A functional classification of questions in Cantonese
从语言功能分析广东话的询问方式
Kam Yin Wu 胡锦贤

Abstract 摘要
This paper defines 'question' as a category of discourse function, and suggests that it should not be confused with 'interrogative', which is a category of grammatical form. In this functional interpretation, a question is any information-seeking utterance, which does not have to take the form of an interrogative. The paper presents a critique of a traditional description of questions, and attempts a functional classification of questions in Cantonese. Five types of question are identified and discussed: Q: inform, Q: confirm, Q: restate, Q: clarify, and Q: display. The paper concludes by considering the advantages of this functional description of questions.

本文指出询问或提问 (question) 为一语言功能概念，而疑问句 (interrogative) 则为一句法概念。提问的目的是从听话人那里获取信息，这目的可透过不同的句型来达到，并不限于疑问句。文章讨论了用文法准则 (formal criteria) 来分析询问功能的不足之处，接着从语言功能的角度，描述了广东话里的五种提问 (five types of question) 分别为(1)询问:提供信息 (Q: inform) , (2)询问:确实(Q: confirm), (3)询问 : 重复 (Q: restate), (4)询问：阐明(Q: clarify), (5)询问:展示 (Q: display). 文章最后解释了这功能分类法 (functional classification) 的优点。

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