英语处所主语小句的形成机制和主位特性

英语处所主语小句是指其主语具有标示状态或活动的地点这样的处所语义角色的小句。从及物性结构来看，英语处所主语小句包括环境关系过程小句和心理过程小句两类。它们均属于概念语法隐喻小句。前者的形成机制包括过程转换、成分功能转换和成分结构形式转换。后者的形成机制不仅包括上述三种转换，而且要有拟人化机制的参与。在处所主语小句的形成机制中，过程的转换是决定性的，决定着处所主语小句的过程类型，决定着成分功能的转换。成分功能的转换又决定着成分结构的形式转换。而拟人化的发生则要取决于某一过程是否被转换为心理过程。从主位结构分析的角度来看，英语处所主语小句的主位在性质上不同于对应的一致式小句的主位。处所主语小句的主位，由于其固有的空间处所义，可以是小句信息的出发点，但不是述位所关涉的对象，而是述位所述状态或活动得以展开的空间处所。 

English Locative-Subject Clause: Its Formation Mechanism and Intrinsic Semantic Feature of Theme

English locative-subject clause ( ESL C) refers to clauses whose subject has the LOCATIVE role of designating the place of the state or action. In transitivity structure, ESL C may be either relational clauses of circumstance or mental clauses, both of which are clauses of ideational grammatical metaphor. The formation mechanism of the former type involves process transfer, transfer of element function and transfer of element structure. In addition to these three kinds of transfer, the forma-tion of the latter also involves personification. Of the transfers of the formation mechanism, process transfer is determinant. It determines the process type of the transferred clause and the transfer of element function, which in turn decides the transfer of element structure. And personification depends on whether the transferred clause is a mental relation clause or not. In thematic structure, the subject of ESL C may be regarded as unmarked Theme, which is different in nature from that of its corresponding congruent clause. The unmarked Theme of ESL C may be the point of departure of the message, but, due to its own intrinsic se-mantic feature of location, it cannot be what the Rheme is about, but provides a spatial location for the state or action of the Rheme.