Exploring Affirmative-negative Question from the Sociolinguistic Perspective

Research Article
Open access

Exploring Affirmative-negative Question from the Sociolinguistic Perspective

Suiyuan Liu 1*
  • 1 School of Humanity and Social Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072, Australia    
  • *corresponding author suiyuan.liu@uqconnect.edu.au
CHR Vol.3
ISSN (Print): 2753-7072
ISSN (Online): 2753-7064
ISBN (Print): 978-1-915371-29-4
ISBN (Online): 978-1-915371-30-0

Abstract

Affirmative-negative question is special in Chinese interrogative systems, with various syntactic forms, and it is also the key and difficult point in teaching Chinese grammar, but it has research gaps in analyzing affirmative-negative questions from a sociolinguistic perspective. This paper used the questionnaire method, collecting 176 questionnaires to analyze and discuss three points of affirmative-negative questions’ different forms of acceptance level, target audience and usage errors in sociolinguistic aspect and reached three conclusions. Firstly, people are not accustomed to using VP+不曾(never) in modern social life. They tend to accept the usage of VP+不(not)/没(not yet)+VP. Secondly, people prefer to use affirmative-negative questions with their peers rather than superiors or teachers since the affirmative-negative question represents an unpolite and questioning attitude to some extent. Thirdly, when distinguishing different types of affirmative-negative questions people may have some confusion and errors, even though they are native Chinese speakers. Thus, this paper proposes some suggestions to help identify the differences clearly for people, including non-native Chinese speakers. This paper plays an inspired role in affirmative-negative questions in sociolinguistic research areas, and it contributes to teaching and learning the Chinese interrogative sentences system.

Keywords:

affirmative-negative question, interrogative sentence, questionnaire, sociolinguistic, acceptance level, target audience, errors

Liu,S. (2023). Exploring Affirmative-negative Question from the Sociolinguistic Perspective. Communications in Humanities Research,3,762-769.
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References

[1]. Zhang, X. Q., & Sun H. L. (2020). A Visual Chinese Analysis of Modern Interrogative Sentence Research in the 40 Years of Reform and Opening up. Southeast Spread, (2), 143-145.

[2]. Si, L. H. (2016). Research status of modern Chinese interrogative sentences. Journal of Jingdezhen University, 31(2), 1-5.

[3]. Li, Y. (2003). Research on the Affirmative-Negative Questions of "Awakening Marriage Story". Ancient Chinese Studies, (3), 57-61.

[4]. Luo, F. T. (1996). Affirmative-Negative Questions in Shandong Dialect. Dialects, (3), 69-74.

[5]. Li, S. M. (1983). From Bianwen, Yuan Zaju, "Water Margin", "Dream of Red Mansions" to see the development of choice questions. Linguistic Studies, (2), 158-167.

[6]. Liu, J. F. (1994). Choice Questions in Jin Ping Mei Ci Hua. Chinese Language, (6), 454-457.

[7]. Song, K. Y., & Li, S. Y. (2005). A Study of Affirmative-Negative Questions Sentences in Liaozhai Folk Play. Shandong Social Sciences, (9), 116-119.

[8]. Zhang, Y. O. (2022). Analysis of the Usage of Affirmative-Negative Question and “Yes-no” Question. Minutes of Kansai University Chinese Literature Association, 43, A241-A260.

[9]. Liu, Y. H. (1985). A Comparison of the Usage of Yes-No Questions Using "Ma" and Affirmative-Negative Questions. Sentence Patterns and Verbs. Beijing: Language and Literature Press.

[10]. Niu, J. (2018). An Analysis of Errors in the Acquisition of Affirmative-Negative Questions for International Students in China (Master's thesis, Zhengzhou University).

[11]. Jiang, Y. X. (2016). A Study on the “V not V” Format Acquisition Errors of Native English-Speaking Chinese Learners (Master's thesis, Hunan University).

[12]. You, Q. Q. (2013). An investigation on the acquisition of Affirmative-Negative Chinese Questions among Philippine middle school students (Master's thesis, Fujian Normal University).


Cite this article

Liu,S. (2023). Exploring Affirmative-negative Question from the Sociolinguistic Perspective. Communications in Humanities Research,3,762-769.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

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About volume

Volume title: Proceedings of the International Conference on Interdisciplinary Humanities and Communication Studies (ICIHCS 2022), Part 1

ISBN:978-1-915371-29-4(Print) / 978-1-915371-30-0(Online)
Editor:Faraz Ali Bughio, David T. Mitchell
Conference website: https://www.icihcs.org/
Conference date: 18 December 2022
Series: Communications in Humanities Research
Volume number: Vol.3
ISSN:2753-7064(Print) / 2753-7072(Online)

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References

[1]. Zhang, X. Q., & Sun H. L. (2020). A Visual Chinese Analysis of Modern Interrogative Sentence Research in the 40 Years of Reform and Opening up. Southeast Spread, (2), 143-145.

[2]. Si, L. H. (2016). Research status of modern Chinese interrogative sentences. Journal of Jingdezhen University, 31(2), 1-5.

[3]. Li, Y. (2003). Research on the Affirmative-Negative Questions of "Awakening Marriage Story". Ancient Chinese Studies, (3), 57-61.

[4]. Luo, F. T. (1996). Affirmative-Negative Questions in Shandong Dialect. Dialects, (3), 69-74.

[5]. Li, S. M. (1983). From Bianwen, Yuan Zaju, "Water Margin", "Dream of Red Mansions" to see the development of choice questions. Linguistic Studies, (2), 158-167.

[6]. Liu, J. F. (1994). Choice Questions in Jin Ping Mei Ci Hua. Chinese Language, (6), 454-457.

[7]. Song, K. Y., & Li, S. Y. (2005). A Study of Affirmative-Negative Questions Sentences in Liaozhai Folk Play. Shandong Social Sciences, (9), 116-119.

[8]. Zhang, Y. O. (2022). Analysis of the Usage of Affirmative-Negative Question and “Yes-no” Question. Minutes of Kansai University Chinese Literature Association, 43, A241-A260.

[9]. Liu, Y. H. (1985). A Comparison of the Usage of Yes-No Questions Using "Ma" and Affirmative-Negative Questions. Sentence Patterns and Verbs. Beijing: Language and Literature Press.

[10]. Niu, J. (2018). An Analysis of Errors in the Acquisition of Affirmative-Negative Questions for International Students in China (Master's thesis, Zhengzhou University).

[11]. Jiang, Y. X. (2016). A Study on the “V not V” Format Acquisition Errors of Native English-Speaking Chinese Learners (Master's thesis, Hunan University).

[12]. You, Q. Q. (2013). An investigation on the acquisition of Affirmative-Negative Chinese Questions among Philippine middle school students (Master's thesis, Fujian Normal University).