From Modes of Question-Answering to Modes of Categorization
Abstract
In answering questions, the Chinese mode is based on truth or falsehood, stated in the form of agreement or disagreement, rather than affirmation or negation as in English and other Western languages. This further verifies Chinese is a typical pragmatic language whose grammar is included in usage. In Chinese this Inclusive Type of grammar-usage relation is really a normal type and exists in many other relations between two categories both in language and thinking. While the Western mode of categorization tends to think of there being two categories only in the Exclusive Type, the Chinese mind tends to think of having two categories already in the Inclusive Type.
Keywords
mode of question-answering; mode of categorization; Inclusive Type; Exclusive Type; Chinese
这次会议的主题是“语言互动”，交谈者之间的互动是语言的本质，所以我们从答问方式说起，因为答问是最典型的语言互动。我会进一步阐释语法和用法之间的关系，而最后想要说明的，是基于语言事实的东西方两种“范畴观”的差别。