《英语本科毕业论文-vague expressions of quantity in english》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《英语本科毕业论文-vague expressions of quantity in english（15页珍藏版）》请在金锄头文库上搜索。
1、第 1 页吉林华桥外国语学院毕业论文用纸Vague Expressions of Quantity in EnglishPeople have many beliefs about language; an important one is that good usage involves (among other things) clarity and precision. Hence, it is believed that in languages, ambiguities, imprecision are to be avoided. This is rather too simple
2、 a view, and likely to be positively misleading as an instruction to those learning about how to use them, especially second language users of English. Most speakers of English are particularly aware of the frequency of vague language use (until it is pointed out to them) and this fact is in itself
3、of interest. In the introduction, it will set out to introduce the general knowledge of vague language, and specifically to work towards vague expressions of quantity in the next.I. Introductions1.1 Vague Language Some language is vague, and we understand it as vague and assign vague meanings to it.
4、 But what kind of expressions and words are counted as vague language in English? 1.1.1 Definition of Vague LanguageThis paper will work with the following definition of vague language and its use.An expression or word is vague if:(1) It can be contrasted with another word or expression, which appea
5、rs to render the same proposition;(2) It is purposely and unabashedly vague;(3) Its meaning arises from the intrinsic uncertainty referred to by Peirce.Peirce (1902) is often considered as the originator of the notion of vagueness in language. And he was perhaps the first to try to formulate the not
6、ion in a rigorous way, as follows:“ A proposition is vague where there are possible states of things concerning which it is intrinsically uncertain whether, had they been contemplated by the speaker, he would have regarded them as excluded or allowed by the proposition. By intrinsically uncertain we
7、 mean not uncertain in consequence of any ignorance of the interpreter, but because the speakers habits of language were indeterminate; so that one day he 第 2 页吉林华桥外国语学院毕业论文用纸would regard the proposition as excluding, another as admitting, those states of things. Yet this must be understood to have
8、reference to what might be deduces from a perfect knowledge of his state of mind; for it is precisely because these questions never did, or did not frequently, present them that his habit remained indeterminate. (1902: 748)”1.1.2 Birth of Vague Language StudyThe first savant noticed the vague phenom
9、enon in language is Eubulides, who was a representative of Megarian School (or eristic School) in ancient Greece of 4 century B.C. He initiated the famous theory the Sorites Paradox, in which the vagueness of quantity was applied.But what regretful was that the vagueness of nature language had been
10、neglected for more than 2300 years since Eubulides. However, it was not accidental in the consideration of the background before 19century. Ill give a brief introduction in regard to that background. There had been three Great Turns of philosophy since ancient Greece. There are the ancient Ontologic
11、al Turn, the recent Epistemological Turn and the contemporary Linguistic Turn. The first two turns concerned about the reality existence and its acknowledgement, which were in the scope of Realistic. The universal attitude of philosophy at that time was completely languishing neglected. They conside
12、red language only a means of argumentation, not an independent thesis. It was not until the third Turn, arisen by G. Frege, Russell and L. Wittgenstein in 19 century, which focused on the study of language in philosophy. That was the reason why vagueness, especially vague language became the task of
13、 many distinguished linguists, such as Peirce, Russell, L. Wittgenstein as well as the contemporary linguists, E. Cassirer, William P. Alston, Israel Schaeffer, and L. A. Zaden and so on.1.1.3 Place of Vagueness in Language Study and Modern LifeVague language is an interesting and complex area of st
14、udy, with considerable potent ion for further work. Interest in vagueness in language use and meaning has arisen in a number of disciplines: literary criticism, psychology, philosophy. Much of it suggests that vagueness is present in a great deal of language use, and that therefore a complete theory
15、 of language must have vagueness as an internal component. Alongside its interest, the study of vague language is equally important in its consequences for theory and practice in language studies. On the linguistic theory side, 第 3 页吉林华桥外国语学院毕业论文用纸recent linguistic work on meaning has tended to broa
16、den its scope to look more at pragmatic aspects of meaning; and the interface between semantics and pragmatics especially has received and is continuing to receive a lot of attention.Turning now to practical consequences, an understanding of vague language use in English would appear to be valuable in any field, such as teaches, analyses,
