Study On The Word Qi(?) In Chinese

Being a vitally important functional word in ancient Chinese,qi(?)is quite complex with its usages as a modal adverb,demonstrative pronoun,and personal pronoun.Centered on the function word qi(?),this dissertation traces to its origin as a function word,and then probes to its grammaticalization process from a time adverb to a modal adverb,from a modal verb to a conjunction,from a demonstrative to a auxiliary,and so on.At the same time,we probes to ita anti-grammaticalization process from a modal adverb to a demonstrative.On the base of those work,we study the lexicalization of qi-related structures.The dissertation constitutes of seven parts:the introduction,Chapter 1 to Chapter 5,and the conclusion.The introduction part presents the significance of our study and its objects,makes a review of current researches about qi(?),points out the problems left in previous studies,and briefly introduces the methods applied in this dissertation.In Chapter 1,we point out the problems left in previous studies which about the qi(?)in inscriptions on oracle bones of the Shang Dynasty,and then we discuss the nature and function of qi(?)in Shang Dynasty.After this,we represent the usages of qi(?)in every period of Chinese.In Chapter 2,we focus on the grammaticalization of qi(?),that is the transformation process of qi(?)from a time adverb to modal adverb,and the process from a modal adverb to a conjunction.Because of the subjectivity of language,the time adverb qi(?)came into the modal adverb qi(?).The fundamental function of qi(?)is affirmative judgment,from which other functions were produced,expressing stress or inquiry mood.The conjunction qi(?)was generated from modal aderverb qi(?).The conjunction qi(?)which connected alternative clauses was came from the modal adverb qi(?)which expressed inquiry mood,and this grammaticalization process occurred in alternative questions.The conjunction qi(?)which connected subjunctive clauses was came from the modal adverb qi(?)which expressed stress mood.In Chapter 3,we study the production process of demonstrative pronoun qi(?)and the grammaticalizaiton process of demonstrative pronoun gi(?).The demonstrative pronoun qi(?)was derived from the modal adverb qi(?)which expressed stress mood.The demonstrative pronoun qi(?)and the modal adverb qi(?)were all ccould have the function of stressing something,this was the semantic fundation of the transfermation,and the alteration of context situation from possible to perfective was the context situation fundation of the transfermation,and the analogy was the transformation mechanism.The qi(?)that was used before adjective was demonstrative,and stressing was its function.The definiteness qi(?)was derived from the demonstrative qi(?),and then the definiteness qi(?)came into a word which only had the function to link the utterrance.Auxiliary qi(?)also was derived from demonstrative qi(?).The transformation from the demonstrative qi(?)to structural auxiliary qi(?)occurred in the form of"NP1+X+NP2 ".The syllable particle i(?)was also derived from demonstrative qi(?).In Chapter 4,we analyse the generation and the nature of personal pronoun qi(?).The qi(?)in the "Formerly,I had seen only Mie's face,but now I have seen his heart(?????????,??????)" was not structural auxiliary,but personal pronoun.The qi(?)in "qi(?)+VP" was also personal pronoun.At last,we study the shifter of qi(?)and zhi(?)?In Chapter 5,we study the lexicalization of structures related qi(?),such as ruoqi(??),ruqi(??),weiqi(?????),heqi(??),gengqi(??).ruqi(??)and ruqi(??)originally were paralleling structures,then became paralelling compound words.Because the conjunction qi(?)was no longer used after mediaeval times,the word-formation motivation of ruqi(??),ruqi(??)died out.The conjunction weqi(?????)'s original structure date back to "adverb wei(?/?)+Personal pronoun i(?)",which was a trans-layer non-phrase construction.There may be two kind of origin for the adverb heqi(??),one was "Degree adverb he(?)+Demonstrotive qi(?)" which was a paralelliing structure,the other was "Interrogative he(?)+ Demonstrotive qi(?)" which was a trans-layer non-phrase construction.The motivation of the lexicalization of the adverb gegqi(??)was Chinese two-syllable word requirements,and the language users added a clitic qi(?)after the adverb "geng(?)".The conclusion part summarizes the conclusions we have drawn from this study and makes a list of the innovations of this dissertation.