Abstract

Presupposition is a kind of important information of the sentences conveyed. Analyzing some of the words or constructions in language from a perspective of presupposition，many differences in meaning and syntactical function between words or constructions can be explained reasonably and effectively. Presupposition analysis can provide new way or perspective for research on word and sentence meaning.

The research on presupposition in this book comprises two parts：one is theoretical research and the other is analysis on linguistic phenomena in Chinese. Based on foreign research and domestic research on presupposition，the first part of this book made an in-depth study on the nature of presupposition. After setting some criterions for presupposition，this book gave a clear definition for presupposition and presupposition triggers，and analyzed the characteristics of presupposition triggers. Based on the theoretical analyses of the first part，the remainder of the book introduced the types of presupposition triggers in Chinese verbs，adverbs，conjunctions，and so on，analyzed the semantic features of presupposition triggers，and compared the semantic and functional differences between them.

This book comprises eight chapters.

Chapter 1 gave an overview on presupposition research，pointing out the main contents and defects in former research. After having an analysis on the significance of the book，we defined the range of our research.

Chapter 2 surveyed the main contents of foreign research on presupposition，mainly the presupposition research before and after 1970s. This chapter discussed the foreign research on the nature of presupposition，the types of presupposition triggers，and on the projection problem. Besides this，this chapter also introduced the research on the relation between presupposition and focus，presupposition and anaphora，presupposition and negation，etc.

Chapter 3 introduced our treatment about the theoretical problems of presupposition. Former researchers had no common ideas about the nature of presupposition. Researchers who advocated the “semantic presupposition” hold the viewpoint that presupposition is a kind of semantic relation between sentences，and should be defined in truth-value of a statement. We did a meticulous work on the relation of “presupposition failure” with truth-value gap，finding that there were defects in the theory of “semantic presupposition”，because of which we advocated the viewpoint that presupposition is a kind of pragmatic phenomenon.

Although presupposition is naturally pragmatic phenomenon，we must discuss it on the semantic bases. We hold that only the statement triggered by a definite word or construction of the sentence is true presupposition. In this chapter，we made the nature of presupposition clear，and set some defining criterions for presupposition. After made a clear definition for presupposition and presupposition triggers，we analyzed the characteristics of presupposition triggers，and the means by which they trigger presupposition of a sentence.

Chapter 4 to chapter 8 are the analyses we made on presupposition triggers in Chinese.

Chapter 4 discussed verbal presupposition triggers. We find out all the verb types of presupposition triggers in Chinese，by a thorough investigation in the verbs in the Usage Dictionary of Chinese Verbs，comparing the differences between Chinese verbs and English verbs. Besides the verbs Levinson discussed in his book，we found some other types of verbs which could trigger some presupposition in sentences. In Chapter 4 we also discussed the verbs like “houhui” on their function of triggering presupposition，and investigated the discourse function of this kind of verbs.

Chapter 5 discussed adverbial presupposition triggers. Firstly we list all the adverbs which can trigger presupposition in a Chinese sentence. Secondly we put emphasis on the analysis on the function of “hai” in Chinese. According to our discussion，“hai” is not only a presupposition trigger，but also a marker of “subjective extremum”. It is the function of “mark a subjective extremum” that gives a basis for a “meta-language increment” usage of “hai”. “Fandao” is a special adverb in Chinese which can trigger a presupposition in sentence—a presupposition that the speaker has a expectation. “Fandao” means that the actual situation not only failed the speaker’s expectation，but also deviated from what the speaker has expected，so there is a implication of “further （onwards）” in the meaning of “fandao”，which is distinct from the meaning of “danshi”. In this chapter we also discussed the presupposition and entailment triggered by “zhide/zhihao” in Chinese.

Chapter 6 discussed conjunctional presupposition triggers. Firstly we listed all the conjunctions which can trigger presupposition. Secondly we put emphasis on the analysis on the presupposition triggered by conjunctions like “jishi”. This kind of conjunction can always introduce a extreme condition，making the sentence to give out an assertion that “Things can be no difference in this extreme condition from in ordinary condition”. In this way the sentence with the word “jishi” can convey the meaning that under no circumstances could the action （or event，state，etc.） be changed. All the sentences with the word “jishi” may have such a presupposition：“Generally speaking，things are lest likely to retain the same as usual in this extreme condition.” This chapter also analyzed the differences between “hekuang” and “kuangqie” from a presuppositional perspective.

Chapter 7 and Chapter 8 discussed the conditions in which a nominal composition may trigger presupposition，and the factive presupposition triggered by structure of “shi...de” and by nominal modification-center structure in Chinese. “Yilai”、“yihou” can follow a verb phrase，marked the time for an event to take place. “VP +yilai” can always trigger a factive presupposition，but “VP+yihou” can not always trigger a factive presupposition. In chapter 8 we discussed the factor which caused the different function between “yilai” and “yihou”，and compared their differences in syntactical function.