Abstract：This paper begins with the question as to whether the Chinese news headline “Wang Sicong pretends struggling” (Wáng Sīcōng jiǎzhuāng zài fèndòu) can deduce that “Wang Sicong is struggling” (Wáng Sīcōng zài fèndòu). To deal with this, an e-mail questionnaire is designed and interpretations of 12 researcher informants are collected and analyzed. The paper then classifies the findings obtained from the survey into three types: (1) B is true, that is, “pretend” (jiǎzhuāng) is a factive verb; (2) B is false, that is, “pretend” (jiǎzhuāng) is a counter-factive verb; (3) B may be either true or false, that is, “pretend” (jiǎzhuāng) is non-factive. To feather examine the findings, Bakhtin’s concept of “polyphony” is adopted and the four types of heteroglossia in the engagement system proposed in the appraisal theory are used as a framework for analysing the “dominant voice” that is conveyed in the headline, in addition to this, supportive and opposing voices that are quoted in the text of this news report are also derived, which demonstrates how multiple voices can co-exist in relevant dialogues and arguments. Furthermore, these multiple voices are explained from the perspective of linguistic “polyphony” along with their argumentative relations (argumentativity) and dialogic imperfectiveness (openness). This further reveals the cognitive and conceptual structure that underlies ambiguous and open interpretations of the pretend-sentence in the modern Chinese language.
袁毓林. 从语言的“多声性”看“假装”句的解读歧异[J]. 语言战略研究, 2021, 6(5): 77-90.
Yuan Yulin. A Study on Ambiguous Interpretations of the Pretend-Sentence in Chinese: From the Perspective of Linguistic “Polyphony”. , 2021, 6(5): 77-90.
