臺灣地區國語窄焦點、寬焦點與再現焦點之聲學呈現

Abstract

長久以來，語言學的各個領域都對焦點這個議題有著不間斷的討論，其中尤其以語意學與語用學之間對焦點的不同看法最廣為熱烈討論。語意學家相信只要是位在focus sensitive operator範圍內的詞組，不管帶有新訊息還是舊訊息，都可以帶有焦點 (帶有新訊息的，依焦點範圍大小不同，分別被稱為窄焦點或是寬焦點；帶有舊訊息的被稱為再現焦點)；語用學家卻認為只有新訊息才能夠帶有焦點。舊訊息究竟真帶有再現焦點，也就成為兩個領域之間的主要爭議。有鑒於以往針對再現焦點所作之研究屈指可數，而且絕大多數都是針對intonation languages 在進行，因此本研究以誘發性語料，針對當前臺灣地區國語中，再現焦點的聲學現象進行探討。 在產生 (production) 實驗當中，相同的四個雙音節名詞詞組分別位於句中主詞以及受詞的位置，動詞位置則包含了另外四個雙音節名詞詞組。焦點類型主要分為窄焦點、寬焦點以及再現焦點，焦點位置則是動詞、受詞，以及動詞片語 (動詞加受詞)。實驗進行過程中，由施測者發問，發音人根據電腦螢幕上所呈現之圖片，回答施測者的引導問題。 實驗結果顯示，在本實驗中誘發性的語料當中，進行syntagmatic比較時，句中帶有焦點的窄焦點詞組，的確會傾向成為句中擁有最長時長以及最大基頻範圍的詞組；至於再現焦點，主要還是透過時長增長這項聲學參數來呈現。另外在進行paradigmatic比較時，帶有焦點的詞組 (窄焦點與再現焦點)的確會比無焦點詞組有更明顯的聲學呈現。至於窄焦點與再現焦點的差異，實驗結果發現，窄焦點的聲學現象似乎比再現焦點來的明顯，但是本實驗所得到的數據並無法強有力的支持本論點。

With respect to pragmatics, given information is not supposed to be focused, whereas from the perspective of semantic theory that given information can be focused, as long as it is within the domain of sensitive operator ‘only.’ A potential conflict therefore exists between pragmatic and semantic theory: the given information is not meant to be focused according to the pragmatic theory, but it is within the domain of a sensitive operator and, therefore, it is focused according to the semantic theory. Lexical items carrying given information but within the domain of a focus sensitive operator is under Second Occurrence of Focus (SOF). This study syntagmatically and paragmatically compares the acoustical realization of Narrow Focus (NF), Broad Focus (BF), and Second Occurrence Focus (SOF) in Taiwan Mandarin. Elicited production data were got via interactive conversations describing images displayed on a computer screen. The F0 (fundamental frequency) range and the duration of target lexical items were taken from the target lexical items of the conversation. Syntagmatic results that narrow focused target items tend to bear the longest duration and the largest F0 range. SOF is realized mainly through duration lengthening in Taiwan Mandarin. Paradigmatically, focused target items (NF and SOF) carry longer duration and larger F0 range than defocused items. Narrow focused items seem to have more acoustic cues than SO focused items; however, it lacks strong evidence from the result to prove it.