句子关系

简介
Introduction

通常定义两种关系来分析给定的巴利语文本，即词对词关系和句对句关系。 >There are two kinds of relations usually defined to analyze given Pali text, namely, word-to-word relations and sentence-to-sentence ones.

译者注：该关系连词通常是出现在一个句子的第二个位置上

前者用于获取句子的句法意义，已在“基础/高级关系语法(Basic / Advanced Relational Grammar)”中讨论过。 >The former is used to get the syntactic sense of a sentence and has been discussed in Basic / Advanced Relational Grammar.

后者用于准确描述一段、一章甚至一卷句子之间的逻辑关系。 >The latter is used to get the accurate picture of logical relations among sentences of a paragraph, a chapter or even a volume.

本主题是对“句对句”关系的介绍。 >This topic is an introduction to sentence-to-sentence relations.

Vākya
主题单元
Thematic Unit

巴利语术语“vākya”字面意思是“一个句子”，即独立的一组单词集合，其中可以在不超出该集合的情况下，正确地定义句法上的单词对单词的关系。 >The Pali term vākya literally means "a sentence", i.e., a self-contained set of words, in which syntactic word-to-word relations can be properly defined without going out of the set.

然而，它在这里指的是内容或主题的独立单元，因此使用主题单元这个术语。 >However, it means here an independent unit of content or subject matter, hence the term thematic unit.

最小的主题单元是一个句子，它们中的每一个都可以组合成更大的主题单元，它们的范围从两个或两个以上的句子到整段或一章，或者甚至整卷不等。 >The smallest thematic unit is a sentence and each of them may combine to form larger ones --- with their extents ranging from two or more sentences up to a whole paragraph or chapter, or even a whole volume.

Vākyajotaka
主题标识
Thematic Markers

许多主题单元用一些不变词来标记，即hi、ca或pana。 >Many thematic units are marked by certain indeclinables, namely, hi, ca, or pana.

它们通常紧跟其所在句子的第一个单词的后面。 >They are usually placed immediately after the initial words of their respective sentences.

从理论上讲，它们与英语连词相似， 据说它们能指明主题单元之间的句法关系。 >In theory, they are similar to English conjunctions --- they are said to illuminate the thematic relations among thematic units.

然而，在实践中，它们中的每一个都被用来表示几乎所有可能的关系；（如此灵活的）超负荷使用，(使得主题标记)本身无法成为(分析句法关系的)凭据。 >In practice, however, each of them is used to indicate almost all relations possible; it is almost impossible to rely on them when they are so overloaded.

(这也导致)在实践中(与理论上)恰恰相反， >The actual process is rather the reverse.

主题标记只是一个信号，表明有必要分析其主单元与前一个单元的句法关系。 >A thematic marker is only a signal that indicates the necessity to analyze the thematic relation of its HOST unit to the PREVIOUS one.

在完成分析并找出关系后，利用这种关系对标记本身进行合理的翻译。 >After the analysis has been finished and the relation found out, that relation is used to make a reasonable translation of the marker itself.

Essential Content (Piṇḍattha)

The term essential content is used in contrast with the literal content.

For example, a simple sentence counting the Triple Gems as Buddha, Dhamma and Saṅgha is literally different from a whole chapter explaining them in detail one by one; but they are essentially the same in content. Why? Because the subject matter is the same, i.e., the Triple Gems.

The essential content of a thematic unit is related to that of its previous or following one in one of following three ways:

• a. Identity
• b. Cause / effect (premise / conclusion)
• c. ordinary connection.

Types of Thematic Units

The type of a given thematic unit is defined in reference to its preceding and following ones. For instance, if a unit is an elaboration of the previous one but serves as one of partial content to the following one, it is termed as the unit of both elaboration and partial content. Accordingly, types of thematic units are usually given in pairs; in each pair, each member has its type defined in reference to another.

Depending on the relation of their essential contents, they are divided into three classes.