A Pragmatic Analysis of Tautology

校園英語(yǔ)/語(yǔ)言文化A Pragmatic Analysis of Tautology河南檢察職業(yè)學(xué)院/吉冰冰[ Abstract ] Tautology is a kind of special linguistic phenomenon Conversational Implicature takes place and what characteristicswhich is a repetition or duplication of an idea using the words the Conversational Implicature has, what kind of languagewith the same meaning. Tautology seems to be pointless in the attitudes the speakers would like to express. Then, somelogical perspective but shows rich meaning on the pragmatic examples of tautologies related to the above theories will beanalysis. The focus of this paper is to present the pragmatic presented in order to summarize Conversational Implicature asanalysis on the basis of the Cooperative Principle, Conversational a type of implied meaning, which is deduced on the basis of theImplicature and Language Attitudes. That is, speakers violate conventional meaning of words together with the context, underthe Cooperative Principle in the conversation and express the guidance of the CP and its maxims.certain language attitudes; while listeners try to obtain such1.2 Specific Examples and Analysisconversational implicature depending on the specific context. InAccording to different semantic meanings, we can dividethis case, the pragmatic value and effect of tautology become the tautology into three categories. First, N is N.“ Politics arefocus of this article.politics”and “ Business is business”are such examples.[Key Words ] tautology; pragmatic analysis; Cooperative Such structure is defined to certain human activities which arePrinciple;special lifestyles. It implies that people have clear atude to theConversational Implicature; Language Attitudesactivities. Second, A (n) N is a (n) N. For instance, A promise1 Pragmatic Analysisis a promise; A singer is a singer. This kind of tautology is to1.1 Theoretical Contributionexpress certain duty and responsibility. In a broad sense, it is theIn this chapter, some theories will be provided for pragmatic regulation of the human behaviors. Third,AisA,B is B. East isanalysis of tautology. First, the theory of Cooperative Principle, east, west is west. This one is different from the above two. ItConversational Implicature and Language Attitudes will be shows the difference in essence between two persons or things.showed, including what the Cooperative Principle is, how the (Mao, 1997)(6) The car drives fast.的構式成分為主語(yǔ)，謂語(yǔ)和附加語(yǔ)，即“NP+V+ADV”。主例(5)中“the clothes”具有其自身的特點(diǎn)，如質(zhì)地柔軟、語(yǔ)并非向中動(dòng)詞的施事者，而為其受事，具有非施事性。謂布料高檔，這些衣服輕松易洗就成為主語(yǔ)“衣服”的一-個(gè)屬語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞 具有恒時(shí)性，而附加語(yǔ)副詞具有非事件性，它們描述性特征。例(6)中 “fast” 泛指該汽車(chē)的車(chē)速，在駕駛它時(shí)，的 事物或事件的類(lèi)屬特征、狀態(tài)或泛指施事的感受?？傊?，任何人都可以感受到其快速，該副詞描述的是施事的感受特對其構式特征的探析有助于學(xué)習者加深對英語(yǔ)中動(dòng)結構的認征?？梢?jiàn)，中動(dòng)結構中的副詞有一- 個(gè)共同特點(diǎn)，就是不描述識和理解， 有助于我們參照漢語(yǔ)的特征，深化認識英語(yǔ)語(yǔ)言具體事件。所以，作為中動(dòng)結構的構式標記附加語(yǔ)的副詞，的構式特性。在其語(yǔ)義選擇上是有要求的，即不用來(lái)描述具體事件，而是參考文獻:對事物或事件類(lèi)屬特征、狀態(tài)或泛指性施事的感受的描述，它具有非事件性。[1]Keyser,J.& T. Roeper. On the middle and ergative constructions中動(dòng)結構謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞為及物動(dòng)詞，主語(yǔ)是它的受事。英語(yǔ)in English [].Linguistic Inquiry,1984,(15).作為嚴格的主謂結構式語(yǔ)言，但是中動(dòng)動(dòng)詞對主語(yǔ)的支配[2]Goldberg, E.Construtions: AConstruction Grammar Approach能力減弱，不具有述謂的特征。為了達到構式的平衡，中to Argument Structure[M].Chicago: the University of Chicago動(dòng)結構中就必須有附加修飾語(yǔ)。附加語(yǔ)與動(dòng)詞的關(guān)系不大，Press,1995.主要用來(lái)描述主語(yǔ)的性質(zhì)特征，這似乎該由形容詞來(lái)補充。[3]Quirk et al. A Grammar of Contemporary English [M]. London但附加語(yǔ)描述的主語(yǔ)的性質(zhì)特征是在動(dòng)作發(fā)生時(shí)，即是當主and New York: Longan,1985:735.語(yǔ)處在動(dòng)詞的事件狀態(tài)之中時(shí)才會(huì )得到體現，作為句子的中[4]何 文忠中動(dòng)構句條件1].外語(yǔ)教學(xué)20,() 124-29.心動(dòng)詞V的作用受到削弱，因此，修飾語(yǔ)部分由于受到動(dòng)詞[5]何文忠中動(dòng)結構的界定[].外語(yǔ)教學(xué),2005, (7): 9-14.的影響而由副詞充當。換言之， 雖然附加語(yǔ)在語(yǔ)義上指向[6]李航,英漢中 動(dòng)結構句法特征對比研究[]語(yǔ)言應用研究，主語(yǔ)名詞，在結構上它仍舊指向動(dòng)詞。英語(yǔ)中動(dòng)結構構式2011,(5): 95-97.中國煤化工“NP+V+ADV”就這樣得到了。三、結語(yǔ)*課題資助:MHCNMH G -項目(X1224)中動(dòng)結構作為英語(yǔ)語(yǔ)言中普遍存在的一種結構，其典型英語(yǔ)中動(dòng)結構的ICM視角研究的科研成果。校園英語(yǔ)1語(yǔ)言文化2 The Comparison of Implicit Meaning with Favorable and“ mothers are mothers.”Although on the surface, this passageUnfavorable Declensiondoes not directly give us above-mentioned meanings, we .2.1 Brief Introductioncan obtain them in our mind. We can even say this tautologyThere are two kinds of situations to occur in the course of highlights the whole passage. By using such a simple and shortimplicative inference. Beyond the literal meaning, the implicature sentence structure, it actually conveys a lot of information andcomes about either with favorable declension or with unfavorable gives more room for readers to think and feel. This is a greatdeclension. Whether it goes this way or the other way depends example to convey the attitude of greatness.on the context. The implicit meaning with favorable declensionWars are wars. Reasons for going to war have been debatedmeans that it has the favorable implicature or the good side over and over for centuries. There are no good wars. Wars are allbeyond the literal meaning of the sentence; while the implicit bad. Wars kill people.meaning with unfavorable declension refers to the unfavorableThis example also presents the author’s feeling of hatred.implicature or the undesirable side beyond the literal meaning Most modern people in the world love peace and search for aof the sentence. Anyhow, the implied meaning should be inpeaceful and harmoniousworld. People hate wars because theyagreement with the current context or speaking environment. have brought destruction and all kinds of disaster. So far, the warAccording to the different contexts, different aitudes are noticed, is so cruel that it has become the saddest and most terrible thingsuch as atitudes of admiration and disappointment, attitudes of in the world. In the human history, wars have ever led to the deathapproval and disapproval, attitudes of care and hatred, and so on.of innumerable people, the painful tears and endless sorrow of2.2 Attitudes of Praise and Criticismmany people left. In a word, no one wants to see wars as warsThe attitude of praise means that with the implicit meaning mean death, blood and damage. As a result, this tautology justdetected from tautology in certain context, the speaker can show strengthens the sense of hatred.his praise to the person or thing he is talking about. For example,3 ConclusionPremier Zhou is Premier Zhou. The above example has obviouslyTautology is not a simple meaningless repetition, itaffectionate tendency. Premier Zhou is well-known for his is abundant in the pragmatic value in spite of the seemingwisdom, politeness, grace and so on. Therefore, when people usesimplicity of their structures.That is, it violates the Cooperativesuch utterance, they mostly want to praise him no matter from Principle, Conversational Implicature happen correspondinglywhat perspectives.and expresses the Language Attitudes of the speaker or theSpeaking of the atitude of criticism, it means we are very author. What' s more, there are mainly three kinds of opinionsdissatisfied with something and just use the tautology to show our of tautology research, but the pragmatic explanation is moredissatisfaction. For instance, No matter how the crow decorates reasonable. According to the analysis of meanings expresseditself with the feather of the peacock, the crow is the crow. A by various tautologies, the further study should focus more oncoward is a coward. To the above two examples, there is even the exploring the concrete course of expressing conversationalno need for us to consider the context, because we can easily implicature and making clear the concrete mechanism workednderstand the tone of emotion. After all, the crow and the coward>ut by communicators. If it is made clear, it will bring importantcan hardly make us reflect on the pleasant and good things.effect of a variety of phenomenon, such as metaphor, metonymy2.3 Attitudes of Gratfulness and Hatredandsoon...No matter what nationality we have, mothers are mothers.Mother' s comfort, sofness, trust and deepest love that lavishesReferences:upon her child are never going to change. Mother is enduring and [1]Farghal, Mohammed. Colloquial Jordanian Arabic Tautologies.everlasting...Journal of Pragmatics, 1992(3).The beginning of this passage just tells us: To dfferent [2]Fraser, Bruce. Motor oil is molor oil: An account of Englishmothers, although they treat their children in different ways, thenominal tautologies. Journal of Pragmatics, 1988 (2).love they express is similar. Perhaps an Italian and a Japanese[3]Levinson,Stephen C. Pragmatics. Cambridge: Cambridgemother have nothing in common, no matter in customs, religion,University Press,1983.politics, and habits, they may be absolutely different. However,[4]高航,張鳳.同語(yǔ)的語(yǔ)用研究.Journal of PLA Foreignthere is one thing which will never change and is incredibly Languages Uvivsity,199().similar when speaking of the motherhood and their felingsof [5]胡壯麟 語(yǔ)言學(xué)數程[M1.北京大學(xué)出版社2001being a mother of their own children, even if the geographic [6]劉德 周.同語(yǔ)的中國煤化工rmal of Yunnan .and cultural distances can make them difrent from each other. Normal UniversityMHCNM HGAll the words above are what we can deduce from the tautology