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行政院國家科學委員會補助專題研究計畫成果報告
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※ 主題結構的進一步研究 ※
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計畫類別：V 個別型計畫 □整合型計畫
計畫編號：NSC 89-2411-H-110-004
執行期間：1999 年 8 月 1 日至 2000 年 7 月 31 日
計畫主持人：徐淑瑛
本成果報告包括以下應繳交之附件：
□赴國外出差或研習心得報告一份
□赴大陸地區出差或研習心得報告一份
□出席國際學術會議心得報告及發表之論文各一份
□國際合作研究計畫國外研究報告書一份
執行單位：國立中山大學外國語文學系
中 華 民 國 89 年 12 月 15 日
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行政院國家科學委員會專題研究計畫成果報告
國科會專題研究計畫成果報告
計畫編號：NSC 89-2411-H-110-004
執行期限：1999 年 8 月 1 日至 2000 年 7 月 31 日
主持人：徐淑瑛（國立中山大學外國語文學系）
一、中文摘要 文獻上已有許多記載漢語繫詞“是”出現在漢朝時(一世紀左右)。然而，現代漢語系 詞“是”是從古漢語的代詞“是”(王(1980)，Li (2000))，或是另外因結構需要而出現，而異 於古漢語之“是”(Xu & Shi (2000))仍在爭論中。即使如此，Li & Thomposon(1977)曾指 出“是”的發展影響了主題→主語的文法化。本計劃因此進而細分文法化的主題之特性， 並且分析此類句型之謂語結構。總而言之，此計畫探討二大主題，第一為判斷句之“是” 的發展如何影響主題句及“是…的”句型。第二藉著前人歷時的研究，進而了解現代漢語 包含有“是”及“的”的句型：如分裂句，辨別準分裂句，及屬性準分裂句，等。 本研究所區分的三種句型顯示，代詞功能的“是”的發展與屬性準分裂句或辨別準分 裂相關﹝皆帶有強調的功能﹞。而漢朝出現系詞功能的“是”則與等式句有關。 後者相 當於古漢語NP-NP句式，且並無“是”字出現。例“管仲夷吾者，穎上人也(史記管晏列傳)。” 相對的，焦點功能的“是”源於二種句型。(a) NP1(受詞)是XP，及(b) XP1是XP2，XP1非主 要謂語之論元。而“是”在此為代詞功能。在（a）句型中的NP1是主要謂語之一論元，帶 有強調、對比的功能(Pulleyblank(1985))。再者，(a)的句型通常為“階段層”的謂語 (Kratzer(1989))，例“戎狄是膺”。(b)句型，兼有“階段層”及“個體層”之謂語，XP1可為主 詞或子句主語。例：王之不王是折枝之類(孟子)。 本研究的結果有助於吾人對現代漢語之主題─評論句語與(準)分裂句型之相關性 的了解。並且對“是”之歷時的演變考量顯示現代漢語之“是”字實為等式句之系詞及焦點 記號之同形異義詞。 關鍵詞：主題,是… 的,焦點,（準）分裂句型,文法化,訊息結構,繫詞 Abstr actIt has been widely agreed on that the copula function of 是 appeared in the Han Dynasty (around the first century). Whether the modern Chinese linking word (系詞) 是 was developed from the pronoun 是 in classical Chinese (Wang, Li (1993)) or it emerged for the sake of structural need, namely distinct from the classical pronoun 是 (Xu & Shi (2000)), is still a debate. Despite this debate, Li & Thompson (1977) have succinctly noted that the development of 是 has greatly influenced the grammaticalization of topic into subject in sentence structure. Following previous insights, this project shows finer distinctions among sentences involving grammaticalized ‘topic’. Previous studies have focused on issues related to the history and evolution of copula 是, and its relation to judgmental sentences and topics. However, little attention has been paid to the predicates involved in these sentence types. Therefore the result of this study is twofold. First, it discusses how the development of judgmental copula 是 influences topic and 是… 的 structures. Second,
previous diachronic studies of the issues in discussion help understand Modern Chinese 是… 的
sentences: including cleft sentences, and specificational (identifying) pseudo-clefts and attributing pseudo-clefts.
Specifically three sentence types that are categorized by this study suggest that the pronoun 是 should be responsible for the development of attributing pseudo-clefts or identifying pseudo-clefts
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(the focus function of 是), and the evolution of copula 是 in latter Han Dynasty is related to equation sentences. The latter type concerns Classical Chinese NP-NP sentences, in which 是 did not occur; e.g. “管仲夷吾者，穎上人也（史記管晏列傳）”. In contrast the focus related function of
是 can be originated from two sources: (a) NP1(object) shi XP, and (b) XP1 shi XP2, where XP1 is
not an argument of the main predicate; note that 是 was a pronoun. It is because that the NP1 of type (a) is an object argument of the main predicate to be ‘exposed’ to denote emphatic and contrast function, as noted by Pulleyblank (1985). Interestingly, type (a) sentences usually have stage-level main predicates (Kratzer (1989)); e.g. 戎狄是膺 ‘The Rong and Di, them he repressed.’ Type (b) sentences, possible with both stage-level and individual-level predicates, have a subject or a sentential subject; e.g. 王之不王是折枝之類 (孟子), 非知之實難 (Zuo Zhao 10/5).
This result of this study has contributed to our understanding of the correlation of topic-comment structures and (pseudo-)cleft sentences. A closer look at the diachronic development of
是 also suggests that modern Chinese 是 is homonymic between equation copula and focus marker.
Keywor ds: Topic, shi… de, (pseudo-) clefts, grammaticalization, information structure, copula
二、緣由與目的
In the studies of Modern Chinese focus structures involving shi and de, the historical
development and nature of shi and de are seldom incorporated into its synchronic accounts. Thus,
many questions remain unanswered. The purpose of the study is two fold. First, it reevaluates the general understanding of “topic” in Mandarin Chinese. Second, bridging the synchronic and
diachronic studies of Chinese topic-comment structure and its relation with sentences involving shi
and de, such as (pseudo-) cleft sentences, it gives a syntactic account of (pseudo-) cleft sentences
and the nature of relative clauses in them in Modern Chinese. Moreover, it examines the predicates in topic and (pseudo-) cleft structures to better understand the topic/focus structures.
三、結果與討論
Several questions addressed in this study are answered:
1. The nature of topic is reconsidered and contrastive topic is possible usually in sentences with stage-level predicates. This study also shows structurally distinct positions for regular topic and contrastive topic.
2. The result that shi in Modern Chinese is a homonym explains different sources, structures, and
functions of pseudo-cleft sentences and equation sentences.
3. There appear different properties of relative clauses in pseudo-cleft sentences and those occurring in regular predicates. The understanding of shi helps account for the structural
differences. 四、計畫成果自評
Several contributions have been made in this project to the study of Chinese topic/ focus structures. The prominent one is the integration of diachronic and synchronic study of the structures in discussion. The diachronic development helps us understand the development and nature of these structures and give us insight in accounting for them in Modern Chinese, especially the homonym shi and its related structures. Besides, the examination of the predicate types in topic
structure is another aspect that has been overlooked in the literature, but has been studied and categorized, which gives further insight to the structures in discussion. Ultimately, this study bears on the issues related to the relative clauses (especially in pseudo-clefts), information structure, and movement phenomena.
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五、參考文獻（選）
Chafe, Wallace. 1976. Giveness, Contrastiveness, Definiteness, Subjects, Topics, and Point of View. In Charles N. Li (Eds.), Subject and Topic (pp. 27-55). New York: Academic Press.
Givon, T. 1976. Topic, Pronoun, and Grammatical Agreement;. In Charles Li (Eds.), Subject and Topic (pp. 149-188). New York: Academic Press.
Guo, Xi-Liang. 1990. Guanyu Xici Shi Chansheng Shidai he Laiyuande Jidian Renshi (Some
understanding of the emergence and development of shi). In Wangli Xiansheng Jinian
Luwenji Shangwu Yinshuaguan.
Hong, Cheng-Yu. 1993. Cong Panduanju de Yanjiu Kan Yufa yianjiu de Fangfu (The methodology of grammar study: from the study of judgmental sentences). In Jian Liu & Jing-Yi Hou (Eds.), Zhongguo Yuwen Yanjiu Sishinian Jinian Lunwenji (pp. 277-283). Beijing Language School.
Huang, C.-T. James. 1982. Logical Relations in Chinese and the Theory of Grammar. Ph.D. dissertation, MIT.
Kratzer, Angelika. 1989. Stage-Level and Individual-Level Predicates. In Papers on Quantification University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
Kuroda, Sige-Yuki. 1992. Judgment Forms and Sentence Forms. In Japanese Syntax and Semantics: Collected Papers (pp. 1-77). Dordrecht/Boston/London: Kluwer Academic Publishers. Kuroda, Sige-Yuki. 1995. Sentences, Judgments and Propositions (m.s.). University of California,
San Diego.
Li, Charles and Sandra Thompson. 1977. A Mechanism for the Development of Copula Morphemes. In Charles Li (ed.), Mechanisms of Syntactic Change. Austin: University of Texas Press. 419-444.
Li, Feng. 1993. The Copula in Classical Chinese Declarative Sentences. Journal of Chinese Linguistics, 21 (2), 277-311.
Paris, Marie-Claude. 1998. Focus Operators and Types of Predication in Mandarin. Cahiers de Linguistique - Asie Orientale, 27 (2), 139-159.
Pulleyblank, Edwin G. 1995. Outline of Classical Chinese Grammar. Vancouver: UBC Press. Shi, D.-X. Tim. (2000). Topic and Topic-Comment Constructions in Mandarin Chinese. Language,
76 (2), 383-408.
Shibatani, Masayoshi. 1991. Grammaticization of Topic into Subject. In Elizabeth Closs Traugott & Bernd Heine (Eds.), Approaches to Grammaticization (pp. 93-133). John benjamins
Publishing co.
Shyu, Shu-ing. 1995. The Syntax of Focus and Topic. Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Southern California.
Tang, T.-C. C. 1977. Studies in Transformational Grammar of Chinese: Movement Transformations. Taipei: Student Book Co.
Tsao, Feng-fu. 1990. Sentence and Clause Structure in Chinese: a Functional Perspective. Taipei, Taiwan: Student Book Co., Ltd.
Wang, Li. 1980. Zhongguo Wenfazhong de Xici (The linking words in Chinese Grammar). In Longchung Bing Diaozhai Wenji Zhonghua Book Co.
Xu, Jie, & Shi, Yuzhi. 2000. The Growth and Decline of Two Focus Operations in the History of Chinese Grammar. Paper presented in the International Symposium on Topic and Focus in Chinese. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Xu, Liejiong, & Langendoen, Terence. 1985. Topic Structure in Chinese. Language, 61, 1-27. 古漢語文獻資料庫,南港：中央研究院．
