Pragmatic Function Analysis of the Negative Construction "You Bu Shi" (Again Not)

Abstract

In modern Chinese, the collocation of the adverb "you( 又)" (again) and the negative phrase "bu shi( 不 是)" (not) forms the construction "you bu shi( 又不 是)", which retains the basic meaning of negative structures and develops rich pragmatic expressions in oral communication. It serves as a typical example for studying the interaction between semantics and pragmatics. By reviewing existing research, scholars have mainly focused on the intensifying effect of "you" on negative mood, while lacking a systematic and in depth analysis of special pragmatic functions such as defense and irony of "you bu shi", leaving a research gap. Therefore, this paper investigates and analyzes the pragmatic functions of the negative construction "you bu shi".