Analytical and synthetic expressions in Chinese and English
See the last slide for a list of references
1. Lexicalization• the process of making a word to express a conc
ept (TheFreeDictionary)• the realization of a meaning in a single word or
morpheme rather than in a grammatical construction (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary)
• A language has lexicalized a concept when it uses a word or other lexical items to represent this concept (from the article and ppt about Language Universals).
2. Two kinds of expressions
• Analytic Expression (分析型表达法 ) : description– Water is falling from the sky.
• Synthetic Expression (综合型表达法) : lexicalized– It is raining.
• Degree of lexicalization: Is English higher than Chinese?
• Most say yes.• How can you prove this?
2.1 Analytic Expressions
• English syntactic causative structure often using: make/have/get +object +complement.– e.g. The pain made him cry out.
• Chinese: 使 / 令 / 让 + object +complement – e.g. 这则新闻使大家振奋了精神
(zhe ze xin wen shi da jia zhen fen le jing shen.)
2.1 English Synthetic Expression and some Chinese equivalents
• Derivation words constructed by affixesen- enrich …使 富有
Eager to enrich the treasury, the Crown began a rapid development of these resources.
金钱不能让人富有,只有产生金钱的资产才使你富有! dis- dispirit … 使 沮丧
The presence of the Colonel walking at her side was dispiriting.
因一个委托任务,使我心情非常沮丧
-fy identify 使…等同于
The source of this paradox is not difficult to identify.
VB 中怎样设置使按键盘上的按钮等同于点击设置的按钮 _ 百度知道
-ize modernize 使…现代化
We should modernize our country.
中国政治文化为什么没有使中国走向现代化道路
• Zero derivation (Conversion):– Noun → Verb
– Chinese?
light 光 → 使…发光– We lit the room with a lamp.– 用手就能使灯泡发光的电灯泡
• Single-morpheme words (simple words)
excite 使兴奋,使激动
Examples of L1 interference
• Study knowledge --- to learn
Pedagogical suggestions
• Give exercises showing differences.
• Give writing exercises where students should not use the verb “to be” or “have/had” or any of the other causatives listed above.
References• Many thanks to Kiki Wang in year 4 who provided the ideas and mu
ch of the material for this ppt.• 陈定安( 2006 ) - 《英汉比较与翻译》 pp.48-49, 63-64, 72, 129-1
38• 何善芬 ( 2002 ) - 《英汉语言对比研究》 pp.104-112• lexicalization (2003-2008), TheFreeDictionary. Retrieved May 15, 20
10, from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/lexicalization • lexicalization. (2010). In Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Retriev
ed May 15, 2010, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lexicalization
• 严佳,卞浩宇( 2007 ) - “ 从词化程度看英汉使役关系表达的异同” from: http://wy.yuloo.com/wenzhang/2008-02-06/71830.html
• 白国芳( 2007 ) - “ 英汉动词词化模式及词化程度比较分析”• 陈文( 2007.11 ) - “ 中英文中红,白,黑颜色习语的翻译”