| Abstract: | 中文摘要漢語有省略論元的特徵。在漢語中若指涉對象可從語境中瞭解，外顯指涉詞通常可以省略(Huang, 1994, 2000; Li & Thompson, 1981, Wang et al., 1992)。也就是說，漢語說話者指涉詞的選擇有言談上的動機。過去的研究顯示成人說話者對使用不同指涉詞的言談語用因素是敏感的(Chafe, 1994; Du Bois, 1985, 1987; Givon, 1983; Gundel, Hedberg & Zacharski, 1993; Kumpf, 1992)。在語言習得研究中，語法和言談常常被當作是分開的、沒有任何顯著互動的領域。由於以言談語用的方式來解釋成人語言中指涉詞的使用已獲的很好的研究成果，最近有一些研究也用此方式來研究幼童指涉詞的使用。研究顯示幼童的指涉詞選擇也受語用原則的影響(Allen, 2000; Clancy, 1993; 1997; Guerriero, Oshima-Takane & Kuriyama, 2006; Narasimhan, Budwig & Murty, 2005; Serratrice, 2005)。其中一個影響指涉詞選擇的重要語用因素是非現存。這個因素的特徵是指涉對象並非現存於對話的當下語境，也就是所謂的移位指涉。移位現象是語言的必要功能，兒童語言習得研究指出兒童在語言習得的初期侷限於當下的「這裡和現在」，而能指涉在時間或空間上移位的物體或事件代表著兒童在概念和語言上的重要突破。因此，本研究的目的在於探討說漢語的兒童在移位指涉時所做的指涉詞選擇，特別是在指涉時空上移位的實體時所用的詞語。本研究連結了語法、言談語用及認知發展的面向。
English Abstract It is well-known that Mandarin permits omitted arguments. In Mandarin, overt reference forms can be omitted provided that the referent can be understood from the context (Huang, 1994, 2000; Li & Thompson, 1981, Wang et al., 1992). In other words, Mandarin speakers’ referential choices may be discourse-motivated. Previous studies have indicated that adult speakers show sensitivity to discourse-pragmatic factors presumed to underlie the differential use of referring expressions in discourse (Chafe, 1994; Du Bois, 1985, 1987; Givon, 1983; Gundel, Hedberg & Zacharski, 1993; Kumpf, 1992). In language acquisition research, grammar and discourse are frequently treated as separate domains that do not interact in any significant way. Given the success of the discourse-pragmatic approach in explaining the distribution of referring expressions in adult language, recently a few studies have investigated the child’s referential choice from this use-oriented perspective. It has been reported that the child’s referential choice can also be explained by discourse-pragmatic principles (Allen, 2000; Clancy, 1993; 1997; Guerriero, Oshima-Takane & Kuriyama, 2006; Narasimhan, Budwig & Murty, 2005; Serratrice, 2005). An important pragmatic feature for referential choice is absence. This feature characterizes a referent that is not present in the immediate context of the conversation; in other words, this feature characterizes displaced reference. Displacement is one of language’s essential functions. Research on child language acquisition has shown that children’s speech at the early stage of development is restricted to the ‘here-and-now’ (Brown, 1973; Sachs, 1983; Eisenberg, 1985; Weist, 1989). The development of the capacity to refer to objects and events temporally or spatially displaced from the immediate context represents a crucial conceptual and linguistic breakthrough for young children. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate Mandarin-speaking children’s referential choice for displaced reference, focusing particularly on the referential expressions used for referring to temporally/spatially displaced entities. This study thus constitutes a link among grammar, discourse pragmatics, and cognitive development. |
