On the differences of modifiers of Ganzhi 干支 in the Oracle bone inscriptions. (In Chinese)
甲骨卜辞中干支修饰语的差异
Fei Deng 邓飞
Abstract 摘要
As an important way of time recording, Ganzhi in the Oracle-Bone Inscriptions of Shang dynasty is different from that in later ages in that it can be modified. However, huge controversies arise as to the semantics of its modifiers. Focusing on the whole Ganzhi time system, this paper examines the distribution and internal relationship of the modifiers with corpus-based evidences from the CUHK’s CHANT. It is found that: (i) “jinlai” is equipped with poor productivity due to its two internally contradicting semantic branches; (ii) “jin/yi/lai/jinlai” differ from “jinri/yiri/lairi” in their pragmatic functions with the form group belonging to the North Village whereas the later the South Village; (iii) and “jin/jinri”, “yi/yiri”, “lai/lairi” are characterized by distinctive features of ‘reference to time proximate’, ‘reference to the time point’ and ‘reference to time not belong to the whole-ten-ganzhi circle’ respectively. In short, modifiers of Ganzhi are the results of interactions between pragmatic functions and semantics.
Subject Keywords 主题词
Meanings 语义 Pragmatics 语用 Ganzhi 干支 Modifier 修饰语 Oracle-bone Inscriptions 甲骨卜辞
Journal of Chinese Linguistics vol.48, no.2 (June 2020): 456-487
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