Title: A Pragma-rhetorical Study of the Tense Construction “N1有（yǒu） V过（guò） N2”

Abstract: The tense construction “N1有（yǒu） V过（guò） N2” has been the variant of “有XP” construction and shares the features of grammatical construction and rhetorical construction. There are four features which can verify the pragma-rhetoricality of the construction “N1有（yǒu） V过（guò） N2”: unique grammatical structural features, high relevant collocation between the grammticalized auxiliary verb有（yǒu）and the past tense marker过（guò）, implied refusal meaning and indirect language force by pragmatic inference, and pragmaticalization process under the influence of many social factors and pragmatic factors. In addition, as for other rhetorical constructions, studies of the tense construction “N1有（yǒu） V过（guò） N2” can be beneficial for further studies on inference of their pragma-rhetorical meaning and exploration of their pragma-rhetoricality.

Keywords: tense construction, N1有（yǒu） V过（guò） N2, pragmatic condition, pragma-rhetoric

Author: Qiuhong Xing, Assistant, School of Foreign Studies, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, Hunan, China, 411201