框架与词语的选择
2016-12-15蒋晓娟
蒋晓娟
(北京城市学院 北京 100083)
框架与词语的选择
蒋晓娟
(北京城市学院 北京 100083)
本文以罗斯福总统演讲和朱纯深先生对宋代词人李清照《声声慢》的翻译为素材,尝试通过认知语言学里的框架理论来评论词语的选择。框架分析以语言视角(perspective)、句法结构(syntactic slot)为维度,经过直观分析,对于品评选词、造句、甚至文章风格的斟酌都有着积极意义。
认知语言学 框架 词语选择
“框架”(the Frame)理论是语言学家Charles Fillmore于20世纪70年代中期引入,这一理论的提出是通过其经典的“Commercial event frame”例子进行说明。在这一案例中,他列出四个表达相同意义的句子:1)David bought an old shirt from John for ten pounds. 2)John sold an old shirt to David for ten pounds. 3)John charged David ten pounds for an old shirt. 4)David paid ten pounds to John for an old shirt. 通过框架分析,可以十分清楚地辨析 “buy, sell, charge, pay” 四个近义词的不同内涵和用法。如下图(Fillmore 1977a:106ff)所示:

“Buy” 是A购买了B; “pay” 是A花钱C; “sell” 是D出售了B; “charge”是D向A收费。这四个单词是从不同的语言视角(perspective),采用不同句法结构(syntactic slot)描述同一事件。它们都是同一“框架”下的不同视角转换。经过这样直观的图表分析,我们可以轻松区分开这四个词义。这一点,对于选词、造句、甚至文章风格的斟酌都有着积极意义。下面,我以两篇例文为素材从“框架”角度分析词语的选择。[1]
语篇一:
第二次世界大战期间,美国珍珠港被日本偷袭。1941年12月8日,美国第32任总统罗斯福Franklin Roosevelt在美国国会发表演说,游说国会对日本宣战。以下是演讲稿节选。[2]
Yesterday, December 7, 1941---a date which will live in infamy---the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the empire of Japan.
Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.
Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam.
Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.
Last night Japanese forces attacked Wake Island.
And this morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.
Japan has therefore undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacifi c area.
As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.
Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us.…..
With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph. So help us God.
I ask the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.
这篇例文曾经入选20世纪十大经典演讲,其感染力度、行文谨慎、不卑不亢却直指人心的演说风格都是最佳示范。在此,我仅从罗斯福总统选择的几个看似普通的动词入手,分析一下他的选词用字。……
