西漢賦篇幅閎大，詞藻名物也十分博雜；加以上古音與現代語音迥然不同，遂使讀者難以領受作品爲「朗誦」而設計的音韻之美。因此，本文舉司馬相如賦為例，採取「語言風格學(Stylistics)」的概念，歸納、統計常用的聲母、韻部和聲調，期以具體證據說明西漢賦「極聲貌以窮文」 的音韻特徵，並藉由賦篇音值的構擬，呈現其朗誦時音韻和諧、對比的表現。 西漢賦多為「言語侍從之臣」娛侍君上的作品，相較之下，抒情色彩則較淡薄。在當時最顯明的特色，實為「出乎口」而「快乎耳」。賦篇形式多排偶，可分析其音韻搭配的關係，故本文檢索唐作藩《上古音手冊》，求得各字之聲韻調類，再以李方桂、丁邦新的上古聲母和西漢韻部擬音為標注依據，分別在四章中整理且歸納其聲母、韻部及聲調，乃至「重疊形式(reduplicated form)」 的音韻特徵。 本文第一章交代研究動機、方法及範圍，並整理前人研究成果；第二章就「聲母相諧的排偶句」、「頂真的聲母複沓」兩項，整理相如賦相關的例子數及其比例，接著在第三章根據韻腳的通押關係，歸納「韻部相諧的虛字排比句」「韻部相諧的排偶句」「陽入聲韻搭配的排偶句」的例子；第四章則整理聲調複沓或對比的排偶句，突顯相如賦既相諧又對比的音韻搭配。第五章比較相如賦雙聲、疊韻、疊字三種的音韻特徵，此外亦於各章小結製表比較七篇賦的異同。最後，在結論和〈附錄一〉以具體擬音，呈現其朗誦實況，並指出本文價值、研究限制和可繼續發展的相關議題。 / West-Han Rhapsodies are difficult to read owing to their complicated expressions as well as magnificent structure. Moreover, the archaic pronunciation differs greatly from the modern one, which impedes the readers from comprehending and feeling the phonological beauty particularly designed for recitation. This article aims at explaining the phonological characteristics of Sima Xiangru’s rhapsodies, which were intentionally written in an exaggerative language. The concept of “Linguistic Stylistics” is adopted to categorize their vowel clusters, consonant clusters and tones. Furthermore, by means of a phonetic simulation, the rhapsodies’ phonological harmony and comparison in recitation is presented. West-Han Rhapsodies are works by “Chinese jesters” to amuse the emperors. There fore, they are magnificent in form and exaggerating in rhetoric, which dwarfs the lyrical texture. In fact, rhapsodies at that time were written in the way that is colloquially euphonious to the ear. Parallelism is a prominent characteristic of rhapsodies, which helps analyze the phonological harmony.

This program of research was aimed at investigating a novel application of computer aided text analysis (CATA). To date, CATA has been used in a wide variety of disciplines, including Psychology, but never in the area of personnel selection. Traditional personnel selection techniques have met with limited success in the prediction of costly training failures for some occupational groups such as pilot and air traffic controller. Accordingly, the overall purpose of this thesis was to assess the validity of linguistic style to select personnel. Several studies were used to examine the structure of language in a personnel selection setting; the relationship between linguistic style and the individual differences dimensions of ability, personality and vocational interests; the validity of linguistic style as a personnel selection tool and the differences in linguistic style across occupational groups. The participants for the studies contained in this thesis consisted of a group of 810 Royal Australian Air Force Pilot, Air Traffic Control and Air Defence Officer trainees. The results partially supported two of the eight hypotheses; the other six hypotheses were supported. The structure of the linguistic style measure was found to be different in this study compared with the structure found in previous research. Linguistic style was found to be unrelated to ability or vocational interests, although some overlap was found between linguistic style and the measure of personality. In terms of personnel selection validity, linguistic style was found to relate to the outcome of training for the occupations of Pilot, Air Traffic Control and Air Defence Officer. Linguistic style also demonstrated incremental validity beyond traditional ability and selection interview measures. The findings are discussed in light of the Five Factor Theory of Personality, and motivational theory and a modified spreading activation network model of semantic memory and knowledge. A general conclusion is drawn that the analysis of linguistic style is a promising new tool in the area of personnel selection.