Semantic Change Versus Categorical Chang: A Study of the Development of ba in Mandarin
词义转化或词类转化：试论北方话中"把"字的演变实质
Picus Sizhi Ding 丁思志

Abstract 摘要
Contrary to previous analyses that generally regard ba in Mandarin to have been grammaticalized into a semantically empty preposition, the present study argues that the nature of the evolution of the verb ba is a semantic one. Taking the trend of semantic shift from concrete domains to abstract domains into consideration, it is proposed that the meaning of ba has been grammaticalized from ‘to hold (something)’ to ‘to bring about a resultative state’ in marking a resultative construction. This path of grammaticalization is independent of a well-attested path of grammaticalization responsible for changing ba into an instrumental preposition in Old Mandarin.

过往研究「把」字的论着一般多认为「把」字已虚化成毫无词义的介词﹔本文提出与之相反的论点﹐认为「把」字的虚化本质在于词义而非词类。词义的转化乃由实体领域延伸至抽象领域﹐因此﹐「把」字的词义虚化可视为由「持(实物)」延伸至「带出某种结果」﹐用来标记「结果式」语句。这种虚化有别于早期北方话中使「把」字变成工具介词的另一种虚化。两者并无相承关系。

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