基于COCA语料库的动词“Pursue”的扩展意义单位研究

A Study on the Extended Unit of Meaning of the Verb “Pursue” Based on the COCA Corpus

摘要: 本文基于扩展意义单位(Extended Unit of Meaning, EUM)模型，以COCA语料库为数据来源，对动词“pursue”的搭配、类联接、语义倾向及语义韵进行了系统分析。研究发现，“pursue”在语料中主要与表示“目标”(如career，goal)、“行动”(如policy，strategy)和“法律(事件)”(如case)的词汇共现，构成四类扩展意义单位；类联接分析揭示了“pursue”周围最显著的语法型式为动宾结构(pursue + N)；语义韵分析进一步表明，该动词所承载的态度意义受其典型搭配词影响显著，既可表达积极取向(如pursue education)，亦可能指涉负面行为(如pursue nuclear weapons)。研究结果验证了扩展意义单位模型在词语多义性研究中的解释力与科学性，为二语教学和词典编纂提供了实证依据。

Abstract: This study adopts the Extended Unit of Meaning (EUM) model and draws on data from the COCA corpus to conduct a systematic analysis of the verb “pursue” in terms of its collocations, colligations, semantic preference, and semantic prosody. The findings reveal that “pursue” most frequently co-occurs with lexical items denoting “goals” (e.g., career, goal), “actions” (e.g., policy, strategy), and “legal matters” (e.g., case), forming four major types of extended units of meaning. Colligational analysis indicates that the most salient grammatical pattern surrounding “pursue” is the verb-object structure (pursue + N). Furthermore, the analysis of semantic prosody demonstrates that the attitudinal meaning conveyed by the verb is significantly influenced by its typical collocates: it may express a positive orientation (e.g., pursue education) or refer to negative or controversial actions (e.g., pursue nuclear weapons). The results verify the explanatory power and scientific validity of the Extended Unit of Meaning (EUM) model in the study of lexical polysemy, and provide empirical evidence for second language teaching and lexicography.