Evolution of the beib constructions in Chinese
汉语“被”字结构的演变
Chao Li 李朝

Abstract 摘要
This paper accounts for the evolution of the bei constructions in Mandarin Chinese and its relation to grammaticalization. It argues that it is not until the period of the Six Dynasties that bei in “bei + V” got reanalyzed and grammaticalized as a passive marker. Before this period, the form “bei + V” is not a real passive construction; rather, it is a serial verb construction with a passive meaning as expressed by the lexical verb bei. The paper also argues that the reanalysis of bei as a passive marker paves the way for the emergence of the “bei + agent + V” construction in the Six Dynasties period by modeling the wei forms. Bei in this construction is primarily a passive marker, but at the same time it also functions as a preposition introducing the agent. Finally, the paper argues that the development of the passive bei constructions in Mandarin Chinese supports the principles of layering, persistence, and divergence in grammaticalization, and that in Modern Chinese, bei in “bei + V” is an acategorial grammatical word and bei in “bei + agent + V” is a preposition.

本文阐述了“被”字结构的演变过程以及该过程与语法化的关系。文章的主要论点如下。（1）直到六朝时期“被 + 动词”中的“被”才被再分析为被动式的标志，在此之前，“被 + 动词”不是真正的被动结构。（2）“被”的再分析为在六朝时期根据“为”的形式类推产生“被 + 施事 + 动词”结构铺平了道路。（3）在从实词变为虚词的过程中，“被”首先从一个体动词变为一个心动词，然后从心动词变为被动式的标志。在后一转变中，再分析起了决定性的作用。（4）“被”字结构在汉语中的演变验证了语法化理论中的层次说，持续说和趋异说。（5）在现代汉语中，“被 + 动词”中的“被”是个无类属的虚词，而“被 + 施事 + 动词”中的“被” 是个介词.

Subject Keywords 关键词

Passive construction 被动结构 Bei construction “被”字结构 Passive marker 被动句标志 Reanalysis 再分析 Grammaticalization 语法化

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