Comprehensive research on the transformation of monosyllabic words into polysyllabic words in the history of the Chinese lexicon

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25370454
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Linguistics
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: MATSUE TAKASHI 北海道大学, 文学研究科, 准教授 (90344530)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 古代中国語 / 複音節化 / 結果補語 / パラウク・ワ語 / V給

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research studied the transformation of monosyllabic words into polysyllabic words in the process of the historical change of old Chinese, and obtained the following results. [1] It clarified part of a process through which polysyllabic words gradually expanded their quantitative and functional force while coexisting with monosyllabic words. [2] It also clarified the concrete mechanisms of the creation of polysyllabic interrogative numerals and polysyllabic verbs that consist of two elements with the same meaning. [3] Moreover, it analyzed “V +Gei(給)” construction structure of modern Chinese and the polysyllabic form of Parauk Wa, permitting their comparison with the polysyllabic form of old Chinese.

Free Research Field

言語学