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话语标记词WELL的用法及语用功能研究

2013-12-26吴连春

科学时代·上半月 2013年12期
关键词:语用功能

【摘 要】话语标记词在具体的情景语境种起着很重要的调节和暗示作用,也是话语分析研究的重点内容之一。本文在归纳总结话语标记词WELL的意义和用法的基础上,对其在语境中的语用功能进行了深入剖析,指出了它起到:缓和面子威胁、延缓交际、省却信息和修正信息等四种语用功能。

【关键词】话语标记;语用功能;well

我们长期以来都忽略的“小词”的意义和功能,其实,它们在不同语境条件中表现更多的是语用功能,而非语法功能。Well就属于这类的“小词”,尤其常见于口语中。从语法角度来看,well除了作为名词,形容词,副词外,它还作为感叹词,有些材料中称其为语气词或话语标记词。用法最为复杂就是后者,即作为话语标记词,因为在不同的语境中其具体含义是不同的。从语用角度来看,在不同的语境中well所起的作用也是不尽相同。笔者将从两个角度对话语标记词well进行分析:一是从语言层面来分析其具体的意义和用法;二是话语层面分析其语用功能。

一、well 的用法

在英语中well作为话语标记词的用法很复杂,归纳起来有23种之多。其中,使用频率较高的有18种,还有5种使用频率不甚高的用法。

(一)频率较高的用法

1.表示忍从或顺从或无可奈何。相应的中文可以使用:唉,是,嗯,好吧,那好吧,那好,是么,不过,等。例如:

(1) And I talked with my mom about what name I could use. She said, well, you could use your middle name.

2.表示让步。相应的中文可使用:好吧,唔,那好吧,不过,其实,当然,等

(2)But I certainly would not think it would be appropriate to go into a race and to give your all to campaign for governor and then in the January inauguration time period, to stand up and say, well, I have now decided to go for a national office, and Im going to go full-time campaigning for president.

3.表示理解或同意。相应的中文可使用: 很好,好吧,那好吧,那么,是啊,是嘛,是,对,是呀,噢,等,

(3) LAMB: Why did you pick Mitt over Willard?

ROMNEY: Well, I actually used the name Billy when I was in kindergarten.

4.表示怀疑和不信任。相应的中文可使用:是吗? 好哇,唔,那么等

(4)LAMB: Well, you know, if you ever look at the history of your father and running for president, they all say the same thing, its all the ”brainwashing” comment.

5.表示踌躇、犹豫。相应的中文可使用:嗯,这个,说不好等

(5)LAMB: When you decided not to run again for governor, how much did your thought of running for president enter into that discussion?

ROMNEY: Well, there is no question but that part of what was going through my mind was that I wanted to have the option open of considering a run for national office.

6.表示一种期待。相应的中文可使用:那么,哎,喂,等,

(6)LAMB: Well, if you go back -- and I found the name Pratt in your background who was some circuitous route related to Joseph Smith who was one of the founders of Mormonism.

7.表示默许或默认。相应的中文可使用:那么,是嘛,是么,哎等,

(7) LAMB: But what did you know then about starting businesses that made a difference as the plan unfolded and how could get money for this kind of thing?

ROMNEY: Well, what I had done through my years as a consultant is I had worked with a wide range of companies, large industrial companies, small companies, analyze their businesses, spent a lot of time looking at their history, made recommendations, some worked, some didnt, learned a lot from that experience.

8.表示满意。相应的中文可使用:不过,是嘛,是啊,呀,好啦,等,

(8)LAMB: When you father thought of running for president in 64, and then actually ran for a while in 68, how old were you in those years and what did you experience during that time?

ROMNEY: Well, I had the fun of working in all three of my dads gubernatorial campaigns, my mothers Senate campaign.

9.表示一种挖苦讽刺。相应的中文可使用:算了吧,唉,啊等,

(9)Actually, when dad said that McNamara and others had lied about Vietnam, Secretary McNamara, then secretary of defense said, well, George Romney wouldnt know the truth if it hit him in the face.

10.表示赞许或赞美。相应的中文可使用:啊,嗳,好极了等

(10)LAMB: What does Bain do?

ROMNEY: Well, Bain is an excellent firm in the consulting industry where truly bright people come together to devote their thinking power, analytical power, data-gathering power to take problems apart and look at them in a new way.

11.表示规劝或温和的责备。相应的中文可使用:嗳,那么,嘿,唉,算啦,好了,等,如:

(11) ROMNEY: Well, Im not about to announce anything of that nature right now.

12.表示一种反问或反驳。相应的中文可以使用:那么,那好,为什么不,等,如

(12)LAMB: When did she get it and would that have any impact on your decision to run?

ROMNEY: Well, my wifes health comes first in our life.

13.表示询问。相应的中文可使用:那么,是吗? 等

(13) LAMB: Well, what -- as you look at Washington, you have got a Republican House, a Republican Senate, and a Republican president, and you mentioned the money thing, the deficit is big, the balanced budget doesnt exist anymore.

14.表示建议。相应的中文可使用:那么,那好,等,如

(14)LAMB: As you sit in Massachusetts and look at this country and contemplate running for president, what are the big issues?

ROMNEY: Well, there are a number.

15.表示一种肯定。相应的中文可使用:对,是,是嘛,等,

(15)ROMNEY: Well, actually, the Constitution says that only a natural born United States citizen may become president of the United States.

16.表示一种转折。相应的中文可使用:可是等,如:

(16) ROMNEY: Well, he didnt have as much as I think some people anticipated.

17.陈述一件事情或对事情的看法或态度。相应的中文可使用:唉,你瞧,那么,嗯,请便,等,如:

(17) LAMB: And what -- how did she find out that you were still alive?

ROMNEY: Well, Ann and I have a long history together.

18.在交谈停顿后,用以继续原来的话题或开始一个故事、谈话等。相应的中文可使用:这个,喔,噢,唔,那好,于是,等

(18)Well, as it turned out, he did know the truth.

(二)频率较低的用法

19.表示惊愕或惊讶。相应的中文可以使用像:咳、嘿、哟、哎呀! 啊! 真的! 等

(19) Well , you do surprise me !

20.用以表示宽慰,松了一口气。相应的中文可以使用像:好啦! 哈, 那么, 那好,等如:

(20) Well , thats over .

21.表示一种厌恶的感情。相应的中文可使用:呸! 哼! 等,如:

(21) Well, I hope they cut its tongue out !

22.表示一种愤怒的感情。相应的中文可使用:好家伙,好得很, (你) 等着,等,如:

(22) Well ! Ill tend to you later (Albee. E, 1961: 94)

23.表示招呼、问候。相应的中文可使用:好! 喂,等,如:

(23) Well, Hello there ! (Albee. E, 1961:124)

喂,你好!

二、话语标记词well的语用功能

通过上面对well的用法进行了系统的分析和总结,接下来我们来讨论well的语用功能。在言语交际中用作话语标记语的well的语用功能主要有以下几种:

1. 面子威胁缓和语(冉永平,2003:59)

在言语交际中说话人和听话人需要为维护和谐的人际关系进行种种努力,尽量做到有礼貌。礼貌就是通过采取一定的语言手段达到给对方或自己留有面子。因为交际中说话人或者听话人的面子可能会受到一定程度的威胁,此时就需要人们努力缓和其威胁的力度。well 便是其中的一种语言手段,它的恰当使用可以起到调节人际关系的作用,因而标记语well 可以起到缓和语的作用,降低威胁面子的力度。例如:

(24) ROMNEY: Well, Im not about to announce anything of that nature right now.

2.缓延标记语 (冉永平,2003:60)

Well 用作一个缓延标记语或迟疑标记语,可以避免过长的停顿,并暗示对方说话人要提供的信息还未想好。

(25)LAMB: Well, you know, if you ever look at the history of your father and running for president, they all say the same thing, its all the ”brainwashing” comment.

3.信息短缺标记语(冉永平,2003:61)

当人们提供的信息与对方所期待的信息不能构成最佳连贯或协调时,well 往往就会出现,表示说话人不能或没有提供对方所需要的信息,比如在问—答的会话句式中,当回答者故意缺省一定的信息,或不愿意清楚地对某一情况进行陈述,或不能直接向对方提供答案时,well 便可能出现,比如向对方暗示说话人提供的信息有“弦外之因,言外之意”,表明说话人还有额外的信息提供或需要解释。

(26) LAMB: When did she get it and would that have any impact on your decision to run?

ROMNEY: Well, my wifes health comes first in our life.

4.信息修正标记语 (冉永平,2003:62)

言语交际中,我们常会发现说话人用词错误、口误、听错对方的话语,或对某一信息产生了误解,或说话人提供的信息本身存在问题等,然而说话人或听话人可能随即对它们进行

在线修正(repair on line)。会话修正可视为一种会话管理或会话调节,其实这体现了交际过程中出现的动态顺应。作为一种语言手段,well 插入话语中可以起到修正的标记功能,即成为修正标记语(editing marker)。Bois[14]曾经讨论过四种修正标记方式:( a) that is,表示指称修正(reference editing);(b)rather,表示差别修正(nuance editing);(c)I mean,表示错误修正(mistake editing);(d)well,表示陈述修正(claiming editing)例如:

(27) Mitt Romney cant be elected governor of Massachusetts, the most -- well, one of the most Catholic states in America.

三、结束语

结合具体实例,我们对话语标记词WELL的用法和语用功能进行比较详细的分析,我们可以比较清晰的了解到大多数语境条件下他们不构成所在话语的命题意义,体现的是语用功能。总的来说,我们应该加强对那些长期以来被人们忽略的“小词”或结构的用法和在不同语境中具体功能的分析与研究,它们所起的作用往往是语法或语义分析无法解释的,类似的微观研究将有助于我们重新认识它们在交际中的实际作用,以帮助进一步揭示言语交际的动态性。

参考文献:

[1]Albee. E, The American Dream ( The Zoo Story ) New York City , York Playhouse,1961.

[2]侯磊. 话语标记语well的语用功能(J). 成都教育学院学报, 2005,(7).

[3]林素卿. 感叹词Well 的用法研究(J). 湖北民族学院学报( 哲学社会科学版), 1999,(4).

[4]冉永平. 试析话语中well的语用功能(J). 四川外国语学院学报,1995,(3)

[5]冉永平. 话语标记词well的语用功能(J). 外国语.,2003,(3)

[6]吴国良. 话语标记词well用法译评(J).中国翻译,2005, (5)

作者简介:

吴连春:(1979-),男,讲师,硕士,现任教于上海电机学院,研究方向为英语语言学。

基金项目:

本文得到上海电机学院学科基础建设项目资助,编号:13XKJC03。

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