New Demonstration Of The Semantic System Of "Xia"

Many scholars have studied a lot on the semantics of “xia”. They have different viewsand focus mostly on part of speech and the comparison with “shang”. This paper, based on theresults of the predecessors, analyzes and explains systematically the semantics of “xia”. Thispaper presents that the semantics of “xia” is a developing and regular system which surroundsthe semantic figure that its original meaning has. The original meaning of “xia” is “lowlocation”. There are two core semantic figures which generate from its original meaning. Onemeans location. The other means containing and covering. The first semantic figure originalmeaning develops displacement and detachment, while the second one extends containing andcovering. The vertical location in space spreads into time and expresses priority order of eventon the horizontal axis. This paper, mainly using metaphor theory in the cognitive linguistic,analyzes and sorts the general semantics of “xia”. The paper has six chapters.Chapter one illustrates the first semantic figure of the original meaning of “xia” whichmeans location in space. This kind of “xia” can be divided into two parts: location in objectivespace and location in mental space.Chapter two explains the second semantic figure of the original meaning of “xia” whichmeans containing and covering in space and sorts the semantic figure into two: concretecontaining and covering and abstract containing and covering. Because of different extendingapproach, meanwhile, this chapter points out that abstract containing and covering can bedivided into four meanings: point-blank; condition; controlling; containing.Chapter three explains displacement which extends from location. Due to differentabstract level, displacement can be divided: concrete displacement; displacement in people’sbasic life; mental displacement.Chapter four presents detachment which derives from the semantic figure of the originalmeaning which means low location. Detachment has two kinds: concrete detachment andappearance.Chapter five elaborates that “xia” which means space gets into time and can be used toexpress the general time, the extension of time and the finish of continuing state.Chapter six and the mainly describes the semantic connection between two usages of “xia”:“xia” as the quantifier and “xia” which is studied in this paper. At the same time, thispart shows the semantic generalization after “xia” combines with directional verb:“lai”;“qu”.The conclusion mainly generalized and summarized the content of this article.