主位推进模式在马拉穆德《店员》中的应用

高萌翰

(吉林大学外国语学院 吉林 长春 130012)

主位推进模式在马拉穆德《店员》中的应用

高萌翰

(吉林大学外国语学院 吉林 长春 130012)

马拉穆德是著名的犹太作家。他关注的是犹太底层民族的生活状况。《店员》是他的代表作之一。而主位推进模式在分析文学作品时有着重要的作用。如果将组成语篇的每个句子都进行主位与述位的划分，势必可以轻松找出语篇中的内在联系。这有更加利于深刻地理解文学作品的意图与内容。本文将利用主位推进模式来分析店员这部作品。

主位推进；文学语篇；马拉穆德；《店员》

一、引言

一部好的文学作品之所以经久不衰,为众多读者所喜爱。不仅是由于它的故事情节环环相扣；引起读者共鸣。还因为作家使用的优美、精致的语言。通俗地说，主位就是一个句子的出发点从最左边开始，即这个句子讲的是关于什么的。而剩下的句子成分就是述位，就是对“什么”的展开与解释。捷克语言学家 Danes首次提出了“主位推进”这一概念。他强调每个语篇都可以看成是一个主位的序列,在结构形式上表现为主位的衔接与推进,“随着各句主位的向前推进,整个语篇逐步展开,直至形成一个能表达某一完整意义的整体。”[1]系统功能语言 学派的代表人物韩礼德认为“主位是小句信息的出发点,是小句所关心的成分;述位则是对主位的陈述,是围绕主位而展 开的内容。”[2]而无论任何形式的语篇，都是由若干句子组成，而每个句子又可分解为主位与述位。而若干句子又组合成整个语篇，每个句子就好比一个个链条一样，组合在一起，从最前端开依次推进，促使整个语篇不断地向前推进，这就是主位推进。主位推进模式可以用于分析各种体裁的语篇之中。例如可以应用于科技语篇、法律语篇、医学语篇、文学语篇等。很多学者用主位推进模式分析医学语篇、广告语篇、新闻语篇的文章。但是，用主位推进模式分析文学语篇的文章却非常少。本文拟探讨主位推进模式在文学语篇——《店员》中的应用。

二、主位推进模式介绍

朱永生将主位推进模式划分为以下几种类型:主位同一型、述位同一型、延续 型、交叉型。[3]主位同一型指的是组成语篇的若干句子具有相同的主位,但这些句子的述位却不同。例如：She(T1)buried herself with writing in a note book which bills they had got and which paid(R1).She(T2)also wrote out,in a halting hand,a few meager special -account.for bills that could not be paid in cash directly to the drivers,mopped the kitchen floor,emptied the garbage pail into the mental can on the curb outside and prepared salad if it was needed(R2).[4]这个语篇选段属于主位同一型。因为这两句话的主位相同，都是she，而它们的述位却不同。我们可以从第一个句子的述位中挑出关键词bills,paid,note book；而从第二个句子的述位中挑出关键词special -account,mopped the kitchen floor,emptied the garbage pail。通过对两个句子的述位的关键词的提取，我们海伦可知在闲暇的时候，有记录账目的习惯和做家务的习惯。再比如：He(Morris)(T1)awoke,soured by the long afternoon sleep(R1).He(T2)dressed,combed his hair with a broken comb and trudged downstairs,a heavy-bodied man with sloping shoulders and bushy gray hair in need of haircut(R2).He(T3)came down with his apron on(R3).[5]这个语篇选段属于典型的主位同一性。它所包含的三个句子的主位都是he，而述位则完全不同。而从述位中的关键词awoke、soured、dressed、combed、trudged、in need of、haircut中可以看出刚睡醒的莫里斯一副倦容，下楼都踉踉跄跄的。述位同一型指的是组成语篇的若干句子具有相同的述位,但这些句子中主位却不同。例如Frank loves Helen.Jack also loves Helen这两个句子中，主位不同：一个是Frank，一个是Jack。但是他们的数位相同，都是 loves Helen。再比如：Karp(T1)had,as a young man,privately peculated from his player,a half-blind shoe wholesaler(R1);and Louis(T2),he knew,snitched from him,but by Louis he was not bothered(R2).He(T3)was,after all,a son(R3);he(T4)worked in the business and would someday-it shouldn’t be too soon-own it(R4).[6]这一语篇选段中第一个句子的述位是peculated from his player。而第二个句子的述位是snitched from him。这两个句子意思上很接近。所以可以按照述位相同的主位推进类型的方式去理解与分析。从这几个句子的述位所包含的关键词peculated、snitched 和not bothered，可以看出莫里斯对于在店里偷他东西的人比较仁慈，不计较他们所犯的过错。这表明了莫里斯是一个心地善良的犹太人。但是， 述位同一型的主位推进类型在文学语篇中所占的比例没有另外三种类型的所占比例多。而延续型顾名思义指的是这些组成语篇的若干句子中，前一句的述位的一部分成为 后一句的主位。例如He(T1)wanted to step clear of his mess but saw no way other than to keep on lying(R1).But lying(T2)made their talk useless(R2).When he(T3)lied,he was somebody else lying to somebody else(T3)。[7]在这一选段中，第一个句子的述位中的一部分词语—— lying作了第二个句子中的主位。不难看出主人公弗兰克在说谎的时候，感到自己如同陌生人一样，感到不自在。再比如：All during their walk she(T1)had been thinking about her life,the difference between her aloneness now and the fun when she was young and spending every day of summer in a lively crowed of kids on the beach(R1).But as her high school friends(T2)had got married,she had one by one given them up(R2);and as others of them(T3)graduated from college,envious,ashamed of how little she was accomplishing,she stopped seeing them,too(R3).[8]这一语篇选段中第二个句子的述位的一部分——them作为了第三个句子中的主位，而这个主位又引起了新的述位，使信息点不断的更新，使得语篇能够不断地推进下去。从语篇选段各个句子的主位可以看出，语篇选段是围绕着海伦展开的。而从语篇选段的述位中的词语如thinkingabout、life、difference、aloneness、fun、young、high school friends、envious、ashamed、given them up、stopped等，我们可以了解到女主人公海伦的心理：随着年龄的增长，她不再和高中同学来往，而他们其中一些人考上大学后，海伦更加地羡慕她们的学识并感到了自己学历不高带给她的困惑。交叉型指的是这些组成语篇的若干句子中，前一个句子的主位是后一句的述位。而文学语篇中，包含着大量的篇幅。而主位推进的各种类型交替出现，构成了文学语篇中的内在逻辑。例如But Frank(T1)said that though the pay was scarce there were other advantages(R1).They(T2)spoke this and that,and when the upstairs tenant learned Frank Alpine was a paisan,Morris told him to come up and meet Tessie(R2).She(T3)cordially invited him for macaroni that same night,and he said he would come if they let him bring the macs(R3).[9]在这一语篇选段中，第一个句子中的主位Frank是第二个句子中的述位。属于交叉型主位推进模式。从语篇选段各个句子的主位可以看出，语篇选段是围绕着弗兰克展开的。而从语篇选段各个句子的述位中的paisan、come up、meet和 invited这些词中，很容易看出人们知道男主人公弗兰克是他们的老乡之后，打算请他到自己家中，热情款待一番。

三、主位推进模式在文学语篇中的应用

下面，我们将详尽地把主位推进模式用于分析文学语篇——《店员》之中。我们首先看第一组语篇选段：At first he(T1)waited patiently(R1).What(T2)else was there to do(R2)? He(T3)had waited and was still waiting(R3).He(T4)had been born waiting(R4).But before long(T5),thought he tired not to show it,he was beginning to be fed up with his physical loneliness(R5).He(T6)grew tired of the frustrations of kissing in the doorways,a cold feel on a bench in the park(R6).He(T7)thought of her as he had seen her in the bathroom,and the memory became a burden(R7).He(T8)was the victim of the shape edge of his hunger(R8).So he(T9)wanted her to the point where he thought up schemes for getting her into his room and in bed(R9).He(T10)wanted satisfaction,relief,a stake in the future(R10).She’s(T11)not yours till she gives it to you,he thought(R11).That’s(T12)the way they all are(R12).It(T13)wasn’t always true,but it was true enough(R13).He(T14)wanted an end to the torment of coming to a boil,then thank you,no more(R14).He(T15)wanted to take her completely(R15).[10]这一语篇选段中主位同一型的句子较多。比如T1、T3、T4、T6、T7、T8、T9、T10、T14、T15的主位都是he。所以，我们可以得出这是对主人公弗兰克的内心的描写。而从这些主位所对应的述位中，我们可以跳出关键的动词，来帮出我们更好地理解弗兰克的心理。如waited、patiently、tired、loneliness、kissing、frustrations、burden、victim、hunger、satisfaction、relief、以及end等主要的述位中的动词，可以看出弗兰克对海伦的爱以及他矛盾的心理。而T2、T5、T11、T12、T13是不同的主位，引起了新的信息点。例如T12和T13是对弗兰克的想法给予肯定。证明爱是需要行动去争取的。通过对整个语篇选段的分析，我们就可以清楚地理解到主人公弗雷克对爱情有了重新的认识，他意识到他对海伦的爱情只停留在了普通朋友之间的交往之中，并没有进一步地发展为爱情。而对他而言，他从心底里希望得到海伦的爱。海伦的一举一动的萦绕在他的脑海之中。但他意识到一味地耐心等待与想象是不会得到海伦的爱情，只有做出行动与对爱情的诚意才能获得海伦的真爱。

我们再来看另一外一组语篇选段：Afterward Helen(T1)suggested other novels by the same writers,so he would know them better,but Frank balked,saying he wasn’t sure that he had understood those he had read(R1).“I’m sure you have,”she(T2)answered,“if you got to know the people.”“I know them,”he muttered(R2).But to please her he(T3)worked through two more thick books,sometimes tasting nausea on his tongue,his face strained as he read,eyes bright black,frowning,although he usually felt some relief at the end of the book(R3).He(T4)wondered what Helen found so satisfying in all this goddamned human misery,and suspected her of knowing he had spied on her in the bathroom and was using the books to punish him for it(R4).But then he(T5)thought it was an unlikely idea(R5).Anyway,he(T6)could not get out of his thoughts how quick some people’s lives went to pot when they couldn’t make up their minds what to do when they had to do it(R6);and he(T7)was troubled by the thought of how easy it was for a man to wreck his whole life in a single wrong act(R7).After that the guy(T8)suffered forever,no matter what he did to make up for the wrong(R8).At times,as the clerk(T9)had sat in his room late at night,a book held stiffly in his reddened hands,his head numb although he wore a hat,he felt a strange falling away from the printed page and had this crazy sensation that he was reading about himself(R9).At first this(T10)picked him up but then it deeply depressed him(R10).[12]这一语篇选段中，T1、T2属于主位同一型；T3、T4、T5、T6、T7属于主位同一型。说明是围绕着同一主位——he展开的。而由各句中述位的关键词suggested、balked、wasn’t sure、understood、please、worked through、tasting nausea、strained、black、frowning、goddamned、suspected、could not get out of、was troubled、suffered forever、falling away from、crazy sensation、felt some relief 以及depressed这些词可以看出弗兰克读书的目的是为了讨好海伦。他虽然硬着头皮读书。他有时认为这是否是海伦对他的惩罚。但是，当他读完之后，他会与书中的人物产生共鸣。他时常会因为一个人由于一次小小的失误，无论他怎样弥补损失，也无法逃离悲剧的命运而感到苦恼。这里值得注意的是T8的主位是the guy，引起了新的信息点。这表明弗兰克读书由之前的厌倦读书到进入了状态，他会因书中的人物的欢喜与忧愁而感慨。另外，R6中的went to pot when they couldn’t make up their minds what to do when they had to do it与R7中的how easy it was for a man to wreck his whole life in a single wrong act中的语义相仿。因此，这两个句子这里可以理解为述位同一型：R7中的wreck his whole life以及wrong act与R8中的suffered forever以及 the wrong的语义是一致的。因此，这里仍然可以将这两个句子理解为述位同一型。

我们再来看最后一组语篇选段：And if she(T1)married Frank,her first job would be to help him realize his wish to be somebody(R1).Nat Pearl(T2)wanted to be“somebody”,but to him this meant making money to lead the life of some of his well-to-do friends at law school(R2).Frank(T3),on the other hand,was struggling to realize himself as a person,a more worthwhile ambition(R3).Though Nat(T4)had an excellent formal education,Frank knew about more life and gave the impression of greater potential depth(R4).She(T5)wanted him to become what he might,and conceived a plan to support him through college(R5).Maybe she(T6)could even see him through a master’s degree,once he knew what he wanted to do(R6).She(T7)realized this would mean the end of her own vague plans for going to day college,but that was really lost long ago,and she thought she would at last accept the fact once Frank had got what she hadn’t(R7).Maybe after he(T8)was working,perhaps as an engineer or chemist,she could take a year of college just slake her thirst(R8).By then she(T9)would be almost thirty,but it would be worth postponing having a family to give him a good start and herself a taste of what she had always wanted(R9).She(T10)also hoped they would be able to leave New York(R10).She(T11)wanted to more of the country(R11).And if things(T12)eventually worked out,maybe Ida and Morris would someday sell the store and come to live near them(R12).They(T13)might all live in California,her parents in a little house of their own where they could take life easy and be near their grandchildren(R13).The future offered more in the way of realizable possibilities(T14),Helen thought,if a person dared take a chance with it.The question was,did she(R14)?[11]这一语篇选段中，T1、T5、T6、T7、T9、T10、T11属于主位同一型；T2与T4属于主位同一型；R9与T10；R12与T13；R10与R11、R12与R3属于述位同一型。而且通过对主位、述位的划分，我们可以看出这一语篇选段是对女主人公海伦的心理活动的描写。而T2与T4引出了新的主位——奈特。而新的主位又带来了新的信息点。这里奈特的出现，是作为与弗兰克对比的，他虽然有学问，但他的唯一目标就是赚钱，成为和他朋友一样富有的人。而弗兰克虽然没有他的学问高，但是有上进心。通过与弗兰克作了对比之后，海伦的心更倾向于弗兰克。这里新的主位的出现，是为了作对比，引出新的信息点——海伦更倾向于谁的问题。而R10述位中的leave New York与R11述位中的wanted to more of the country的语义基本一致，所以可以将这两个句子归为述位同一型。而R12述位中的them与T13的主位they是一致的，属于交叉型主位推进模式。而述位同一型与交叉性的优点是：可以使文学语篇的结构更为紧凑与连贯。如果我们想要快速的理解这一语篇的意思，还应像之前一样，将各句中述位的关键词找出来。通过if、married、somebody、engineer、ambition、potential depth、support、accept、maybe、making money、postponing、start、wanted、realizable possibilities、leave、sell、live near、take life easy、take a chance和hope这些词，再加上上面我们对不同类型的主位推进模式的分析，我们不难发现这是海伦的一个假想。在她的思维意识中，她将弗兰克幻想成她的结婚对象。在她心中，奈特虽然有学历，但与弗兰克相比，不如弗兰克有潜力与抱负。她对弗兰克充满希望：在她眼中，弗兰克也许会获得研究生的学历。随着语篇的推进，她的思维还跳越到：假如如果她们以后真的在一起了，她们也许会将店铺卖掉，离开纽约并且住的越近越好。相信以上列举的三组文学语篇选段，会使大家能够更了解主位推进模式在文学语篇中的运用。

四、小结

一般情况下,文学语篇呈现出几种类型交替使用的主位推进模式,主位同一性和延续性主位推进模式是出现在文学语篇中，所占比例最高的类型。例如在表达主人公心理活动时，一般主位都是he或she的情况较为普遍。且几乎好几个段落都是由主位(he或she)展开的。而在展开的同时，一个句子所描述的主人公的情况。往往需要进一步、更加细致、深入的展开。这时延续型和交叉性型主位推进模式便派上了用场，大量地连接有内在逻辑、层层递进的句群之间。使得语篇不断地向前推进。作者在表达思想的时候，不可能是一成不变、平铺直叙的。只有不断变化的情节，才能引起读者的兴趣，让读者认为该文学作品值得读下去。否则一成不变的情节只能让读者感到索然无味的感觉，没有再读下去的必要了。而主位推进模式的类型比较灵活，可以有效地进行扩展已知的信息点，引出新的、有价值的信息点促使语篇不断地向前推进。这样，作者与读者之间的桥梁就不再像想象中的那么难以跨越了。总之，主位推进模式能够帮助我们快速的、准确地找到构成语篇的各个句子的主位、述位以及各个句子之间的内在联系。但是，仅仅凭借主位推进模式去理解文学语篇显然是不够的，我们还应该在语法、固定搭配、词语用法以及同一词语在不同的语境下所能表达的不同的意思等方面，对文学语篇进行全面而深入的理解。

[1]李健,范祥涛.主位推进模式在文学语篇分析中的应用[J].大连大学学报,2008(4)

[2]李健,范祥涛.主位推进模式在文学语篇分析中的应用[J].大连大学学报,2008(4)

[3]朱永生.主位推进模式与语篇分析[J].外语教学与研究,1995(3)

[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]Malamud,Bernard.The Assistant[M].New York:Avon Books,1980

高萌翰(1987-)，男，汉族，山东肥城人，研究生，吉林大学外国语学院，研究方向:英美文学。