An Analysis of Chinese Tag Questions with a Cross-Linguistic Comparison to English Tags

以中－英跨語言比較方式解析中文之附加問句

10.6519/TJL.2016.14(1).3

忻愛莉(Ai-li C. Hsin)

中文附加問句 ； 英語附加問句 ； 對比分析 ； Chinese tag question ； English tag question ； contrastive analysis

Taiwan Journal of Linguistics

14卷1期（2016 / 01 / 01）

69 - 119

英文

本研究分析中文之附加問句，並與英語附加問句做比對。英語附加問句以句法為基底，中文之附加問句則以言談為基底，而且問句動詞的選擇也主要是由說話者的言談動向為依歸，例如，要求對母句命題的認同、尋求對方同意邀請、或是提出對母句的反駁等。中文之附加問句是由問句動詞組成問話型態，也就是V-不-V，V-嗎，不-V-嗎的型式，再加上一個與前面母句完全相同的空號型式CP組成。問句動詞的三種型式展現說話者心理存有定見的程度。問句動詞則包含常見的對陳述句反問的對、是、有，對命令句反問的好、行、可以等，有些情態動詞如應該、可能，以及一些言談評論動詞例如怪、讚、酷、神等，也會偶而做附加問句動詞。由此跨語言的比較可得知，對於學習者，英語之附加問句應更難於中文之附加問句，因為英語的典型附加問句要求複雜之句法規則，而非典型附加問句又多了不規律部分。

This study analyzes Chinese tag questions in contrast to English tag questions. Whereas English tags are syntax-based, Chinese tags are more discourse-based and the choice of tag verbs is decided mainly according to the speaker's discourse intentions, such as asking for an agreement of the host proposition, seeking consent of an invitation, making a refutation, etc. The Chinese tag question comprises a tag verb in the interrogative form, namely V-not-V, V-particle, or Neg-V-particle, and a null ＂pro＂ of CP, which is identical with the host sentence. The various interrogative forms of the tag verb display varied degrees of presupposition from the speaker. Tag verbs include mostly the declarative tags of ＂dui＂, ＂shi＂, ＂you＂, etc. and imperative tags of ＂hao＂, ＂xing＂, ＂keyi＂. Some epistemic modals such as ＂yinggai＂, ＂keneng＂ and some discourse commentary verbs such as ＂guai＂, ＂zan＂, ＂ku＂, ＂sheng＂, etc. can also be tag verbs, though in relatively low frequency. From the cross-linguistic comparison, it is concluded that English tags might be harder for Chinese EFL learners to acquire than Chinese tags for English CFL learners due to the syntactic complexity of canonical tags and irregularity in formation in non-canonical tags.

1. Chang, C.-l.(2006).Taiwan,Providence University.
2. Chao, Y.-R.(1968).A Grammar of Spoken Chinese.Berkley:University of California Press.
3. Chiu, L.-C.(2011).Taiwan,National Tsing Hua University.
4. Chu, C.(1998).A Discourse Grammar of Mandarin Chinese.New York, USA:Peter Lang Publishing.
5. Doughty, C. J.(ed.),Long, M.(ed.)(2003).The handbook of second language acquisition.Malden, MA:Blackwell.
6. Georgopoulos, C.(ed.),Ishihara, R.(ed.)(1991).Interdisciplinary Approaches to Linguistics: Essays in Honor of Yuki Kuroda.Dordrecht Netherlands:Kluwer Academic Publishers.
7. Hu, C.(2001).Taiwan,National Taiwan Normal University.
8. Huang, C.-T. James(1988).On 'be' and 'have' in Chinese.The Bulletin of the Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica,LIX(Part I)
9. Huang, C.-T. James(1987).A modular theory of A-not-A questions in Chinese.Zhongguo Yuwen,204,247-264.
10. Huddleston, R.,Pullum, G.(2002).The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language.UK:Cambridge University.
11. Iatridou, S.,Embick, D.(1997).Apropos pro.Language,73(1),58-78.
12. Kimps, D.,Davidse, K.(2008).Illocutionary force and conduciveness in imperative constant polarity tag questions: A typology.Text & Talk,28(6),699-722.
13. Li, C.-L.(1997).Taiwan,National Chengchi University.
14. Li, C.-N.,Thompson, S.-A.(2003).Mandarin Chinese: A functional reference grammar.Los Angeles:University of California Press.
15. Li, Ing Cherry(1999).Utterance-final Particles in Taiwanese: A Discourse-pragmatic Analysis.Taipei:The Crane Publishing Co., LTD.
16. Lin, J.-W.,Tang, C.-C. J.(1995).Modals as verbs in Chinese: A GB perspective.Bulletin of the Institute of History and Philology,66,53-105.
17. Liu, Y.-h.(1996).Modern Chinese grammar.Taipei:Shida bookstore.
18. McCawley, D. J.(1994).Remarks on the Syntax of Mandarin Yes-No Questions.Journal of East Asian Linguistics,3,179-194.
19. Mithun, M.(2012).Tags: Cross-linguitic diversity and commonality.Journal of Pragmatics,44,2165-2182.
20. Pichler, H.,Torgersen, E.(2012).Tag questions in contemporary London English: Current trends in invariabilisation.ICAME33 Corpora at the centre and crossroads of English linguistics,Grand Beguinage:
21. Quirk, R.,Greenbaum, S.,Leech, G.,Svartvik, J.(1985).A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language.London:Longman.
22. Romero, M.,Han, C.-H.(2004).On negative yes/no questions.Linguistics and Philosophy,27,609-658.
23. Tang, T.-C.(1981).Interrogatives in Mandarin Chinese.Bulletin of National Taiwan Normal University,26,219-77.
24. Tottie, G.,Hoffmann, S.(2006).Tag questions in British and American English.Journal of English Linguistics,34(4),283-311.
25. Wang, W. S.-Y.(1965).Two aspect markers in Mandarin.Language,41,457-70.
26. Wei, T.-C.(2004).Taiwan,National Kaohsiung Normal University.
27. Yang, C.-Y.(2012).On the existence of discourse pro.the Eighth Workshop on Formal Syntax and Semantics,Hsinchu, Taiwan: