漢語分類詞的語義與認知基礎：功能語法觀點

Semantic and Cognitive Basis of Chinese Classifiers: A Functional Approach

語言與認知的關係是心理語言學的重要議題，本文以漢語分類詞為研究題材，採用功能語法觀點，針對「語法自主性」提出探討，兼論「中性化量詞」的誤解。研究一收集分類詞與名詞配合性的評定，經由多項度量尺（MDS）分析，發現名詞的集群的確隱含著外顯屬性的相似性。研究二以名詞屬性特徵評定的方式測量名詞在語義組織中的特性，合併研究一、二的結果，經逐步迴歸分析發現：名詞的語義特徵可以預測分類詞與之配對的可接受性。研究三測量語義確認作業的反應時間，發現名詞的特徵可以預測名詞和分類詞配對時的語義確認反應時間。研究四中，我們以圖片誘發分類詞的使用，操弄名詞的外顯知覺特徵，結果發現：儘管物體的名稱仍然相同，分類詞的使用卻隨著知覺特徵的改變而不同，顯示出重新分類的行為，而非固著、武斷的配對。漢語的分類詞的確具有分類功能，這些和外型有關的分類顯示語言無法獨立於知覺經驗之外，這些功能才是語法結構被發展的動機，語法自主性無法獲得支持。

“Autonomy of grammar” is a fundamental notion in Chomsky’s theorizing. For him, language is internally modular and autonomous of other cognitive systems. For functional grammarians, however, language is a cognitive system derived from a more general cognition. To test the autonomy hypothesis, we focus on the Chinese classifier. We combine data independently collected from a noun-feature rating task and a classifier judgment task for multiple regression analysis. Results indicate that subjects use noun feature as a valid cue in acceptability judgments of classifiers. In the semantic verification task, real time analysis provides further support for a feature-comparison process. In classifier elicitation, we manipulate the salience of noun feature and find that production of the classifier shifts from one original category to another. These findings show that the classifier system reflects human conceptual structure and categorization. From a functional grammar perspective, we discuss the autonomy and functional perspectives of language, and criticize the paradoxical notion of ‘neutralized classifier’.