篇章連接副詞however的句法和語義特征分析

盧 莎

（上海師范大學(xué)外國語學(xué)院 中國 上海 200234）

0 引言

語篇是意義相關(guān)的句子通過一定的承接詞語合乎邏輯地組織起來的語義整體，它是一個(gè)社交語義單位，所要表達(dá)的是意義而非形式。語篇的銜接和連貫則是語篇研究的核心（胡壯麟，1994：iii），其中銜接是話語或語篇內(nèi)不同句子間或句子內(nèi)不同成分間的表層語法、詞匯接應(yīng)關(guān)系，而連貫是話語語句意義或語篇句子意義的深層功能連接關(guān)系。因此，完整意義上好的語篇既要語篇的內(nèi)部銜接也要意義上的連貫。對(duì)于however的語篇功能國內(nèi)外學(xué)者有不少研究，如Brown&Yule(1983)，Halliday(1994)，Johannessen(2005)， 屈 承 熹(1991)，胡壯麟(1994)，王江(2005)原蘇榮(2009,2011)等，但對(duì)于however的專題研究還不夠。本文主要討論作為連接副詞的however的語篇連接功能，集中分析連接副詞however的句法特點(diǎn)和語義特征。

1 However的基本語法意義

關(guān)于however的語法意義，前人已有所研究，如Fowler(1926)，Peters(2004)，Procter(1978)和郭志良(1999)等都對(duì) however的語法意義作了一定分析和研究，本文專論however的句法和語義特征，包括語法意義。

在一些具有代表性的詞典中，我們主要選取其中一本的釋義Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English(Paul Procter,1978)：

However：(conj.)In whatever way：

In one’s own home one can act however one wishes.

(Adv.)a.to whatever degree：

However cold it is,she always goes swimming.

I refuse,however favourable the conditions.

b.in spite of this;nevertheless

It is raining hard.However,I think we should go out.

c.not formal(showing surprise)=how

However did you find it?

對(duì)however的釋義，正如上面所列舉的解釋，其他各家也都大同小異。根據(jù)Pan Peters 2004年在The Cambridge Guide to English Usage一書中把however分為 Indefinite however和Contrastive however，他認(rèn)為只單獨(dú)充當(dāng)副詞或連詞作用且無轉(zhuǎn)折含義的however稱為 Indefinite however，例如：

However hard they walked,they would not get back before dark.(adverb)

However they went,it would take half a day.(conjunction)

而Contrastive however則表示however是作為對(duì)上下文具有轉(zhuǎn)折對(duì)比作用的連接副詞（conjunctive adverb），且在句中的位置比較靈活。本文主要是對(duì)作為連接副詞的however進(jìn)行分析討論。

2 However的句法特征分析

however作為連接副詞，連接句子或大于句子的結(jié)構(gòu)成分，一般位于后續(xù)句子中，且位置靈活多變，可位于后續(xù)句句首（主語之前），句中和句尾。本文所選用的例句都來自于英國批判現(xiàn)實(shí)主義時(shí)期著名的小說家們的經(jīng)典作品。

2.1 位于句首

位于句首的however用來修飾其后的整個(gè)句子，表示對(duì)前一個(gè)句子或語篇意義上的轉(zhuǎn)折或強(qiáng)調(diào)，并通常用逗號(hào)隔開。例如：

（1）He told me to put on my cloak and run to Gimmerton for the doctor and the parson.I could not guess the use that either would be of,then.However,I went,through wind and rain,and brought one,the doctor,back with me.(Emily Bronte Wuthering Heights)

（2）They say she had nearly burnt her husband in his bed once：but I don't know about that.However,on this night,she set fire first to the hangings of the room next her own,and then she got down to a lower storey,…(Charlotte Bronte Jane Erye)

（3）“Dear boy!” she said—“he is just like my—” Emotion choked her further utterance,but Amelia understood,as well as if she had spoken,that Becky was thinking of her own blessed child.However,the company of her friend consoled Mrs.Crawley,and she ate a very good dinner.(William Makepeace Thackeray Vanity Fair)

在這些例句中，however都位于第二個(gè)語段的頭上，位于句首，且都有連接上下文的作用，使句義邏輯清晰。

2.2 位于句中

2.2.1 位于主語后

位于句中的however把所修飾的句子主謂部分?jǐn)嚅_，它只修飾后面的謂語部分，一般however前后都用逗號(hào)隔開，且however前面的主語一般由名詞性成分 （名詞/代詞/名詞短語）充當(dāng)。例如：

（4）These,however,were only the exceptions required to prove the rule that the sparrows in the plane-tree behind the house,and the echoes in the corner before it,had their own way from Sunday morning unto Saturday night.(Charles Dickens A Tale of Two Cities)

（5）Mary,however,was too much interested by the wonders of the deep to perceive the incredulity with which Job Legh received.(Mrs.Gaskell Mary Barton)

（6）Most of Mr.Spray's hearers,however,were incapable of following his subtleties,and many old-fashioned Dissenters were much pained by his “siding with the Catholics”;while others thought he had better let politics alone.(George Eliot The Mill on the Floss)

可見，例（4）位于代詞之后;例（5）位于名詞之后;而例（6）位于名詞短語之后。

2.2.2 位于短語（介詞性短語/謂詞性短語）之后

當(dāng)however在一個(gè)句子內(nèi)部，連接A和B兩個(gè)部分，從句法分析的角度，它通常是在A和B兩個(gè)部分之間，B部分的前面。A部分通常為介詞性短語或謂詞性短語，B部分為主句，且用逗號(hào)隔開。例如：

（7）Instead of pulling out a book,however,he pulled open a cupboard,only inhabited by a lazy housemaid's broom and duster,at which he looked exceedingly discomfited.(William Makepeace Thackeray The Book of Snobs)

（8）In spite of her care,however,he was always in debt.(William Makepeace Thackeray Vanity Fair)

（9）Being very tired with his walk,however,he soon fell asleep and forgot his troubles.(Charles Dickens Oliver Twist)

從這些例句中可知，（7）位于介詞性短語之后；（8）位于介詞性短語之后；（9）位于謂詞性短語之后。

2.2.3 位于小句之間

however用在一個(gè)復(fù)句內(nèi)部，連接句子前后兩個(gè)部分，意義上具有轉(zhuǎn)折含義，并用逗號(hào)隔開。例如：

（10）My Spring is gone,however,but it has left me that French floweret on my hands,which,in some moods,I would fain be rid of.(Charlotte Bronte Jane Erye)

（11）It seemed to me so long,however,since I had been among such boys,or among any companions of my own age,except Mick Walker and Mealy Potatoes,that I felt as strange as ever I have done in my life.(Charles Dickens David Copperfield)

（12）It was not for Alice,however,you may be pretty sure;no,they knew each other too well.(Mary Barton)

2.2.4 位于句中其他位置

however在句中的位置較比靈活，基本上可出現(xiàn)在任何位置，有轉(zhuǎn)折或?qū)Ρ葟?qiáng)調(diào)之義，且前后一般都用逗號(hào)隔開。例如：

（13）He recovered himself so quickly,however,that Mr.Lorry had doubts of his business eye.(Charles Dickens A Tale of Two Cities)

（14）When it came to my turn,I drank,for I was thirsty,but did not touch the food,excitement and fatigue rendering me incapable of eating：I now saw,however,that it was a thin oaten cake shared into fragments.(Charlotte Bronte Jane Erye)

（15）Perhaps the insults of the men were not,however,so intolerable to her as the sympathy of certain women.Mrs.CrackenburyandMrs.WashingtonWhitepassed through Boulogne on their way to Switzerland.(William Makepeace Vanity Fair)

（16）Maggie sat apart near the table where the books and work were placed,doing nothing,however,but listening abstractedly to the music.(George Eliot The Mill on the floss)

2.3 位于句尾

however位于句尾的情況并不多，它的轉(zhuǎn)折之義比較弱，主要起銜接作用，一般however前用逗號(hào)隔開。例如：

（17）Her face cleared up as she read the document,however.The idea of sharing poverty and privation in company with the beloved object is,as we have before said,far from being disagreeable to a warm-hearted woman.(William Makepeace Thackeray Vanity Fair)

（18）The Jew rubbed his hands;and,sitting down at the table,affected to laugh at the pleasantry of his friend.He was obviously very ill at ease,however.(Charles Dickens Oliver Twist)

3 However的語義特征分析

從以上的句法結(jié)構(gòu)分析中可知，however作為篇章接連成分主要用于句子或大于句子的結(jié)構(gòu)之中，它的功能就是連接前后兩項(xiàng)，使篇章更加連貫。從語義角度看，however主要有兩種語義功能：一是表轉(zhuǎn)折，二是表對(duì)立。

3.1 表轉(zhuǎn)折

however在表轉(zhuǎn)折關(guān)系時(shí)，指在句子或語篇中，后一部分意義不是順著前一部分的意思往下說，而是逆著說或從另外一個(gè)角度說，是對(duì)前面預(yù)期事實(shí)的不同面的敘述，且要表示的重點(diǎn)往往是后一部分的意義。例如：

（19）This was no very great consolation to the child.Young as he was,however,he had sense enough to make a feint of feeling great regret at going away.(Charles Dickens O-liver Twist)

（20）“Dear boy! ” she said—“he is just like my—” Emotion choked her further utterance,but Amelia understood,as well as if she had spoken,that Becky was thinking of her own blessed child.However,the company of her friend consoled Mrs.Crawley,and she ate a very good dinner.(William Makepeace Thackeray Vanity Fair)

在例（19）中，however被用于句中，表示句子內(nèi)部的轉(zhuǎn)折，雖然他(Oliver)還很年輕，但他有足夠的意識(shí)來佯裝另一種感覺。

在例（20）中，however被用于句首，屬于語篇上的意義轉(zhuǎn)折，使語篇更加連貫。由前一句句義可知，雖然Becky情緒激動(dòng)，話語哽咽；緊接著下一句，然而在她朋友的安慰下，情緒有所恢復(fù)，并開心地吃下晚宴。

3.2 表對(duì)比

however在表對(duì)比關(guān)系時(shí)，是指前后語段意義上對(duì)立或有明顯的差異，后一部分的意義是與前一部分意義相反的敘述。所要表達(dá)的重點(diǎn)是突出對(duì)比而并非著重強(qiáng)調(diào)哪一部分。例如：

（21）How long they might have sat and looked at each other,in a state of uncertainty not the most pleasant of its kind,it is difficult to guess.It is not necessary to make any guesses on the subject,however;for the sudden entrance of the two young ladies whom Oliver had seen on a former occasion,caused the conversation to flow afresh.(Charles Dickens Oliver Twist)

（22）He told me to put on my cloak and run to Gimmerton for the doctor and the parson.I could not guess the use that either would be of,then.However,I went,through wind and rain,and brought one,the doctor,back with me;the other said he would come in the morning.(Emily Bronte Wuthering Height)

在例（21）中，however位于復(fù)句中，前半部分表明賓客的談話并非必要，但however之后的語段意義則明顯談話自然且流暢，在意義上形成對(duì)比。

在例（22）中，however位于句首，意義上表前后語段的對(duì)比，既主人公心里所想的和所做事情的比較。“我”(Mrs.Heathcliff）心里并不認(rèn)為去請(qǐng)醫(yī)生和牧師有用，可“我”還是去請(qǐng)了。however在此用于連貫語篇，且意義上表對(duì)比。

4 結(jié)語

本文基于真實(shí)例句，分析了語篇連接副詞however在句法上和語義上的使用特點(diǎn)：從句法上看，however的使用較靈活，不拘泥于特定結(jié)構(gòu)，主要看所要表達(dá)的語篇意思，可位于句首，句中和句末；從語義上看，主要用于銜接語段，且其前后語段間的關(guān)系表轉(zhuǎn)折或?qū)Ρ取Ｍㄟ^以上的分析討論可知，however作為連接副詞對(duì)語篇的銜接和連貫有重要作用，使上下文邏輯清晰，意義連貫通順。

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