用关联理论分析《献给艾米丽的玫瑰》（英文）

用关联理论《献给艾米丽的玫瑰》（英文） 用关联理论分析《献给艾米丽的玫瑰》(英 文) 第19卷第2期 内蒙古工业大学(社会科学版) JournalofInnerMongoliaUniversityofTechnology (SocialSciences)V01.19No.22010 AnalyzingARoseforEmilybyRelevanceTheory WangZhiyin (CollegeofForeignLanguagesofIMUT,InnerMongoliaHohhot0100501) Abstract:ThepapertriestoinferthehistoricalbackgroundofARoseforEmilyandanalyzethe two representativeeventsofthenovelbyRelevanceTheory:theeventofcollectingtaxesandtheev entofEmily ? Love.Theunderlyingpurposesofthisstudyare(1)toshowhowRelevanceTheorycanprovid einsight tostudyofliteraryworksand(2)totestapplicabilityofRelevanceTheoryintheinterpretation ofliterary works. Keywords:RelevanceTheory;ARoseforEmily;inference 中图分类号:1045文献标识码:A 1Introduction ARoseforEmilyisoneothemostsuccessful shortstorieswrittenbyWilliamFaulkner.Ittellsthe lifeanddeathofMissEmilyGrierson.Thestructureof thisworkisbrokendownintofiveindividualsections. whichallcometogethertoformamasterpiece.The novelisfamousforitscomplexchronologyandunique narrativepointofview.Mostofthecriticshavestudied theworkfromtheaspectofliterarycriticism.111ey valuethegothiccharacteristics,narrativestructures, pointofviewandsoon.Criticssharetheirreading experienceswithothers,showtheirspecialviewson thenovel,andfightfortheir"correct"opinions. However,theliterarycriticismseldomholdsthe advantageofpragmaticsforanalyzingliteraryworks. ByusingRelevanceTheory,thereader'sinterpretation of山eworkisconsidered.Inthisway.wecanknow howthereaderinterpretsthetextofthenovelandwhat affectsthereader'sunderstandingofthetext. 卓 ThispapertriestouseRelevanceTheorytoana— lyzeARoseforEmily.Contextisveryimportantinin— terpretingliteraryworksbecauselanguageproduction andinterpretationoccurinacertaincontext.Literary worksinterpretationisamodeoflanguagecommunica- tion.Itisaprocessofdynamiccommunicationbetween writersandreadersbymeansoftext.InRelevance Theory,contextreferstocognitivecontext,whichis consideredasapsychologicalconstructorasetof knowledge.Cognitivecontextisaseriesofconceptual representationsconstructedbyindividualtooutside world.Mey(2001:39)stated"Contextisadynamic, notastaticconcept:itistobeunderstoodasthecon— tinuallychangingsurrounding,inthewidestsense, thatenabletheparticipantsinthecommunication processtointeract,andinwhichthelinguisticexpres— sionsoftheirinteractionbecomeintelligible.''Context isregardedasdynamicratherthanstatic,soitisnot pre——determinedbutselectedinthecourseofutterance communication.YusF.(1998:3O)commented"S&W 收稿日期:2010—10—22 作者简介:YE智音(1976一),女(满族),辽宁沈阳人,内蒙古工业大学讲师,英语语言 文学硕士,主要研究方向:英美文 学,语用学. 57 rejectthepictureofcontextandamonolithicentitythat isaccessibletointerlocutorsbeforehandduringinterac— tion.Instead,theyproposeamuchmoredynamicview ofcontextasaconstructthathastobeestablishedand developedinthecourseofinteractioninordertoselect thecorrectinterpretation."Wheninterpretingliterary works.t}lereaderfirstformscontextualassumptions andcombinesthemwithnewinformationsuppliedby thewritertoextractcontextua1effectsandnnaUyan. derstandsthewriter'scommunicativeintention.asan inferentialprocesstakingplaceincognitivecontext. Likeanycommunication, worksisacognitiveprocess. hendthewriter'simplicature interpretationofliterary Thereadercancompre— accordingtooptimalrel— evancewiththecognitivecontextofthewriter.The readercanextendtheinitialcontextaccordingtoprevi— OUSutterances,encyclopedicinformation,andinforma— tionabouttheimmediatelyobservableenvironment. Thenewinformationmayproducecontextualimplica- tionbecausethenewinformationmaystrengthen,con— tradict,eraseorprovetheoldinformation.Therefore, anewcognitivecontextisformed.Theinterpretationof theliteraryworksistheprocessofthereader'ssearch— ingforoptimalrelevancefromthewriter'sostensive communication.Thisisalsotheprocessofsearching forrelevancethroughdynamiccognitivecontext.The reader'scommunicationwiththewriteristheprocess ofthereader'schoosingandadjustinghisassumptions intheworkswiththepurposeofachievingoptimalre]e— vance.Wheninterpretingtheworks,thenewinforma— tionobtainscontextualeffect,whichmeanstheexplicit meaninghassomeeffectonthecognitivecontextofthe readerandthusmodifiesandimprovesthecognitive context.Therefore,anewcognitivecontextisformed. Thenewinformationachievesrelevancebystrengthe— ning,combiningorcontradictingcontextualassump— tions. 2InterpretationofARosefor EmilybyRelevanceTheory 58 Inthefollowing,the~xiterwillpickouttwoim— portanteventsinordertoanalyzethethemeoftheno— ve1.TheeventspickedoutwillbeanalyzedbyRele— vanceTheory.ThepurposeofanalyzingARosefor EmilybyRelevanceTheoryistoshowhowRelevance Theorycanprovideinsighttostudyofliteraryworks andtotestapplicabilityofRelevanceTheoryinthein— terpretationofliteraryworks.Sperber&Wilson(1995: 68)describedinferenceas"theprocessbywhichan assumptionisacceptedastrueorprobablytrueonthe strengthofthetruthorprobabletruthofotherassump— tions'' Inferencesabout,heNovel'sHistorical BackgroundbyRelevanceTheory InChapterOne,thewriterusedthefollowing wordstodescribeEmily'slivingplace:"Itwasabig, squarishframehousethathadoncebeenwhite,deco— ratedwithcupolasandspiresandscrolledbalconiesin theheavilylightsomestyleoftheseventies,setonwhat hadoncebeenourmostselectstreet.''Wecandecode thatthehouseistraditionalandthestyleofthehouse isformal,whichindicatesthehostofthehouseisno— bleinthatarea.Thissentenceactivatesthereader's encyclopedicknowledgeaboutEmily:Emily'sfamily enjoyedprestigeinthepast. Thisinformationalsocanbeconfirmedfromthe firstparagraph:Emilydiedandpeopleinthetown wenttoherfunera1.Readersusetheirencyclopedic knowledgetoformassumptions:peopleinthetownfelt sadforEmily'sdeath;Emilywasthepersonwhom theycaredfor.Thenextinformationstrengthensthea— boveassumption:thementhroughasortofrespectful affectionforfallenmonument….Atthesametime, thismetaphoricalexpressionformsanothercontextual implicationasthereader'smindhastheencyclopedic knowledgethatmonumentisastatuetoremindpeople ofafamouspersonandtomakepeoplememorizethe historicalimportance. "Butgaragesandcottonginshadencroachedand obliteratedeventheaugustnamesofthatneighbor- hood;onlyMissEmily'shousewasleft,liftingits stubbornandcoquettishdecayabovethecottonwagons andthegasolinepumps—aneyesoreamongeyesores.'' TheaboveitalicshintthehistoricaIperiodofthe story.Thereadershavehadtheencyclopedicknow1.. edgeintheirmind:Industrialismandcommercialism wastheoutcomeoftheAmericanCivilWar.Afterthe AmericanCivilWar,theeconomyofsouthdeveloped quitefast.Thepopulationofurbancentersgrewgreat. 1y;theurbanizationbroketheagriculturalsouthemlso— ciety.TheAmericanCivilWarendedtheSOU,hsegre— gationfromthenorthandtheworld.Thebackgroundof thestoryprovidedacontextualassumptionthathelped thereadersunderstandwhyinthefirstparagraphthe authorwouldsayEmily'sdeathwasfallenmonument. Fallenmonumentsymbolizedthecollapseofthesouth. Thelexicalentriesofstubbornandcoquettishinthea. borequotationcouldproducecognitiveenvironment: thetraditionwasstrugglingandlosingitsstatuswhen facingtheencroachmentofindustrialism. 2.2AnalyzingtheImportantEventsbyRele.. vanceTheory 2.2.1EventofCollectingTaxes TheeventthatColonelSartorisexemptedEmily's taxesstrengthenedthecontextualassumptionthatEmilv enjoyedprestigeinthetownandEmilywastheperson whompeopleinthepastcaredfor.However,thenew generationwantedtocollecttaxesfromEmily,breaking theprerogativeEmilyhadenjoyed.Theofficialsofthe newgenerationfirstlymailedataxnotice.Butthenew governmentgotnoreply.ThentheywrotetoEmilya formalletteraskinghertocallattheomceathercon. venience.AweeklaterthemayorwroteEmilyhimself , offeringtocallortosendhiscarforher.Accordingto encyclopedicknowledge,readersknowmailinganotice isacustomforcollectingtaxesandwritingaformallet— terisarespect.Thisassumptionproducesthefollowing contextualimplication:thenewgenerationwantedto collecttaxeswithoutthreateningEmily'sface.Howev. er,Emilyrepliedthenewgovernmentwiththeen— closedtaxnoticeandwithoutanycomment.Emily's behaviorwasdisregardingofthegovernment'sauthori— tyandexistence.Thedifferentattitudesbetweenthe governmentandEmilycausedanewcontextualas. sumption:therewouldbeacontradictionbetweenthe governmentandEmily.Whenthedeputationvisited herinherhouse,Emilydidnotaskthemtosit.This behaviorcreatedencyclopedicassumptions:itwaspo. 1itetoletvisitorstositdown;avisitorwassupposedto betreatedwarmlyandkindly;avisitorwhowasnotal— lowedtobeseatedisnottreatedwel1.Therefore,the implicationwasthatthedeputationwasnotwelcome, whichstrengthenedthecontextualassumptionthatthere wot,hlacontradictionbetweenthegovernmentand Emily.ThetollowingquarrelbetweenEmilyandthe deputationreinforcedthisassumptionincognitivecon. text. Emily'svoicewasdryandcold:"Ihavenotaxes inJefferson.ColonelSa~orisexplainedittome.Per. hapsoneofyoucarlgainaCCeSStothecityrecordsand satisfyyourselves."Theencyclopedicknowledgeindi. catedthatthegovernmenthadtherighttoremitthecit— izen'staxes:ColonelSartorisrepresentedthegovern— ment,whohadremittedEmily'staxes.Therefore.the contextualassumptionthatEmilywouldnotpayanyta— xeslegallycouldbemade.Becausethedeputyobvi— ouslyunderstoodEmily'simplication,theysaid:"But wehave.Wearethecityauthorities,MissEmily. Didntyougetanoticefromthesheriff,signedby him?"Thedeputy,simplicationwasthatEmilymust paytaxesbylaw.Theassumptionswerebasedonthe following:therepresentativeoftheauthority.thesher— iff,hadtherighttocollecthertaxes;theauthorityhad deliveredtaxnoticetoher.Hearingwhatthedeputy expressed,Emilyinsistedonnotpayinghertaxeswith theimplicationthattheauthorityofthesheriffwasnot lawfu1.ThenMissEmilysaid, "Ireceivedapaper. yes,perhapsheconsidershimselfthesheriff…Ihave notaxesinJefferson."RealizingEmily'sintension, thedeputyuttered:"Butthereisnothing彻thebooks toshowthat,youseewemustgobythe一". Thisut— teranceexpressedtheimplicationthatEmilyhadno righttosavetaxes.Thiscontextualassumptionwas basedonthepremisesbelow:therecordoftaxexemD— tioncouldbefoundinthegovernment;Emilygexemp. tionrecorddidnotexist.Emilyinterruptedthedeputa.. tion:"SeeColonelSartoris.IhavenotaxesinJeffer. 59 SOn."ThistimeEmilyobviouslyexpressedherinten— sion:shedoesnothavetopaytaxes.Whatshesaid derivedfromthefollowingpremises:ColonelSartoris remittedEmily,staxes:ColonelSartoriscanexplain clearlytheeventtothedepumtioniftheygotosee him.Thedepumtionwantedtosayfurther , butwasin. terruptedbyEmilyagain:"SeeColonelSartoris. '' (ColonelSartorishadbeendeadalmosttenyears.)"I havenotaxesinJefferson.Tobe!"WhatEmilysaid strengthenedhercontextualassumptionthatshedidnot needtopaytaxes.Theinformationint}lebracketpro— vidednewcontextualassumption:Thedeputationhad nowaytofindColonelSartoris.Thisnewcontextual assumptionhelpedreaderstounderstandthecontents thatEmilyinterruptedtwiceabove. Thatwasalsothe reasonwhythedepumtioninsistedoncomingtoEmily, butnotColonelSartoris. Thetaxeventhintedthecontradictionbetweenthe oldgenerationandthenewgenerationinthenewhis. toricalperiod.ColonelSa~ofisrepresentedtheoldgen. eration,whogaveprivilegetoEmilybecauseEmily wastherepresentativeoftradition.However,thean— thorityofthesheriffrepresentedthenewgeneration, whowantedtobreakthetradition.Insistingoncoilec. tingtaxesfromEmilyreinforcedthecontextualassump— tionthatthetraditionwasstrugglingandlosingitssta— tuswhenfacingtheencroachmentofindustrialism. 2.2.2EventofEmily'sLove Emily'8lovewasthecentraleventinthewhole story.TheGriersonfamilywasthoughttoholdthem. selvestoohighforwhattheyreallywere.Thiscontex— tualassumptioncouldbestrengthenedbyEmily's love.Thetextsaidnoneoftheyoungmenwerequite goodenoughforMissEmilyandsuch.Peoplehadthe impressionofEmilyandher:MissEmilyaslenderfig— ureinwhiteinthebackground,herfatheraspraddled silhouetteintheforeground,hisbacktoherandclutc— hingahorsewhip,thetwoofthemframedbytheback — flungfrontdoor.Readerscouldgettheimplied meaningfromthisostensivedescription.Theencyclo— pedicknowledgeactivatedreaders'assumptions:a slenderfigurewasthesymbolofweakness;thehorse. 60 whipwasthesymbolofstrengthandpower.Thecon— textualassumptionwasthatEmily'sfathercontrolled herlifeandEmilywasobedienttohim.Withthiscon— textualassumption,wecouldunderstandwhyEmilywas stillsingleuntilthirty.Emily'sfatherrejectedallthe proposalsofyoungmantoEmilyfortheywerenotgood enough.AU0ftheinformationactivatesreaders'eney. clopedicknowledgeaboutWilliamFaulkner'simageof Americansouthernwomen:onetypeisawell—bred girlandasouthernvirtuouslady,whoisthemartyrof theoldtradition;theothertypeisregardedasthede— generatedwoman,whodisregardsofthetraditioncorn— pletely.BeforeherfatherdiedEmilywasdefinitelythe firsttype.TheconceptofSouthernWomanhoodmade herso AfterEmily'sfatherpassedawayforaperiodof time,Emilycutherhairtostartanewlife.Emilyand Barronwhowasanorthernyoungmandroveinbuggy onSundayafternoon.Thisprovidedcontextualassump— tion:loversalwaysdroveoutonSunday;ayoungman andayoungwomantogetheronSundaywerelovers. ThecontextualimplicationwasthatEmilyandBaron wereinlove.Atfirst,peopleweregladthatEmliyhad aninterestbecauseaGriersonwouldnotthinkseriously ofaNortherner,adaylaborer.Whatthewriterimplied couldbemadefromthefollowingassumptions:anorth— elTldaylabordidnotpossesshighsocialposition;Gri— ersonwouldnotloveseriouslythepersonwithouthish socialstatus;EmilybelongedtorealGrierson.There. fore,EmilywouldnottreatBarronseriouslyandshe didnothavetruefeelingforBarron.Besidestheabove differentsocialstatus,anotherfactorshouldnotbe neglected.Theencyclopedicknowledgeintheread— ers'mindcouldhintanotherreasonwhyEmilywasnot supposedtoloveBarton.ThefailureofAmericanCivil WarbroughtgreatinfluenceuponAmericansouth.Its entireeconomyhadbeenalteredvirtuallyovernight, anditsrehabilitationdelayedfordecadesbyinadequate educationfacilities,bythespirituallydebilitatingat- mospherewithlargelyimaginarygloriesofthepast. TheSouthwasseparatedfromot}lersandfarlef,behind whentheotherpartsofthecountryweredevelopingvi— tally.Thedisappointingrealitiesdrovethewhitesouth.. empeopletoturntheireyesbacktothepast.Theyre— gardedtheplantationtheyonceownedasthe"Eden Garden"andmadetheirpastbecomeseriesofmyths. Thesouthernercouldnottreatthemselvesproperly. Theyevenblamedthenorthernerfortheirdisappearing 0fthepastglory.Accordingtotheabovereason. Emily shouldnotloveBarronwhowasanortherner.which strengthenedthecontextualinformation. However,peoplefoundEmilylovedBartoninre— alitywithrumorspreading.Thewhisperbegan.The lexicalinformationconstitutedthecognitiveenviron— ment:whisperwasgenerallysaidbetweenpeopleinse— cretway;whisperalwaysarousedH.1mor;rnmorwas spreading.Accordingtorumor,Emilyhadfallenin lovewithBarton.Peoplesaid''PoorEmily''behind her,expressingtheirviewofdisagreementonEmily's lovewithBarron,thinkingEmilyasdegeneration. Emilycarriedherheadhighenough——evenwhen peoplebelievedthatshewasfallen.ThelexicalintDr— mationofcarryingheadhighenoughactivatedthefol— lowingassump?