal emergence process unfolds as follows: from the objective event narration “用NV” (use N to V), to the subjective evaluation of things “N可以用来V” (N can be used to V), and finally to the inter-subjective assessment “N是用来V的” (N is used to V). The emergence of meaning primarily relies on pragmatic inference: the speaker violates the cooperative principle, the listener actively engages in inference, and the implicature is captured. During the emergence process, the construction requires that N possesses the property of “everyday activity” and V exhibits “conventional functionality,” while“是用来……的” (is used to...) emphasizes “functional prominence”.
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