As the second volume of a two-volume set that re-examines nouns and verbs in Chinese, this book investigates a wide range of linguistic phenomena in Chinese and other languages to substantiate the verbs-as-nouns theory proposed by the author.
In an attempt to break free from the shackles of Western linguistic paradigms, which are largely based on Indo-European languages and to a great extent inappropriate for Chinese, the two-volume set unravels the different relationships between nouns and verbs in Chinese, English and other languages. This volume begins by looking at the problematic issues surrounding complements and adverbials in Chinese in order to explain the multifunctional nature of Chinese word classes. It then makes extensive use of evidence from other languages to explore the typology and evolution of word classes, as well as the cultural roots underlying the distinction between indicative and non-indicative negation in Chinese. In addition, it elucidates the significance and functions of monosyllabic and disyllabic combinations and the phenomenon of markedness reversal, shedding light on the subjectivity of the Chinese word class system.
The volume will be a must-read for linguists and students interested in Chinese linguistics, Chinese grammar, and contrastive linguistics.
By:
Shen Jiaxuan
Imprint: Routledge
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 234mm,
Width: 156mm,
ISBN: 9781032693774
ISBN 10: 1032693770
Series: Chinese Linguistics
Pages: 208
Publication Date: 29 May 2024
Audience:
College/higher education
,
Professional and scholarly
,
Primary
,
Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming
1. The problematic status of complements and adverbials 2. Chinese, Tongan, and Latin 3. Shì ‘be’ and yǒu ‘have/there be’ 4. The status and functions of the monosyllabic-disyllabic opposition 5. Markedness reversal and the inclusion pattern 6. Concluding remarks: Destruction and construction in grammatical studies
Shen Jiaxuan is Professor of Linguistics at Institute of Linguistics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. His main research interests include contrastive studies between Chinese and English and grammatical theories.
