本論文旨在探討漢語「V一下」格式，討論「V一下」格式中「一下」的多義性，並且指出「V一下」格式的例子中存在著共同語意核心，此現象可以透過語法化獲得解釋。「一下」的多義性可以進一步分成三類：「一下」不僅含有「一次」或「短時」的語意，它甚至可以作為弱勢語(downtoner)。當「一下」作為弱勢語(downtoner)，它的語意幾乎已經漂白。「一下」的多義性現象顯示在現代漢語語法化過程中不同階段的語意仍被保留。

除了從語意觀點探討漢語「V一下」格式，我們也討論「V一下」格式中的動詞，指出「一下」可以和瞬時動詞、活動動詞、狀態動詞搭配，不能跟成就動詞和瞬成動詞搭配。「一下」跟動詞的搭配和其本身所具備的功能有相當的關係。另外，我們也指出漢語「V一下」格式發展出「使事件瑣碎化」的功能。

另外，我們針對「V一下」格式中名詞片語(NP)的句法位置做了詳盡的討論，為了解釋名詞片語的句法分布，我們提出數個原因，例如名詞片語的長度，名詞片語是否為代名詞、是否為泛指、是否為句子的焦點等都和名詞片語的句法位置有相當關係。

最後，我們比較動量詞「次」和「下」的差異，這兩個看似相似的動量詞事實上是不同的。另外，我們做了語言對比研究，比較了漢語「V一下」格式和英語have a V 格式，我們發現英語have a V格式和漢語「V一下」格式之間存在著相當多的共同點。

This thesis examines the V yi-xia construction in Chinese. It aims to explore the polysemous meanings of the sequence yi-xia in the V yi-xia construction and to show that there exists a common semantic core among the instances of the V yi-xia construction, which can be explained via grammaticalization. The diverse senses of yi-xia can be semantically divided into three types. It can not only refer to 'once' or 'a short period of time', but even function as a downtoner with its semantic meaning bleached. The phenomenon that the sequence yi-xia possesses various meanings suggests that different stages of grammaticalization are preserved in Modern Chinese.

In addition to the examination of the sequence yi-xia from a semantic perspective, we have examined the verbs in the V yi-xia construction and made clear that semelfactive, activity and state verbs are allowed to accompany yi-xia while accomplishment and achievement verbs cannot appear in the V yi-xia construction, which is related to the function the sequence yi-xia possesses when interacting with verbs. We have also point out that the V yi-xia construction has developed the function of trivializing the event.

We also have a thorough discussion on the syntactic position of the NP in the V yi-xia construction when the verb is transitive. To account for the syntactic distribution of the NP, we have provided several contributing factors, such as the length of the NP, whether the NP is a pronoun, whether the NP is generic, and whether the NP is the focus of the sentences.

Lastly, the distinction between the verbal classifier ci and xia is made. We have pointed out that these two apparently similar verbal classifiers are actually different. Besides, a comparison between the V yi-xia construction and the have a V frame in English has been made, which leads us to conclude that the English have a V frame can be regarded as a close counterpart to the V yi-xia construction in Chinese.

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