论英语词汇的认知功能分类

Classification of English Vocabulary by Its Cognitive Functions

摘要: 英语词汇的传统语法分类存在不少问题。按照词汇的认知功能进行分类可以有效地解决这些问题。新的分类包括事物指称词、运动行为词、事物属性词、运动属性词、属性程度词、空间关系词、逻辑关系词、情态标记词、指示代称词、信念辅助词、感叹词等十一类。新的分类与传统分类主要有六个方面的差异。1) 将原数词从一级词类降为二级词类，并归入事物属性词范畴；2) 取消冠词词类，将原不定冠词归入事物属性词范畴中的数量属性词范畴，将定冠词归入指示代称词范畴；3) 将原名词范畴中的量名词归在事物属性词范畴中的数量属性词范畴；4) 将原动词范畴中的情态动词独立出来为情态标记词，将助动词独立出来为信念标记词；5) 将原副词范畴中的程度副词独立出来为属性程度词；6) 将副词范畴中的原序列副词归入逻辑关系词范畴。

Abstract: There are several problems in the traditional grammatical classification of English vocabulary. Classification according to cognitive functions of words can effectively solve these problems. Based on the cognitive functions, English vocabulary can be classified into eleven categories: thing-reference words, movement-behavior words, things’ attribute words, move-behavior attribute words, attribute degree words, spatial relation words, logical relation words, modals, demonstratives and pronouns, belief auxiliary words and exclamations. There are six major differences between the new classification and the traditional classification. 1) Numerals are sorted into the subcategory of things’ attribute words; 2) The category of articles is abandoned and indefinite article is treated as a quantitative attribute word and definite article is resorted as a demonstrative pronoun; 3) Quantitative nouns are reclassified into the quantity attribute word category which is a member of thing attribute word category; 4) Modals are moved from the verb category and treated as an independent category, and auxiliary verbs are moved from the verb category and treated as an independent category too and renamed as belief markers; 5) Degree adverbs in former adverb category are separated as attribute degree adverbs; 6) Ordinal adverbs are reclassified into the category of logical relation words.