Affiliation:
1. Institute of Corpus Studies and Applications , 12656 Shanghai International Studies University , Wenxiang Road 1550, Songjiang District 201306 , Shanghai , China
Abstract
Abstract
This study investigates how Mandarin Chinese speakers use double and redundant negations to adjust information entropy and convey the speaker’s mood. Integrating Gricean implicature, signaling game theory, and information entropy, we quantified uncertainty in negation sentences by calculating self-information of negation markers and overall entropy for negations versus affirmatives. Analyzing sentences from the BCC Corpus of Mandarin Chinese newspapers, we extracted double and redundant negation patterns, calculated their frequencies, and compared entropy values in payoff matrices against affirmatives. Contextual analysis of surrounding discourse interpreted pragmatic functions. Our findings reveal that universal double negations reduce sentence entropy, intensifying assertiveness. Modal forms further decrease entropy, amplifying necessity, while conditional patterns strengthen the asserted conditions. Euphemistic double negations increase entropy, weaken assertiveness, and align with Levinson’s Manner Principle. This increase in entropy quantifies pragmatic markedness, allowing tentative critiques. Redundant negations significantly reduce entropy, strengthening negative attitudes. We elucidate how interlocutors navigate cooperative discourse by quantifying uncertainty via entropy measures, making contextually-optimal linguistic choices like assertion, indirectness, and emphasis. These findings impact signaling game theory and pragmatic markedness, with applications in natural language processing, cross-cultural communication, and computational models. Future research could explore other languages and cognitive and social factors in negation use.
Funder
Supervisor Academic Guidance Program of Shanghai International Studies University
Postgraduate Research & Innovation Program of Institute of Corpus Studies and Applications, Shanghai International Studies University